Story Telling - A Sanskrit Verse

Story Telling

Story telling, naturally, involves two parties - one who tells the story and those who listen. When you have face to face contact with the listeners you judge how the response it in various ways. Some ask questions. It does not matter what the question is. The very act of raising questions brings life into story telling.
Many sit silently and listen. Even in that case the facial expression or the light of understanding and interest reflected in the eyes tell the level of interest.
None of these yardsticks are available in writing stories or broadcasting them through the electronic media. In such cases the teller knows how good he has been only through the response from the listeners. What I mean to say is that without comments, whatever their nature be, blogging becomes boring . So, dear ones, please post some comments – doubts, objections, clarifications : whatever they may be.
There is an interesting verse in Sanskrit about story telling that comes to mind . Yasoda, Krishna’s mother, is telling the story of Rama to him. Remember that both Rama and Krishna are incarnations of Vishnu, in that order of birth. In this verse Krishna is reminded of his earlier birth as Rama. Note that the very mention of Ravana stealing his beloved Seetha of earlier birth changes the mood of the sleepy child in Krishna to that of the angry and valorous warrior in Rama. Note, also how this has been beautifully captured in four lines of poem.

Sloka :

“Ramo naama babhoova”, “hum”, “tadabalaa Seethethi”, “hum”, “thou pithur
Vaachaa panchavatee vane nivasathah taa maaharad Raavanah” I
Krishnenethi purathaneem nijakathaa maakarnya maathreerithaam
“Soumithre, kva dhanur dhanu rithi prokthaa girah paathu vah II

English Translation

“(There was a prince) by name Rama”, “hmmm”, “who had a wife named Seetha”, “hmmm”, “They were living in the Panchavati forest as ordered by Rama’s father. (Then), Ravana took her away”.
Hearing his own story of olden time from his mother, may those words : “Lakshmana, where is the bow ? (where is) the bow? “, (shouted ) by Krishna protect you.