The Enigma That Is Life Poem by Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon
The Enigma That Is Life
Life is an enigma! Who knows what it is and why it is,
Where do we come from and where are we unto.
What happened yesterday is past, and remains a fact;
But we live only today, this very moment.
Whatever has passed till now we have been just spectators;
What about the future then? Is it that the world is for us
Or we have made what it is today?
Nothing is in our control. Or why should anything be?
Man comes to this world with his fists clenched,
Ready to grab anything he can lay his hands on.
But when he leaves, he leaves with his hands open
Leaving everything behind. Only his karma remains with him.
Geeta says, soul, The Aatman has no death nor birth;
Death is when the body is discarded as jeerna vastram
And soul goes on to mantle a new one, as we change dress.
Who are we? The body that dies or the immortal soul?
If life is enigmatic, so is love. Why do I love another being?
Is for my sake, or his? Why do I love one, but hate the other?
What do I get in return for my love? Or should I?
Is love a karma adequate? If yes, whom should I love?
*The Poet says, 'love is the essence of everything on earth;
And the principle of love is the ultimate truth that governs life'.
**Another claims, 'love is the one religion that spreads life
Across the universe, the full moon spreading moonshine.'
What is love? Is it the feeling of man to woman?
Or that of mother to her child or that you have for me?
How can we define all these different feelings of love?
How do we differentiate? Or who are we to differentiate?
Oh! Life's so complicated. But why is it so?
What is the purpose of our existence?
Why do we think? What does death portent?
Oh! Let us speak of life, not death. And of course, love.
Man comes to this world with his fists clenched, Ready to grab anything he can lay his hands on. But when he leaves, he leaves with his hands open Leaving everything behind. - - - -> What a wonderfully poetic way to communicate a truth! ! ! Well done! ! In fact, awesomely done! ! !
Wow! .. Beautifully wrote! .. With ever such feelings sewn! .. Thank you so much for sharing this! .. Ever so many 10S! ..
Thank you, Becca. I feel gratified that you could relate to the Indian Philosophy, which I tried to introduce through this poem.
Every stanza is well written with unique thoughts. A great and insightful poem. The first time I have read an Arabian Sonnet.
Part 3 If I understand correctly, this School says that man and God are two facets of the same Supreme Being. So, Moksha, Spiritual Liberation, is not something you attain after death. It can be attained, by acquiring Vidya, meaning knowledge of one's true identity as Atman, and the identity of Atman and Brahman during one’s life.
There are many Schools of Thoughts in the Indian Philosophy. There is the ”Advaitha Vedanta “, espoused by Jagad Guru Adi Shankara, who was born in Keralam in the 8th century.
Excellent write. The questions embedded in this poem resonate with me and I think majority of us do if not all. I liked how you invoked love into life.
Hi Rose Marie, PoemHunter is giving me some problems. Sorry I seen your comments only now. That is why I am late to acknowledge. It makes me very happy to learn that you enjoyed my questions on life and love, you could relate to the Intrigues of Indian Philosophy.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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7/27/2025 7:03:52 AM # 1.0.0
A 100000000 pointer! ! ! Stars all over this! ! ! !
I owe to my mother for this revelation of truth. She used to tell us stories from the epics, to establishment this truth. I am really happy that you chose to revisit this page and enrich it with fresh observations. Thank you.