— Anonymous
Bhartrhari’s poems are a reflection of ethical and moral issues that arise in worldly affairs. His poem, “I haven’t Been in the cloud”, shows us a son’s moral debt that he owes his mother as an Indian son. In Indian culture, the families are very close to one another; multiple generations would all live in one household, and the main authority is given to the eldest male. It is a part of the culture as a woman to take care of the children and clean and as a man to bring in the money and support the family. The poem reflects on the cultural duties that a son of an indian household must do to show his respects to his mother for raising him. The son in this poem is very similar to me and other south-asian children. The poem is not only a reflection of an indian household, but also the majority of South Asian households. I have a strong connection to the message and values that this poem portrays. It signifies the moral codes and the burden that we have to face from the moment we are born. The poem is written by the son who is reflecting on his lack of contribution towards his culture and his mother. The son does not have money, he does not have power, and he does not have the woman to bear his child. These are critical aspects of indian culture that define success and power. This is the same towards Bengali culture; there is so much underlying pressure that the children bear in order to meet a parent’s expectations. We are not given many options when it comes to how we want to shape our future; we’re born with the duty of fulfilling our parent’s wishes because they raised us. In the poem, the son is ashamed of how he cannot succeed in Indian Society, and because he can’t, his mother is portrayed as a failure for raising a poor son. This poem proves as an example to many children in Indian society of what not to be. I feel reminded of my own parents and how I have been raised by them. Despite the difference in cultural backgrounds, the morals remain the same.
