My Sanskrit verses on Bed Bugs
असुरानपि ये युद्धे जयन्तीह पुन: पुन: ।
ते देवा मत्कुणान् हन्तुं शक्नुवन्ति न कर्हिचित् ।।
Those gods who conquer the demons in battle again and again are never able to kill the bed bugs.
मत्कुणेभ्य: सुरा भीता धावन्तस्ते दिवं गता: ।
दशन्ति मत्कुणा: शिष्टान् पामरान् मानवान् भुवि ।।
Very scared of the bed bugs, those gods ran away to heaven. [Now] the bed bugs always bite the poor humans left on earth.
मा मा मा दश मां भूयो दिवं गच्छ सुमत्कुण ।
दश तांस्त्रिदशांस्तत्र ये त्वां त्यक्त्वा दिवं गता: ।।
O Good Bed Bug, please do not bite me again. Go to heaven. There, bite those gods who left you and went to heaven.
Madhav M. Deshpande
Professor Emeritus
Sanskrit and Linguistics
University of Michigan
[Residence: Campbell, California]