Prayers and Wishes: The villagers say many lines that start with “May.” They say, 

“May he sit still.” 

 “May the sins of your previous birth be burned away tonight.” 

Karma and Fate: The villagers trust many folk ideas. They think pain is a part of past life. They say the mother’s pain will “decrease the misfortunes of your next birth.” This line shows their trust in rebirth. They also think her pain will reduce evil. They say the “sum of all evil” will fall. They think her body will be clean. They say the poison will “purify your flesh.” Such lines show how rural people link pain with fate.

Rural Life and Unity: The poem shows a small, poor village. The house has “mud-baked walls.” Rain hits the place for long hours. Light comes from “candles and lanterns.” This shows a simple life. The villagers come at once. They sit around the mother. They show care. They show respect. But they use the wrong ideas. They trust old ways. They hold firm beliefs. Their unity comes from the same culture. Their life is shaped by such beliefs.

Contrast With Reason: The father also tries to save his wife. But he uses a different path. He is a “sceptic, rationalist.” He tries “powder, mixture, herb and hybrid.” He also burns the toe with paraffin. The poet says, 

“I watched the flame feeding on my mother.”

The poem gives a rich picture of rural Indian life. It shows how people think in danger. Fear makes them trust signs and prayers. They link pain with Karma. They trust words more than skill. Their ways come from their culture. The father brings reason, but he also feels fear. The poem shows how superstition shapes a whole group and how it can guide and comfort people in hard times.