than he knew before, where he again strives for perfection; and this he reaches after many births. . . . As material [phenomena] I am eightfold,— earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, understanding, self-consciousness [a category of the Sankhya philosophy]; but this is the lower I. Learn Me in my higher nature. My higher nature is psychic; by it the world is supported, for I am creator and destroyer of the world. None other is higher than I. On Me the universe is woven, like pearls upon a thread. Taste am I, light am I of moon and sun; I am the mystic syllable Aum, I am sound in space, manliness in man, the light of the light, the smell of the fragrant, life and heat, the eternal seed of all beings; the understanding of them that have understanding, the glory of them that have glory. I am the force of the strong, and I am love, yet am I free of love and passion. Know all beings to be from Me alone, whatever be their qualities. I am not in them; but they are in Me. The world knows Me not, for hard to overcome is the illusion which envelops Me. They that are not wise worship many gods, but whatsoever be the god he worships I steady his faith, for in worshiping his god he worships Me. It is by Me that his desires are fulfilled though he worships another. Even they that sacrifice to other gods really sacrifice to me. I am the Universal Father, the goal, the wisdom of the ancient Vedas, the home, the refuge, and the friend of man. I am immortality and death; being and notbeing; the sacrifice, and he that sacrifices. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end. I am Vishnu among sun-gods; the moon among the stars; Indra among [Vedic] gods; the Saman [song] among the Vedas. I am the love that begets. I am the highest science among all sciences; I am the [holy] Ganges among rivers; I am the Word of the speakers; I am the letter A among the letters. I am death and I am life. I am glory, fortune, speech, memory, wisdom; the punishment of the punisher, the polity of the sagacious. I am silence. I am knowledge. There is no end to my divine appearances. Translation of E. W. H. SPECIMEN OF THE RĀMĀYANA HOW VICVAMitra, the KiNG, BECAME A PRIEST 7959 ICVAMITRA, of the knightly caste, practiced austerities for a long time in order to become a priest. Silent for several thousand years, true to his vow, he practiced unequaled self-torture. As the years passed he became like a tree; wrath affected him not, he completed his vow. When thus he had completed his vow he began [for the first time] to eat. Indra the god, disguised as a man, asked him for food, and Viçvāmitra the great saint gave him all of it. He kept also the vow of silence, suppressing his breath, and at last so great was his power that smoke and fire came from him who breathed not, so that the three worlds were frightened. Then the saints in heaven spoke to the Creator and said, "Viçvamitra, tempted to love and to anger, hath not yielded: he has no defect; he is a perfect ascetic. He demands a boon, and if he does not obtain it he will soon destroy all creation. Save the gods' realm, which the Great Seer, through the power of his asceticism, will soon destroy, and grant him his wish." So the boon was granted by the All-father, and to Vicvāmitra, who was one of the knightly caste, was granted the great boon that he should be counted a Brahman. After the Translation of Bopp. SPECIMEN OF FABLE LITERATURE THE ASS AND THE JACKAL From the Pancatantra › NCE an ass struck up friendship with a jackal. They broke through the hedge of a cucumber garden, and ate what they liked in company together. On one night the ass spoke proudly and said, "Behold, son of my sister, how clear and fine the night is! therefore I will sing a song." But the jackal said, "My dear fellow, what is the use of this noise? Thieves and lovers should work secretly. Besides, thy musical powers are weak. The watchman will find us and kill us. Let us rather eat the cucumbers." "Alas," said the ass, "thou livest rudely in the forest and knowest not the magic power of music." And he sang of music's charm. "True," said the jackal, "but thou dost not understand music. It will end in killing us." "What!" cried the ass, "dost thou think I do not understand music? Listen, then, and I will show thee that I know: there are seven notes, three octaves, twenty-one 'intermediates' [etc., etc.]. Thou seest that I understand music. Why wilt thou prevent me from singing?" "Sing, then," said the jackal, "but wait till I get nearer to the gate.» Then the ass began to bray most fearfully. The watchman, who had been asleep, came rushing up and beat the ass and hung a wooden drag about his neck; but the jackal escaped. And when the watchman had gone away again, the jackal cried from afar to the ass and said, "Uncle, thou wouldst not quit. Now thou wearest a new jewel as reward for thy song." After the Translation of Benfey. SPECIMEN OF DRAMA SCENE FROM THE MRICCHAKATIKĀ’ [The King's brother-in-law Sansthānaka from his garden wall sees a chariot coming, in which is the rich bayadère.] ANSTHANAKA- Charioteer, charioteer! slave! are you there? Charioteer - Yes. SAN Charioteer [laughing]- Yes, great sir, I too am here. Charioteer How can I? Sansthanaka - Through this gap, where the wall has fallen. Charioteer - Great sir, the oxen will be killed, the car will be broken, and I, your servant, shall perish. Sansthanaka-Hey? Remember that I am the King's brotherin-law. If the oxen are killed, I will buy more; if the car is broken, I will have another made; if you perish, I will get another Charioteer. But do me a favor. Charioteer-Willingly, if it does not involve a sin. Sansthanaka - Clever man! Not a taint of sin. Charioteer - Speak, then. Sansthanaka - Kill this woman. Charioteer If I should kill this innocent woman, this ornament of the town, on what boat can I pass over the stream that leads to heaven? -I will furnish you a boat. And you must consider that no one will see you in this garden if you kill her. Sansthanaka [The Charioteer refuses. Sansthanaka changes his tune.] Sansthanaka-My son, my servant, I will give you golden bracelets. Charioteer - And I will put them on. Sansthanaka-I will have a chair of gold made for you. Charioteer - And I will sit on it. Sansthanaka-I will give you the leavings of my dinner. Sansthanaka-I will set you over all my servants. Charioteer - And I will be a lord. Sansthanaka-Very well, then, regard my words. Charioteer-Speak then, great sir. Sansthanaka - Kill this woman. Charioteer - Be merciful, great sir: I have brought her here by accident. Sansthanaka Slave! have I no power over you? Charioteer - You have power over my body, great sir, but not over my good conduct. Be merciful, I am frightened to death. Sansthanaka - What are you afraid of, if you are my servant? Charioteer - Of the next world, great sir. After the Translation of Böhtlingk. EXTRACT FROM KĀLIDĀSA'S 'ÇAKUNTALĀ› [The King sees Çakuntala for the first time, clad in homespun, and speaks.] HAT coarse ascetic garb, which, knotted firmly on the shoul Tder, covers her full bosom, doth cast a darkness upon her The spots beauteous form, even as a dry leaf darkens an opening bud. The lotus is lovely, even if it grows in a swamp. on the moon only brighten the light of its beauty. Even so in homespun garb yon slender maiden appears all the fairer. Though she speaks not to me, yet doth she listen when I speak. Though she turns not her face toward me, yet doth her eye seek me alone. After the Translation of Meier. L SONG FROM THE LYRIC ACT OF THE 'VIKRAMORVAÇI › ITTLE bird, fair bird, give me my beloved again. Thou hast taken her beauty away. Thou hast seen her; the beauty thou wearest is hers. Or has she turned into yon laughing brook? For its wavelets are her arching brows; the bright birds that swim on it are her girdle; its foam is her fluttering garment; and its tripping dancing gait is that of my beloved. Surely she has become yon brook. After the Translation of Hoefer. SPECIMENS OF LYRIC POETRY FROM KALIDĀSA'S CLOUD MESSENGER' IN THE twisting stream I see the play of thy eyebrows; in the eye of the doe I see thy glance; in the peacock's tail the luxury of thy hair. In the moon I see the beauty of thy face, and in the priyangu I see thy slender limbs. But ah! thy likeness united all in one place I see nowhere! I paint thee oft as angry, red colors on smooth stones, and would paint my own face near to thine. ness covers my sight. But the tear rises in my eye and dark- united] our evil fate keeps us apart! When the gods of the forest see me, how I stretch out my arms to thee to draw thee to my breast, then, I think, from their eyes will come the tears, which like large pearls glitter on the fresh buds. After the Translation of Max Müller. FROM KALIDĀSA'S 'UNION OF SEASONS':* THE SUMMER Now THE thirsty gazelle hastens after water, its palate dry, glowing with the mighty heat, when like a herd of elephants the clouds appear. The snake which, warmed by the sun's rays, once stretched himself in the burning hot sand, now hissing. turns and seeks the shade. The lion, with thirsty throat, hunts the elephant no more. Courage fails him, his tongue trembles. Forest fires have destroyed the young grass, the gust of the wind drives fiercely the dry leaves. The waters are dried *For a translation in verse of this and the following selection, see Sir Edwin Arnold's Grishma,' Vol. ii. of this work. |