Hindu literature Part 29

Also the glad Princess, gaining her lord, Laid sorrows by, and blossomed forth anew, As doth the laughing earth when the rain falls, And brings her unseen, waiting wonders forth Of blade and flower and fruit. The ache was gone, The loneliness and load. Heart-full of ease, Lovelier she grew and brighter, like the moon Mounting at midnight in the cloudless blue.

When Rituparna heard How Vahuka is Nala in disguise, And of the meeting, right rejoiced at heart That Raja grew. And, being softly prayed By Nala favorable thought, the King Made royal and gentle answer, with like grace By Nala met. To whom spake Rituparna:-- "Joy go with thee and her, happily joined.

But say, Nishadha, wrought I any jot Wrongful to thee, whilst sojourning unknown Within my walls? If any word or deed, Purposed or purposeless, hath vexed thee, friend, For one and all thy pardon grant to me!"

And Nala answered: "Never act or word, The smallest, Raja, lingers to excuse!

If this were otherwise, thy slave was I, And might not question, but must pardon thee.

Yet good to me thou wert, princely and just, And kind thou art; and friendly from this time Deign thou to be. Happily was I lodged, Well-tended, well-befriended in thy house; In mine own palace never better stead.

The skill in steeds which pleased thee, that is mine, And, Raja, I will give it all to thee, If thou art minded."

So Nishadha gave All his great gift in horses to the King, Who learned each rule approved, and ordinance; And, having all this knowledge, gave in turn His deepest lore of numbers and the dice To Nala, afterwards departing home To his own place, another charioteer Driving his steeds; and, Rituparna gone, Not long did Nala dwell in Bhima's town.

When one moon he had tarried, taking leave, Nishadha to his city started forth With chosen train. A shining car he drove; And elephants sixteen, and fifty horse, And footmen thirty-score came in the rear.

Swiftly did Nala journey, making earth Quake 'neath his flying car; and wrathfully With quick steps entered he his palace doors.

The son of Virasena, Nala, stood Once more before that gamester Pushkara!

Spake he: "Play yet again; much wealth is mine, And that, and all I have--yea, my Princess-- Set I for stakes: set thou this realm, and throw!

My mind is fixed a second chance to try, Where, Pushkara, we will play for all or none.

Who wins his throne and treasures from a prince, Must stand the hazard of the counter-cast-- This is the accepted law. If thou dost blench, The next game we will play is 'life or death,'

In chariot-fight; when, or of thee or me One shall lie satisfied: 'Descended realms, By whatsoever means, are to be sought,'

The sages say, 'by whatsoever won.'

Choose, therefore, Pushkara, which way of these Shall please thee; either meet me with the dice, Or with thy bow confront me in the field."

When Pushkara this heard, lightly he smiled, Concluding victory sure; and to the Prince Answered, exulting: "_Dishtya_! hast thou gained Stakes for a counter-game, Nishadha, now?

_Dishtya_! shall I have my hard-won prize, Sweet Damayanti? _Dishtya_! didst thou come In kissing-reach again of thy fair wife?

Soon, in thy new gold splendid, she shall shine Before all men beside me, as in heaven On Sakra waits the loveliest Apsara.

See, now, I thought on thee, I looked for thee, Ever and ever, Prince. There is no joy Like casting in the game with such as thee.

And when to-day I win thy blameless one-- The smooth-limbed Damayanti--then shall be What was to be: and I can rest content, For always in my heart her beauty burns."

Listening the idle talk that babbler poured, Angry Prince Nala fain had lopped away His head with vengeful _khudga;_[29] but, unmoved, Albeit the wrath blazed in his bloodshot eyes, He made reply: "Play! mock me not with jests; Thou wilt not jest when I have cast with thee!"

So was the game set, and the Princes threw Nala and Pushkara, and--the numbers named-- By Nala was the hazard gained: he swept His brother's stake, gems, treasure, kingdom, off; At one stroke all that mighty venture won.

Then quoth the conquering Prince to Pushkara, Scornfully smiling: "Mine is now once more Nishadha's throne; mine is the realm again, Its curse plucked forth; Vidarbha's glory thou, Outcast, shalt ne'er so much as look upon!

Fool! who to-day becom'st her bond and slave.

Not by thy gifts that evil stroke was wrought Wherefrom I fled before; 'twas Kali's spell-- Albeit thou knew'st nought, fool--overmastered me; Yet will I visit not in wrathful wise My wrong on thee; live as thou wilt; I grant Wherewith to live, and set apart henceforth Thy proper goods and substance, and fit food.

Nay, doubt not I shall show thee favor, too, And be in friendship with thee, if thou wilt, Who art my brother. Peace abide with thee!"

Thus all-victorious Nala comforted His brother, and embraced him, sending him In honor to his town; and Pushkara-- Gently entreated--to Nishadha spake, With folded palms and humbled face, these words:-- "Unending be thy glory. May thy bliss Last and increase for twice five thousand years, Who grantest me wherewith to live, just Lord!

And where to dwell." Thereafter, well bested, Pushkara sojourned with the Prince one moon; So to his town departed--heart-content-- With slaves and foot-soldiers and followers, Gay as a rising sun (O Bharat's glory!).

Thus sent he Pushkara, rich and safe, away.

Then, with flags and drums and jewels, robed and royally arrayed, Nala into fair Nishadha entry high and dazzling made; At the gates the Raja, halting, spake his people words of love; Gathered were they from the city, gathered from the field and grove; From the mountain and the maidan, all a-thrill with joy to see Nala come to guard his children. "Happy now our days will be,"

Said the townsfolk, said the elders, said the villagers, "O King!"

Standing all with palms upfolded: "Peace and fortune thou wilt bring To thy city, to thy country! Boundless welcome do we give, As the G.o.ds in heaven to Indra, when with them he comes to live."

After, when the show was ended, and the city, calm and glad, Rest from tumult of rejoicing and rich flood of feasting had, Girt with shining squadrons, Nala fetched his pearl of women home.

Like a queen did Damayanti back unto her palace come, By the Maharaja Bhima, by that mighty monarch sent Royally, with countless blessings, to her kingdom, in content.

There, beside his peerless Princess, and his children, bore he sway, G.o.dlike, even as Indra ruling 'mid the bliss of Nandana.[30]

Bore he sway--my n.o.ble Nala--princeliest of all lords--who reign In the lands of Jambudwipa;[31] winning power and fame again; Ruling well his realm reconquered, like a just and perfect king, All the appointed gifts bestowing, all the rites remembering.

[22] Jhillikas are the large wood-crickets

[23] A caravan.

[24] This is a secretion which flows by a small orifice from the elephant's temples at certain seasons. It is sweet-smelling, and constantly alluded to in Hindoo poetry.

[25] "Gentleness is chief of virtues."

[26] These "curls" are the "Arvathas," or marks of good blood and high-breeding.

[27] "O Beautiful One!"

[28] This raining down of heavenly flowers on auspicious occasions is a frequent incident in ancient Indian poetry.

[29] A short; broad-bladed sword.

[30] Nandana is the Paradise of Indra.

[31] Ancient name of India: "The Land of the Rose-apple Tree."

SELECTIONS FROM THE RaMaYANA

BY

VaLMiKI

[_Metrical translation by R.T.H. Griffiths_]

INTRODUCTION

The ideas of the human family are few, as is apparent from the study of the literature of widely different nations. Thus the "Ramayana" ranks in Hindoo with the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey" in Greek literature. The character of Rama corresponds with that of Menelaus, for both the European and the Asiatic heroes have had their wives carried off from them--although Sita, the bride of Rama, is chaste as an icicle from Diana's temple, while Helen is the infamous type of wanton wives, ancient and modern. The Hindoo Lanka is Troy, and Ayodhya is Sparta. The material civilization of the cities in the Hindoo epic is more luxurious and gorgeous than that which Homer attributes to Greece in the heroic age. Such splendor and refinement as invests social life at Lanka and Ayodhya never appear amid the severe simplicity of Argos or Troy. The moral tone seems perhaps higher in India than in Greece during the periods described in their several epics--at least as far as mutual love and forbearance go--and the ideas of marriage and conjugal fidelity are equally exalted.

As to the literary quality of the Hindoo epic in comparison with Homer's work, we are at once impressed with the immense superiority of the Greek poem in artistic proportion, point, and precision. The Hindoo poet flounders along, amid a maze of prolix description and wearisome simile.

Trifles are amplified and repeated, and the whole poem resembles a wild forest abounding in rich tropical vegetation, palms and flowers, but without paths, roads, or limits. Or rather, we are reminded of one of the highly painted and richly decorated idols of India, with their many heads and many hands: but when we turn to the Greek epic we stand before a statue of pure outline, flawless proportions, and more than human beauty.

It is difficult to fix the date of the "Ramayana." Scholars generally agree that it belongs to the third century before Christ, in its original form, but that some recent portions were added even during the Christian era. It is reckoned as one of the sacred books, and the study of it is supposed to bring forgiveness of sin, and prosperity. Its author is thought to have been the famous poet Valmiki, but the work has evidently been rehandled several times, and there are three versions of the poems still extant. The poem consists of twenty-four thousand verses, and the story of it--now overlaid as it is with extravagant and fabulous accretions--is evidently founded on fact. The scene of the poem is laid in the city of Ayodhya, the modern Oudh, which is described in glowing colors as a place of health, beauty, and prosperity--

"In by-gone ages built and planned By sainted Manu's princely hand."

In the splendid palace of the Rajah, at Oudh, lives Dasaratha, mourning in childlessness. He is one of the princes descended from the sun, and his line now threatens to become extinct. He determines to appeal to the G.o.ds by the Asva-medha, the great sacrifice in which a horse is the victim. The rites accordingly are performed with unparalleled magnificence, and, at the close of the ceremony, the high priest declares to the king--

"Four sons, O Monarch, shall be thine, Upholders of the royal line."

Among the offspring duly granted to Dasaratha is Rama, who is a typical Hindoo of the heroic type. His fair wife, Sita, is carried off by the demon Ravana, who had a.s.sumed the form of a humble priest, or ascetic, in order to gain access to her. He carries her in his chariot to Lanka, the fair city built on an island of the sea. By the a.s.sistance of a large army of monkeys, Rama marches against Lanka, and when they stand helpless--for the water separates them from Ceylon--he then invokes the G.o.ddess of the sea, as Achilles did Thetis, and she comes in radiant beauty, telling them how to bridge the waves. The monkeys bring timber and stones, the bridge is built, Lanka reached, and the battle begins.

Indra sends his own chariot down from heaven to Rama, who mounts it, and vanquishes Ravana in single combat, upon which Sita is restored to her husband. E.W.

THE RaMaYANA

INVOCATION