The Birth of the War-God Part 11

_The Hermit's servant._] By name Nandi.

_His neck of brightly-beaming blue._] An ancient legend tells us that after the deluge the ocean was churned by G.o.ds and demons, in order to recover the Amrit and other treasures that had been lost in it:--

"Then loud and long a joyous sound Rang through the startled sky: 'Hail to the Amrit, lost and found!'

A thousand voices cry.

But from the wondrous churning streamed A poison fierce and dread, Burning like fire: where'er it streamed Thick noisome mists were spread.

The wanting venom onwards went, And filled the Worlds with fear, Till Brahma to their misery bent His gracious pitying ear; And ['S]iva those destroying streams Drank up at Brahma's beck.

Still in thy throat the dark flood gleams, G.o.d of the azure neck!"

Specimens of Old Indian Poetry--_Churning of the Ocean._

_Gates of sense._] The eyes, ears, &c.

_CANTO FOURTH._

_Late, dim, and joyless shall his rising be._] The Moon, in Hindu mythology, is a male deity.

_This line of bees._] Kama's bow is sometimes represented as strung in this extraordinary manner.

_And stain this foot._] "Staining the soles of the feet with a red colour, derived from the Mehndee, the Lac, &c., is a favourite practice of the Hindu toilet."--WILSON.

_CANTO FIFTH._

_And worn with resting on her rosary._] The Hindus use their rosaries much as we do, carrying them in their hands or on their wrists. As they turn them over, they repeat an inaudible prayer, or the name of the particular deity they worship, as Vish[n.]u or S'iva. The _Rudraksha mala_ (which we may suppose Uma to have used) is a string of the seeds or berries of the Eleocarpus, and especially dedicated to S'iva. It should contain 108 berries or beads, each of which is fingered with the mental repet.i.tion of one of S'iva's 108 appellations.

_Not e'en her boy._] Kartikeya, the G.o.d of War.

_Of those poor birds._] The Chakravaki. These birds are always observed to fly in pairs during the day, but are supposed to remain separate during the night.

_That friendship soon in gentle heart is bred._]

"Amor in cor gentil ratto s'apprende."

DANTE.

_CANTO SIXTH._

_The Heavenly Dame._] Arundhati, wife of one of the Seven Saints.

_The Boar._] An Avatar, or incarnation of Vish[n.]u. In this form he preserved the world at the deluge.

_That thirsty bird._] The Chataka, supposed to drink nothing but rain-water.

_Proud Alaka._] The capital of Kuvera, the G.o.d of Wealth.

_The bright Champac._]

"The maid of India blest again to hold In her broad lap the Champac's leaves of gold."

_Lalla Rookh._

_Angiras._] One of the Seven Saints; the father of Vrihaspati, the teacher of the G.o.ds.

_Vast grew his body._] Alluding to the Vamana, or Dwarf Avatar of Vish[n.]u, wrought to restrain the pride of the giant Bali, who had expelled the G.o.ds from heaven. In that form he presented himself before the giant, and asked him for three paces of land to build a hut. Bali ridiculed and granted the request. The dwarf immediately grew to a prodigious size, so that he measured the earth with one pace, and the heavens with another.

_Sumeru._] Another name of the sacred Mount Meru; or rather the same word, with su, good, prefixed.

_CANTO SEVENTH._

_Kailasa's side._] A mountain, the fabulous residence of Kuvera, and favourite haunt of S'iva, placed by the Hindus among the Himalayas.

_Kali came behind._] The name of one of the divine matrons. The word also signifies in Sanskrit a row or succession of clouds, suggesting the comparison which follows.

_In twofold language._] In Sanskrit and Prakrit. The latter is a softened modification of the former, to which it bears the same relation as Italian to Latin; it is spoken by the female characters of the Hindu drama.

THE END.