The Song celestial Part 4

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER VIII. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Ent.i.tled "Aksharaparabrahmayog,"

Or "The book of Religion by Devotion to the One Supreme G.o.d."

CHAPTER IX

Krishna.

Now will I open unto thee--whose heart Rejects not--that last lore, deepest-concealed, That farthest secret of My Heavens and Earths, Which but to know shall set thee free from ills,-- A royal lore! a Kingly mystery!

Yea! for the soul such light as purgeth it From every sin; a light of holiness With inmost splendour shining; plain to see; Easy to walk by, inexhaustible!

They that receive not this, failing in faith To grasp the greater wisdom, reach not Me, Destroyer of thy foes! They sink anew Into the realm of Flesh, where all things change!

By Me the whole vast Universe of things Is spread abroad;--by Me, the Unmanifest!

In Me are all existences contained; Not I in them!

Yet they are not contained, Those visible things! Receive and strive to embrace The mystery majestical! My Being-- Creating all, sustaining all--still dwells Outside of all!

See! as the sh.o.r.eless airs Move in the measureless s.p.a.ce, but are not s.p.a.ce, [And s.p.a.ce were s.p.a.ce without the moving airs]; So all things are in Me, but are not I.

At closing of each Kalpa, Indian Prince!

All things which be back to My Being come: At the beginning of each Kalpa, all Issue new-born from Me.

By Energy And help of Prakriti my outer Self, Again, and yet again, I make go forth The realms of visible things--without their will-- All of them--by the power of Prakriti.

Yet these great makings, Prince! involve Me not Enchain Me not! I sit apart from them, Other, and Higher, and Free; nowise attached!

Thus doth the stuff of worlds, moulded by Me, Bring forth all that which is, moving or still, Living or lifeless! Thus the worlds go on!

The minds untaught mistake Me, veiled in form;-- Naught see they of My secret Presence, nought Of My hid Nature, ruling all which lives.

Vain hopes pursuing, vain deeds doing; fed On vainest knowledge, senselessly they seek An evil way, the way of brutes and fiends.

But My Mahatmas, those of n.o.ble soul Who tread the path celestial, worship Me With hearts unwandering,--knowing Me the Source, Th' Eternal Source, of Life. Unendingly They glorify Me; seek Me; keep their vows Of reverence and love, with changeless faith Adoring Me. Yea, and those too adore, Who, offering sacrifice of wakened hearts, Have sense of one pervading Spirit's stress, One Force in every place, though manifold!

I am the Sacrifice! I am the Prayer!

I am the Funeral-Cake set for the dead!

I am the healing herb! I am the ghee, The Mantra, and the flame, and that which burns!

I am-of all this boundless Universe- The Father, Mother, Ancestor, and Guard!

The end of Learning! That which purifies In l.u.s.tral water! I am OM! I am Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda, Yajur-Ved; The Way, the Fosterer, the Lord, the Judge, The Witness; the Abode, the Refuge-House, The Friend, the Fountain and the Sea of Life Which sends, and swallows up; Treasure of Worlds And Treasure-Chamber! Seed and Seed-Sower, Whence endless harvests spring! Sun's heat is mine; Heaven's rain is mine to grant or to withhold; Death am I, and Immortal Life I am, Arjuna! SAT and ASAT, Visible Life, And Life Invisible!

Yea! those who learn The threefold Veds, who drink the Soma-wine, Purge sins, pay sacrifice--from Me they earn Pa.s.sage to Swarga; where the meats divine

Of great G.o.ds feed them in high Indra's heaven.

Yet they, when that prodigious joy is o'er, Paradise spent, and wage for merits given, Come to the world of death and change once more.

They had their recompense! they stored their treasure, Following the threefold Scripture and its writ; Who seeketh such gaineth the fleeting pleasure Of joy which comes and goes! I grant them it!

But to those blessed ones who worship Me, Turning not otherwhere, with minds set fast, I bring a.s.surance of full bliss beyond.

Nay, and of hearts which follow other G.o.ds In simple faith, their prayers arise to me, O Kunti's Son! though they pray wrongfully; For I am the Receiver and the Lord Of every sacrifice, which these know not Rightfully; so they fall to earth again!

Who follow G.o.ds go to their G.o.ds; who vow Their souls to Pitris go to Pitris; minds To evil Bhuts given o'er sink to the Bhuts; And whoso loveth Me cometh to Me.

Whoso shall offer Me in faith and love A leaf, a flower, a fruit, water poured forth, That offering I accept, lovingly made With pious will. Whate'er thou doest, Prince!

Eating or sacrificing, giving gifts, Praying or fasting, let it all be done For Me, as Mine. So shalt thou free thyself From Karmabandh, the chain which holdeth men To good and evil issue, so shalt come Safe unto Me-when thou art quit of flesh-- By faith and abdication joined to Me!

I am alike for all! I know not hate, I know not favour! What is made is Mine!

But them that worship Me with love, I love; They are in Me, and I in them!

Nay, Prince!

If one of evil life turn in his thought Straightly to Me, count him amidst the good; He hath the high way chosen; he shall grow Righteous ere long; he shall attain that peace Which changes not. Thou Prince of India!

Be certain none can perish, trusting Me!

O Pritha's Son! whoso will turn to Me, Though they be born from the very womb of Sin, Woman or man; sprung of the Vaisya caste Or lowly disregarded Sudra,--all Plant foot upon the highest path; how then The holy Brahmans and My Royal Saints?

Ah! ye who into this ill world are come-- Fleeting and false--set your faith fast on Me!

Fix heart and thought on Me! Adore Me! Bring Offerings to Me! Make Me prostrations! Make Me your supremest joy! and, undivided, Unto My rest your spirits shall be guided.

HERE ENDS CHAPTER IX. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Ent.i.tled "Rajavidyarajaguhyayog,"

Or "The Book of Religion by the Kingly Knowledge and the Kingly Mystery."

CHAPTER X

Krishna.[FN#l6]

Hear farther yet, thou Long-Armed Lord! these latest words I say-- Uttered to bring thee bliss and peace, who lovest Me alway-- Not the great company of G.o.ds nor kingly Rishis know My Nature, Who have made the G.o.ds and Rishis long ago; He only knoweth-only he is free of sin, and wise, Who seeth Me, Lord of the Worlds, with faith-enlightened eyes, Unborn, undying, unbegun. Whatever Natures be To mortal men distributed, those natures spring from Me!

Intellect, skill, enlightenment, endurance, self-control, Truthfulness, equability, and grief or joy of soul, And birth and death, and fearfulness, and fearlessness, and shame, And honour, and sweet harmlessness,[FN#17] and peace which is the same Whate'er befalls, and mirth, and tears, and piety, and thrift, And wish to give, and will to help,--all cometh of My gift!

The Seven Chief Saints, the Elders Four, the Lordly Ma.n.u.s set-- Sharing My work--to rule the worlds, these too did I beget; And Rishis, Pitris, Ma.n.u.s, all, by one thought of My mind; Thence did arise, to fill this world, the races of mankind; Wherefrom who comprehends My Reign of mystic Majesty-- That truth of truths--is thenceforth linked in faultless faith to Me: Yea! knowing Me the source of all, by Me all creatures wrought, The wise in spirit cleave to Me, into My Being brought; Hearts fixed on Me; breaths breathed to Me; praising Me, each to each, So have they happiness and peace, with pious thought and speech; And unto these--thus serving well, thus loving ceaselessly-- I give a mind of perfect mood, whereby they draw to Me; And, all for love of them, within their darkened souls I dwell, And, with bright rays of wisdom's lamp, their ignorance dispel.

Arjuna.

Yes! Thou art Parabrahm! The High Abode!

The Great Purification! Thou art G.o.d Eternal, All-creating, Holy, First, Without beginning! Lord of Lords and G.o.ds!

Declared by all the Saints--by Narada, Vyasa Asita, and Devalas; And here Thyself declaring unto me!

What Thou hast said now know I to be truth, O Kesava! that neither G.o.ds nor men Nor demons comprehend Thy mystery Made manifest, Divinest! Thou Thyself Thyself alone dost know, Maker Supreme!

Master of all the living! Lord of G.o.ds!

King of the Universe! To Thee alone Belongs to tell the heavenly excellence Of those perfections wherewith Thou dost fill These worlds of Thine; Pervading, Immanent!

How shall I learn, Supremest Mystery!

To know Thee, though I muse continually?

Under what form of Thine unnumbered forms Mayst Thou be grasped? Ah! yet again recount, Clear and complete, Thy great appearances, The secrets of Thy Majesty and Might, Thou High Delight of Men! Never enough Can mine ears drink the Amrit[FN#18] of such words!

Krishna.

Hanta! So be it! Kuru Prince! I will to thee unfold Some portions of My Majesty, whose powers are manifold!

I am the Spirit seated deep in every creature's heart; From Me they come; by Me they live; at My word they depart!

Vishnu of the Adityas I am, those Lords of Light; Maritchi of the Maruts, the Kings of Storm and Blight; By day I gleam, the golden Sun of burning cloudless Noon; By Night, amid the asterisms I glide, the dappled Moon!

Of Vedas I am Sama-Ved, of G.o.ds in Indra's Heaven Vasava; of the faculties to living beings given The mind which apprehends and thinks; of Rudras Sankara; Of Yakshas and of Rakshasas, Vittesh; and Pavaka Of Vasus, and of mountain-peaks Meru; Vrihaspati Know Me 'mid planetary Powers; 'mid Warriors heavenly Skanda; of all the water-floods the Sea which drinketh each, And Bhrigu of the holy Saints, and OM of sacred speech; Of prayers the prayer ye whisper;[FN#19] of hills Himala's snow, And Aswattha, the fig-tree, of all the trees that grow; Of the Devarshis, Narada; and Chitrarath of them That sing in Heaven, and Kapila of Munis, and the gem Of flying steeds, Uchchaisravas, from Amrit-wave which burst; Of elephants Airavata; of males the Best and First; Of weapons Heav'n's hot thunderbolt; of cows white Kamadhuk, From whose great milky udder-teats all hearts' desires are strook; Vasuki of the serpent-tribes, round Mandara entwined; And thousand-fanged Ananta, on whose broad coils reclined Leans Vishnu; and of water-things Varuna; Aryam Of Pitris, and, of those that judge, Yama the Judge I am; Of Daityas dread Prahlada; of what metes days and years, Time's self I am; of woodland-beasts-buffaloes, deers, and bears- The lordly-painted tiger; of birds the vast Garud, The whirlwind 'mid the winds; 'mid chiefs Rama with blood imbrued, Makar 'mid fishes of the sea, and Ganges 'mid the streams; Yea! First, and Last, and Centre of all which is or seems I am, Arjuna! Wisdom Supreme of what is wise, Words on the uttering lips I am, and eyesight of the eyes, And "A" of written characters, Dwandwa[FN#20] of knitted speech, And Endless Life, and boundless Love, whose power sustaineth each; And bitter Death which seizes all, and joyous sudden Birth, Which brings to light all beings that are to be on earth; And of the viewless virtues, Fame, Fortune, Song am I, And Memory, and Patience; and Craft, and Constancy: Of Vedic hymns the Vrihatsam, of metres Gayatri, Of months the Margasirsha, of all the seasons three The flower-wreathed Spring; in dicer's-play the conquering Double-Eight; The splendour of the splendid, and the greatness of the great, Victory I am, and Action! and the goodness of the good, And Vasudev of Vrishni's race, and of this Pandu brood Thyself!--Yea, my Arjuna! thyself; for thou art Mine!

Of poets Usana, of saints Vyasa, sage divine; The policy of conquerors, the potency of kings, The great unbroken silence in learning's secret things; The lore of all the learned, the seed of all which springs.

Living or lifeless, still or stirred, whatever beings be, None of them is in all the worlds, but it exists by Me!

Nor tongue can tell, Arjuna! nor end of telling come Of these My boundless glories, whereof I teach thee some; For wheresoe'er is wondrous work, and majesty, and might, From Me hath all proceeded. Receive thou this aright!

Yet how shouldst thou receive, O Prince! the vastness of this word?

I, who am all, and made it all, abide its separate Lord!

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER X. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Ent.i.tled "Vibhuti Yog,"

Or "The Book of Religion by the Heavenly Perfections."

CHAPTER XI

Arjuna.

This, for my soul's peace, have I heard from Thee, The unfolding of the Mystery Supreme Named Adhyatman; comprehending which, My darkness is dispelled; for now I know-- O Lotus-eyed![FN#21]--whence is the birth of men, And whence their death, and what the majesties Of Thine immortal rule. Fain would I see, As thou Thyself declar'st it, Sovereign Lord!

The likeness of that glory of Thy Form Wholly revealed. O Thou Divinest One!