Classic Poem

I

Once again, by Indra's mandate,
Arjun did his pious rites,
Rendered worship unto Siva
Dwelling in Kailasa's heights!
Firm in faith and pure in purpose,
Tireless 'neath the summer sun,
Moveless in the blast of winter,
Mightier penance he begun;
Mortifying flesh and senses,
Lonely in his lofty bower,
Arjun still pursued his duty, —
High resolve hath wond'rous power!
Luscious fruit that ripened near him,
Crystal rill that rippled by, —
Faith is food unto the righteous, —
Drew from him nor wish nor sigh.
Pale despair nor pride of virtue
Ever dimmed his sacred toil,
Lust of flesh nor impure passions
Did his steadfast penance soil.
And he wore a matchless glory,
Though subdued by rigid rite,
Trembling hermits marked his prowess, —
Great in heart are great in might!
Brighter than the mighty wood-fire
Shone his light in forests still, —
Faith is mightier than the ocean,
Loftier than the towering hill!
And his hymns as Arjun chanted,
And his rites as he begun,
Beamed upon his face a radiance
Like the halo of the sun!

II

Clad in armour dark, he carried
Mighty bow across his chest, —
So the wood-clad darksome mountain
Wears the rainbow on its breast!
And when for his day's ablutions
Arjun walked in morning hour,
Solid mountains felt his footsteps, —
Holy worth is wondrous power!
Aye, a lustre fell upon him,
As he stood serene and high,
Till the firmament it lighted,
Flashed unto the upper sky!
And on moonless nights around him
Played a softer gentler ray,
Like the soft and silver moonbeams
Changing darkness into day!
But at morn so bright his radiance,
That the paler orb or sun,
Pacing through a sky of azure,
Scarce with wonted lustre shone!

III

Holy saints beheld in awe
Arjun with his bow unbent, —
" Is this Siva's self, " — they asked,
" On some Titan's death intent?
Is he Indra or the Sun,
God of Fire who helps our rites, —
Strength like his no mortals own,
Faith like his no anchorites! "
But unlike the flaming Fire
All serene was Arjun's light,
And unlike the scorching Sun
Gentle was his holy might!
Lost in doubt the holy saints
In their fear to Siva press,
So all virtues come to Peace,
So all faiths to Righteousness!

IV

Blinded by the Holy Ray, —
By the God's effulgent Light, —
Vain they sought with mortal eyes
To discern his radiant might;
Till by hymns they humbly sought
Him, the Lord of time and space,
And from Siva's eye and front
Flowed to them his godlike grace,
Resting on his sacred bull
Ashen arm of wondrous might,
He, — by Uma sought and loved, —
Stood upon the mountain's height!
Far from creatures of the earth
Stood where snow-clad mountains tower,
But the ocean, land, and sky
Felt his presence and his power!
Coiling serpents stretched their length
Round the muscles of his feet,
As upon broad-bosomed earth
Rocky ranges cross and meet;
On his blue and ample throat
Twining Nagas white as snow,
Like the thread of twice-born men,
Caught its dark and tremulous glow!
By his tresses partly hid
Young moon's glistening crescent hung,
And like Ganga's sparkling wave
Silver radiance softly flung;
And he listened as the saints
Hymns and holy lays addressed,
Telling how a mortal's rites
Filled the wide earth with unrest!

V

" Listen to us, mighty Lord,
How a man with Titan's might
Quells the earth with righteous toil,
Pales the sun with brighter light;
Bow he wears and shining darts,
Armour and a wond'rous blade,
Yet in hermit's skin and bark,
Peaceful toils the warrior dread!
When he treads, the broad earth quakes,
When he prays, the forests glow,
Starry skies are hushed and still,
And the breezes cease to blow;
When at morn he climbs the hill
Stillness falls on earth and air, —
What great task, what deed unknown,
May his lofty purpose dare?
If he seeks to rule the earth,
Or destroy it in his ire,
If he toils to win the sky,
None may guess his object dire;
Thou alone must know it, Lord,
For no secret blinds thine eye,
Thou dost know and thou canst save,
Thou canst help and thou art nigh. "

VI

Unto them then Siva answered
In his accents full of grace, —
Deep as voice of mighty ocean
Sounding to the ends of space!
" Know ye, who with lofty penance
Worships in Badrika's heath, —
Earth-born man but part of VISHNU
Who is Life and who is Death!
And he toils in rites enduring
Foes to conquer and to quell, —
Foes whose dark deeds fill the wide earth,
And whose crimes the heavens assail!
By the will of ancient BRAHMA
Krishna took his human birth, —
With brave Arjun, — to accomplish
Heaven's high mandate on the earth;
But the wily Titan Muka,
Foe of bright gods of the sky,
Seeks to smite the pious Arjun,
Seeks to thwart our purpose high;
Yet to slay the warrior-hermit
Openly to try were vain, —
Muka wears the shape of wild-boar
His unrighteous end to gain!
I will take the form of hunter
Pierce the wild boar in the heart, —
Arjun is a valiant sportsman,
He will doubtless send his dart;
Pale with fasts and rigid penance
Still he owns a wond'rous might, —
Ere the mortal wins my favour
He must prove his worth in fight! "

VII

As the bright gods come,
Siva came disguised, —
Hunter's paint he wore,
Hunter's toil he prized;
And with tendrils twined
Fell his shaggy hair,
Peacock's radiant plume
Decked his eye-brows fair;
Bows and arrows keen
Glittered in his hand,
Like a lurid cloud
Siva led his band!
And his armed host
Waited on his word,
And like hunters held
Bow and lance and sword;
Sweeping through the woods,
Scouring o'er the wold,
Filling earth with sounds
Marched the huntsmen bold!
Scream of bird and beast
Echoed through the land,
Woods and mountains quaked
At the forest band;
Beast and bird forgot
Hate and mutual strife,
Danger made them friends,
And their fear of life!
Chowris fain would fly
Startled by the yell,
But the bush and briar
Caught their flowing tail;
Lion, king of woods,
Owned no dastard fear,
Marked the hunters pass
Calmly from his lair!
Fish leaped from the lake,
Beasts stood on its shore,
Rills were stained by trees
Which the tuskers tore;
Buffaloes from woods
Broke through tangled trees,
Wild flowers with their scent
Filled the fragrant breeze;
Splashing through the stream,
Dashing o'er the heath,
Wild beasts tore the woods
Like the tempest's breath!
Past the forest wild,
Hunters came and stood,
Where the peaceful deer
Browsed in Arjun's wood;
And they witnessed Muka
From a covert rise,
Tearing earth with tusks
In a boar's disguise;
Leaving by the lake
All his armed force,
Siva all alone
Tracked the wild boar's course!