Classic Poem

I

Beaming with a gentle lustre
Soft as rays of autumn night,
Graced with auburn locks that clustered
Like a cloud of golden light, —
Glowing with a god-like mercy
In his more than human face,
Filling every living creature
With responsive love and grace, —
Speaking by his look and gesture
Peace that dwells in realms aloft,
Waking trust and true affection
By his glances sweet and soft, —
Herald of the holy Vedas
Vyasa to the monarch went,
And the courteous King Yudhishthir
Questioned thus the mighty Saint.'

II

" Unattained by life-long merit
Is such favour great and high,
Like a holy life's fruition,
Like the rain from cloudless sky!
Holy rites have borne their harvest,
Brahmans' blessings brought their meed,
For thy sight is highest honour,
Truest blessing in my need!
Vedic Bard! Thy grace can conquer
Ills with which this earth is rife,
And thy love like love of BRAHMA
Sanctifies our mortal life!
Not the moon's benignant radiance
Cheers my sad and lightless eye,
But my heart forgets its sadness
Mighty Saint! since thou art nigh!
Thy desires I may not question,
Peaceful souls have no desires,
But a wish to hear thy utterance
My enquiring heart inspires. "
Thus in graceful words the Monarch
To the Bard of Vedas prayed,
Anxious for the Monarch's glory
He unto Yudhishthir said.

III

" He who strives for earthly glory
Bears for all impartial love,
He who strives for peace and virtue
Should with higher justice move,
Yet my partial heart, Yudhishthir,
For thy virtues leans to thee, —
Virtue binds the lonesome hermit
From all earthly bondage free!
Are ye not of royal lineage
Like the youth who fills the throne,
Hath his father lost his reason
Thus to wrench from you your own?
And will Fortune help a warrior
Who on Karna places trust,
Doth not faith with false and faithless
Lead to fame and honour lost?
When they left the righteous pathway,
You remained in virtue strong,
When they changed, still true and changeless
You forgave the proud man's wrong.
And they sought to shame you vainly,
Man of piety and love,
Every trial, wrong and insult
Higher virtue in you prove.

IV

" Listen yet; by valour only
You can win in battle's hour,
For your foe is strong in combat,
Boundless in his wealth of power.
Jamadagni's son who conquered
Thrice seven times the kings of earth,
Great though he, — he owns with terror
Bhishma's greater, mightier worth;
Death is powerless, Death is conquered,
By that chief's resistless might,
And the field of battle trembles
When he enters on the fight!
Doughty Drona in the battle
Speeds his darts in furious ire,
Like a world-consuming furnace
Shooting forth its tongues of fire
Archer Karna learnt his lessons
From great Jamadagni's son,
And the King of Terrors trembles
At his deeds of valour done!
These are chiefs, believe me Monarch,
Whom in battle thou shalt face,
Arm thyself by toil and penance,
Seek celestial help and grace;
Let young Arjun seek the weapons
Gods themselves by worship crave, —
This, Yudhishthir, is my message,
Win the gift that speeds the brave! "

V

Then the gallant archer Arjun
Stept forth reverent and slow,
Bending at his elder's mandate
Like a student bending low;
And the gift of saintly Vyasa, —
Mantra of the holy spell, —
As the sunlight falls on lotus,
On the valiant Arjun fell.
And the mantra's holy radiance,
Which the warrior proudly wore,
Oped his inner eye of reason,
Filled his heart with sacred lore;
And his form betokened glory,
And his heart was fixed and strong,
Vyasa spake of penance holy
To the warrior brave and young.
" Strengthened by this mantra , Arjun,
Yield thy warrior-pride to none,
Girt in arms perform thy penance,
Holy rites by hermits done;
And this Yaksha guide will lead thee
To the lofty golden hill,
There, perform thy sacred duty,
Do the Thunder-Wielder's will! "
Speaking thus unto the warrior
Vyasa vanished from his view,
And obedient to his mandate
Came the Yaksha tried and true;
Warrior Arjun, faithful Yaksha,
Found a true friend, each in each,
For the pure are quick in trusting,
And their love not far to reach.

VI

As a darkness fills Sumeru
When the god of day departs,
Parting from the warrior Arjun
Filled with grief his brothers' hearts;
But dispelled by sense of duty, —
Though so bitter was their lot, —
Sorrow in the royal brothers
Yielded to a higher thought;
Hope and trust in Arjun's prowess,
Hatred of the common foe,
Confidence in brighter future,
Quelled the sense of present woe.
Shadows leave the hours of daylight,
Seek the stillness of the night, —
Sorrows left the warlike brothers,
Filled Draupadi in their might;
And as snow-flakes fill the lotus
Rising tear-drops filled her eye,
But to weep were inauspicious,
Though her bosom heaved a sigh.
Look of tenderness and sadness
Did her woman's glances send,
As a dear and sad memento
To a loved and parting friend;
And her heart was wrung by anguish,
Like a creeper rent and broke,
And her voice was choked by tear drops,
Sad her accents as she spoke.

VII

" Sole restorer of our glory,
Now, alas, in darkness lost,
Let thy manly heart and purpose
By no saddening thought be crost;
For in quest of fame and glory,
And of deeds which records fill,
Fortune ever leans to heroes
Labouring with a dauntless will!
Kings in glory rule the wide earth,
Conquering foemen in the strife,
We have lost that kingly glory
Dear to warrior as his life,
Till the chiefs of distant regions
Doubting heard our tale of shame,
Staining all our former valour
And our world-embracing fame!
Tale of shame which dims our future,
Hides each deed of valour done,
As the shadow of the evening
Hides the glimmers of the sun, —
Tale of wrong and bitter insult
Rankling like a cruel smart,
And the thought of pain will freshen
When, O Arjun, thou shalt part!
Like a wounded forest-monarch
Changed thou art, thy glory faded,
Void of pride and pomp and prowess
Like the day by darkness shaded;
And the arms that once bedecked thee
Long unused have lost their gleam,
Form of pride hath changed and withered,
Like the summer's dwindled stream!
By these tresses, young Duhsasan
Dragged me to the council hall,
Still unbraided, powerless Arjun,
They remind thee of thy fall!
What is Kshatra , — true-born warrior, —
If he fails to help and save,
What is Karmuk , — bow of battle, —
If it fails the true and brave?
Vain thy virtues, mute thy glory,
And inglorious is thy might,
Or partaking of our sorrow
Do they imitate our plight?

VIII

" But they rashly tempt thee, Arjun, —
Lion's wrath the hunters shun, —
Duty for thy worth elects thee
As the day elects the sun!
For a hero's deed of valour
Fills the glorious rolls of fame,
And a hero's name is foremost
When they count each warlike name;
Be a hero in thy striving,
And if sometimes in thee rise
Thoughts of sadness and of sorrow,
Indra helps the brave and wise!
Free from every secret evil
Do thy penance lone and long,
Guard thee from each lurking danger,
Secret foe who smites the strong;
Duty calls thee! Part we, Arjun,
Do the Saint's behest in peace,
And our dearest hopes fulfilling
Seek once more our dear embrace! "

IX

Thus spake Drupad's daughter
Rousing Arjun's wrath,
He was like the red sun
In the northern path;
And his mighty weapons
Manfully he wore,
Like a spell terrific
Form of terror bore!
Bow the dread of foemen,
Arrows keen and dread,
And the well-filled quiver,
And the shining blade,
And the gem-wrought armour,
Like the star-wrought sky,
On his deep-scarred person
Donned the warrior high!
Guided by the Yaksha
To the hills he went,
Hermits filled with sorrow
Pious wishes sent;
And the sky breathed music,
Flowers fell from above,
And the ocean's breakers
Clasped the earth in love!