Lays of Ancient India: Selections from Indian Poetry Rendered Into English VerseKegan Paul, Trench, Trübner, 1894 - 224 pages |
Other editions - View all
Lays of Ancient India: Selections from Indian Poetry Rendered Into English Verse Romesh Chunder Dutt No preview available - 2013 |
Lays of Ancient India: Selections From Indian Poetry Rendered Into English ... Romesh Chunder Dutt No preview available - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
Agni anchorite Ancient India Arjun arrow beauteous beauty blessings blossoms BOOK Brahman bright brother Buddha cattle celestial chief clouds conquer creepers dark dart death deeds doth Draupadi Duryodhana earth and sky earth or sky eyes fame fire flowers foemen forest Gautama Buddha gentle gifts and prayer glorious glory gods golden grace Grant heart heavenly Hindu holy honour humble hymns Indian poetry Indra king Kshatriyas Kuru kingdom learned Brâhman light lived lofty Lord lore lotus mighty monarch mortal mountain Nachiketas noble nymphs o'er path peace penance pious rites Pûshan quelled radiant rain rain-cloud rays Rig Veda righteous ruddy sacred saint saintly Sambhu seek shaft shine shone Siva Siva's sky or air soft sorrow soul spoke Sudâs sweet thee thou art thought toil translated trees Tritsus truth tuskers Umâ unto Upanishad Varuna verses virtue Vritra warriors wealth wild wondrous woods worship Yaksha Yama Yudhishthira
Popular passages
Page 53 - From every sentence deep, original, and sublime thoughts arise, and the whole is pervaded by a high and holy and earnest spirit.
Page 53 - In the whole world there is no study, except that of the originals, so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life, it will be the solace of my death.
Page 87 - Thus in many lands they wandered, Buddha and his faithful friend, Teaching truth to many nations, Till his life approached its end. And they say, along the pathway, As the saintly Master went, Fruit trees blossomed out of season And a lovely fragrance lent! And that flowers and sandal-powder Gently fell on him from high, And came strains of heavenly music Gently wafted from the sky! II But the saintly Master whispered To his friend beloved and blest, Tis not thus, O friend Ananda! That the Buddha's...
Page viii - ... selections should convey something not only of the beauty of Indian poetry in general, but also of the distinctive features of the poetry of each special period — something of the freshness and simplicity of the Vedic Hymns, the sublime and lofty thought of the Upanishads, the unsurpassed beauty of Buddhist precepts, and the incomparable richness and imagery of the later or classical Sanscrit poetry. And it seems to me that such a book, comprising specimens from the literature of successive...
Page 96 - To show the path of peace ! 4Would'st thou know that pious way, That righteous path of peace, — It is the way that leads to joy, To joy and holy bliss ! Religion ! — 'tis another name For Truth and Charity, Religious rite and sacrifice Is Kindness, Purity...
Page 14 - the name of the Arctic regions rests on a misunderstanding of a name framed thousands of years ago in Central Asia, and the surprise with which many a thoughtful observer has looked at these seven bright stars, wondering why they were ever called the Bear, is removed by a reference to the early annals of human speech.
Page 3 - One of the most famous legends about Indra, the most famous legend probably in the Aryan world, is about the production of rain. The dark heavy clouds to which man looks up with wistful eyes, but which often disappoint him in seasons of drought, are called by the ancient name of Vritra. Vritra is supposed to confine the waters, and will not let them descend until the sky-god or rain-god Indra strikes the monster with his thunderbolt. The captive waters then descend in copious showers, rivers rise...
Page 55 - Self! A part of him — these creatures all! In him their birth, they live in him, And into him they end withal! The mortal ever toils and works, And as he sows upon this earth, In virtue's soil or ways of sin, So reaps he in a future birth! 2. He is Life — Intelligence pure! He is Truth and he is Light! His soul pervades the universe, Like ether — escapes our mortal sight! From him alone all works proceed, All wishes and all feelings spring, Serene and calm, he never speaks, But in himself holds...
Page 95 - Royal highways in my empire Are by mangoes shaded, Wells and inns refresh and cheer The thirsty and the jaded. But a mission greater, holier, — To refresh the soul ! To relieve the thirsty heart, And comfort bring to all ! * The name assumed by Asoka in all his inscriptions.
Page 88 - But the saintly Master whispered To his friend beloved and blest, 'Tis not thus, O friend Ananda ! That the Buddha's honoured best. Not by flowers or sandal-powder, Not by music's heavenly strain, Is the soul's true worship rendered, Useless are these things and vain ! But the brother and the sister, Man devout and woman holy, — Pure in life, in duty faithful, — They perform the worship truly...