This giant Ravan who, in senseless pride, Has, trusting to his own right arm, defied The hosts of Heaven, and ever plagues with woe Seraphs and Gods above and saints below. Crusht are the Blest, who roam through Nandan's' shade, The saint, the seraph, and the heavenly maid. We, with the sages, Lord, to thee draw nigh, And crave thy succour that the fiend may die. Our surest hope, O conquering Lord, art thou. And slay in fight the Gods' tremendous foe." Thus prayed the Children of the Sky; the lord Supreme of Gods, by all the worlds adored, Thus to the suppliants in answer spake : "Fear not, ye sons of Heaven, but comfort take; With son and grandson, lord and captain; all Shall share his ruin as they share his sin. 1 Indra's celestial garden. Thus will I triumph o'er the foe, and then Will guard the earth with mine imperial sway." Then nymph and angel, and the minstrel throng, With lauds to Madhu's victor, while they sang: 1 Cp. Paradise Lost. Book III. 344. The eternal regions." 2 Madhu was a Daitya or demon slain by Vishnu. 3 Virávanam rávanam. Literally Ravan who causes weeping: both words being formed from the root ru (Lat. raucus, rumor): from which too comes the English word raven. For a similar play upon the word cp. Paradise Regained: "And saw the ravens with their horned beaks Food to Elijah bringing, even and morn, Though ravenous, taught to abstain from what they brought." Slay him, and all his race, avenging Lord! Then turn triumphant to thine home on high, And reign for ever in the ransomed sky." THE BIRTH OF RAMA. "The scene changes to earth, where Dasaratha, King of Ayodhya, after a life spent in deeds of virtue, finds his years drawing to a close without any heir to defend his old age or succeed to his crown. A holy rishi, or saint, reveals to him that he shall obtain his desires, on performing the Aswamedha, or sacrifice of a horse, which occupies such a pre-eminent place in the Hindu religious rites. The sacrifice is accordingly performed, and with the promised result. Dasaratha's three wives become the mothers of four sons, all participating in the divine nature of Vishnu; but Rama, the eldest, is Vishnu himself."-Westminister Review, October 1848. p. 41. With costly sacrifice, with praise, and prayer, Ayodhya's king had claimed from Heaven an heir; With arms that trembled as they scarce could hold A flood of nectar in a vase of gold: A weight too vast for even him to bear, For Vishnu's self, the first of Gods, was there. Received the nectar from the angel's hand, capital. Kosala was the name of the Kingdom of which Ayodhya was the As erst Lord Indra from the milky wave Took the sweet drink that troubled ocean gave.' Soon as the queens had shared that mystic bowl, They saw, in dreams, a glorious host who kept 3 Now Lakshmi, with her consort's mystic gem Sparkling upon her breast, for love of them Then from their homes on high-their holy hair 1 The Amrit, or nectar of the Indian Gods, buried at the Deluge and recovered at the Churning of the Ocean. The story is told in the Mahábhárata and translated in Specimens of old Indian Poetry. 2 The sacred bird of Vishnu, Garuda by name. 3 Lakshmi, Goddess of Beauty and Fortune, was the wife of Vishnu. The mystic gem is called Kaustubha "the best Of gems, that burns with living light Upon Lord Vishnu's breast." |