Part 15 (1/2)

Strong and firm his cable wound he--round and round on either horn: And the fish, all conquering raja!--with that twisted cable bound, With the utmost speed that vessel--dragged along the ocean tide.

In his bark along the ocean--boldly went the king of men: Dancing with the tumbling billows--das.h.i.+ng through the roaring spray, Tossed about by winds tumultuous--in the vast and heaving sea, Like a trembling, drunken woman--reeled that s.h.i.+p, O king of men.

Earth was seen no more, no region--nor the intermediate s.p.a.ce; All around a waste of water--water all, and air and sky.

In the whole world of creation--princely son of Bharata!

None was seen but those seven Sages--Manu only, and the fish.

Years on years, and still unwearied--drew that fish the bark along, Till at length it came, where lifted--Himavan its loftiest peak.

There at length it came, and smiling--thus the fish addressed the sage: ”To the peak of Himalaya--bind thou now thy stately s.h.i.+p.”

At the fish's mandate quickly--to the peak of Himavan Bound the sage his bark, and ever--to this day that loftiest peak, Bears the name of Manubandhan--from the binding of the bark.

To the sage, the G.o.d of mercy--thus with fixed look bespake: ”I am lord of all creation--Brahma, higher than all height; I in fishlike form have saved thee--Manu, in the perilous hour; But from thee new tribes of creatures--G.o.ds, asuras, men must spring.

All the worlds must be created--all that moves or moveth not, By an all-surpa.s.sing penance--this great work must be achieved.

Through my mercy, thy creation--to confusion ne'er shall run,”

Spake the fish, and on the instant--to the invisible he pa.s.sed.

Vivaswata's son, all eager--the creation to begin, Stood amid his work confounded:--mighty penance wrought he then.

So fulfilled that rigorous penance--instant Manu 'gan create-- Instant every living creature--Raja! he began to form.

Such the old, the famous legend--named the story of the Fish, Which to thee I have related--this for all our sins atones.

He that hears it, Manu's legend,--in the full possession he, Of all things complete and perfect--to the heavenly world ascends.

NOTES ON NALA.

[Footnote 1: p. 3. l. 4. _Over, over all exalted_. This repet.i.tion is in the original.]

[Footnote 2: p. 3. l. 5. _Holy deep-read in the Vedas_. All the perfections, which, according to the opinions and laws of the Hindus, distinguish the sovereign from the rest of mankind, are here ascribed to the hero of the poem. The study of the Vedas must be cultivated by the three superior castes, and ensures both temporal and eternal beat.i.tude. In the laws of Menu it is said, ”Greatness is not conferred by years, not by grey hairs, not by wealth, not by powerful kindred.”

The divine sages have established this rule--Whoever has read the Vedas and their Angas, he is among us great. (JONES'S MENU, ii. 254).

Of all these duties, answered Bhrigu, the princ.i.p.al is to acquire from the Upanishads a true knowledge of the one supreme G.o.d: that is the most exalted of all sciences, because it ensures immortality, (xii.

85). For in the knowledge and adoration of one G.o.d, which the Veda teaches, all the rules of good conduct before-mentioned in order, are fully comprised, (ib. 87.)

The study of the Vedas is considered the peculiar duty of kings, (vii.

43). The Upanishads are doctrinal extracts of the Vedas.

The Indian law demands in the most rigorous manner from every one of n.o.ble birth, the mastery over the _senses_. Menu says, c. ii. 93, ”A man by the attachment of his organs to sensual pleasure, incurs certain guilt; but having wholly subdued them, he thence attains heavenly bliss. v. 94. Desire is never satisfied with the enjoyment of desired objects; as the fire is not appeased with clarified b.u.t.ter; it only blazes more vehemently. v. 97. To a man contaminated by sensuality, neither the Vedas, nor liberality, nor sacrifices, nor strict observances, nor pious austerities, ever procure felicity.” The control over every kind of sensual indulgence is enjoined upon the king. vii. 44. Day and night must he strenuously exert himself to gain complete victory over his own organs; since that king alone whose organs are completely subdued, can keep his people firm to their duty.

Skill in the management of horses and chariots, which in a subsequent part of the poem is of great importance to Nala, is often mentioned as a praiseworthy accomplishment of kings. In the Ramayana, for instance, in the description of king Dasaratha, which likewise contains the above-mentioned traits of character--”In this city Ayodhya was a king named Dusharutha, descended from Ikshwaku, perfectly skilled in the Veda and Vedangas, prescient, of great ability, beloved by all his people, a great charioteer, constant in sacrifice, eminent in sacred duties, a royal sage, nearly equalling a Muhurs.h.i.+, famed throughout the three worlds, mighty, triumphant over his enemies, observant of justice, having a perfect command of his appet.i.tes.” CAREY and MARSHMAN'S translation, sect. vi. p. 64.]

[Footnote 3: p. 3. l. 5. _--in Nishadha lord of earth_. I have accented this word not quite correctly Nishadha, in order to harmonise with the trochaic flow of my metre. It appears to be the same as Nishadha-rashtra and Nishadha-desa. See Wilford's list of mountains, rivers, countries; from the Puranas and other books.

Asiatic Researches, vol. viii. BOPP.]

[Footnote 4: p. 3. l. 6. _Loving dice, of truth unblemished_. The Sanscrit word Akshapujah is differently interpreted. Kosegarten renders it in a good sense as ”fearing heaven.” He argues that it is the poet's object in this pa.s.sage to describe the good qualities of Nala, and that he does not become a gamester till possessed by the demon Kali. Bopp gives the sense in the text, which seems to connect it with the history of king Yudishthira, to whom it is addressed.]

[Footnote 5: p. 3. l. 7. _Sense subdued_. The highest notion of this favourite perfection of Indian character, may be given in the words of the author of the Bhagavat-Gita: ”The highest perfection to which the soul can attain, is action without pa.s.sion. The mind is to be entirely independent of external objects; to preserve its undisturbed serenity it should have the conscious power of withdrawing all its senses within itself, as the tortoise draws all its limbs beneath in sh.e.l.l.”

Action is necessary, but action must produce no emotion--no sensation on the calm spirit within; whatever may be their consequences, however important, however awful, events are to be unfelt, and almost unperceived by the impa.s.sive mind; and on this principle Arjuna is to execute the fated slaughter upon his kindred without the least feeling of sorrow or compunction being permitted to intrude on the divine apathy of his soul. Some of the images in which this pa.s.sionless tranquillity of the spirit is described, appear singularly beautiful:

As to th' unrais'd unswelling ocean flow the mult.i.tudinous streams, So to the soul serene, unmov'd--flow in the undisturbing l.u.s.ts.