The Birth of the War-God Part 9

Here runs an eager maid, and running, holds Loose and ungirt her flowing mantle's folds, Whilst, as she strives to close the parting vest, Its brightness gives new beauty to her breast.

Oh! what a sight! the crowded windows there With eager faces excellently fair, Like sweetest lilies, for their dark eyes fling Quick glances quivering like the wild bee's wing.

Onward in peerless glory ['S]IVA pa.s.sed; Gay banners o'er his way their shadows cast, Each palace dome, each pinnacle and height Catching new l.u.s.tre from his crest of light.

On swept the pageant: on the G.o.d alone The eager glances of the dames were thrown; On his bright form they fed the rapturous gaze, And only turned to marvel and to praise: "Oh, well and wisely, such a lord to gain The Mountain-Maid endured the toil and pain.

To be his slave were joy; but Oh, how blest The wife--the loved one--lying on his breast!

Surely in vain, had not the Lord of Life Matched this fond bridegroom and this loving wife, Had been his wish to give the worlds a mould Of perfect beauty! Falsely have they told How the young flower-armed G.o.d was burnt by fire At the red flash of ['S]IVA'S vengeful ire.

No: jealous LOVE a fairer form confessed, And cast away his own, no more the loveliest.

How glorious is the Mountain King, how proud Earth's stately pillar, girt about with cloud!

Now will he lift his lofty head more high, Knit close to ['S]IVA by this holy tie."

Such words of praise from many a bright-eyed dame On ['S]IVA'S ear with soothing witchery came.

Through the broad streets 'mid loud acclaim he rode, And reached the palace where the King abode.

There he descended from his monster's side, As the sun leaves a cloud at eventide.

Leaning on VISH[N.]U'S arm he pa.s.sed the door Where mighty BRAHMa entered in before.

Next INDRA came, and all the host of heaven, The n.o.ble Saints and those great Sages seven.

Then led they ['S]IVA to a royal seat; Fair gifts they brought, for such a bridegroom meet: With all due rites, the honey and the milk, Rich gems were offered and two robes of silk.

At length by skilful chamberlains arrayed They led the lover to the royal maid.

Thus the fond Moon disturbs the tranquil rest Of Ocean glittering with his foamy crest, And leads him on, his proud waves swelling o'er, To leap with kisses on the clasping sh.o.r.e.

He gazed on UMa. From his lotus eyes Flashed out the rapture of his proud surprise.

Then calm the current of his spirit lay Like the world basking in an autumn day.

They met; and true love's momentary shame O'er the blest bridegroom and his darling came.

Eye looked to eye, but, quivering as they met, Scarce dared to trust the rapturous gazing yet.

In the G.o.d's hand the priest has duly laid The radiant fingers of the Mountain-Maid, Bright, as if LOVE with his dear sprays of red Had sought that refuge in his hour of dread.

From hand to hand the soft infection stole, Till each confessed it in the inmost soul.

Fire filled his veins, with joy she trembled; such The magic influence of that thrilling touch.

How grows their beauty, when two lovers stand Eye fixt on eye, hand fondly linkt in hand!

Then how, unblamed, may mortal minstrel dare To paint in words the beauty of that pair!

Around the fire in solemn rite they trod, The lovely lady and the glorious G.o.d; Like day and starry midnight when they meet In the broad plains at lofty MERU'S feet.

Thrice at the bidding of the priest they came With swimming eyes around the holy flame.

Then at his word the bride in order due Into the blazing fire the parched grain threw, And toward her face the scented smoke she drew, Which softly wreathing o'er her fair cheek hung, And round her ears in flower-like beauty clung.

As o'er the incense the sweet lady stooped, The ear of barley from her tresses drooped, And rested on her cheek, beneath the eye Still brightly beaming with the jetty dye.

"This flame be witness of your wedded life: Be just, thou husband, and be true, thou wife!"

Such was the priestly blessing on the bride.

Eager she listened, as the earth when dried By parching summer suns drinks deeply in The first soft droppings when the rains begin.

"Look, gentle UMa," cried her Lord, "afar Seest thou the brightness of yon polar star?

Like that unchanging ray thy faith must s.h.i.+ne."

Sobbing, she whispered, "Yes, for ever thine."

The rite is o'er. Her joyful parents now At BRAHMa'S feet in duteous reverence bow.

Then to fair UMa spake the gracious Power Who sits enthroned upon the lotus flower: "O beautiful lady, happy shalt thou be, And hero children shall be born of thee;"

Then looked in silence: vain the hope to bless The bridegroom, ['S]IVA, with more happiness.

Then from the altar, as prescribed of old, They turned, and rested upon seats of gold; And, as the holy books for men ordain, Were sprinkled duly with the moistened grain.

High o'er their heads sweet Beauty's Queen displayed Upon a stem of reed a cool green shade, While the young lotus-leaves of which 'twas made Seemed, as they glistened to the wondering view, All richly pearled with drops of beady dew.

In twofold language on each glorious head The Queen of Speech her richest blessings shed; In strong, pure, G.o.dlike utterance for his ear, To her in liquid tones, soft, beautifully clear.

Now for awhile they gaze where maids divine In graceful play the expressive dance entwine; Whose eloquent motions, with an actor's art, Show to the life the pa.s.sions of the heart.

The rite was ended; then the heavenly band Prayed ['S]IVA, raising high the suppliant hand: "Now, for the dear sake of thy lovely bride, Have pity on the gentle G.o.d," they cried, "Whose tender body thy fierce wrath has slain: Give all his honour, all his might again."

Well pleased, he smiled, and gracious answer gave: ['S]IVA himself now yields him KaMA'S slave.

When duly given, the great will ne'er despise The gentle pleading of the good and wise.

Now have they left the wedded pair alone; And ['S]IVA takes her hand within his own To lead his darling to the bridal bower, Decked with bright gold and all her sumptuous dower.

She blushes sweetly as her maidens there Look with arch smiles and glances on the pair; And for one moment, while the damsels stay, From him she loves turns her dear face away.

NOTES.

_CANTO FIRST._

The Hindu Deity of War, the leader of the celestial armies, is known by the names Kartikeya and Skanda. He is represented with six faces and corresponding arms, and is mounted upon a peac.o.c.k.

_Himalaya._] Mansion of Snow; from _hima_, snow, and _alaya_, mansion.

The accent is on the _second_ syllable.

_Prithu._] It is said that in the reign of this fabulous monarch, G.o.ds, saints, demons, and other supernatural beings, drained or _milked_ from the earth various treasures, appointing severally one of their own cla.s.s as the recipient, or _Calf_, to use the word of the legend. Himalaya was thus highly favoured by the sacred Mount Meru, and the other hills. The story is found in the sixth chapter of the _Harivansa_, which forms a supplement to the _Mahabharat_.

_Still the fair pearls_, &c.] It was the belief of the Hindus that elephants wore these precious jewels in their heads.

_Till heavenly minstrels_, &c.] A cla.s.s of demi-G.o.ds, the songsters of the Hindu Paradise, or Indra's heaven.

_There magic herbs_, &c.] Frequent allusion is made by Kalidas and other Sanskrit poets to a phosphoric light emitted by plants at night.

_E'en the wild kine_, &c.] The _Chouri_, or long brush, used to whisk off insects and flies, was with the Hindus what the sceptre is with us. It was usually made of the tail-hairs of the _Yak_, or _Bos Grunniens_. Thus the poet represents these animals as doing honour to the Monarch of Mountains with these emblems of sovereignty.

_That the bright Seven._] The Hindus call the constellation _Ursa Major_ the seven Ris.h.i.+s, or Saints. They will appear as actors in the course of the poem.

_And once when Indra's might._] We learn from the _Ramayana_ that the mountains were originally furnished with wings, and that they flew through the air with the speed of the wind. For fear lest they should suddenly fall in their flight, Indra, King of the G.o.ds, struck off their pinions with his thunderbolt; but Mainaka was preserved from a similar fate by the friends.h.i.+p of Ocean, to whom he fled for refuge.

_Born once again_, &c.] The reader will remember the Hindu belief in the Transmigration of Souls. The story alluded to by the poet is this:--"_Daksha_ was the son of _Brahma_ and father of _Sati_, whom, at the recommendation of the _Ris.h.i.+s_, or Sages, he espoused to _['S]iva_, but he was never wholly reconciled to the uncouth figure and practices of his son-in-law. Having undertaken to celebrate a solemn sacrifice, he invited all the G.o.ds except _['S]iva_, which so incensed _Sati_, that she threw herself into the sacrificial fire."--(Wilson, Specimens of Hindu Theatre, Vol. II. p. 263.) The name of _Sati_, meaning good, true, chaste woman, is the modern _Suttee_, as it is corruptly written.

_As the blue offspring of the Turquois Hills._] These hills are placed in Ceylon. The precious stone grows, it is said, at the sound of thunder in the rainy season.

_At her stern penance._] This is described in the fifth canto. The meaning of the name Uma is "Oh, do not."

_The G.o.ds' bright river._] The celestial Ganges, which falls from heaven upon Himalaya's head, and continues its course on earth.

_Young Kama's arrow._] Kama, the Hindu Cupid, is armed with a bow, the arrows of which are made of flowers.

_And brighter than A['s]oka's rich leaves._] Nothing, we are told, can exceed the beauty of this tree when in full bloom. It is, of course, a general favourite with the poets of India.

_The strings of pearl._]