.POETRY. 955 



Nor less inspir'd and bold, in later time 

 Flow'd the full melody of Sanscreet rhyme, 

 Which tells what hosts on Kirket's * plains engag'd; 

 What ruthless wars fraternal chieftains wag'd. 

 Here the fierce Kooroos all their thunders pour, 

 Bheem's dreadful shell, and Bheeshma's lion roar : 

 There Pandoo's sons their favour'd ranks expand, 

 The fiery gandeev + bends in Arjun's J hand. 

 Lo, gods and demigods, a countless throng, 

 Blaze in the verse, and swell the pomp of song. 

 High Casi's groves the rapt'rous measures hail, 

 And distant calpas § kindle at the tale. 



Such was thy strain, Vyasa ||, saint and sage, 

 Th' immortal Berkeley ol that elder age. 

 Like him, with flames of holiest rapture fir'd, 

 To thoughts sublime thy daring mind aspir'd, 

 And, nature opening to thy ardent glance. 

 Saw God alone through all the vast expanse. 

 Mysterious theme! Beneath the pcipal 5 shade. 

 His aged limbs the reverend Brahmin laid ; 

 Full on his brow the holy ointment glow'd**. 

 The snow-white zennar -1-+ o'er his shoulder flow'd ; 

 The pointed cnsa Xt deck'd his green retreat, 

 And Ganges' billow kiss'd his sacred feet: 

 Serene he view'd the laughing scenes around. 

 Bright Magadh's vales with floating chawla $^ crown' J, 

 The sunshine calm on Casi's turrets shed. 

 And clouds reposing on Heemala's head ; 

 Then all entranc'd, recall'd his Avand'ringeye, 

 And fix'd the gather'd beams on Deity : 

 From height to height his musing spirit soar'd, 

 And speechless thought || || th' unutter'd name ador'd: 

 Till words unconscious flowing from his tongue, 

 He swell'd the strain, and mystic measures sung. 



• The other great epic poet of India, besides Valmic, was Vyasa, 



t The gandeev was Arjun's bow. 



X Arjun, one of the Pandoos, was the favourite and pupil of Crishna, who acted 

 as his cliariotecr in this battle. 



§ A culpa is a day of Brahma. 



II Vi/nsa was not. only a poet. He founded the most celebrated philosphical 

 school in India, called the Vedanti Schoo;. 



51 The sacred fii^-iree. 



•• The Brahmins paint a streak of yellow oker on their foreheads: some sects 

 horizontally, and others perpendicularly. 



ft The zennar is the saci»;d thread worn by Brahmins. 



tt The cusa is the most sacred species of grass. 



§i Chawla the Indian name office. 



•I II The Om, or name of the Deity, never to be uttered but UJ silence. 



1 <• 'Tiff 



