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Indian Poetry Containing "The Indian Song of Songs," from the Sanskrit of the Gîta Govinda of Jayadeva, Two books from "The Iliad Of India" (Mahábhárata), "Proverbial Wisdom" from the Shlokas of the Hitopadesa, and other Oriental Poems.

Arnold, Edwin, Sir

2008enGutenberg #25965Original source

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                            INDIAN POETRY

                             CONTAINING

            "_THE INDIAN SONG OF SONGS," FROM THE SANSKRIT
                   OF THE GÎTA GOVINDA OF JAYADEVA
          TWO BOOKS FROM "THE ILIAD OF INDIA" (MAHÁBHÁRATA)
             "PROVERBIAL WISDOM" FROM THE SHLOKAS OF THE
                HITOPADEŚA, AND OTHER ORIENTAL POEMS_


                                  BY

               SIR EDWIN ARNOLD, M.A., K.C.I.E., C.S.I.

                   _Author of "The Light of Asia"_

                OFFICER OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT OF SIAM
          THIRD CLASS OF THE IMPERIAL ORDER OF THE MEDJIDIE
     FELLOW OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC AND ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETIES
 HONORARY MEMBER OF THE SOCIETÉ DE GEOGRAPHIE, MARSEILLES, ETC. ETC.
           FORMERLY PRINCIPAL OF THE DECCAN COLLEGE, POONA
                AND FELLOW OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BOMBAY



                          EIGHTH IMPRESSION


                                LONDON

                KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO. L^TD

                   DRYDEN HOUSE, GERRARD STREET, W.

                                 1904

       *       *       *       *       *




CONTENTS.


                                                        PAGE

THE INDIAN SONG OF SONGS--

Introduction                                             1

Hymn to Vishnu                                           3

Sarga the First--The Sports of Krishna                   9

Sarga the Second--The Penitence of Krishna              22

Sarga the Third--Krishna troubled                       31

Sarga the Fourth--Krishna cheered                       37

Sarga the Fifth--The Longings of Krishna                44

Sarga the Sixth--Krishna made bolder                    54

Sarga the Seventh--Krishna supposed false               59

Sarga the Eighth--The Rebuking of Krishna               75

Sarga the Ninth--The End of Krishna's Trial             79

Sarga the Tenth--Krishna in Paradise                    83

Sarga the Eleventh--The Union of Radha and Krishna      88


MISCELLANEOUS ORIENTAL POEMS--

The Rajpoot Wife                                       101

King Saladin                                           113

The Caliph's Draught                                   132

Hindoo Funeral Song                                    137

Song of the Serpent Charmers                           138

Song of the Flour-Mill                                 140

Taza ba Taza                                           142

The Mussulman Paradise                                 146

Dedication of a Poem from the Sanskrit                 150

The Rajah's Ride                                       151


TWO BOOKS FROM THE "ILIAD OF INDIA"                    159

The Great Journey                                      172

The Entry into Heaven                                  192

THE NIGHT OF SLAUGHTER                                 210

THE MORNING PRAYER                                     216


PROVERBIAL WISDOM FROM THE SHLOKAS OF THE HITOPADESA   221

       *       *       *       *       *




THE INDIAN SONG OF SONGS.

_INTRODUCTION._

OM!

REVERENCE TO GANESHA!


    "The sky is clouded; and the wood resembles
      The sky, thick-arched with black Tamâla boughs;
    O Radha, Radha! take this Soul, that trembles
      In life's deep midnight, to Thy golden house."
    So Nanda spoke,--and, led by Radha's spirit,
      The feet of Krishna found the road aright;
    Wherefore, in bliss which all high hearts inherit,
      Together taste they Love's divine delight.

           _He who wrote these things for thee,
            Of the Son of Wassoodee,
            Was the poet Jayadeva;
            Him Saraswati gave ever
            Fancies fair his mind to throng,
            Like pictures palace-walls along;
            Ever to his notes of love
            Lakshmi's mystic dancers move.
            If thy spirit seeks to brood
            On Hari glorious, Hari good;
            If it feeds on solemn numbers.
            Dim as dreams and soft as slumbers,
            Lend thine ear to Jayadev,
            Lord of all the spells that save.
            Umapatidhara's strain
            Glows like roses after rain;
            Sharan's stream-like song is grand,
            If its tide ye understand;
            Bard more wise beneath the sun
            Is not found than Govardhun;
            Dhoyi holds the listener still
            With his shlokes of subtle skill;
            But for sweet words suited well
            Jayadeva doth excel._




(_What follows is to the Music_ MÂLAVA _and the Mode_ RUPAKA.)

HYMN TO VISHNU


    O thou that held'st the blessed Veda dry
      When all things else beneath the floods were hurled;
    Strong Fish-God! 

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