Part 2

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! Ark of Men! Jai! Hari, jai! Hail, Keshav, hail! thou Master of the world!