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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3






SECTION XLV

"Vaisampayana said, 'The king dismissed all his subjects, who, commanded
by the monarch, returned to their respective homes. Comforting his
brothers, Yudhishthira, blazing with beauty, then addressed his brothers
Bhima of terrible prowess and Arjuna and the twins, saying, 'Your bodies
have, in the great battle, been mangled with diverse kinds of weapons by
the foe. Ye are greatly fatigued, grief and anger have scorched your
hearts. Through my fault, ye bulls of Bharata's race, ye have suffered
the miseries of an exile in the forests like vulgar men. In delight and
in happy ease enjoy this victory (that ye have won). After resting
yourselves and regaining the full use of your faculties, meet me again in
the morning.' After this, the mighty-armed Vrikodara like Maghavat
entering his own beautiful fane, entered the palace of Duryodhana, that
was adorned with many excellent buildings and rooms, that adorned with
gems of diverse kinds, that teemed with servants, male and female, and
that Yudhishthira assigned to him with the approval of Dhritarashtra. The
mighty-armed Arjuna also, at the command of the king, obtained the palace
of Dussasana which was not inferior to Duryodhana's and which consisted
of many excellent structures and was adorned with a gate-way of gold, and
which abounded in wealth and was full of attendants of both sexes. The
palace of Durmarshana was even superior to that of Dussasana. Looking
like the mansion of Kuvera himself, it was adorned with gold and every
kind of gem. King Yudhishthira gladly gave it to Nakula who deserved it
best and who had been emaciated (with the miseries of a life) in the
great forest. The foremost of palaces belonging to Durmukha was
exceedingly beautiful and adorned with gold. It abounded in beds and
beautiful women, with eyes like lotus-petals. The king gave it unto
Sahadeva who was ever employed in doing what was agreeable to him.
Obtaining it, Sahadeva became delighted as the Lord of treasures upon
obtaining Kailasa. Yuyutsu and Vidura and Sanjaya, O monarch, and
Sudharman and Dhaumya, proceeded to the abodes they had owned
before.[133] Like a tiger entering his cave in the hills, that tiger
among men, viz., Saurin, accompanied by Satyaki, entered the palace of
Arjuna. Feasting on the viands and drinks (that had been kept ready for
them), the princes passed the night happily. Awaking in the morning with
well pleased hearts, they presented themselves before king Yudhishthira.'"



SECTION XLVI

"Janamejaya said, 'It behoveth thee, O learned Brahmana, to tell me what
was next done by Yudhishthira the mighty-armed son of Dharma after he had
regained his kingdom. It behoveth thee to tell me also, O Rishi, what the
heroic Hrishikesa, the supreme master of the three worlds did after this.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Listen to me, O king, as I narrate in detail, O
sinless one, what the Pandavas, headed by Vasudeva, did after this.
Having obtained his kingdom, O monarch, Kunti's son Yudhishthira
appointed each of the four orders of men to their respective duties. The
(eldest) son of Pandu gave unto a thousand high-souled Brahmanas of the
Snataka order a thousand Nishkas each. He then gratified the servants
that were dependant on him and the guests that came to him, including
persons that were undeserving and those that held heterodox views, by
fulfilling their wishes. Unto his priest Dhaumya he gave kine in
thousands and much wealth and gold and silver and robes of diverse kinds.
Towards Kripa, O monarch, the king behaved in the way one should towards
one's preceptor. Observant of vows, the king continued to honour Vidura
greatly. That foremost of charitable men gratified all persons with gifts
of food and drink and robes of diverse kinds and beds and seats. Having
restored peace to his kingdom, the king, O best of monarchs, possessed of
great fame, paid due honour unto Yuyutsu and Dhritarashtra. Placing his
kingdom, at the disposal of Dhritarashtra, of Gandhari, and of Vidura,
king Yudhishthira continued to pass his days happily. Having gratified
everybody, including the citizens, in this way, Yudhishthira, O bull of
Bharata's race, then proceeded with joined hands to the presence of the
high-souled Vasudeva. He beheld Krishna, of the hue of a blue cloud,
seated on a large sofa adorned with gold and gems. Attired in yellow
robes of silk and decked with celestial ornaments, his person blazed with
splendour like a Jewel set on gold. His bosom adorned with the Kaustubha
gem, he looked like the Udaya mountain that decked the rising Sun. So
beautiful did he look that there is no simile in the three worlds.
Approaching the high-souled one who was Vishnu himself in incarnate form,
king Yudhishthira addressed him sweetly and smilingly, saying, 'O
foremost of intelligent men, hast thou passed the night happily? O thou
of unfading glory, are all thy faculties in their full vigour? O foremost
of intelligent persons, is it all right with thy understanding? We have
got back our kingdom and the whole earth has come under our control, O
divine lord, through thy grace, O refuge of the three worlds and, O thou
of three steps,[134] through thy grace have we won victory and obtained
great fame and have not fallen away from the duties of our order!' Unto
that chastiser of foes, viz., king Yudhishthira the just who addressed
him in that strain the divine Krishna said not a word, for he was then
rapt in meditation."



SECTION XLVII

"Yudhishthira said, 'How wonderful is this, O thou of immeasurable
prowess, that thou art rapt in meditation! O great refuge of the
universe, is it all right with the three worlds? When thou hast, O God,
withdrawn thyself (from the world), having, O bull among men, adopted the
fourth, state, my mind has been filled with wonder.[135] The five
life-breaths that act within the body have been controlled by thee into
stillness. Thy delighted senses thou hast concentrated within thy mind.
Both speech and mind, O Govinda, have been concentrated within thy
understanding. All thy senses, indeed, have been withdrawn into thy
soul.[136] The hair on thy body stands erect. Thy mind and understanding
are both still. Thou art as immobile now, O Madhava, as a wooden post or
a stone. O illustrious God, thou art as still as the flame of a lamp
burning in a place where there is no wind. Thou art as immobile as a mass
of rock. If I am fit to hear the cause, if it is no secret of thine,
dispel, O god, my doubt for I beg of thee and solicit it as a favour.
Thou art the Creator and thou art the Destroyer. Thou art destructible
and thou art indestructible. Thou art without beginning and thou art
without end. Thou art the first and the foremost of Beings. O foremost of
righteous persons, tell me the cause of this (Yoga) abstraction. I
solicit thy favour, and am thy devoted worshipper, and bow to thee,
bending my head.' Thus addressed, the illustrious younger brother of
Vasava, recalling his mind, understanding, and the senses to their usual
sphere, said these words with a soft smile.'

"Vasudeva said, 'That tiger among men, Bhishma, who is now lying on a bed
of arrows, and who is now like unto a fire that is about to go out, is
thinking of me. Hence my mind also was concentrated on him. My mind was
concentrated upon him, the twang of whose bowstring and the sound of
whose palms Indra himself was unable to bear. I was thinking of him who
having vanquished in a trice all the assembled kings (at the Self-choice
of the daughters of the king of Kasi) abducted the three princesses for
the marriage of his brother Vichitravirya. I was thinking of him who
fought continually for three and twenty days with Rama himself of
Bhrigu's race and whom Rama was unable to overcome. Collecting all his
senses and concentrating his mind by the aid of his understanding, he
sought my refuge (by thinking of me). It was for this that I had centered
my mind upon him. I was thinking of him whom Ganga conceived and brought
forth according to ordinary human laws and whom Vasishtha took as a
pupil. I was thinking of that hero of mighty energy and great
intelligence who possesses a knowledge of all the celestial weapons as
also of the four Vedas with all their branches. I was thinking of him, O
son of Pandu, who is the favourite disciple of Rama, the son of
Jamadagni, and who is the receptacle of the sciences. I was thinking of
that foremost of all persons conversant with morality and duty, of him, O
bull of Bharata's race, who knows the Past, the Future, and the Present.
After that tiger among kings shall have, in consequences of his own
achievements, ascended to heaven, the earth, O son of Pritha, will look
like a moonless night. Therefore, O Yudhishthira, submissively
approaching Ganga's son, viz., Bhishma of terrible prowess, question him
about what thou mayst desire to learn. O lord of the earth, enquire of
him about the four branches of knowledge (in respect of morality,
profit., pleasure and salvation), about the sacrifices and the rites laid
down for the four orders, about the four modes of life, and about the
kingly duties in full. When Bhishma, that foremost one of Kuru's race,
will disappear from the world, every kind of knowledge will disappear
with him. It is for this that I urge thee (to go to him now).' Hearing
these beneficial words of high import from Vasudeva, the righteous
Yudhishthira, with voice choked in tears, answered Janardana, saying,
'What thou hast said, O Madhava, about the eminence of Bhishma, is
perfectly true. I have not the slightest doubt regarding it. Indeed, I
had heard of the high blessedness, as also the greatness, of the
illustrious Bhishma from high-souled Brahmanas discoursing upon it. Thou,
O slayer of foes, art the Creator of all the worlds. There cannot,
therefore, O delighter of the Yadavas, be the slightest doubt in what
thou sayest. If thy heart be inclined to show grace, O Madhava, then we
shall go unto Bhishma with thyself at our head. When the divine Surya
shall have turned towards the north, Bhishma will leave (this world), for
those regions of bliss that he has won. That descendant of Kuru's race,
therefore, O mighty-armed one, deserves to have a sight of thee. (If thou
grantest my prayer), Bhishma will then obtain a sight of thee that art
the first of Gods, of thee that art destructible and indestructible.
Indeed, O lord, thou it is that art the vast receptacle of Brahma.'"

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of king Yudhishthira the
just, the slayer of Madhu addressed Satyaki who was sitting beside him,
saying, 'Let my car be yoked.' At this, Satyaki quickly left Kesava's
presence and going out, commanded Daruka, saying, 'Let Krishna's car be
made ready.' Hearing the words of Satyaki, Daruka speedily yoked
Krishna's car. That foremost of vehicles, adorned with gold, decked with
a profusion of emeralds, and moon-gems and sun-gems, furnished with
wheels covered with gold, possessed of effulgence, fleet as the wind, set
in the middle with diverse other kinds of jewels, beautiful as the
morning sun, equipped with a beautiful standard topped by Garuda, and gay
with numerous banners, had those foremost of steeds, fleet as thought,
viz., Sugriva and Saivya and the other two, in trappings of gold, yoked
unto it. Having yoked it, O tiger, among kings, Daruka, with joined
hands, informed Krishna of the fact.'



SECTION XLVIII

"Janamejaya said, 'How did the grandsire of the Bharatas, who lay on a
bed of arrows, cast off his body and what kind of Yoga did he adopt?'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Listen, O king, with pure heart and concentrated
attention, as to how, O tiger among the Kurus, the high-souled Bhishma
cast off his body. As soon as the Sun, passing the solstitial point,
entered in his northerly course, Bhishma, with concentrated attention,
caused his soul (as connected with and independent of the body) to enter
his soul (in its independent and absolute state). Surrounded by many
foremost of Brahmanas, that hero, his body pierced with innumerable
arrows, blazed forth in great beauty like Surya himself with his
innumerable rays. Surrounded by Vyasa conversant with the Vedas by the
celestial Rishi Narada, by Devasthana, by Asmaka Sumantu, by Jaimini, by
the high-souled Paila, by Sandilya, by Devarata, by Maitreya of great
intelligence, by Asita and Vasishtha and the high-souled Kausika, by
Harita and Lomasa and Atri's son of great intelligence, by Vrihaspati and
Sukra and the great sage Chyavana, by Sanatkumara and Kapila and Valmiki
and Tumvuru and Kuru, by Maudgalya and Rama of Bhrigu's race, and the
great sage Trinavindu, by Pippalada and Vayu and Samvarta and Pulaha and
Katha, by Kasyapa and Pulastya and Kratu and Daksha and Parasara, by
Marichi and Angiras and Kasmya and Gautama and the sage Galava, by
Dhaumya and Vibhanda and Mandavya and Dhaumra and Krishnanubhautika, by
Uluka, that foremost of Brahmanas and the great sage Markandeya, by
Bhaskari and Purana and Krishna and Suta,--that foremost of virtuous
persons, surrounded by these and many other highly-blessed sages of great
souls and possessed of faith and self-restraint and tranquillity of mind,
the Kuru hero looked like the Moon in the midst of the planets and the
stars. Stretched on his bed of arrows, that tiger among men, Bhishma,
with pure heart and joined palms, thought of Krishna in mind, word, and
act. With a cheerful and strong voice he hymned the praise of the slayer
of Madhu, that master of yoga, with the lotus in his navel, that lord of
the universe, called Vishnu and Jishnu. With joined hands, that foremost
of eloquent men, that puissant one, viz., Bhishma of highly virtuous
soul, thus praised Vasudeva.

"Bhishma said, 'O Krishna, O foremost of Beings, be thou pleased with
these words which I utter, in brief and in detail, from desire of hymning
thy praises. Thou art pure and purity's self. Thou transcendest all. Thou
art what people say to be THAT. Thou art the Supreme Lord. With my whole
heart I seek thy refuge, O universal Soul and Lord of all creatures![137]
Thou art without beginning and without end. Thou art the highest of the
high and Brahma. Neither the gods nor the Rishis know thee. The divine
Creator, called Narayana or Hari, alone knows thee. Through Narayana, the
Rishis, the Siddhas, the great Nagas, the gods, and the celestial Rishis
know a little of thee. Thou art the highest of the high and knowest no
deterioration. The gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the
Pannagas, do not know who thou art and whence art thou. All the worlds
and all created things live in thee, and enter thee (when the dissolution
comes). Like gems strung together in a thread, all things that have
attributes reside in thee, the Supreme Lord.'[138] Having the universe
for thy work and the universe for thy limbs, this universe consisting of
mind and matter resides in thy eternal and all-pervading soul like a
number of flowers strung together in a strong thread. Thou art called
Hari, of a thousand heads, a thousand feet, a thousand eyes, a thousand
arms, a thousand crowns, and a thousand faces of great splendour. Thou
art called Narayana, divinity, and the refuge of the universe. Thou art
the subtlest of the subtle, grossest of the gross, the heaviest of the
heavy and the highest of the high. In the Vaks, the Anuvaks, the Nishads,
and Upanishads, thou art regarded as the Supreme Being of irresistible
force. In the Samans also, whose declarations are always true, thou art
regarded as Truth's self![139] Thou art of quadruple soul. Thou art
displayed in only the understanding (of all creatures). Thou art the Lord
of those that are bound to thee in faith. O God, thou art adored (by the
faithful) under four excellent, high, and secret names.[140] Penances are
ever present in thee. Performed (by other creatures for gratifying thee),
penances live in thy form. Thou art the Universal Soul. Thou art of
universal knowledge. Thou art the universe. Thou art omniscient. Thou art
the creator of everything in the universe.[141] Like a couple of sticks
generating a blazing fire, thou hast been born of the divine Devaki and
Vasudeva for the protection of Brahma on earth.[142] For this eternal
salvation, the devout worshipper, with mind withdrawn from everything
else and casting off all desires, beholds thee, O Govinda, that art the
pure Soul, in his own soul. Thou transcendest Surya in glory. Thou art
beyond the ken of the senses and the understanding. O Lord of all
creatures, I place myself in thy hands. In the Puranas thou hast been
spoken as Purusha (all-pervading spirit). On occasions of the
commencement of the Yugas, thou art said to be Brahma, while on occasions
of universal dissolution thou art spoken of as Sankarshana. Adorable thou
art, and therefore I adore thee. Though one, thou hast yet been born in
innumerable forms. Thou hast thy passions under complete control. Thy
devout worshippers, faithfully performing the rites laid down in the
scriptures, sacrifice to thee, O giver of every wish! Thou art called the
sheath within which the universe lies. All created things live in thee.
Like swans and ducks swimming on the water, all the worlds that we see
float in thee. Thou art Truth. Thou art One and undeteriorating. Thou art
Brahma, Thou art That which is beyond Mind and Matter. Thou art without
beginning, middle, and end. Neither the gods nor the Rishis know thee.
The gods, the Asuras, the Gandharvas, the Siddhas, the Rishis, and the
great Uragas with concentrated souls, always adore thee. Thou art the
great panacea for all sorrow. Thou art without birth and death. Thou art
Divine. Thou art self-created. Thou art eternal. Thou art invisible and
beyond ken. Thou art called Hari and Narayana, O puissant one. The Vedas
declare thee to be the Creator of the universe and the Lord of everything
existing in the universe. Thou art the Supreme protector of the universe.
Thou knowest no deterioration and thou art that which is called the
highest. Thou art of the complexion of gold. Thou art the slayer of
Asuras. Though One, Aditi brought thee forth in twelve forms.[143]
Salutations to thee that art the soul of the Sun. Salutations to thee in
thy form of Soma that is spoken of as the chief of all the regenerate
ones and that gratifies with nectar the gods in the lighted fortnight and
the Pitris in the dark fortnight. Thou art the One Being of transcendent
effulgence dwelling on the other side of thick darkness. Knowing thee one
ceases to have any fear of death. Salutations to thee in that form which
is an object of knowledge.[144] In the grand Uktha sacrifice, the
Brahmanas adore thee as the great Rich. In the great fire-sacrifice, they
sing thee as the chief Adhyaryu (priest). Thou art the soul of the Vedas.
Salutations to thee. The Richs, the Yajus, and the Samans are thy abode.
Thou art the five kinds of sanctified libations (used in sacrifices).
Thou art the seven woofs used in the Vedas. Salutations to thee in thy
form of Sacrifice.[145] Libations are poured on the Homa fire in
accompaniment with the seventeen monosyllabic sounds. Thou art the soul
of the Homa. Salutations to thee! Thou art that Purusha whom the Vedas
sing. Thy name is Yajus. The Vedic metres are thy limbs. The sacrifices
laid down in the three Vedas are thy three heads. The great sacrifice
called Rathantara is thy voice expressive of gratification. Salutation to
thee in thy form of sacred hymns! Thou art the Rishi that hadst appeared
in the great sacrifice extending for a thousand years performed by the
creators of the universe. Thou art the great swan with wings of gold.
Salutations to thee in thy form of a swan.[146] Roots with all kinds of
affixes and suffixes are thy limbs. The Sandhis are thy joints. The
consonants and the vowels are thy ornaments. The Vedas have declared thee
to be the divine word. Salutations to thee in thy form as the word![147]
Assuming the form of a boar whose limbs were constituted by sacrifice,
thou hadst raised the submerged earth for the benefit of the three
worlds. Salutations to thee in thy form of infinite prowess! Thou
sleepest in Yoga on thy snake-decked sofa constituted by the thousand
hoods (of the Naga). Salutations to thee in thy form of sleep! Thou
buildest the bridge for the good (to cross the sea of life) with Truth,
with those means by which emancipation may be obtained, and with the
means by which the senses may be controlled. Salutations to thee in thy
form of Truth! Men practising diverse creeds, actuated by desire of
diverse fruits worship thee with diverse rites. Salutations to thee in
thy form of Creed! From thee have all things sprung. It is thou that
excitest all creatures having physical frames containing the principle of
desire. Salutations to thee in thy form of Excitement. The great Rishis
seek thy unmanifest self within the manifest. Called Kshetrajna, thou
sittest in Kshetra. Salutations to thee in thy form of Kshetra![148] Thou
always conscious and present in self, the Sankhyas still describe thee as
existing in the three states of wakefulness, dream, and sound sleep. They
further speak of thee as possessed of sixteen attributes and representing
the number seventeen. Salutations to thy form as conceived by the
Sankhyas![149] Casting off sleep, restraining breath, withdrawn into
their own selves, Yogins of restrained senses behold thee as eternal
light. Salutations to thee in thy Yoga form! Peaceful Sannyasins, freed
from fear of rebirth in consequence of the destruction of all their sins
and merits, obtain thee. Salutations to thee in thy form of
emancipation![150] At the end of a thousand Yugas, thou assumest the form
of a fire with blazing flames and consumest all creatures. Salutations to
thee in thy form of fierceness! Having consumed all creatures and making
the universe one vast expanse of water, thou sleepest on the waters in
the form of a child. Salutations to thee in thy form as Maya (illusion)!
From the navel of the Self-born of eyes like lotus leaves, sprang a
lotus. On that lotus is established this universe. Salutations to thee in
thy form as lotus! Thou hast a thousand heads. Thou pervadest everything.
Thou art of immeasurable soul. Thou hast subjugated the four kinds of
desire that are as vast as the four oceans. Salutations to thee in thy
form of Yoga-sleep! The clouds are in the hair of thy head. The rivers
are in the several joints of thy limbs. The four oceans are in thy
stomach. Salutations to thee in thy form as water! Birth and the change
represented by death spring from thee. All things, again, at the
universal dissolution dissolve away in thee. Salutations to thy form as
cause! Thou sleepest not in the night. Thou art occupied in day time
also. Thou observest the good and the bad actions (of all). Salutations
to thee in thy form of (universal) observer! There is no act which thou
canst not do. Thou art, again, ever ready to accomplish acts that are
righteous. Salutations to thee in thy form of Work, the form, viz., which
is called Vaikuntha! In wrath thou hadst, in battle, exterminated thrice
seven times the Kshatriyas who had trampled virtue and authority under
their feet. Salutations to thee in thy form of Cruelty! Dividing thyself
into five portions thou hast become the five vital breaths that act
within everybody and cause every living creature to move. Salutations to
thee in thy form of air! Thou appearest in every Yuga in the form called
month and season and half-year and year, and art the cause of both
creation and dissolution. Salutations to thee in thy form of Time!
Brahmanas are thy mouth, Kshatriyas are thy two arms, Vaisyas are thy
stomach and thighs, and Sudras live in thy feet. Salutations to thee in
thy form of caste! Fire constitute thy mouth. The heavens are the crown
of thy head. The sky is thy navel. The earth is thy feet. The Sun is thy
eye. The points of the compass are thy ears. Salutations to thee in thy
form as the (three) worlds! Thou art superior to Time. Thou art superior
to Sacrifice. Thou art higher than the highest. Thyself without origin,
thou art the origin of the universe. Salutations to thee in thy form as
Universe! Men of the world, according to the attributes ascribed to thee
by the Vaiseshika theory, regard thee as the Protector of the world.
Salutations to thee in thy form of Protector! Assuming the forms of food,
drink, and fuel, thou increasest the humours and the life-breaths of
creatures and upholdest their existence. Salutations to thee in thy form
of life! For supporting the life-breaths thou eatest the four kinds of
food.[151] Assuming also the form of Agni within the stomach, thou
digestest that food. Salutations to thee in the form of digesting heat!
Assuming the form of half-man and half-lion, with tawny eyes and tawny
manes, with teeth and claws for thy weapons, thou hadst taken the life of
the chief of the Asuras. Salutations to thee in thy form of swelling
might! Neither the gods, nor the Gandharvas, nor the Daityas, nor the
Danavas, know thee truly. Salutations to thy form of exceeding subtility!
Assuming the form of the handsome, illustrious, and puissant Ananta in
the nether region, thou upholdest the world. Salutations to thy form of
Might! Thou stupefiest all creatures by the bonds of affection and love
for the continuance of the creation. Salutations to thee in thy form of
stupefaction.[152] Regarding that knowledge which is conversant with the
five elements to be the true Self-knowledge (for which yogins strive),
people approach thee by knowledge! Salutations to thee in thy form of
Knowledge! Thy body is immeasurable. Thy understanding and eyes are
devoted to everything. Thou art infinite, being beyond all measures.
Salutations to thee in thy form of vastness! Thou hadst assumed the form
of a recluse with matted locks on head, staff in hand, a long stomach,
and having thy begging bowl for thy quiver. Salutations to thee in thy
form of Brahma.[153] Thou bearest the trident, thou art the lord of the
celestials, thou hast three eyes, and thou art high-souled. Thy body is
always besmeared with ashes, and thy phallic emblem is always turned
upwards. Salutations to thee in thy form of Rudra! The half-moon forms
the ornament of thy forehead. Thou hast snakes for the holy thread
circling thy neck. Thou art armed with Pinaka and trident. Salutations to
thy form of Fierceness! Thou art the soul of all creatures. Thou art the
Creator and the Destroyer of all creatures. Thou art without wrath,
without enmity, without affection. Salutations to thee in thy form of
Peace! Everything is in thee. Everything is from thee. Thyself art
Everything. Everywhere art thou. Thou art always the All. Salutations to
thee in thy form as Everything! Salutations to thee whose work is the
universe, to thee that art the soul of the universe, to thee from whom
hath sprung the universe, to thee that art the dissolution of all things,
to thee that are beyond the five (elements that constitute all things)!
Salutations to thee that art the three worlds, to thee that art above the
three worlds! Salutations to thee that art all the directions! Thou art
all and thou art the one receptacle of All. Salutations to thee, O divine
Lord, O Vishnu, and O eternal origin of all the worlds! Thou, O
Hrishikesa, art the Creator, thou art the Destroyer, and thou art
invincible. I cannot behold that heavenly form in which thou art
displayed in the Past, Present, and the Future. I can, however, behold
truly thy eternal form (as manifest in thy works). Thou hast filled
heaven with thy head, and the earth with thy feet: with thy prowess thou
hast filled the three worlds. Thou art Eternal and thou pervadest
everything in the universe. The directions are thy arms, the Sun is thy
eye, and prowess is thy vital fluid. Thou art the lord of all creatures.
Thou standest, shutting up the seven paths of the Wind whose energy is
immeasurable. They are freed from all feats that worship thee, O Govinda
of unfading prowess, thee that art attired in yellow robes of the colour
of the Atasi flower.[154] Even one bending of the head unto thee, O
Krishna, is equal to the completion of ten Horse-sacrifices. The man that
has performed ten Horse-sacrifices is not freed from the obligation of
rebirth. The man, however, that bows to Krishna escapes rebirth. They
that have Krishna for their vow, they that think of Krishna in the night,
and upon rising from sleep, may be said to have Krishna for their body.
Those people (after death) enter Krishna's self even as libations of
clarified butter sanctified with mantras enter the blazing fire.
Salutations to thee that dispellest the fear of hell, to thee, O Vishnu,
that art a boat unto them that are plunged amid the eddies of the ocean
represented by worldly life! Salutations to thee, O God, that art the
Brahmana's self, to thee that art the benefactor of Brahmanas and kine,
to thee that art the benefactor of the universe, to thee that art Krishna
and Govinda! The two syllables Hari constitute the pecuniary stock of
those that sojourn through the wilderness of life and the medicine that
effectually cures all worldly, predilections, besides being the means
that alleviate sorrow and grief.[155] As truth is full of Vishnu, as the
universe is full of Vishnu, as everything is full of Vishnu, so let my
soul be full of Vishnu and my sins be destroyed! I seek thy protection
and am devoted to thee, desirous of obtaining a happy end O thou of eyes
like lotus petals, O best of gods, do thou think of what will be for my
good! Thyself without origin, O Vishnu, thou art the origin of Knowledge
and Penances. Thus art thou praised! O Janardana, thus worshipped by me
in the Sacrifice constituted by speech (alone), be, O god, gratified with
me! The Vedas are devoted to Narayana. Penances are devoted to Narayana.
The gods are devoted to Narayana. Everything is always Narayana!'"

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Ross Kay - "The Go Ahead Boys and Simon's Mine"

Poster poems: Ballads
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Fidel and Che: a revolutionary friendship

After last week's fairly open theme, I thought I'd go with something a bit more structured this time. As I type this, I'm listening to Steeleye Span and thinking about the great ballad traditions of Britain and Ireland. What is a ballad? I suppose the most inclusive definition would be that it's a singable narrative poem: that covers a multitude but will do for the moment.

Ballads in English stretch back to the middle ages, with fine examples to be found among the Scottish border ballads and the English Robin Hood poems. These early ballads are among the best-known poems and stories in the language, and form part of the common heritage of English speakers everywhere. They gave rise to a tradition of ballad-making that endures down to the present day.

In fact, most poets since have tried their hand at the ballad at one time or another, and the result has been to deny any definition more specific than the one I ventured in my first paragraph. If you look around the internet, you'll come up with a wide selection of poems that are called ballads but have little in common formally. Stanza length varies from two to 10 or more lines, and all sorts of metrical and rhyming patterns are used. A good number will be singable in only the loosest possible sense, and at times the narrative tends to get lost in a mesh of more-or-less successful verbal embroidery.

So, what should a ballad be? Well, "proper" ballad stanzas are quatrains in which the first and third lines have four stresses and the second and third have three. The lines will rhyme A-B-C-B or A-B-A-B. It's as simple, and as difficult, as that. Here's an example, from Robert Burns's extremely singable Comin Thro' the Rye:

Gin a body meet a body
          Comin thro' the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body –
          Need a body cry.

Burns wrote a good number of ballads, and his lead was followed by many 19th-century poets. Two examples that I particularly like are Robert Browning's Confessions and Christina Rossetti's Up-Hill, but you can find ballads by just about any Romantic or Victorian poet if you look for them.

There is a long, strong tradition of ballads and ballad singers in Ireland, too. It is hardly surprising, then, that the great appropriator of tradition, WB Yeats, tried his hand at the form. At least four of his poems have the word "ballad" in the title; the pick of the bunch, for my money, is The Ballad of Father Gilligan, which may have benefited from having been written with a specific tune in mind.

Ballads continued to be written in the 20th century; perhaps the most unexpected exponents were Ezra Pound, with his Ballad of the Goodly Fere, and WH Auden. In fact, the ballad The Quarry is probably my favourite Auden poem.

And so, this week I invite a chorus of balladeering. You may choose to go the whole hog and write in ballad stanzas or you might prefer to take a more liberal view of the formal requirements. Either way, sing up and – as they say at all the best Irish sessions when calling for a bit of hush for the singer – one voice please.

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