TRANSLAT O R S P REFACE

’
.

PROBABLY in pro po rtio n to the greatness o f his

,

poetic gift and w o rk R iickert is the least kno wn

,

amongst u s o f all the Germa n seers an d singers .

More th an a generation has passe d since he was first

intro duced to the American ( no t to say the English!
”
public in the Strun g Pearls with which that a o
, ,

complished scholar an d graceful tran slator Nathani el ,

Langdon Frothingham enriche d a volume o f poems

,

from the German in Ripl ey s Foreign Literature

’
.

Fro m that tim e he an d other lovers o f German poesy ,

besid e the present writer contin ued to bring fort h

,

in to the light o f o ur Western day n e w gems o ut o f

the same rich mine ; an d a treas ure especially dra w n
upon was the vast storehou se (speaking o f pea r ls one

might say ocea n! entitle d The Wisd o m o f the

Brahmin . This volu me containing T wenty B ooks
”
, ,

the present writer entirely translate d two or three

years ago and from ti me to ti me has sent o ut speci
,

mens as a kind o f messenger birds to learn the

,
-
,
THE WI S DO M O F T HE B R A H MI N .
 P R EFA CE .

diamond s a peopl e that can raise the flowers o f th e

,

O rient o ut o f Western soil to s uch splendor an d over

'

shadowing fulness may well boast o f its philosophers

,

an d poets So we need not w orry o ursel ves with

.

asking whence the bee gets her honey ; it is sh e wh o

makes it But what is more characteristic o f R iickert
.

than the honey cell is the ( epigrammatic! sting

-
,
.

R ii ckert hi mself sings

Th o ugh ts, like th e fr agr an t brea th o f sprin g, fly everywh ere ;
Th ey are n o t min e n o r thin e, th ey re flo ating in th e air
’ ’
.

At a certain perio d assume d th e mo m ale

R uckert
m m Fr ee mo u th Rhymer
p lu e o f F r ei u n d R e im er ( ! and
certainl y not in the German langu age (if in any! w as
there ever so felicito us a master o f the art o f pack
ing sententio us wis d om an d o f po uring forth gra ceful
feeling in lyric form The bees might well have
.

settl e d on h is childish lips .

R uckert was born in May 1 7 8 8 and die d the last , ,

day o f ! anuary 1 8 6 6 O ne o f h is very last rhyme d

, .

pieces was an impromptu tribute to Abraham

Lincoln Not onl y in the form but in the Spirit o f
.

his poetic utterance R iickert w as emi nently versatile .

H is patriotism w as as marke d as his ph ilol ogical an d

his poet ic geni us His Geharn ischte So nn etten
.

( Mai le d Sonnets ! w r itten,

at the great rising in 1 8 1 3 ,

are am ong the m ost precio us possessions o f the

German peopl e .

A somewhat quaint b ut tou ching account o f

 P R EFA CE . xi

R iickert s las t
’
hours is given by his daughte r an ,

extract from which th e transla tor is tempted to insert

in closin g this preface
As o n Mo n day h e la y in a co ntin uous doze
,
I sat .

full o f a ppreh ensio n an d a nguis h a t h is b edside ; wh en at ,

a c ertain m o ment o penin g h is eyes h e lo o ke d up a t m e

, ,

with a r ogu ish smile Th o u art lik e th y H afiz to da y I

”
-
.
,

said to h im o fte n teas e d h im a t suc h mo ments o nl y

( I .
,

to keep m yself fro m weepin g ! Th o u art a lways in a .

kin d o f into xicatio n an d yet h ast n o t dr unk w in e a n y

,

m o re th a n h e I kn o w it full well h e replied

.
”
b ut , ,

th ose were righ t lo vely dream s th at I h ave b een passing

t h ro ugh . I was alr eady in a h ea ve n . In wh at o ne ?
Ah , I b elieve I h eard th e m urmur of th e fo un tain s of

P aradise , he sa id with dee p, full i

vo ce .

S everal times h e s po ke of S ch iller s

’
In dian D eath
S o n g, wh ich was a
gre a t favo rite of h is, a nd repea ed t with
i
s pec al e mph as s i th e lin es

Woh l ih m er ist h ingegangen

, ,

Wo kein S ch n ee meh r ist 1 .

”

He seeme d , th e wh ile , greatly co mfo rted in h is sp ri i t .

This ma y well h ave h ad so me co nn e ctio n with th e great

in fluen ce wh ich , particularly in th e latter perio d o f h is
life, th e weath er h a d upo n h im , so th at clo udy days put
h im o ut o f tune an d sun sh in e b ro ught b ack his ch eerful
n ess . As if all n a uret w o uld co m e into h armo n y with
h im, th e last da y th e
on s un po ure d do wn upo n h im a

fri en dl y glo w As I was . a b o ut to draw th e curtain fo r

his pro tectio n , h e rem o n strated L et h im sh in e full

1 Well with h im h e h as go ne yon der

Wh ere is n o mo re sn o w .
xii F
P R E A CE .

upo n m e, sa id h e, pe rh a
ps h e may y et mak e m e
we
An o ther time h e said to m e D o st th o u kn o w I
h ave to da y s uch a primeval fe el ing at my h eart ! s o a r
-

weltlick] h o rizo n b en ea th it water

, e ndless fo rm, ,

H o w th at afl righ te d me ! There was alrea dy th e

'

less
feelin g o f dis so lutio n Fa th e r h o w is it with th e e 2
.
,

Ah quite well chil d C o o l up to th e very h eart 1 ’

, , , .

So passed this s weet and sublim e singer into his

twofol d immortality ; fo r an immortality on e arth
also he h as s urely wo n in a growing circle o f thought
ful a nd piou s hearts .

o T B . . .

N EWP O RT, 1 8 8 2 .

1 A lin e from S chill er s

’
Fish er,
”
Kiih l bis
’
an s H erz hin a n .
 W ISDO M O F TH E BR AH MI N .

BO O K I .

1 .

A B RAHMIN in the fields o f In dia born a n d bre d

, ,

1
Who never any book but Nature s Ve da read ’

Who much has seen an d thought but more h as felt ,

an d guesse d ;
By contemplation calme d the passion s in his breast ;
Speaks what he clearly sees or wo uld by speech ,

make clear ,

O f th ings more d istant n o w and n o w o f things more

,

near .

To h im t is given to look on single things alone

’
,

Yet in each single thing to h im a w h ole is sho wn .

O n whatsoe er he sees a glory glimmering

’

T h at wi]l he as a bead upon his rosary string

, , .

1 It will be guessed , h o wever, fro m so me passages in th is vo lume,

th at N a tu r e in cluded H u ma n nat ure, in its expres sio n th ro ugh bo o k s ,
2 WI SD OM OF T H E BRAH MI N .

The draught that fans the flame a stronger draught ,

is m ade ;
So Passion in its flight from Passion borro ws aid
, ,

The wind blo ws up the fire an d blo ws it o ut again ; ,

So Passion is in tur n by Passion qu ell ed and slain .

H o w still the can dl e b urns when sheltered from the

win d !
So burns Devotion s flame within a tranquil mind ’
.

3 .

Whom none to trembl e makes wh o dread in none ,

awakes ,

Before even dreadful Death he with no terror shakes .

Whose cal m and sober m ind no pl eas ure e er can ’

blind ,

There where all pl eas ure ends shall highest pleas ure
, ,

find .

’
Who counts beneath the sky man s lo t o r lo w o r
, , ,

high ,

Easy or hard all one is rich in poverty , , .

W h o clasps l ove lovingly and hates not hatre d

.

he , , ,

At hom e in heaven on earth his evening inn shall ,

s ee .

1 N ir -wa na mean s no win d, an d denotes a state o f freedom fro m

desire
‘

th e agitatio n o f restless . Tr .
 WI SD OM OF T HE B RAH MI N . 3

’
Each day sweet evening s smile I joy to think of

meeting ,

An d all night long I drea m with joy o f morning s ’

greeting .

I quietly rejoice with unimpassione d zest ;

T is no impatient joy reigns in my tranqu il breast .

Eac h d ay and h o ur I fin d a pleasure ev er n ew

In littl e things and great my l o t a nd others too
’
, , .

All w in ter long I think u pon th e joys o f spring ;

Al l s umm er time I think what rest will a utumn
bring !
Year in year out life long hope brings s uch joy
, ,
-

to me,

With j oy I look through time o ut on e ternity .

5 .

Go od fri end my neighbor said thy kindness lay

, ,

aside ;
It keeps thee always poor To who m I thus replie d
.

Th e kin d ness I have made my pattern is d ivine ;

An d His has l earned by u se to we d itself to mine .

If I shoul d lay as ide my habit n o w I fear ,

Go d w ould lay His aside and gr ow from kind severe

, , .
4 WIS D OM O F TH E B RAH MIN .

I n water and in mire the Rose has dipped her feet ;

Why then her cheek so red her lips so spicy s weet ?
, , ,

A thirsty fungus born o f earth her feet contain

, , ,

Which drinks the poison in with greed thro ugh every

vein .

It drains o ff all the scu m ; the spirit s pure perfume ’

Thr o ugh her transfigur ing po wer shoots upward in to ,

bloom .

Heart be not thou th e sponge that e arthly poison

,

drains ,

But l ike the heaven ly Rose dr ink ether thro ugh thy
, ,

v eins 1

Remember wh at thou h ast w as given thee by

,

Another ,

And let thy gift pass on to bless thy needy brother .

B e like the Moon wh o shines but with a borro we d

,

light ,

And keeps it not herself but lends o ur earthly night .

God is the S un wh o pours perpetual light that He

,

The w orl d and in the world Himself m ay clearly

s ee .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN . 5

The earth two mi rrors holds ,

wherein th e S un on
high ,

An d He the ,
S un of Souls ,
with bliss their image
S PY

The s ea , when u ndisturbe d by storms its tranquil!

breast ,

The so ul when every

,
wave of passion sinks to res t .

9 .

Re member that a G o d within thy frame doth d well;

From each u nholy thing to guard the Temple well !
Tho u grie v st th e in d welling Go d when l ust usurps
'

the th rone ,

S till more when w ith perverse self pen an ce thou d ost -

groan .

Go d came from heave n to look on nature thr o ugh

th ine eyes ;
His breath thy incen se be fo r holy sacrifice !
T is He wh o sees and fe els an d thinks and speaks
’

in thee
Let sight sense tho ught a nd s peech bright with Go d s
, , ,
’

gl ory be !
6 WI SD OM OF T H E BRAH MI N .

As m an is s o h is faith s o also is his Go d

,

O f heavenly o th er n o w n o w o f the earthly clod

, .

Yet twofo ld is his God an d so his faith t w ofold

,

Here a n e w instinct s gleam and there a tal e o f o ld

’

, .

No genius is quite free fro m o ld inherited l ore ,

Yet each in its o wn way can use the acquired store .

O ne tears not do wn the ho us e his fathe rs b uilt o f o l d ,

Yet gives its rooms the shape he best lo ves to behold .

Their grim old portraits too he puts not o ut o f sight

, , ,

But n ew interprets the m an d sets in mil der light .

So to faith s forms men gi ve en dless inte rpretations

’

Whereby th ey fin d a home among so diverse nations .

Ifthou sh ould st ask in turn Nature an d History

’

The best report o f God that each co uld rend er thee ,

In l egend s o f o l d wars o f powers tim e o ut o f mind

, ,

Not one sol e sovereign God b ut many wo uld st tho u

, , ,
'

find ;
Or if not many yet two Go ds contendi ng still
, , ,

Author o f Goo d th e one the o ther o f all Ill

, .

Not in the noisy World b ut in thee is it tau ght

, ,

That O ne alone is goo d and He makes evil naught

, .
 WI SD OM O F TH E B R AH MI N . 7

12 .

I the po o r prisoner pleased with clankin g o f my

, ,

chain
Blind archer ai min g still at a high mark in vain ;
,

To spirit natures kin yet to the beast still bo un d

-
, ,

P urs uing still myself that nev er ca n be fo und ;

,

Who kno w s n o t what he is or was or is to be , , ,

What w ere I then if I w ere all there is o f me ?

, ,

I a m Thou too fo r Tho u art th at which is in m e !

, ,

I am more t han I am ; my all is fo und in Thee .

13 .

No bo unds o f ti me or space can compass Go d around ;

Whene er where er He works Go d then an d there is
’

,
’
, ,

fo und ;
An d Go d w orks all the tim e an d God w orks thro ugh ,

a ll space ;

Forever is His time and everyw here His place !

He is the centre He circum ference als o
, , ,

World s End an d Genesis H is breathing s ebb and

’

,
’

flo w .

14 .

A thought creates the w orld ,

thou truly sayest ,

b ut not
A thought o f thine thou fool ! , but one which Go d
h a s th o ugh t
8 WI SDO M O F TH E BRAH MIN .

Thou think st it yet no

’
,
w orld
arises at thy thought
An d w itho ut thought o f thine the w orld sinks ba ck
to n aught .

The w orl d from spirit sprang in spirit it ascend s

, ,

An d spirit is the goal to which it circling tends .

Spirit con dense d in space ethereal vapor once ,

And starry nebula kindle d itself to s uns .

The mists in to the form s o f air a n d water p assed ;

Sli me gre w to earth an d stone an d plant a nd beast
at last ,

And hu man form in which man woke to conscio us

,

ness
By Go d s enkindling breath the primal s o ul to bles s
’

, .

15 .

What h as empow ere d thee Soul , ,

from God to issue

He hath not banishe d thee ; thou hast not fled to

earth .

T w a s l o ve and lo ve al one that sent thee from

’

above ,

He longed so to love thee and win in turn thy love .

W o rt thou not o ut o f Him h o w could s t thou seek

,
’

His rest
Were He not o ut o f thee h o w coul d He be thy
,

guest
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MIN . 9

—
My ever changi ng self which is, was, and shall
be ,

Fin ds itself in Thyself which is unchangeably

,
.

For Tho u art wh o Tho u was t Tho u art wh o Tho u ,

shalt be ;
My life from Thine streams forth to Thine eternally .

I sho ul d have lost each night the self I was each ,

m orn ,

As one wh o never was till n o w had I been born , ,

Ha d I n o t grasped the tho ugh t that I the s ame must

be ,

B ecause in Thee wh o art I am eternally

, ,
.

17 .

I am ; that proves Thou art ; fo r this is clear to me ,

I o f myself am naught a m everythin g through Thee

, ,

Who as a proof o f Thee has t m ad e me live an d m o ve

, , ,

That I Thy presence might as livi ng witness prove ,

Might prove Thee to myself an d to the worl d thro ugh

,

me,
That cannot s ee the proof itself contains of Thee .

18 .

O nce ,
whe n a boy I sa w the fruit upon the tree
,

An d n o w, when I am o ld the s welling b ud s I see

, .
10 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

Man seeks what he has not : the child th e ripened ,

fr uit ;
The old man seeks the bud that yearns in b loom to
shoot .

Why is it that the child the ripened fr uit d esires ?

Beca use h e is the bud tha t to be fruit as pires .

Why d oes the o ld m a n s heart to yo uthful bloom s o

’

cl ing

B ecause the ripene d fruit i mpels ne w blosso mi ng .

When has the Present s bro w the F uture s bloo m

’ ’

cro wn on
When a father sees himself mad e yo ung agai n in h is
sori
.

Praise to the Gardener s care wh o nourishes th e

’

tree
Where fruit fro m bud and b ud fro m fruit spring en d
, ,

less ly !

A holy custom comes fro m far antiquity ,

The day a s o n is bo rn the father pla nts a tree

, .

S O mu ch are m en an d pla nts in in stinct si milar ,

An d yet d i verse as leaf a n d leaf in garland s are .

The ten der shoot mat ures b e neath a favori ng

zone ;
Th e child perfecte d is by hea venly grace al o ne .
12 WI SD OM OF TH E BRA H MI N .

Too near the eye is fo und no better than too far ;

Thou cans t not see thro ugh self nor yet the heavenly
,

star.

And yet between thyself and that faint star there

, ,

l ies
A w orl d tho u canst see thro ugh th a t stu dy an d be
,

W i se .

When first on the Sublim e m an s yo ung eye gazes ’

aw e d ,

In ecstasy he cries : That is the work o f Go d

And then when Bea uty s charm da wns on h is wakene d
,
’

tho ught ,

With rapturous pride he o wns : By man all this is

wro ught .

O ne day when ripe fo r truth he reverently will o w n

, ,

T is Go d w orks a ll in m an wh o can do na ught

’

alone .

A scaling ladder leads fro m darknes s up to light

T is gloo my at the foot an d at the s ummit bright
’
, ,
.

The shad ow hid es from thee h o w high up tho u hast

go ne ,

Yet cl imb st thou to ward the light ; 0 Soul climb

’

bravely on !
 WISD O M O F TH E BRAH MI N . 13

When thou in light shalt kno w by what necessi ty

The darkness rose from l ight the worl d is cl ear to ,

thee .

If darkness once was light once more t will be light

’
, ,

then ,

When that which h as sprung forth t urns to its spring

again .

Each victory in man s weak spirit wo n by light

’
,

Foretells the spirit real m s clear victory over night

-
’
.

That proph ecy the S un proclai ms each dawning day ,

Routing the hosts o f night with a victorio us ray .

At evening as he sinks he b urns with shame and

,

scorn ,

And sees all night in dreams the great eternal morn .

What Understanding builds needs many a joist an d

bea m ;
Nature s and Fancy s work has neither joint nor seam
’ ’

The props an d stays are there only they are not seen
, ,

And on i tself that stands that seem s on naught to

,

lo an .

What tho u canst comprehend s tand s outlined fair and

w ell ;
B eauty and greatness are inco mprehensible .
14 WI SD OM OF TH E B RAH MI N .

25 .

I scatter pearls abroad b ut no one heeds or sees

,

Soon I shall stre w no m ore then ye w ill gather

these .

When tho u hast o nce d iscerne d h o w m anifo ld the O ne ,

Then is the seeming world o f manifol dness gone .

The O ne is T wo the one an d second one are they ; -

The Two a re O ne that wars agains t itself for aye .

O ne o f th e O nes is here the other O ne is there ;

,

Each other s nam e and place alternately they share

’
.

Lo ok in the glass : thou there thy d o uble wilt d iscern

N o w look aw ay an d 10 ! two selves to one return
, .

The glas s thy i mage shows ; thyself the glass I call , ,

That images the O ne Great Archetype o f all .

Within His looking glass His glance o f lo ve sees

-
,

rise
A picture world that m elts if he takes o f? His eyes
-
.

Then praise the Love th at holds the m irror still in

Vie w ,

Where He th e O ne is please d to see Himself as two !

, ,

O neness is t wo fol d : here u nbroken unity , ,

There unity restored o ut o f d uality

, .

Centre circum ference two ; and to co mplete the

, ,

three ,

Th e space between the two di visible endl essly , .

 WI SDO M OF T HE BRA H MI N .

t is a point that ro u nd itself rotates

’
A circl e ,

An d orbs its house as soul its earthly for m creates

,
.

The largest circle draw remove it from thee far

,

It shall appear to thee a point like any star , .

But ta ke the merest point h o w fi ne and faint s o e e r

’
, ,

The magnifying glas s shall sw ell it to a S phere

-
.

Drop in the lake a stone an d the n behol d h o w fast

,

Circl es from circles grow an d break upon the last .

Whether the circle melt or nev er rose all s one ;

, ,
’

For one is all the sho w o f twoness being gone

, .

Do uble is do ubt disp ute discordancy d eceit

, , , , ,

T win fr uit upon a t wig bitte r at once and s weet

,
-
, , .

When discord concord is and twofold singlefold

, ,

Then will the feud be heal ed th at rends the world o f ,

old .

26 .

Architect Nature seems to b uil d for self al one ;

Yet is her final end the spirit s not her o w n ’
, .

Spirit a s uckling is ; Nature his nourisher ,

Who rears him till he learns he did not spring

The p urblind Nurse w oul d fain not l et her child

Thro u gh crannies in her house light from above , w ill

break .
16 WI SD OM OF TH E BRA H MI N .

And as from h is grub dream aw akes the butterfly

-
,

Far over Space and tim e Thought soars away on high ;

As when th e fruit is ripe the caps ul e open sprin gs
, ,

An d lets the seed fly forth with heav en s free breeze ,

’

fo r wings
As fro m the astonishe d fo wl escape d the du ckling
broo d ,

And far beyond her reach laun ched o ut upon the

flood .

Ho we er I turn th ee l o tho u turnest to the light

’
,

Thyself O blossoming twig ! an d sh a m st me with the

,
’

sight ;
And every shoot I set inverted in the grou nd ,

Soon with its l o wer part t urne d up again is fo un d .

By inner i mp ul se urged by o ut ward dra wi ng l ed

, ,

Your fo nd l oo k on the light is turne d till li fe is fle d .

Dark insti ncts th us ye pay due honor to the light

, ,

An d o nly the bright s o ul can turn asid e to night ;

Yet she w hile in the soil still roote d ye re main
, ,

Can as sh e turns to light to light at las t attain

, , .

A w on der is the w orld is never w on dere d through ;

,

That o verwhelms the mi n d an d kindles it ane w .

 WI SD O M O F TH E BRAH MI N . 17

Dread overwhelms th e mi nd at the eternal sight ,

Yet fires it everm ore to reco mmence the fight .

B arest tho u to d esign a te the m any several s mall ? , ,

Or w ilt tho u penetrate the Great the O ne the All ? , ,

Infinity is here infinity is there ;

,

And thou the finite w ilt with both the contest

, ,

d are
Ere tho u has t q uite e xplored a blade beneath thy
tread ,

A world o f glory p asse d u nhee d e d o er thy head ’

.

While counting twig an d lea f upon the starry tree ,

An earthly Sprin g dream s bloom fle d u nenjoye d by

’
-

thee .

Co urage ! though thou art not yet Go d is a ll around ;

,

In each pris matic tint the whole o f light is found ;

An d all to wo rthy use the fil ial spirit t urns ,

That stirs the pi o us gl o w in w hich Creatio n burns .

29 .

What is a straitened life and what a large a n d free ?

,

Within thyself is ro om ; cro wd s make it cl ose fo r

thee .

He wh o from darkling self h as not yet qui te co m e

o u t,

Feels straitene d in himself ; fo r roo m

,
must roam
about .
18 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N .

But he whose brighter self from sense set free h as

been ,

Fin ds o uter space a void ; h is ful ness is within .

Thee in the m azy cro w d blin d i mp ulse s w eeps along ;

O nly the O ne is m uch an d littl e is the throng , .

Nay the O ne is not m uch

,
it is itself the All ,

Not little is the thro ng t is naught not e v e n small

,
’

The wise man has both All and O ne in his a lone l

,

Withou t the All a man is but a lonely O ne 2

.

Two w orl d s are mine : of these ,

if one reno unce d mu st
be ,

Take the great o uter one not the small one in me , .

Thou wilt no l onger name the world within thee

s mall ,

When once thou kn o w st the Go d in man wh o dw ells

’

in all .

Narrow and small the bo und s that time a n d space

confess
But Go d e mbracing tho ught has Go d s o wn bo und
’
-

l essness .

A ein , in German
l l -
.

2 In th e o rigin al : Without th e A ll, a l lgemein ( u niversal , all

co mmo n ! is co mmo n, mea n .

20 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N

Yet thou wrong st thy frie nd opening his wound

if ’
,

ane w ,

To d o it to thyself th a t see ms inhuman too

, , .

Mu ch rather the mil d o il thou hast at h o m e in store , ,

Upon thy private griefs an d on thy neighbor s po ur ,

’

, .

Thou e n ter es t the strange world : h o w strange is

every tree ,

Each face an d cre ature strange ; the strange space

frigh ten eth thee .

Yet lo ok upon the gro und m ade o f the self same ,

-

stone ,

And see the water too — there the same light is

, ,

sho w n .

Then l ook up to the stars they gem the self same ,

-

d o me ,

And l earn in the strange space to feel thyself at

home .

Sky earth and w ater all shall th us enable thee

, , ,

In tree beast , y e a even man

, fami li ar
, sigh ts to ,

see .

s strangest forms to thee made friendly

’
Soon N ature

are ,

But man to m an remains a stranger longer far .

 WI SD O M OF TH E BRA H MIN . 21

An d fro m th e hea vens al one thou lea rn es t, and th e

h
ea rt ,

That thy strange bro ther hath with th ee a co mmo n

bir th .

33 .

Thou h ast two kinds o f foe : o ne wh o h as inj ured

thee ;
An d one wh o at thy hand hath s uffere d inj ury .

If thou must ca ll on one o f these fo r help in need ,

Be t he wh o di d not he wh o s uffere d the wrong deed

’

, , .

The firs t it sta nds in han d his mischief to repair ;

’
The seco nd burns to avenge the wrong thou mad et

34 .

If o ne h as
stepped aside dea r man fo rgive him pray !
, , ,

Thin k thou to o hast a foot may stumble slip o r stray

, , , , .

Happy wh o humbl e gro ws without humiliation ,

Who ere the worl d subdues h as learned self subj uga

, ,
-

tion .

Th e m ea n when rich is prou d : w hen po or he is d e

, , ,

pressed ;
The noble prou d when poor when rich is lowliest
, , .

A wretched sight to s ee men climb whose natures

crawl ,

But wr etchedest to s ee them totter to their fall .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BR A H M I N .

Who w itho ut m erit rise w in no respect thereby

, ,

And when they fall m en look wi th an u npitying eye

, .

Who mounts the highest place will have the giddiest

brain
An d each one climbs aloft only to fall again
, .

Who knows his place and po wers and wh o conform ,

ably
To both directs h is work from j ust reproach is free
, .

Say to the vain As tho u d ost prize thyself let me ,

B e prize d by men not prize myself a s they do

,

”
thee !
Honor hu mil ity and in its honor be
,

Pro ud to the proud an d so te ach prid e humil ity

, .

35 .

A genuine man will hav e two faces and o f thes e ,

The one is seen at home the world the other sees

,

The frien dly face whose looks forever home ward turn ;
The serious one confronts the w orld severe an d stern .

36 .

Do what thou canst the rest leave him to do wh o can ;

,

To every total work belongs a total man .

T wo hal ves m ake up a w hole tis true ; b ut mark

’
,

thou this ,

By two thin gs each half done no work completed is

, ,
.
 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MI N . 23

Wh o half a nd h alf is w ell a sick man one may call ; ,

An d what w e kno w by halves we do not kno w at all .

If ever so m any hal ves w ould b ut one whole make :

o ut,

Well ! in all qu arters n o w halves quarters float ,

abou t ,

In e v ery halfness lies s o m eth ing exaggerated ,

And overdoing is w ith u n derdo ing m ated .

To o l ittle an d to o m u ch are each o f them excess ;

Th ey miss w h o shoo t to o lo w w h o shoots too high ; .

n o less .

To o l ittle an d to o mu ch they b o th are inco mpl ete ;

,

In earnest an d in play the go l den mea n is sw eet .

37 .

U nblest th o u n ee d s t
’
not be ,
u npro spered though tho u
art ;
Fate brings pro sperity b u t bl iss l ies in the heart
,
.

Tho u th ink st h o w fine t w ould b e a fo rtune to a t

’ ’

tain ;
Thin k to o h o w gra n d the powe r to d o w ithou t that
, ,

gain !
Though in th y house th o u hast n o treasures to im
part ,

Send o u t the go lden songs th o u hast within thy

heart .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

I give that which I have I have that I may give ; ,

To give I gather in
,
by gathering in I live
, , .

Fain w ould I see the king whose liberality

Were match fo r mine Come on princes contend , ,

wi th m e !

For this do East an d West my heart their trib utes

bring ,

That so I m ay re w ard my s ubjects like a king .

Thus w ith h is fiery wheel the sun draw s water up ,

And gives it b ack to earth in the gemmed rainbo w ,

c up .

38 .

I f ill b efall eth

thee cou nt it a blessing still ;
,

I f ill thou takest it th a t is a sorer ill

, .

Forgive thy frien d if he to rm en teth th ee ; and know

He is not w ell or els e h e w oul d not vex thee so
,
'

An d if Love woundeth thee let that b ut spur thy love,

F or that thou hast the rose the thorn doth s urely

, ,

pro ve .

The h appiness o f m an am o u nts to naught my so n ,

Where o n e has mu ch o f it a nother little or none

, .

Happiness m ust be free like life light breath, , , of

heaven ,

Share d equally by all to all men freely given

, .
 WI S D O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

Not riches can it be n or po wer nor earthly pelf

, ,

Which to h is neighbor s loss man heaps up to him

’

self
.

N o t w isdom can it be nor art to which the fe w

, ,

Al one can climb by some rare gift enabled to

, .

To be good witho ut grudge is the sole goo d o f man ;

For thi s shoul d each man be and he wh o will be can , ,
.

40 .

It well becomes a man to d o whate er he can ; ’

What fortune still may add depen d s not on the man

, .

If fortu ne conquere d yield h is co urage homage gains ;

,

If he su ccumb to her still blam eless he remains

, .

41 .

A luck that s wiftly cam e may swiftly pass away ;

What ripened slo wlier will that then longer stay ?
,

Nay ! in o ur garden here no flo wer has long d uration ;

Al one unfading blooms the flo wer o f expectation .

Let every pleasure fade if this remains to thee

, ,

The Hope that still p uts forth n ew blossoms from the

tree.

42 .

Why what the good deserve the wicked o ften gain ?

, ,

That qu estion bring st tho u me that mystery to

’

explain
26 WI SD O M OF T H E BRAH MIN .

That Gordian kno t I cut in twain nor seek to untie ,

”
N o t wha t the goo d d eserve th e wicke d gain say I , .

The Bad is prospered when by skill a good he gains

, ,

Which to a better m an h a d not seeme d w orth the

p ains .

More vigilant perchance m ore diligent is he

, , ,

And so has earned the fair rew ard o f industry .

T is the re ward o f earth an d with h im it sh al l die

’
,

The Goo d alone h as h is forevermore on high .

43 .

Sayest thou Virt ue starves whil e p ampered Vi ce ,

”
lives high ?
Hast tho u then Virtu e s w orth conceive d so sordi dl y ?
, ,
’

Is superfluity her hire ? S uperfluo us quite

If Virtu e i dly lives sh e starves with pe rfect right
, .

Bread the reward o f toil the v ery villain earns

, ,

When the blue sea he plo ughs or the green so d up

turns .

W o uld st earn it pio us man ? B e brisk if that s thy

’

, ,
’

wish !
I f not then be content with fragrance from God s dish !
’

44 .

There still are happy m en though o f them thou art not,

There joy upon the earth tho ugh it be not thy lo t

’
S ,
.
28 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

Bliss maketh n o t its home with many b ut with all ; ,

O nly the whole w orld s bliss my blesse d ness I call

’
.

Whoso were blest and kne w that others needs must

mo urn ,

From him wo ul d his o wn bliss be by that kno wle dge

torn .

And in forgetful ness can bliss be fo und far less ;

Much rather kno wle dge is the o nl y blessedn ess
, .

And therefore can there be no bliss beneath the sun ,

B ecaus e each blessed soul is an u nhappy one .

And here on earth o n e thought al one gives blissful

r est ,

Tha t the unhappy too are destined to be blest

, , .

And he wh o kno weth th is with z eal will do his part ,

To heal the woes o f all and o f his p rivate heart , .

But h o w to he al all hearts to none b ut Go d is kno wn ; ,

So He alone is blest and tho u in Him al one , .

47 .

When from th e o ute r world thy senses thou h ast

sealed,
’
God s mysteries and th e world s within thee are re ’

vealed .

What dissipates thy mind that fro m th e world take ,

n o t,

O nly so mu ch of it as Sh all renew th y thought .

 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

O ne lets a single ray through the dark chamber gle am ,

When he the entire light woul d study in the be am ;

Then fling the shutters back to prove by ope n light , ,

No colored spectre can replace the living light .

48 .

Thou art and yet art no t Thou a rt all is thr ough

,
.

Thee
—
Yet ar t Thou not fo r Thou art not the things that be .

Thou art both that which has and that which h as not , ,

being ,

Giving exis tence n o w no w from existence freeing .

Thou art pure light ; the worl d s th e colors sevenfold ’

Which we thro ugh Th ee as if they were the mselves

, ,

behold .

The h ues are not the light t is light we see them by ;

,
’

Then are they in th e light when seemingly they die

, .

Th o u art p ure tone ; the chords sevenfold o f Na , ,

ture s lyre
’

Divide Thee from Thyself and build th e vast world

,

choir .

Tho u art the key note whence as fro m a sevenfold

-
, ,

fo unt ,

Bright rays dart do wn the scale and to their source

r emo u nt .

Tho u art Thyself the sound the Lutanist Thou art , ,

Thy bearers all th e waves o f man s tempestuo us heart ’

.
30 WI SD OM O F T H E BR A E MI N .

Tho u art the breath o f morn Thou art the evening s ,

’

breeze .

Thou art the vernal shrub the scent o f Autumn s ,

’

trees .

Tho u art and art not these like days and years Thy ,

range ,

The self ret urning ring the never changing change

-
,
-
.

The riddle all unsolved I leave with a we struck min d -

,

Nor seek to loose the knot with my o wn being

twin ed .

My thirst fo r w onder com es a Won drous O ne from , ,

Thee ,

Tho u never clo uded Light with t wilight qu ick n est

’

, ,

me .

49 .

Thou walkest on the earth ,

Spirit of E arth ,

sh e,

The mother knows Thee not whose bloomi ng praises

, ,

Thee .

Thou stan dest upon s uns S un spirit an d yet

,
-
,

he ,

The S un perceives Thee not whose beaming praises

, ,

Thee .

Thou wa vest in the air Spirit o f Ai r ; the free

, ,

Fresh air perceives Thee n o t whose breathing p raises ,

Thee .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .
31

Tho u rides t on the waves the Spirit o f th e Sea ;

,

The waters know Thee not whose murmuring praises

Thee .

Thou dwellest in the heart Spirit o f Purity

,

The heart Thy presence o wns and lovin g praises T h ee ! , ,

50 .

A fo unt flo ws fo rth from G o d and bac k to God doth

,

strea m ,

I ts infl ux rapturo us joy its efflux bliss s upreme

, .

It streams in on thy soul thro ugh open gates o f sense ,

An d forth the self same way and be ars thee with it

-
,

hence .

l t streams in thro ugh the eye in light s tran s figuring

’

tid e
,

And as a tear o f joy it w ells o ut glorified .

It flo ws in th rough the ear a soul a wakening strain

,
-
,

And in a grate ful prayer flows from the l ips again .

It streams in with the Spring s perf um e o f Parad is e

’

And streams o ut in the breath an incens e clou d o f ,

-

s ighs.

It streams in as a flood o f earthly w il d emotion ,

Upon th e heart and forth in heav enly p ure devotion

, .

Tho u feel st that what thou art is He in thee not

’

thou ,

And to the primal fount tho u str eamest upward n o w .

32 WI SD OM O F TH E BR AHMI N .

51 .

I cam e to this retreat h o w is unkno wn to me ; ,

E xiled and fugitive constraine d I cam e yet free

, , .

Came I against my will yet w illingly I stay ;

,

If hither d riven I w ill not n o w be driven away

,
.

Here am I rooted ; oh dislodge me not ! As w ell

,

T ear from the soil the plant the s n ail from o ut his ,

shell

52 .

I know n o t n o w to whom I sho ul d give fl o wers could ,

I
Not t wine them ro und the grave w here darling chil
dren lie .

Th e mother s brow is grave ; the brothers are men

’

grow n
Unchangeable remain ye ch ildren n o w alone .

E ach day with equal love ye take the gifts o f Spring ,

The gifts a father s hand loves evermore to bring

’
.

53 .

0 friend , since first the gods of my being linke d to

Ne er have I 1m dersto o d thy

’
way as thou h ast mine .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Tho u in thy
,
w ay, h as t learned the thing itself to
think ,

An d I the naked thought in ima g es to sink

Thou by degrees at length h as helped m e from the
, ,

dream ,

Where in an inner space the thi ngs o f spirit seem ;

And m uch that once I did beca us e co ns trained there,

to ,

N o w with clear consciousness and high content I do .

54

Think not I am the form you r eyes before yo u see ,

I am the song that char ms your heart w ith mel o dy ;

And if the song exalts and thrills your being through ,

Thank God wh o made me th us His instrument fo r

,

yo u .

55 .

These wreaths are funeral weeds in Sign o f joys long

fled ;
They too are deathly p ale with yearning for the dead
, , .

For every joy that died I w ove in memory

A garlan d and to day they hang all over me
, .

Here Friendship s leaves an d there spangles o f Love

’

that shone
And here a father s joy by th e dark Reaper mown
’
, .

3
34 WI SD O M O F TH E BRAH MIN .

Here youth there glory fad es ; and there b ehold !

,

near by ,

A spot is left where life s poor relics soon shall ’

l ie .

Let him wh o lives w hen I am n umbered with the ,

dead ,

A garlan d o f dark flo wers lay on my lowly bed

An d when so me pilgri m seeks the empty hous e o f
clay ,

”
Say withered garlands
, So passes the world away !

Th e E cho that thou wak st, charms thee O nigh tin

’

, ,

gale ,

’
As Poet s heart whose song responsive plaud its hail
, .

Bu t what is the response What b ut thy voice alone ? ,

Applau d thyself and l eave the d eaf and lifeless stone !

,

In vain ! The w ord h as gained u nmeas ured pow er

and zest ,

Wh en that o f thousand hearts is echoed fr om thy

bre ast .

57 .

Th eLil y and the Rose that bloom in poesy

Are not like those that toil to bloom al on g o ur lea.
36 WISD OM O F TH E BRAH MIN .

Then , ere th e G ods awake , ret urning h o meward ,

bring
Th e human spirit up to hea ven upon thy wing .

Bu t this one thing observe sho uld st tho u s uccess

’

ful be
In bearing up th e soul o f man to heaven with
thee ,

With heavenly secrets thou sh al t only ch arm h is

B eguile shalt thou , b ut no t bewilder daze and , ,

bh u d ;
Th at like transparent truth s may be h is waking
dream ,

An d things as dark as night as clear as day may ,

seem .

The rid dle s ans wer thou in n e w enigmas veil

’
,

Which tho ugh unsolve d th e soul with mystic sen se

, ,

h eave n s
’
Be cl ear an d deep and dim as un f athomed
s ea ;
To sight Sho w stars o f light to fancy nebul ae ,

An d when his eyes can bear th e sight let him ,

behold
To constellations n o w the nebul ae un fold .

But as in fi nitude there the s u blime girds ro und ,

Let a fair finitude be thy dominion s bo un d ’

.
 WI SD OM OF THE BRA H MIN .

In the immense could st thou no certain meas ure trace

’

Wi th fine not finical art shalt thou give small things

, ,

grace .

But above all dear child w ilt thou be phil osophic

, ,

—
In sense in form let all be strictly rhyme d an d
strophic .

Else will with giant grasp the sprite Philosophy

, ,

I nto the li mitless bear thee poor Poesy ! ,

l
In Choriambs if thou wil t d ance or in Ch oliambics
, , , ,

But flee as thou w o uldst death itself the u nrhyme d

, ,

Iambics .

To me n a weariness to Gods themselves a bore

, ,

Is su ch a flood o f w ords o n w ord s witho ut a shore ;

Grateful to ear and soul sententiou s commonplaces , ,

When the syllabic fall in s w eet toned cad ence paces -

.

59 .

Playfulness is a proof o f s urest mastersh ip ;

P uss from her paw s in play lets the d oo me d mousie
Slip .

A jest has fo r its aim to m ake unlikes agree ;

Hence between friends an d frien d s alone is jesting free
Not with inferiors jest their passion yo u incense
, .

Not w ith superiors they wi ll ne er forgive the o ffence

,
’
.

1 Th e Ch o ria mbus is —u u th e Ch o liambic ( l ame Iam bic!

h as a s po ndee in th e sixth fo o t . Tr .
38 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAHMI N .

The jest is safe that co mes with earnest han d in

hand ,

A shield fo r t hee when men th y m oo d misun derstand .

! esting is safe but not w ith self respect to jest

,
-
,

When sense o f higher worth b urns in th e conscio us

breast .

To throw one s self a way a m oment shames not when

’

O ne kno ws he can at once ass um e him self again .

He wh o can play w ith pain that ma n h as surely ,

wo n

The victory o er him self or c ure fo r h im is none

’

And so S eh er z rh y mes w ith S ch mer z an d both o f them ,

w ith H er z ,

For sma r t to spor t al way the poet s heart con verts ’

.

60 .

Each m an w ill fit the w orl d to his own moo d an d

m ake ,

And w hat I a m to take that I in verse must take , .

I f then in man y a verse o f mine tho u fi n de st n aught ,

Think fo r himself in this the poem s m aker

’

w ro ught .

Had I not made the ve rse in which thou fi n de st

n aught ,

O f that one which brings m u ch to thee I had not

thought .
 WI SD O M OF T H E BR AH MIN . 39

61 .

O ft is the kernel rich tho ugh stiff the form appear ;

,

Soft was the blad e when green here is the full grown ,
-

ear .

I paced along three halls bu ilt in the House o f Tim e

,

Pas t Present Future thus were name d these halls

, ,

sublime .

The F uture in its hall showed painted ta pestry ,

With forms that into life seeme d yearning to go

free .

The Present in its h all displayed on every side , ,

Forms passing into life a multit ud inou s tid e

, .

The chamber o f the Past reveale d to sight alone

Th e forms that once ha d l ife n o w stiffening into ,

stone .

Then said I Pai nting bids the F uture s curtain ’

glow
An d Sculpture represents the Past in solemn Sho w .

T is Poesy wh o stand s bet ween th e other two

'

Interpreting th e forms the Presen t brings to view .

The Eternal Prese nt what b ut Nature can it be ?

The Past is but a sho w a show Futurity

, , .

Th e semblance hovers ro un d the s ubstance either ,

side ;
Pas t Fut ure consta ntly behin d each other h ide
, , ,
40 WI SD O M OF TH E B RAH MIN .

The Present will be Past once in F uturity , ,

The Past was F uture once when it began to b e ,

.

The Past ere yet it was there in the Future lay

, , ,

An d all is N o w when O nce and O nce h ave flo wn

,

away .

62 .

That con versation s charm may not be lost to thee

’

In solitud e tho u there holdest self colloquy

,
-
.

Conversing with thyself has this ad vantage he ,

Who pleases thee shall speak the rest tho u lettest ,

be .

Y e t has it not fo r that a monol ogu e s destitu tion ;

’

There lies in thee the germ o f endless evolution .

O f interl oc utors a host d well s in thee each ,

Whose w ord might help tho u m ust not hin der in his ,

speech .

63 .

No grimace so absurd but beauty s prize shall gai n ’

From some enamored fool or craze d eccentric , ,

brain .

A Wight wh o ca n d o naught b ut so b an d sigh and

roa n
g ,

Lives so he s wears in love beauty an d tr uth alone

, , , ,
.

Cob web i deal ch ild o f phthis icky brain say n o w

, , ,

Art thou Id alia wretched est id ol tho u

,
 WISD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N . 41

Born of the foam w e grant the queen o f loveliness

, , ,

And yet sh e is not foam herself and sc um far l ess

, , .

O f all insipid fools the in sipidest is he

,

Who is insipi d fro m Sheer finicality .

The rough may be planed down the dull made sharp ;

,

with one
Who has too fine a poin t there s noth ing to be done
’
.
42 WI SD OM O F TH E BR AH MIN .

BOOK II .

1 .

NAUGHT better man can d o each day in all the seven

, ,

Tha n leave the w orld a nd self behind and pray to ,

Heaven .

Prayer is not form an d sho w Prayer is no empty

,

word ;
Prayer is a tho ught and thought al one in Hea ven is
,

heard ;
Yet Prayer must gro w to w ork that the whole life
,

may rise ,

P ure as a morning breath o f incense to the skies, .

2 .

Tho u canst o f c o urse not find in this w orl d clear

, ,

content ,

B ecause thy so ul resides in Heaven s bright firma ’

m ent.

The contrast is to o vast ; naught can fill up the abyss

That yawns betwee n the thing that should be and
what is .
44 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

4 .

Amon g the preciou s stones that is the choicest o n e

,

Which c uts the m a ll yet can itself be cut by none

,

But best o f h u m an hearts is that which woul d fro m

,

others
Far s o oner bea r all w ou nds itself than wound a,

brother s ’
.

As the pu re sw an wh o s wi ms the p ure and glassy

,

tid e ,

Sees in the heaven belo w his mirrore d image rid e ,

And when he long h as draw n his circles in the lake

Di ves d o w n an d o f his course leaves not the fain test
,

w ake,

Blest he w h o keeps h imself so pure on earth an d goes ,

So peacefully from life men scarce ly note its close

, .

6 .

’
As the S un s wheel spokes draw earth s water to the
’
-

skies,

So higher light the soul when from its cage it flies

But as th e heaviest m ists to earth come ba ck in rain ,

Who kno ws if souls to earth make pilgrimage again ?

 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MI N . 45

An d as the finest scents alone to ether rise ,

So a n ethereal soul to Spirit s loftiest skies ’

.

7 .

T h ou cans t not l ook into the S un s fi re eye intense ’

-

In the mild m oon alone hast tho u s uch confi dence .

But 10 beneath the moon the flow ers their closed lids
,

bo w ,

Yet lift the m to the s un Not like th e flowers art

.

th o u .

When perfect as the flo w er s thy i nnocence shall be

’

The sun as no w the moon u ndaz zled shalt thou

, ,

see .

Is irt e then a
v u , , gro th
or full grown purity ?
w -

To climb the height or stan d atop serene and free ?

,

The struggle to ward the height the height o f course ,

is not ;
There is the h ighest where o f h igher is no tho ught
, .

So p urity is m ore than all thy purifying ,

An d human virtue ne er can be self satisfying

’
-
.

9 .

is a n oble zeal to e mulate their worth

It ,

Who o f the highest goo d are types upon the earth .

 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MI N .

But this is copying a copy at the best ; ,

S h ape tho u the Archetype its elf within thy breast .

10 .

In Lord s ho use a host o f servants wait an d they

o ur
’

All ser ve the Lord each o n e in his pec uliar w ay

, .

Th e Lord s way is to let each serve H im in his o wn

’

And which He lo ves the best is kno w n to Him alone .

O ne only serves because his father did before ,

With no mind o f his o wn a house born drudge ,

-

no more .

Another serves because to o wn som e Lord he loves ,

And this one is a Lo rd whom his whole heart

a pproves .

O ne ran a way b ut soon came back to h is o ld place

, ,

And h im h is Lord once m ore receiv e d into His grace .

Too lazy to desert to stay one tho ught it best ;

,

An d the goo d Lord lets h im r un round beside the

rest .

O ne ser ves th e Lord w ith zeal befo re His face a nd , ,

c are ,

But lags behin d his back as if He s a w not there

,
.

An image o f the Lord one bears before his breast ,

To min d h im o f the Lo rd an d o f the Lord s behest ’

.

The i mage he h a s carve d o f w ood with cunning art ,

S uch favor to e njoy makes go dly pro ud his hear t .

 WI SD O M OF T HE BRAH MIN . 47

Another bears the Lord in his heart s shrine alone ’

Le d by the inner star no shape o f wood or stone .

Th is on ly d oes the thing the Lord co mmands him to ;

Th a t seeks the Lo rd to kno w what He wo uld hav e
h im d o.

The th ird wai ts n o t to as k wh at are his Lord s ’

com mand s ;
He sees His face and then His meaning understands
,
.

O ne from self interest serves a nd one from dread and

-
,

fear ;
O ne fro m a loyal min d and one from l ove sincere
,
.

O ne serves the Lord to gain a stipulated pay ;

To this th e Lord adds na ught and nothing takes away ,
.

Another serves without a stated pay ; and none

The Lo rd long time ha d given then to ok hi m as ,

His s o n .

11 .

I sa w Creation s Well ; the Maker sa t beside

’

The golden bucket dre w an d po ured the crystal tide

,
.

He dre w an d po ure d the de w ro un d o n the wilder

ness ;
It bloo me d a field o f life in spring flo wer broidere d - -

d ress
.

Then broo k an d brooklet ran the runnel and the rill , ,

Up into gra ss an d herb and backwar d faster still

,
.
48 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH M IN .

Wherever a wave rolled on there bloom e d a bride o f

,

Spring ;
An d where one sai d Farew ell a plant w as withering , .

And when a gree n thing s form crumbled to ashes

’

the n
S wiftly the crystal s fle w to b uild it up again .

And st ill th e M aker d re w yet was the w ell not dry

, ,

Al thoug h s ea after sea was drawn perpet ually ;

For every stream that fro m the gol den bu cket fell
Ra n back ward d o wn belo w an d po ure d into the w ell .

12 .

didst make th e w orld, an d n eede d st

’
Thou wh o it no

whit,

After Thy love s designs hast thou created it

’
,

After Thy w isd o m s plan the purpose o f Thy might

’

,
.

No aftertho ught o f man s can reach Thy forethought s

’ ’

flight ;
No w ord can speak the things Thy Word has made
o utright .

Yet hast Thou reas on given man s inn er light to be

,
’
,

The spirit lead i ng h im Invisible to Thee

, ,

The tide that yearns to sin k into thy depths 0 sea ! ,

Tho u s tandest at the gates the F ut ure an d the ,

Past,

Fro m who m we came to whom w e all return at last

,
.
 WI SD O M OF THE BRAH MIN . 49

I kno w not whither I go I cam e I know not ,

whence .

From God to God I go that is my confidence , .

When thou hast God w ithin cre ation s works shall be ,

’

In all their heigh t and d epth mad e mani fest to thee , .

Thus far and farther n o t the help o f N ature goes

, ,

She does not teach thee God b ut she His path way ,

Sho w s .

The self existent light must in thee be thine o wn

-
,

Ere m irr ore d tho usand fold its radiance can be sho wn
,
-
, .

T h ou must in thin e o w n hand hold Nature s master ’

key ,

1
Be fore tho u canst u nlock her endless treas ury .

Bu t tell m e n o w h o w l ong has Go d within thee bee n ?

Hast taken and put H im on ? Has He to thee come
in
Thou hast no t brought H im forth nor thought H im ,
!

o ut
. Had He
Slept haply u ntil n o w and j ust a woke in thee
,

The cradle th o u in which to lie he di d n o t scorn

,

He w a s not born o f thee He was fo r thee sel f born

,
- .

1 Th e go lden key
Th at O pes th e pal a ce o f ete rn ity .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAHMIN .

He lend s the gates to thee wh ich thou canst ente r

,

thro ugh ,

And gives to thee the power eve n to exclud e Him ,

too .

He stan ds and knocks and if the door thou openest

, ,

That pow er as w ell h ast thou fro m Him alone

, ,

po ss e st .

14

Take note o f all th y toil and strife what is the goal ?

Tho u m ust nee d s satisfy the wishes o f thy soul .

What is thy first d esire That riches may be thine ?

An d wh at the next P erchance o n glory s roll to
’

shine
But wh o o f w ealth and fame eno ugh di d e ver win ?
Thy satisfaction then thou seekest not therein
, , .

O r se ek st tho u then perhaps to satisfy thy heart

’

By some perfecte d work o f thy best thought an d a rt ?

But whe n wast tho u conte nt with th at which tho u
hadst done ?
Th e d rea m th at w ish a wakes is an il lusi ve one .

No way rem ains but th is with soul and strength to be

Devote d to the task thy God com mits to thee .

’
Do what tho u canst t w ill be enough for H im ; and
,

thou
Shalt feel content ment free from all ill us ion n ow
, , .
 WI S D O M OF T H E BR AH MIN .

And h o w the training makes the very rank one sees ,

In the wise manage ment o f the exemplary bees .

T h ey raise but one qu een bee ( discreetly ! in a h ive ,

F or w ith a single head a people best can thrive ;

But sho ul d dis aster co m e u pon the royal broo d ,

! u ick ly w it h c u n ning a r t they m ake the d a m age

goo d .

They take another bee chil d o f the people

, one
Meant fo r a m ere fi eld han d day laborer in the sun ;
-
,
-

O nly enlarge the cell in w hich it l ies an d so , ,

Fe d with cho ice foo d it see ms as by a charm to gro w

, .

O f a fi eld laborer thus a qu een bee soon is mad e

-
,

Ackno wle dge d by the hor des as lineal princely head .

17 .

The pearl shell all shut in to its o wn purity

-
, ,

Yet shares the tint and tone o f the s urrounding sea .

The color o f the pearl sho ws where it s wa m the flood ,

In deep or shall ow seas in sea grass or in mu d

,
-

But whether t is oblong o val or perfect ro und

’
, , ,

Th a t its shell ho u se d eci d es an d n o t its ocean gro und

-
, .

And finally h o w great or s mall shall be its size

, , ,

Th a t in the inner force o f its o wn nature lies .

Light m ore or less to ma n comes from the w orld

, ,

aro u n d
The form his station gives the force within is fo und
, ,
 WI SD OM OF THE BR AH MIN . 53

18 .

For siftin g meal we us e coarse sieves and finer o nes

From each n ew sieve the gra in the finer cleaner , , ,

runs .

The coarsest meal is that which in the first is caught

And that s the choicest which the last one c aptures
’
,

not .

Pearl s too in several sieves both coarse and fine men

, , ,
.

s ift ;

But her e th e best is that which in the first is left .

Poorer and poorer still from sieve to sieve they ,

pas sed ;
Poorest o f all a re those th at linger in th e last .

If thou then art th e pearl greatest is be st o f all ;

, , ,

But if tho u art th e meal tho u canst not be too small

, .

19 .

Bla ck iron , when with its mass th e force of fir e

ombines
c ,

Reddens and glo ws and like a sparkling jewel shines ;

,

Whereas the ruby which itself is fiery red

, ,

When heate d in the flame a palish gleam will she d , .

So when the mind o f ma n with p as sion s frenzy ’

T o something o f strange guise its proper n ature turn s ;

 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

iBut when it is coole d o ff iron again grows black

, ,

And to its native red th e carbuncle goes back .

20 .

Neglecting the right word in the right place to say ,

Will be a grief to thee u nto thy dyin g day .

If a fterward in thought tho u speakest it too late

, , ,

Thy self reproach will fall with all the heavier

-

w eight .

Yet ceas e not to thyself softly that word to say ,

And then perhaps tho u lt be more wise a nother day

’
.

21 .

How skil fully h e plies his limbs th e tumbler there , ,

As if o f steel springs m ade o r breathed o ut o f the air

,
.

And wh y all this ? To rouse instea d o f a dmiration

, ,

Sh uddering a n d fear and drea d and even d etestation

, .

Poor tumbler ! Thus his art fo r daily bread plies he ;

Yet others d o lik e him w ith less necessity
, .

If mis used bodil y strength moves m e n to sh udderin g ,

Perverted thought a nd wit s a doubly shocking thing

’
.

22 .

Wis dom in every cas e begins with wondering ;

, ,

Naught else s ustains the soul upon her heavenward

wing .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRA H MI N

From self a nd from the world go d ward , with

yearning glow
To soar and gaze and gu ess to dive and search a nd
,

kno w .

When thou canst see th e ligh t wi tho ut its dazzling

thee ,

N il ad mir a r i shall the end o f wis d o m be .

But to th e end thy steps not yet th e way have

fo und ;
Thou s ta ndest wondering still with wonders co m ,

pas sed round .

23 .

Were this o ur little earth creation s central star ’

Not on the outer rim a planet twinkling far

, , ,

Man s wit more j ustly then its grievance might prefer

’
,

And ask the reason wh y sh e was not pe rfecte r .

N o w he can only ask his mother earth to sho w

, , ,

Wh at the far c orner can o f the bright centre kno w .

High on the tabl e here a chamber candle beams ,

And fills the entire room b u t with unequal gleams

, .

Wall mirrors to and fro each to the other cast

-
, ,

The lustrous glow and thou sta ndest be fore the last
, .

The light is so s ubdued as not to blin d thee quite ,

But make thy yearning eyes turn toward the fo unt

o f l ight .
 WI SDOM OF TH E B RA H MIN .

Thou in thy corn er wait with patience till thy ga ze

, ,

Can be ar to meet unblenched the central noontide

blaze ,

As tend er lunar light round o wl eyed bleam ess flows -

,

Till boldly to the sun a n eagle s orbs unclose ’

.

A pale white m oon O ea rth thy sun at noonday is

, , ,

An d en dless longing wakes i tself no perfect bliss

, .

The s un a ra inbo w weaves upon the clo udy veil ;

H o w p ure the s weet a ccord in the chromatic sc al e !
But n o w the rainbow s tin ts into a second p lay
’

Wherei n the enamel bright m elts to a sober gray .

Thou not the rainbo w art but faintly in its place

,

As a mock rainbo w sta nd st its hal f extinguishe d

’

,
I

trace .

0 man within whose soul love an d ambition wed

, ,

Light o f the light a r t thou yet sh ado w o f the shade

, .

24 .

The moon rolls ro und th e earth ; the earth aro un d

the sun ;
He ro und a higher ; an d b e rou nd a still higher o ne
, ,
.

An d so on still an d still so on forevermore

, ,

Through boundless endless space a sea with out a

, ,

shore
Nay if yo u will let min d let pow er h e infinite
, , , ,

But en dless n ess o f space I will not hear o f it .

 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MIN . 57

O utward infinity coul d thereby be meant ?

, what
With that within the m ind alone am I conte nt , .

Beyond the bo dy s world a world o f light there lies

’

From which it fell to which it seeks again to rise

, .

By no original light th e suns flam e o ut th rough

space ;
They shine with bo rro wed light reflected from God s,
’

face .

A spirit effluencc light th e whole creation bathes

-
, , ,

A raiment that each limb o f the great body s wathes ,

A spiritual n et o f Go d s love-glances wo ve
,
’

That binds the bo dily world in meshes o f His lo ve .

Each link o f the v ast chain a h igh er one will join ,

Yearning to be dra wn up by energy divine ,

By ligh t s tra nsfiguring po wer to grow to mighty

’

s uns ,

Whose effluence then in turn shall feed the feebler

o nes .

But as to ward the e dge o f light they reach an d yearn ,

The la st a nd l eas t o f them to s uns o ne day shall

turn ;
And a ll that on them is made ripe by solar gl o w
, ,

The world shall th rough and through more and more

, ,

s unny gro w .

0 spirit tho u m ust ba the thee also in this dew

, ,

If as a sun tho u wilt shine in this field o f blu e

, , .
 WISD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

25 .

The bodily world needs light that lik e a vigoro us tree , ,

It may u n fold new forms lik e bl ossoms endl essly .

Spirits in matter bound gain freedom onl y where

, ,

The freest to ward the gr eat deliverance d o their

, ,

share .

The light too needs in t urn the bodily world wh ereby

, , ,

It can alone atta in to multiplicity .

For being but one it would as ma ny fain appear ;

, ,

That is the game it plays with this material sph ere .

O n every rim o f clo ud its sevenfold hues behold ,

O n bloom and fruit o f trees its glory thousand fold -

.

With zest it plays its game all nature gladsomely ,

Lends itself to th e sport and we too share their glee

,
.

26 .

Upon life s ladder h ere my peering glances meet

’

Nothing a bove my head bu t much beneath my feet

,
.

Far d o wn belo w and still in lo wer depths I see

, ,

Bright swarms o f b usy life move onward restlessly .

But when I li ft my eyes light on ly m eets my view ;

,

The ladder that leads down mo unts it not u pward too ,

It s urely mounts alo ft full surely mus t there be

,

Creatures in higher rank s Mos t High twixt me an d , ,

’

Th eo !
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

28 .

0 Earth we sta nd on thee a nd sing

, , , with praise
d evou t ,

The elem ents that work in thee and ro und abo ut

The flood that round thee flows ; the fire tha t thr ough
.

thee glows ;
Th e wind that round thy form like a broad m antl e , ,

blo ws .

So inexhaustible so marvellous th e three

, ,

Each well might seem the so urce whence all things

came to be
’
So that w ise men wh o first mused on creation s ,

birth ,

Disputed if from th is or that th e world sprang forth .

These said fr om o ut th e deep th e world emerging

,

came ;
Those from the e th er s breath ; those fro m the gl ow
,
’

i ng flam e .

We the conten ding sects in easy concord bind ,

And see the w orld bloom o ut from flood and fire and
v dn d .

Whoso in n ature s web the threa d s could s under

’

right ,

Woul d find o f threefold stran ds ea ch wo ven and

twisted tight .
 WISDOM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

But Natur e s tapestry we would not pick apart

’
,

On the tripartite whole content to fea st the heart .

29 .

Sol e link that to th e world hence forth attache s me ,

Since from th e throng o f men I h ad the mind to

flee ,

By whom fro m time to time th e world to me is

bro ught ,

Else in my so litude I sho uld perceive it not ,

Ne ws fro m th e world tho u Frien d dost faithful ly

, , ,

immrt,
But little food fo r thought and naught that glads the
,

heart .

Naught do I h ear from there that can inveigle me

To quit my pea ceful port a nd te mpt o nce more th e
s ea .

My o utlook is o ercast and yet with pain I o wn

’

What makes my sky so dark is n ot o ld a e al one g .

A discontented race fro m Providence es tranged

, ,

Wo uld change its world and yet would not itself be V,

change d .

Where tho ugh no outward war an inward conflict

, ,

burns ,

The bond o f glads ome life to very death cramp -

turns .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MIN .

From the bir th pangs - of Fate abortio ns spring ea ch

ho ur ,

The moment s r ush and whirl all peace and joy

’

d evour .

I know n o t to wh at no ok 0 Science thou shalt flee , , ,

But dry shall be thy fo unt p as t qu estion Poesy ! , ,

Where u nbelief by turns and bigotry hold sway

, , ,

That w oul d the so ul an d this the s enses take a way

, ,

This shall not kill the mind yet makes it a dull tool ; ,

This sh all no t kill th e soul but make it a dull pool , .

And in this pit o f sin this wintry frost o f wo e

, ,

Hope fo r the world but o n e this one new faith

, ,

I know
Faith that th e Spirit who se eye th e sun is will when
, , ,

e arth

Cries l oud from time to time for help s end helpers ,

An d whe n the misery seems past cure to h uman sight ,

He will in h uman form Himself on earth alight

, , .

Al ready o ft h as He éo me do wn to men forlorn ,

And even no w He think s where H e shall next be

born .

30 .

’
Th eAge s spectre d ance let flit and glimmer by
-

It m ay a m use but s ure canno t confuse thine eye

, , .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN . 63

Yet while thy spiri t braves th e maze with steadfas t

brow ,

Remember there are some ha ve we aker brains than

,

thou .

Increase n ot thou the whirl where drunken souls reel

round ,

But rather S ho w them where fi rm foothol d can be

fo und .

I giv e thee O my ,
s o n, this sh alt thou grate ful
o wn ,

Not tho ughts themselves outright but germs o f ,

thought al one .

Thoughts that h a ve once be en thought no m an can ,

think once more ;

Ne w trees cannot be made o f blossoms o ld ones

bore .

Yet when a b ud o f thought thy genial soul shall hold ,

O rigin al thought o f thine as blossom t will unfold ’

.

32 .

In a strange land was I brought into slavery ;

A graciou s master there pitied and purchased me .

Th en when a year was p ast he to his faithful slav e

, ,

His freedom and beside two sil ver pieces gave

, , .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AHMIN .

Straightway I vowed with o ne my ho meward fare to

And gratefully in alms the other give away .

But crossing a bazaar I saw o f birds a pair

, ,

H ung in a cage fo r sale pla ced by their captor there

, .

F or one released fro m bonds what worthier work ca n

,

be
Than to re d eem the slave and s et the captive free ?
Yet fo r the two the man as ked sil ver pieces t wain ,

And fo r my journey one I gladly woul d retain .

To take one piece fo r both the man woul d not agre e

Shall I then o f the two buy one and set h im free
Haply they are a pair an d shall I part the t wain ?
,

Far better then they both as pri soners sho ul d remain

, ,

But stubbornly th e man st uck to his first de man d ;

I paid my pieces d own and had n one l eft in hand
, .

Who gives yo u meat and drink will fo r my w ants

provi de
Who points your homeward way me to my home will
,

guide .

But shoul d I let y o u l oose in th e strange c ity her e ,

Where n o green tree holds o ut safe shelter and glad

ch eer
,

H o w soon ye wo ul d once more be sn ared by evil men ,

Where haply none might come to set yo u free

 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

So through the c ity gates and far fro m trodden

,

ways ,

I took them to th e wo od s mos t inacce ssible maze

’

And let them go ; and as toward heaven on joyous

wing ,

They rose between themselves I heard them say or

, ,

sing
H o w shall we re co mpense him wh o so freely
spent
H is all to make u s free o f th e broad firma ment ?
May he a darling wife fold one day to his heart ,

He wh o a winged p air not cruelly wo ul d part .

We know a ll r oads and lanes both to wn and field ,

we kno w ,

And gla dly a t his n eed wo uld on h is errands go

But a subs tantial friend w e glad lier would provi de ,

Wh o leads man by th e han d thro ugh li fe his d earest ,

guide ,

Dost thou not kno w a spot a treasure kno w st thou

,
’

not ,

Might giv e him back the means to reach th at home

long sought ?
B eneath that dry o ld tree b uried in yonder field
, ,

F or ages there h as lain a silver shrine co ncealed .

Amply will that for all h is journey s needs provide ’

,

”
And more to keep at home as dowry fo r h is bride
, .

5
 WISD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

They soared away and I , l ooked after th em and

The prattl e o f light birds shall I regard or n o t ?

They hover in the air and make be lieve they know
,

All secrets that lie hid do wn in the e arth belo w .

H o w co uld the vagrants see a treas ure as th ey said , ,

Who could not see the snare the crafty fowler spread ?
Yet fate makes bright or blin d men s eyes fo r good or ’
,

Mighty is fate b ut God s good grace is mightier still

,
’
.

’
In God s name then I go straight to the place
, ,

assigned ,

Begin to dig and th ere th e silver casket find

, .

I found fo r my poor two pieces eno ugh and more

, , , ,

To build both road a nd bri dge home to my very

door ;
But road and bridge all made and laid I fo un d be
, ,

side ;
An d so I onl y to ok a little for my bride .

33 .

Restrain thy wrath ; let Him take vengeance wh o

knows h o w
To vindicate thy caus e more wisely far th an thou .

Th e unrel enting Kin g wh o ne er a fault forgave

’

By p ardoning o ne offence his life at las t di d save .

68 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

P ay him and let him go the Ki ng commands fo r , ,

h ere
O f royal vengeance he w oul d stand in constan t fear .

For this I trow the w orl d not o ft has s een me

, ,

do ,

To pardon an offence an d even reward it too .

The strange youth tha nks h is stars and qui ckly goes
his w ay .

The King the arrow kept in memory o f the day ;

Whereby admon ishe d he firm to h is p urpose stoo d , ,

To m e rcy still inclined and sh y o f shed ding blood , .

But 10 ! the hearts th at once beneath h is wrath were

cowe d ,

N o w when h is o wn relents all mutiny al oud

, , .

So wild th e uproar grows he flees his land at last , ,

But hid beneath his vest the arro w still clings fast ,

An arrow o f remorse that gnaw s the exile s heart

,
’

Yet its lo w voice al one has balm to soothe the smart .

In a far land at last where every stranger foun d

,

To slavery is brough t he too is seized and bou nd

, .

In the dark p alace yard he lies there chaine d all day

-
, ,

Wh ere o er the lofty wall scarce climbs the sun s fa in t

’ ’

Fro m far a joyous ab o ut is borne Upon the air ;

He thinks u pon the ch as e and wishes h e w ere
th ere .
 WI SDO M OF THE BRAH MIN .

He draws the a rro w forth with sad and bodeful

tho ught ,

Which hitherto naught else b ut grief to him h ad

brought .

A bird o f paradise above his head sails by ;

With free and careless hand he lets the arro w fly .

The sh o t h as missed th e bird but fin ds a mark witho ut

, ,

Am ong the happy group whence rang that joyous

Sho ut .

There stand s the monarch s so n in stately hunting ’

gear ,

The arrow flying comes and grazes his left ear

, , .

Amazed all cry at once : Whence di d that arro w

,

fly
From yonder pal ace yard wall ed in so dark an d -
,

”
high .

Who is confined therein A stranger lately

”
caught .

F orth with commands the Prince hither let him

, ,

”
be brought .

They bring h im and he thinks n o w death h is doom

, ,

mu st be ,

But lo th e Prince inspects the arrow carefully ;

,

Then holding it aloft says to the exil e n o w

, ,

Prince in thy service once an unknown man hadst

,

tho u .
 WI SD OM OF TH E B RAH MI N
.

That stranger was a prince wh o fled h is n ative land

, ,

By this bold stroke to escape his father s chas tening ’

h an d .

K no w me as I kno w thee by this same blood stained

, ,
-

dart ,

Which providentially wounds bo th in the s elf s ame -

part .

Tho u w o ul d st n o t take revenge wh en o n ce it pierced

’
,

thy ear ,

And n o w all in good time hath H eaven avenged

, ,

thee here .

What fate has driven thee forth from la nd and re alm

and throne ,

Come in my father s h alls thou sh alt to us make

1
,
’

know n
There will we rest to d ay but with a knightly train
, , ,

T o morro w to thy home escort thee back ag ain

”
-

34 .

Th e P ri nce rod e o ut to chase and by a storm o f rain

,

Was s uddenly cut o ff fro m all h is stately train .

’
Lo ! what he ne er before had dreamed o f to this hour ,

Helpless he fi nds himself beneath a H igher Power .

Wh at n o w were camp and court and lo rdsh ip to a

w orm ,

Who seeks in open field a refuge from the storm ?

 WI SDO M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

His eyes peered far aro und when h alf to his delight, , ,

Across the distant moor a hovel met h is sight .

He entere d that rud e b ut with sull en ch urlish pride , .

A father sat w ithin his d aughter by his side

,

The sire a stern o ld man a yeom an sti ff and sh y ;

,

The girl a country child with bas hful dr ooping eye

, , .

So an o ld m ossy thorn with prickly Sp ines fo r hair

, ,

To gra ce its jagge d neck the loveliest rose might wear .

The Prince marks not the rose round w hich soft

perfu mes s wim ,

Scarce hears the voice with which the father wel

comes h im .

H e beckons to his child wh o dons her tire the w h il e

, ,

And serves the guest a meal spiced with her modest ,

The meal rem ains u ntouched sullen and m ute

, th e

gu est ;
He note d not the spice which else h ad given it zest
, .

In that still circle he his noisy train reca lls ,

And in that nake d h ut his golde n p alace h al ls

, .

The farm er s herd boy comes home to the b ut at

’
-

night ;
O f h im the host inquires abou t the cattle s pl ight
’
.

”
The herd he says was ne er in such poor plight
, ,
’

be fore ;
No feed in all the land seems to content them more .
72 WI SDO M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

The udders all are dry ; all foddering is in vain ;

The lambs no drop o f milk can fro m their mothers
dr am
”
.

The o ld man shakes his h ead perple xed S o s ud

de nly
The u dders all dried up ! Who knows whence this
ca n be
Up spake the daughter then Th e cause is this I ,

tr o w ,

The Prince s heart n o love bea rs for his co un try no w ;

’

F or as when Heaven no more its hea r t to earth

inclines ,

No herd o f living man b ut langui shes and pi nes ,

S o when the Pri n ce s heart t urns col dly from the la nd

’

Which has been given in charge to him by Heaven s ’

”
h igh hand .

The old man said Wha t then remains b ut leave ,

behind
A land forsaken o f Go d another home to find ? ,

Go boy and let the beasts take here their las t nigh t s
, ,
’

rest !
An d thou my daughte r serve thy last meal fo r o ur
, ,

guest .

To many a guest we here have given both meat and

drink ;
Let this o ne to o have cause kin dly o f us to th ink
, , .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MIN .

No guest shall at o ur hands find m eat or dri n k here

more ;
Who knows where in stra nge lands we m ay find open
d oor
The Prince n o w looked on her wh o donned her best ,

the wh ile ,

And served him a new meal a nd spiced it with h er

,

smil e .

The meal remained unto uched ; b ut this time it was ,

not
That o f his merry train and golden halls he thought
Nay t was beca use he tho ught upon th e word sh e
,
’

spoke ,

At wh ich fo r the first time love in h is bosom

, ,

w oke ,

Love fo r his la nd with which went h and in hand I

, ,

guess ,

Another which he scarce might to himself confess

, .

”
Woe o n the pride he said 0 heart that fooled
, , ,

thee s o ,

And like a curse brought down an innoce nt hom e so

lo w
Why was it hid from me that He aven withholds its
han d ,

When love weds not the hearts o f princes to their

land
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

He j u st then cam e in the herds man s boy

mu se d ;
’

once m ore ,

An d o f th e cattle s plight wa s questioned as before

’

, .

He sai d The herd see ms n o w in quite another

mood .

The swelling u dders b urst and pour a foam ing flood ,

The milk pails sno wy white all overflowing stan d

-
,
-
,

Plainly they have no m ore d esire to quit the land .

The o ld man s lifted eyes h is daughter s face have

’ ’

sought ,

Who sat in musing lost Full well sh e kn ew his .

tho ught ,

An d sm iling o ut sh e spake
, , This is because I ,

tro w ,

The Prince s heart in love tur ns to h is co un try n o w ;

’

F or as when Heaven its heart turns kin dly to th e

,

e arth
k

The herds o f all that live partake their food with

mirth ,

So when the Prince s heart turns kindly to the lan d

’

Which has been gi ven in charge to him by Heaven s ’

”
high b and .

Then o ut the o ld farmer spake To Heaven due

praises pay ,

That with such timely gra ce hath blessed the land

to day !-
 WI SDO M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Then went the message in I co me as mount ed

men ,

’
Who w hen their errand s done mount and ri de o n
, ,

”
again .

Then he within calle d o ut That word I like th e

best .

Porter fling wide the gate to such a n oble guest !

,

36 .

Far in the So uthern seas on islands d wells a race

, , ,

Rich in content and p ure from evil s faintest trace

,
’
.

Th e islan ds in a group stretch like a garland roun d

Separate distinct they lie
,
su ndered yet closely
, , ,

bo un d .

O n every isl e a s mall and peaceful people d well ;

All from one S ire have sprung no l egend nee d s to ,

tell
An d over all o f them hold s rule the islan d ! ueen ;
No armed host has sh e and peaceful is her mien
, .

And peaceful is the mind her s ubj ect peoples bear ; -

N o w ar flag fires their blood nor glory s trumpet

’
-
,

blare .

Their weapons are their prayers their glory songs , ,

an d psalms ,

In Nat ure s te mple s ung beneath the spreading

’

palms .
 WI S D O M OF TH E B RAH MI N .

The palms their roof tree form ; in palm leaves - -

dressed they sta nd ;

And palm trees drop th e fr uit as food into their
-

han d .

This fruit contains within o il milk and hydromel , , ,

Which makes man s spirit gay an d keeps him always

’

w ell .

As is the life o f man so is the p al m tree s there ;

’
-
,

They li ve a hun dred years and fru it each month they ,

bear .

When hollow with o ld age a trunk fall s by the sand

, , ,

They use it fo r a skiff to coast from strand to stran d

, .

And then they nee d no oar no rudder mast nor sails ; , , ,

Along that crystal floo d breathe ever favoring gales .

Whe n they woul d take a gift the guest s kind heart ,

’

to S ho w ,

They nee d but reach and pluck sea corals as they go -

,

Which under water pale in ten der clus ters grow ,

But hardening in the air to brilliant col ors gl o w

, , .

F or money they use none b ut gathered shells that

, ,

la y ,

And borrowe d on the bea ch bright h ues from noon

tide s ray ’
.

But as they wage no war themselves at times from far ,

Come strangers to their shores to play the game o f

w ar .
78 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Pirates come cruising round shiploads o f warlike ,

troops ,

Through the sea passages o f the Peac e Island groups

- -
.

But a ll their fighting en d s in figh ts a mong themselves

They never to uch the goods upon the island-shelves
Fo r they have heard and so beh ave as w ell they ,

might
O n him wh o shoul d to uch the m th e curse o f Heaven
would light .

This creed alone h as kep t the island peopl es free -

,

Who else unarme d had been consigned to slavery

, , .

But whe n a seaman comes a pea ceful one to la nd ,

Gladly the island maid in marriage gives her hand .

Then comes the roving fit and calml y he I wis

, , ,

Leaves wife and ch ild behind his briefly tasted bliss

, .

For an a dopted land men leave and scarcely mo urn

, , ,

Bu t with sore pain the land where they were bred and
born .

The seaman carries home when Skies and seas are

,

Th e tale that none believe yet ,

all delight to hear .

37 .

A certain King had on ce the legend te ll s us

stored
Within his palace walls o f books the h ugest hoard
-
.
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH M N .

And when he journeyed round a h undred , c amels

stro de ,

Each bearing on his back a literary l oad .

At last he grew a ware h o w could he fail to be ?

T wa s cu mb rous journeying with s uch a bookery
’ ’
.

’
So fo r convenience sake he had a hun dre d sages
, ,

A tra velling library e xtra ct from all these pages .

O f these again w as made an abstract which when he

, , ,

Went jo urneying one stout m ule coul d carry e asily

, .

But he mu st have his things more snugly p a cked he ,

said ,

And o f the abstract they another abstract made .

I n o n e sm all vol ume n o w the m ule s l oad was co m

’

prised ,

Which in his ha nd th e King coul d b ear un co mpro

m ised .

Yet was it still fo r him a burden somewhat sore ;

’
The abstract s abstract n o w they mu st abstra ct o nce
more .

So fro m the extract book they set themselves to -

extract
O ne sentence as its pith short simple and comp act , , ,
.

This coul d he comprehend and easily reta i n , ,

And by it gui de his soul and regul ate his reign .

Di d he succeed in this If not it m ust be lai d ,

To this , that he himself the abstract h ad not made .

 WI SD O M OF TH E B RAH MIN .

But
’
this is certain thou fo r thy salvation s sake
, ,

Must from the was te of books thyself s uch abstract

make .

38 .

The post assigned to thee fail not to understand

, ,

Nor s under heaven an d earth with a presumptuous

hand .

For both Go d placed thee here : the fight o f earth

to wage ;
And still toward heavenly peace p urs ue thy pilgrim
age.

Whoso seeks idle peace fo r private ends al one ,

A traitor to the world s great commonwealth is ’

shown .

To further human weal with all thy power bel o w ,

No s acri fice too great save peace o f so ul I know

, ,
.

But let no po w er co mpel no gl ory blin d thine ,

eyes ,

Nor Lo ve tempt thee to make to her this sa crifice .

This no self seeking is -

shirking things hard to
,

do
To thine eternal s elf thy work is to be tru e
, , .
 WISD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

BOOK H I .

1 .

No w flies the s wallo w he nce and after her th e

,

Su mm er
Waits a fair Autum n there th an welco me the n e w
,

comer
So he wh o yet no share in the year s pleasure took ’
,

May n o w enjoy until stern Wi nter sh uts the book .

2 .

There w ill I let them hang all the long winter

,

through ,

My withere d wr eaths till Spring the bl ossoms wakes

,

ane w ,

Not onl y as a sign o f joys bloomed o ut and gone ,

But as a ple dge to hope o f joys still co m ing on .

3 .

A littl e longer yet a glad and patient mood

, ,

Then shall all dark be bright all evil turn to good

,
.

6
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

E en
’
n ow soft gleams break o ut the gloomy clouds ,

betwixt ;
E en n o w a foretaste s weet is with the bitter mixt
’
.

If still the sha d o w wanes and light c omes s ure but

,

sl o w ,

Though heavy fall s the shade and feeble still th e

glow ,

A little longer yet a glad an d patient mood !

,

Soon sha ll all dark be bright all evil t urn to good, .

4 .

The days the precious days ; we gladl y let them

,

fly ,

That still more precious fr uit may ripen by an d by

A rare and w ondrous pla nt that shall bloom o ut
some n ight ,

A child we re t raining up a book we long to write

’
, .

5 .

H ow high or lo w thou art th a t s olves not all thy

thinking ;
But f eeling tells if tho u art rising n o w or sinking .

Sinking thou feel st thy weight ; rising thy buoy

,
’

ancy ;
There by thyse
,
lf o pp rest — here f ro m a ll press u
,re

free .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

D well in the wilderness where foot o f man ne er ,

’

tro d ,

Wh ere Nature rests from work ; live to thyself and

Go d .

’
D well wheresoe er thou may st thou still canst h ide ’
,

an d be
A man and here or there do all things humanly
, .

8 .

With glory and renown th e heart is never sated ;

T is s urfeited and sick l ong ere t is satiated
’ ’
, .

They say the ear dr um rings when fame thy praises

-
,

1
Sings
But a w eak st upor t is when o f itself it rings
’
.
,

Let n either this nor that wake in thy ear s uch roar ,

But tranqu il peace within thy bosom shut her d oor .

9 .

Men s praise or blame m akes not thy tr ue nobil ity ;

’

Yet better than half praise is hearty blame fo r thee .

Blam e is a spur to the e which as j ust blame thou , ,

priz e st ;

The nj ust harms thee

u n ot, which j ustly thou
despis est .

1 P o pular su perstitio n Wh en yo ur ear bur ns, so mebo dy is

k
tal in g a b o ut yo u . Tr .
 WI SD O M OF T HE BRAH MIN .

But bald flat praise as if fo r so p o f riddance meant

, , ,

That is a crumb which none but beggars can

content .

10 .

Wh y cravest thou more wealth more fame than ,

thou ha st n o w ?
’
Will they increase thy heart s tru e welfare thinkest ,

thou
Weal th fame I seek them not to glut myself therein ;
, ,

I seek th em b ut as means my soul s high end to win ’

To make the weapons bright an d sharp o f conscious ,

ness ,

The B eautiful my joy more clearly to express

, , .

Not at the swallow s song wh o Summer s m essage

’ ’

brings ,

An d o f etern al youth and world rene wal sings -

,

S uch thrill o f joy I feel as a friend s greeting gives ’

Wh o brings m e that o n e thing by which alone man

lives .

That world sho w vanisheth ; that heart s l ove kn o ws

-
’

no death ;
This bl ows upon my heart with more than Spring
tim e s breath
’
.
86 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MIN .

What inl y seiz es thee let ripen by degrees

,

What glides by o ut wardl y that must thou quickly

,

seize .

What is n o t seize d at once is lost to thee forever ;

,

What in t h y soul grow s ripe is born to perish never

, .

13 .

Wh y goest tho u from thyself o ut in the world o f

men ?
To co m e back from the whirl to th in e o wn peace
again .

An d wh y from that world s whirl comest thou back

’

to this ?
To think o ut fo r the world in sil ence thoughts o f
, ,

bliss .

Blest art thou if the world gives thee what thou

canst u s e ,

An d if these thoughts o f thine th e world shall not

refuse .

14 .

As the cured sick man feels full blis s o f health at

l ast
,

Then only when he thinks upon the sickness p as t ,

 WI S DOM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Rejoice d that life s full ti de once more flows freely

’

on ,

All hin drances henceforth he hopes forever gone

, ,

So too the man wh o th inks on sins and errors past

, , ,

Whence God has led hi m forth to the right way at

las t .

Right gladly ca n he n o w pursu e the rightful tra ck ,

Strongly resolve d that he will never more turn back .

Yet as the cured one feels the memory o f past p ain

Whisper a warni ng lo w then die away again ;
,

So he wh o sadly thinks o n sins an d errors pas t ,

O nly his backward glance with keener pang is cas t .

For difference vast it makes in what one h as to

bear ,

Whether or no his fault h as in his fate a share .

15 .

When courage fail eth th ee thy power to work fails

,

too ;
Th e nervel ess crippl ed arm no more its task can do
,
.

When co urage once revives within the fainting heart ,

Then will the qui cken ed shoot to wild luxurianc e

start .

Then daily pray to God that He as wise as good , ,

Will keep thee fro m the weak and fro m the wilful
,

moo d .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

16 .

A Paradise n ever l ost a cco unt far l ess 0 men

, , ,

Than a l ost Para dis e entreated b ack again .

B elieve me fo r I say the first is lost to yo u ;

,

The other when ye wil l is born in yo u ane w

, , .

Els e woul d I ne er ad vise w ere it not lost before

’
, ,

Th at yo u sho uld l ose it n o w to get it back once ,

more.

17 .

To be wh at thou art not what thou art meant to be

, ,

Th at which thou shoul d st and canst ’

s cant space ,

earth giveth thee .

The task is infinite so from this finite earth

,

Into the infinite beyon d it stretches forth

Good cheer ! Wh at here thou dost yonder with thee ,

shall go
And what that world completes must be be gun bel ow , .

18 .

Stand not alo of fro m where men me et to worship ,

proud
Th at thou canst pray alone as well as in a cro wd .

True God is every where an d in th e cro wd tho u art

, ,

No nearer Him unless thou h eed st Him in thy heart

,
’
.
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N .

Yet in a common flame if many fago ts burn

, ,

By the intenser glow thy senses well discern .

19 .

Shame on thee that thou hast firm in thy h and not

,

yet
The bridl e nor thy foot firm in the stirrup set !
,

Sham e that the saddl e proves so loose a seat to

,

thee ,

Toss ed by the headstrong steed o f passio n endlessly !

20 .

Do good and speak the truth tho u must T o rack , .

th y brain

About the reas on why w ere labor spent in vain

, .

I kno w no other w ay ; wilt thou or milt thou must , , .

Well fo r thee if th e right with heartfelt joy thou

dost .

21 .

’
What others do thou n ee d st not al ways understand ,

That thou may st ably do the w ork thou hast in

’

hand .

Yet with twofold s uccess and joy thy labor fares ,

I f w hil e tho u d ost thy w ork thou understa n dest

, ,

theirs .
 WISD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

22 .

Against the ungenial world tho u utterest loud com

plaints
’
Thou canst not bear thou say st society s restraints
, ,
’
.

Tho u s e e k s t w l
’
—
the i derness to fly from man and lo ! ,

He clings to thee e en there and will not let th ee go

’

, .

But if tho u m ust thyself endure and tolerate ,

W h y fro m thy image then wo uld st tho u be separate ? ’

With Nature tho u canst feel far more in unison ,

B ecause tho u dost not ask her path thy way to run .

Thou wilt prescribe thy way to men an d men alone , ,

Forgetting that like thee each o f them is his o wn

, , .

Frost rain hail storm and win d tho u bearest

, , , ,

patiently ;
Man s way wardness alone annoys and angers thee ?
’

The m an wh o refuge seeks in flight from life s restraint ’

Is like the child wh o flees parental chastisement ;

Who thro ugh all bogs and briers o f tro uble plunges in ,

To take revenge ( h e thinks! on hate d discipline .

Life s li mits the true man will o wn and honor too

’
, ,

An d to that kn owle dge feel his freedom to be du e .

Action his in ner store still to increase he strives ;

, ,

S ufferin g an outward thing he bravely from him

, ,

driv es .
92 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Wh ile tho u so nimbly d eal st with thin gs o f which ’

his bra in ,

With all its agonies a notion scarce can gain , .

Then either if thine o wn exploits thou priz est so

, ,

Set not the acco mplishments o f other men to o lo w ;

O r if their doing thou so very cheaply rate
, ,

Hold not thy doing then as anythin g so gre at

, , .

26 .

Thou cans t not see gras s gro w h o w sh arp , so e e r

’
thou
be ,

Yet that th e grass h as grown thou very soon canst

,

see ;
So , tho ugh
tho u canst not see thy work n o w pros
pering kno w , ,

The print o f every work time without fail sh all show .

27 .

Happy the man not left to form himself comple te

, ,

Whom earlier m o dels lend their traits by u sage

s weet .

A father he has known a teacher has he fo un d , ,

To whom by ties o f lo v e his pliant heart is bound ,

To whom he clings an d climbs by whom u nco n , ,

sciou s gro ws , ,

And so is good an d s trong and noble ere he kno ws .

 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

And then when D uty speaks he h as but this to do

, ,

Contin ue conscio us ly as he unconscious gre w

, , , .

28 .

Ifrightly to the mark my leader tho u wil t be ,

Th ou shalt not go too slo w nor yet to o fast fo r me

, .

Tho u shal t not hol d to o much discourse upon the

Lest w e forget the end or from th e path way stray

,
.

Make sho rt for me the roa d and light and clear and ,

fr ee
,

Not hard to make thyself th e needfuller to me ;

,
!

For time will come when I my guide sh all h ave o ut

g ro w n ,

And I woul d learn o f thee to gp m y way alone .

29 .

Self inte rest is with most the source o f gratitude

-
, ,

’
For whatsoe er thou dost or ha st done for their , ,

good ;
Yet thy best recompense is gratitude so born ,

Which tho u with gra titu de sho uld st ta ke an d not ’

w ith scorn .

Be thankful fo r th e thanks which even self inte rest -

brings ,

That from so base a soil a shoot so noble springs .

 WI SD OM OF THE BRAH MI N .

30 .

From one devoid of good some

, go od may o ne day

8 1 0 W ;
O ne is turned away can never righ twise go
wh o , .

Tho u b uil dest up false things upon a false foun

dation .

Thou ca nst O m is formed man h ave no true cul tiva

, ,

tion .

31 .

Wh en tho u with Nature feel st a balance in thy soul ’

Thou dost no l onger d o ubt the world a perfect w hole ;

The bal ance o nce disturbe d doubt well m ay rise in
,

thee
The elements themselves against thee mutiny .

Yet m ust the h uman soul keep all its weapons

bright ,

With seasons an d with climes to w age a strenuous

fight
And ever more the world a perfect thing is wro ught ,

Though the perfection comes at la st from h uman

tho ught ;
For to this very end th e whole include d man
, ,

That man s mind might co mplete an d cro wn the

’

mighty plan .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAHMIN .

Wh en once yo u think no more h o w far you re ’

on

yo ur w ay ,

The journey is hal f o er ; the rest is merely play

’
.

xv .

He fin d s wh o
,
seeks —
true ; onl y n o t he wh o
t is
’

blind ,

Seeks where not even Go d s eyes the thing h e seeks ’

coul d fi n d .

V .

Where tho u kno w st not the way there take a guide

’

to thee .

But does the gui d e himself kn o w it ? B e sure an d see !

VI .

’
New sandals pinch the feet grow n e a sy they re , ,

all torn

When once yo u get things right their l oss yo u ,

have to mourn .

The word h as magic po wer it brings the matter forth , ;

Take hee d then not to give a bad thing oral birth
, ,
.

v nr .

thou art relieved o f it

O nce give thy sorro w word s
l w
O nce give thy p e s re ords
a u — thou art bereaved
o f it .
 WI SD OM OF T HE BR AH MIN .

IX .

Wh o makes h is promise loud and s tr ong as mouth

can make it ,

Gives proof to thee thereby he h as a mind to break it

, , .

X .

He wh o lies once a course o f falsehood h as begun

, ,

For seven lies it takes to keep in co untenance one .

xi .

The serpent in his tooth the scorpion in his tail, ,

b ut man s from all parts will

’
His poison keeps ,

a ssail .

Who sees the fruit its tree can readily declare ;

,

The gard ener sees the tree and knows what fruit twill ’

bear .

X III .

Say not o f any man behind his back a thing

Which yo u before his face wo ul d shrink from uttering .

xr v .

O fi e nc e
’

cannot be given unless one takes the o ffence ;

If thro wn do wn at thy feet tho u need st n o t lif t it
’
,

thence .

0 King if thou wilt not in this world favor me

, ,

Thy favor in the n ext will help nor me nor thee .

7
98 WI SD OM OF TH E BRA H M IN .

XVI .

The dog will wag and whine to coax from thee h is

meat ;
The noble steed mu st thou caress a nd coax to eat .

XVII .

Where beggars are ashamed to ask, or even receive ,

Must not the bo unteo us be no less ashamed to

giv e
xv nr .

Wh o sleeps no h unger knows alas fo r

'

, that poor
W ight

Who cannot close h is eyes fo r h unger , , all the night .

X IX .

A wretc hed set o f keys that open but not close ;

Soon wilt thou be starved o ut with such poor keys as

those !

The wife can carry her small apron more

o ut, in ,

Than in h is c art the man can wheel in at the door .

What is esteemed in ma n in woman is despised ;

,

The hen that l ike the cock will cro w is sacrifi ced 1
,
.

1 Whistling girls an d cro wing h en s

Never co me to h a ppy en ds .
”
Old S ong .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N .

XXI X .

Modesty is a dre ss that doth all men beseem ,

But doubly him wh o had most ca use fo r s elf este em - .

35 .

Fro m ty rannous Time h ad I sought refuge as he

pas sed ,

An d from his storms had fo und a s helt eri ng res t at

las t .

I set my ho use to rights and snugly cl osed the ,

door ,

And l et mad Time meanwhile o utside still rave and

roar .

I thought : I ve staid behind and Time h as gone far

’
,

by ;
When 10 ! I found ’
t wa s Time h ad staid behind ,

not I .

What is th ere back o f him from which his flight he ,

takes
What is there o ut o f him which b e forever seeks ?
,

36 .

There a broad gateway lies a narro w door beside ,

Through this one goes on foot ; through that they

,

drive and ri de .
 WISD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

The roa d is thronged ; to day al l d ust an d d ung

-
,

to morro w ;
T h e door is sure a nd safe albeit l o w and narro w
, .

To stoop and squeeze can be no grea t annoyance ,

s ure ;

O nl y to stoop and squ eeze I never coul d en d ure .

And as I through the d oor pass in and o ut each day ,

I fool still choo se the broad and no t the narro w

, ,

way .

I feel as if some harm on me that day would break ,

When through the narrow yoke I pass with bend ed

neck ;
And every time I seem to have escaped that day ,

Whe n I ha ve cro wded thr ough the broad and miry

way
Thou say st t is nonsense all an d su perstition True
,
’
, .

An d yet fo r me it has a grain o f blessing to o .

F or no more o ut or in I go n o w tho ughtlessly ;

, ,

My folly on the way al ways occurs to me .

The man is wis e wh o kno ws his folly and the ,

po wer
With which men s feet a re led by Folly every
’

hour .

’
When thou with Folly s might no longer canst
c on ten d ,

Tho u canst at leas t to her a tou ch o f wis d om len d .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AHMIN .

37 .

I daily saw a man whose n ame I did n o t kno w ;

I always meant to as k and still neglected to .

Me anwhile I heard a name o ft named familiarly ;

But ne er could se e the man whose name it chanced
’

to be .

C urious enough was I the o ft named man to view

, , ,

C urious to l earn his name whose face so well I

knew .

I find at last that name this man are both the sam e
, , ,

And n o w I care n o more for either man or name .

They heaped u pon me prais e ; their v r e y praises

s hame d me .

They heape d upon me blame ; and in my co urage

lam e d me .

Either both praise and bl ame they ga ve in some

wro ng way ,

O r el se I to ok them wrong ; but which I cannot

say .

B oth praise and blame by right a , , s trengthening

sense shoul d leave ,

That something has been gained and more ,

is to
achieve .
1 04 WI SD OM OF T HE BR A H MIN .

Le t not those evil sprites the proud th e spiri tless

, , ,

O e rmas ter in thy soul the genuine lo wliness

’
.

The highest self respect consists with mod esty ;

-

O instrum ent o f God He does the work thro ugh thee

,

41 .

I n high w ays and in byways thou shalt be seen , w ith

none
But onl y honorabl e and honored folk my so n , .

Half o f the honor s thine when men before them fall

’
, ,

And tho u wilt by and by learn to deserve it all

, , .

42 .

Devoutly I loo ked up to s ee the rain fall fas t ,

That comes long crave d to ch eer the thirsting wo rld

, ,

at las t .

I always fo r myself have had enough to drink ,

But na ught coul d slake my thirst while o n th e

w orld s I think ;
’

But n o w fo r very thirst tho ugh all in silence d ran k

, , ,

In their name and my o wn must I the Fath er th ank .

43 .

Yo hill s be neath whose brea st I laid my loved and

,

blest ,

They are not wholly lost for still ye guard their rest
, .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

What is the might o f Death ? When flo wers o f

sweetest breath ,

Where I had n ever dreamed fair Spring awaken eth ,

’
What s lost forevermore when Lo ve s hand ca rpets
’
,

’
o er ,

With green and bloom a spot dreary and bare,

before

I cannot from my house upward or do wnward go ,

But two l ost children walk besi d e me to and fro ;

For upward from my d oo r there lies a ditch whose ,

brink
I never can approach to cross it but I think
, ,

H o w the last time with them al ong this way I came

, , ,

When Death in both e en n o w h ad lit h is hidden

’

flam e .

For ch il dren s little feet the ditch was far to o wide

’
,

Yet they no danger feared with Father fo r a guide

, .

I lifte d them across and thought o er each abyss

,
’

’
Henceforth to hear them safe as I had d one o er this , .

It brought not then to mind one deep and dreary pit ,

As n o w it al ways does since they were laid in it .

But d own ward fr om the ho u se if I wo ul d take my ,

way
There is the pavement where the he arse wheels
- rolled
one day .
 WISD OM OF TH E BR AH MIN .

That rumble still I hear an d seem to see the track

, ,

Tho ugh many a one h as since go ne rumblin g forth

and back .

But p as s whatever m ay naught can wipe o ut that

,

trace ;
And still I tread that tra ck which time sh all ne er
’

efface
.

45 .

I never on my bed my nightly slum ber seek ,

Till w ith my hand I feel my little darling s cheek ; ’

And whe n I in the dark have felt his fle sh

, ,
to see ,

f —
His ace I do not need the touch s uffi ces me .

I kno w full well that touch no good to h im will d o ,

Unless a better Power guards him the l ong night

thro ugh ;

Yet shoul d I once refrain my fancy makes me fear

, ,

For evil p o wers to work the way would then be clear

,

And if my child natheless had slept on safely still

, , ,

Yet I myself meanwhile had sl ept that night but ill

, ,
.

What dost thou Thou ’

lt s urely speak
o nce more

A w ord to me from there ,

where thou hast gon e
before !
 WISD O M O F TH E BRAH MIN .

Who of his goo ds enjoys naught else except the

view ,

Reopening still th e chest only to shut it to

, ,

Is wiser still by far than many a man called wise , ,

Who h as a n obler gained than any golden prize .

A living treasure he has gaine d o f flesh an d blo od ,

Yet ever from the sight thereof d erives no good .

The chil dren God h as given what good to th e e are ,

If thou from them thine eyes indifferent turn st , ,

’

away
I f seldom with p ure joy their forms thine eyes behold ,

An d scarcely look at them save to comman d or scold ?

Aro und me in the hou se a still and busy stir ,

My musing thoughts d o mu ch to vacancy prefer .

The little Maker Mind co ntentment feels therein

, , ,

As the great Maker midst the world s melodious

,
’

Butone sharp cry the dream creative disappears

, ,

And all is over n o w with harmony of the Spheres .

50 .

Woman as wife to man fo r this h as Nat ure sent

, , ,

That spirit may be mad e by body s h elp content ; ’

 WI SD O M OF TH E B RAH MI N .

The spirit having paid toll at the sense s d oor

’

, ,

May thro ugh its realms hence forth all unobstructe d

soar .

While he within the w orld o f mind life s fruit ’

matures ,

Sh e against o ut ward storm his in w ard w ork ens ures

And thus what he works o ut sh e too h as jointly ,

wrought ,

While she h as li ved fo r him whil e he fo r her h as ,

thought
What scho o l taught me to te ach this lesson a skest ,

thou
1
My spring o f love h as borne its wisdom s har vest ’

no w .

51 .

A friend came home o f whom fo r years I h ad n ot

,

heard
Nor had he heard o f me in all that time one word .

He came and w ent an d still he learne d not much o f me

, ,

B ecause himself was all he let me hear or see .

T was pl ain he littl e care d abo ut my life to learn

’

To tell abo ut his o w n that wa s his ch ief concern ;

,

So what he go t fro m me in truth was simply naught ,

And I fro m h im so mu ch as I could use have caught .

Allusio n to th e bo o k d
calle Liebes fruhling
’
1 auth o r s . Tr .
 WISD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

52 .

’ ’
A w retched b usiness t is and one
, which ne er ca n

thrive ,

When n one will simply stick to that h e o ught to

drive ;
When each neglects his work at other men s to pee p ,
’

This one will not drive goats be caus e that one drives
sheep ;
Will not tend shop be caus e that other tends a mill ;
O r drive a coach because his neighbor drives a quill ;
,

Or because h e grinds pain ts refus es to grind corn ,

O r to keep books because M to ma ke books is born

, .

Where other men go high still higher he wo uld go ; ,

Where others are atop he will not stay bel ow

, .

A wretched business that and one that ne er can ,

’

thrive ;
No thrift is in the land when thus their w ork they
,

drive .

O f Innocencea nd Peace once h as been seen the reig n

, ,

And sick H umanity sh all h ail it once again .

In as in the past the bliss

fa r futurity, ,

Of that bright a e gleams o ut to cheer

g th e wo e of

this .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

I Will : no higher crown on h uman head can r est ;

T is Freedom s S ignet seal upon the so ul i mpres sed
’ ’

I Dare is the device wh ich on the seal yo u read

, ,

By Free d om s open door a bolt fo r time o f need

’
.

I May among them all hovers uncertainl y

,

The moment must at las t d ecide what it shall be .

I ought I m us t I can I will I dare I may

, , , , ,

The six lay clai m to me each hour o f every day .

Teach me O God ! and then then shall I kno w each

, , ,

d ay ,

That which I ought to do must can will dare and , , , , ,

may .

56 .

Infinite in thyself yet finite o utwardly , ,

A mys tery to thyself thou feel st thyself to be

’
.
,

But un derstan d What see m past reconcili ng quite ,

Finite and Infinite — yet at one point unite , .

Thou art n o t yet become but enen g mng to be

'

, ,
A
And rn all growth there lies self contrariety -
.

Infinite while it gro ws mu st yet as fi nite show

, , ,

Finite unfolding still to infinite will grow

, , .

57 .

Why is the one great self the whole humanity , ,

Torn into littl e selves conflicting en dlessly ? ,

”
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N
.

That th ese in discord part not m eet in unison

, ,

Charge to the singl e s ouls that all have sprung from y

one ,

Who in their singleness keep not the u nity ,

As all the blossoms help make up the blooming

tree .

For so should they wh o o wn one soul enkindling

-

glo w ,

Into each other flame yet no t co nfounded flow

, ,

A many branching tree o f universal reason

-
,

O ne mind s harmonious tho ughts creating in their

’

season ;
Wh o re o f itself each thought woul d be a ray
, ,

d ivine ,

But not a lig ht till all in unison sho uld shine

, .

Some faint approach to this he makes whose mind

h as caught ,

B y strong reflective power what earlier minds had ,

tho ught ,

Who thinks the thoughts men still shall think when

he is gone ,

Who every form o f thought into himself h a s

drawn .

Snarls o f conflicting minds his genius lo o sene th ,

’
As wood and field dissolve in Springtime s fragrant
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

58 .

Thou art 0 ma n b ut half what Nature at thy birth

, ,

Made thee and half what th ou h ast made thys elf

,

on earth .

She laid the buil ding ground tho u c an st not change

-

one jot ;
T is thine to buil d thereon a shapely ho us e or n o t
’
, .

To tha t thou can st do naught with th is has t al l ,

to do
Thou need st not rust nor rest with this great work ,

in view .

Rest not till thou hast made right what is wro ng

in thee ,

And what is fals e and weak made true an d stro ng in ,

thee .

This cannot be too soon nor yet too late begun ; ,

The making o f a man s a work that s never done

’ ’
.

59 .

Who ’
blest ? Wh o thinks h e is
s .
— Unbles t ? Wh o
so believes .

B elief besto ws the world and o f the world bere aves

, ,

N o w strengtheni ng th e w eak the stro ng n o w p al sy ,

i ng,

A beggar this it makes , th e other makes a king .

 WI S D O M OF TH E BRAH MIN I

61 .

That th ou in the same stream not twice thy li mbs

canst lave ,

B ecause each mom ent brings a n ew an d differe n t

w ave ;
And that thou too as well not to thyself more true
, , ,

At every moment art a different man and n ew

The w ise man w h o said this was he too dost thou , , ,

deem ,

A w eak and changeful thing an d fickl e as the stream

,

Nay he was fir m and fixe d maintaining steadfastly

, , ,

I mmovably that all w as m ovabl e but he

,
.

Imm utable himself all else he counted m utable

, ,

Nor cared to think if he might haply be refutabl e

,
.

62 .

That such imperfect thoughts o f heavenly spheres can

find
A cherished dwelling place and lo dgment in thy
-

mind ,

And yet thou in thy sphere so perfect be and true

, , ,

H o w little what we kno w d ete rmines w hat we d o

He rightly knows the world wh o in the w orld d o e s
,

right ,

Tho ugh he no formula exactly can recite .

 WI SD O M OF T H E BR AH MIN . 117

Th e —
expression only fails h e has the in sight ; well,
When once he has the meat ,
wh o cares about th e

she ll

Not fo r the life o f man or o f the age alone ,

Shoul d History tell with thee bu t also on thine ,

o wn .

F or the same spirit that rules the warring world

ays thee
sw ,

The spirit that struggles on through stri fe to victory .

And as the spirits that weave with figures over n e w , ,

The carpet o f the ti mes still keep the o ld in vie w

, ,

Never forgetting as to higher steps they climb

, ,

Wh at on the lo wer steps they wrough t in former

time ,

So thou when th y new work the o ld work seems to

,

undo ,

Feelest forever thine the o ld as well as n ew ,

.

When it was in the work then thy activity ,

Was prisoned ; n o w once o ut both it and thou are

, ,

free .

Thou sees t that in the stream each ripple sh ares the

race ,

Nor does th e greatest grudge the leas t his part a nd

plac e .
 WI SD OM OF TH E B RAH MI N .

Nor of th y failures o ne woul d st

’
tho u from memo ry
lose,
So it has helped thy soul a better thing to choose .

64 .

Many memorials ranged around thee here I see , ,

O f the d ear d ea d fro m w hom these relics c ame to

,

thee .

The precious names they no w with silent lips call

’
o er ,

And make thy heart th ereby n ot glad b ut sad an d

sore .

Each to ken seems to say o f life s fair banqu et see !

’

, ,

The empty dish is all that no w is left to thee .

65 .

The bird that as o f old still sings his evening lay ,

With what stra nge power his song thrills on my

heart to day -

Whence is it ? S ummer s days all fro m his r each ’

have past
The song he sings to day is grave song for th e
- -

las t .

T is a good n ight I hear in this last even ing song ;

’
-
,

But not for o n e sho rt n ight for a whole winter

'

long .
 WI SDO M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Thou in thy, r er wait with patience till thy gaze

co n ,

Can be ar to meet unblenched the central noontide

blaz e ,

As ten d er lu nar light round o wl eyed ble am ess flo ws -

,

Till boldl y to the sun an eagl e s orbs uncl ose ’

.

A pale white moon O ea rth thy s un at noonday is

, , ,

And endless longing wakes itself no perfect bliss, .

The s un a rainbo w weaves upon the cloudy veil ;

H o w pure the s weet accord in the chromatic sc al e !
But n o w th e rainbow s tints into a second p lay
’

Wherein the enamel bright melts to a sober gray .

Thou not the rainbo w art but faintly in its place

,

As a mock rainbo w sta nd st its hal f extinguishe d

’

tra ce .

0 man within wh ose s o ul l ove and ambition wed

, ,

Light o f th e light art thou yet sh ado w o f the shade

, .

24 .

Th e moon rolls round th e earth ; th e earth around

the sun ;
He ro un d a higher ; and he r ound a still higher one
, ,
.

An d s o on still and still so on forevermore

, ,

Through boundless endless sp ace a sea with out a

, ,

shore
Nay if yo u will let mind let power be infi nite
, , , ,

But en dlessness o f space I will not hear o f it .

 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MIN . 57

O utward infinity coul d thereby h e meant ?

,
what
With that within the mind a lone a m I content ,
.

B eyond the body s worl d a world o f light there lies

’
,

From which it fell to which it seeks again to ris e

,
.

By no original light th e suns flame o ut thr ough

s pace ;

They shine with borro wed light reflecte d fro m Go d s

’

face .

A spirit effluen ce light the whole creation bathes

-
, , ,

A raiment that each limb o f the great body s wathes ,

'

A spiritual net o f God s love glances wo ve

,
’
-
,

That binds the bo dily world in meshes o f His love .

Each link o f the vast chain a high er one will join ,

Yearning to be dra wn up by energy divine ,

By light s transfiguring po wer to gro w to mighty

’

s uns ,

Whose affluence then in turn shall feed the feebler

ones .

But as to ward the edge o f light they re ach an d yearn ,

The la st and l eas t o f them to suns one day shall

turn ;
And all that on them is made ri pe by solar glo w
, ,

The world shall thro ugh and thr ough more and more
, ,

sunny gro w .

0 spirit thou must bathe thee al so in this de w

, ,

If as a s un thou wi lt shine in this field o f blu e

, , .
 WI SD O M O F TH E BRAH MI N .

25 .

The bodily world needs l ight that lik e a vigoro us tree

, ,

It may un fo ld n ew form s like blossoms endl essly .

Spirits in matter bound gain freedom o nl y where

, ,

The freest toward the great deliverance do their

, ,

Share .

The light too needs in t urn the bodily world whereby

, , ,

It can al one atta in to multiplicity .

F or being but one it wo uld as many fain appear ;

, ,

Th at is the gam e it plays with this material sph ere .

O n every rim o f cloud its sevenfold h ues behold ,

O n bloom and fruit o f trees its glory tho usan d fold -

With zest it plays its game all nature gladsomely

,

Lends its elf to th e sport and we to o share th eir glee

,
.

hea d
, bu tmuch beneath my feet .

lo wer d epths I see ,

ove on ward restlessly .

ly meets my view ;
ts it not upward too

surely mu st there be
er ra nks , Most High twixt me and
’
,
60 WI SD O M O F TH E BRAH MI N .

28 .

0 Earth ,
we stand on thee a nd sing , ,
w ith praise
d evou t ,

The elemen ts that work in thee an d round abo ut

The floo d that ro und thee flo ws ; the fire that th rough
the eglows ;
The win d that r ound thy form like a broad man tle , ,

blo ws .

So inexhau stible so marvell ous the three

, ,

Each well might seem the so urce whence a ll things

ca me to be
So that wise men wh o first m used on creation s ,
’

birth ,

Dispute d if from this or th a t the worl d sprang forth .

These said from o ut th e deep the world em ergin g

,

came ;
Those from the ether s breath ; those from the glow
’
, ,

ing flame .

We the contend ing sects in eas y concord bind ,

And se e the worl d bloom o ut from flood and fire and

wind
Whoso in n ature s we b the threads could s un der
’

right ,

Woul d find o f threefold strands each woven and

twiste d tight .
 WI SDOM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

But Nature s tapestry we woul d not pick ap art

’
,

O n the tripartite whole content to feast the heart .

29 .

Sole link that to th e w orld h enceforth attache s me ,

Since fr o m th e thro ng o f men I had the mind to

flee ,

By who m fro m time to time the world to me is

bro ught ,

Els e in my so litude I should perceive it not ,

Ne ws fro m the world tho u Frien d dost faithful ly

, , ,

impart ,

But littl e food for thought and naught that glads the,

heart .

Naught d o I hear from there that can inveigle me

To quit my pea ceful port a nd te mpt o n ce more the
sea .

My o utlook is o ercast and yet with pa in I o wn

’
,

What makes my sky so d ark is n ot o ld a e alone g

.

A d iscontente d ra ce from Providence estranged

, ,

Woul d chan ge its world and yet wo uld n o t its elf be V

,

change d .

Where tho ugh no outward war an in ward confl ict

, ,

b urns ,

The bond o f glads ome life to very death cra mp -

turn s .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Fro m the birth pangs - of Fate abortions spring ea ch

The m oment s rus h and whirl all pea ce and joy

’

devour .

I know not to wh at n ook 0 Science tho u shalt flee , , ,

But dry shall be thy fo unt p as t qu estion Poesy ! , ,

Where unbelief by turns a nd bigotry hold sway

, , ,

That would the so ul an d this the senses take away ;

, ,

T his shall no t kill the mind yet makes it a dull to ol ; ,

This shall n o t kill th e soul but make it a dull pool , .

And in this pit o f sin this wintry frost o f wo e

, ,

Hope fo r the world but o ne this one new faith

, ,

I know
Faith th at th e Spirit wh os e eye th e sun is will when
, , ,

e arth

Crie s lo ud from time to time for help send helpers ,

And whe n the misery seems pas t cure to h uman sight ,

H e will in h uman form Hi m self on earth alight

, , .

Already o ft h a s He come do wn to men forlorn ,

And even n o w He th ink s where He shall n ext be

born .

30 .

The Age s spectre d ance let flit and gl immer by ;

’
-

It m ay am use b ut, su re , ca n not confuse thine eye .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Straightway I vowed with o ne my homeward fare to

pa
y.
And grate fully in alms the other give away .

But crossing a bazaar I saw o f bird s a pair

, ,

H ung in a cage fo r sale placed by their ca ptor there

, .

For one released from bonds wh at worthier work can

,

be
Than to re d eem the slave and set the captive fr ee ?
Yet for the two th e m an asked sil ver pieces twain ,

And fo r my journey one I gladly w oul d retain .

To take one piec e for both th e man w oul d not agree

Shall I then o f th e t wo buy one and set him free
Haply they are a pair and shall I part the twain ?
,

Far better then they both as pri soners sho ul d re main

, ,

But stubbornly the man stuck to his fir st de mand ;

I paid my pieces down and had none left in han d
,

Wh o gives yo u meat and drink will fo r my wants

provide
Who points your homeward way me to my home will ,

guide .

But sho ul d I let yo u l oose in the stra nge city here ,

Wh ere no green tree holds o ut safe shelter and glad

cheer ,

H o w soon ye woul d once more be sn ared by evil men ,

Where haply n one might come to set yo u fre e

 WI SD O M O F TH E BRAH M IN .
65

So th ro ugh the city gates and far fro m trodden

,

ways ,

I to o k them to th e woo d s m ost inacces sible maz e

’
,

And let them go ; and as toward heaven on joyous

wing ,

They ro s e between themselves I heard them say or

, ,

Sing
H o w sh all we re co mpense h im wh o so freely
spent
H is all to make us fr ee o f the bro ad firmamen t ?
May he a darling wife fold o ne da y to his heart ,

He wh o a winged pair not c r uell y wo ul d pa rt .

We know a ll roads and la nes both to wn and field ,

w e kno w,
And gla dly at his n eed woul d on his erra nds go
But a s ubs tantial friend w e gladl ier w o ul d provi d e ,

Wh o l ea ds m an by the h and through li fe his dearest ,

g uide ,

Dost thou not kno w a spot a treasure kno w st thou

,
’

not,

Might give him back the means to reach th at home

l ong sought ?
B eneath that dry o ld tree buried in yonder field
, ,

F or ages there h as lain a silver sh rine co ncealed

Amply will that fo r all his journ ey s needs provide ’
,

”
And more to keep at home as dowry fo r h is bri de
,
.

5
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRA H MI N .

They soared away and I l ooked after

, th em and

thought
The prattle o f light bird s shall I regard or not
They hover in the air and make believe th ey know
,

All secrets that lie hid d o wn in the earth belo w .

H o w co uld the vagrants se e a treas ure as th ey s ai d , ,

Who coul d not see the snare the crafty fo wler spread ?
Yet fate makes bright or blind men s eyes for good or ’

Mighty is fate b ut God s good grace is mightier still

,
’
.

’
In God s name then I go straight to the place
, ,

assigne d ,

B egin to dig and there the sil ver casket find

, .

I foun d fo r my poor two pieces enough and more

, , , ,

To build both road and bri dge home to my very

door ;
But road and bridge all made and laid I fo und he
, ,

side ;
An d so I onl y took a littl e fo r my bride .

33 .

Restrain thy wrath ; let Him take vengeance wh o

knows h o w
To vindicate thy cause more wisely far than thou .

Th e unrelenting King wh o ne er a fault forgave

’
,

By pardoning o n e offence h is life at last did save .

68 WI SD O M O F TH E BRAH MI N .

Pay him and let him go th e King commands fo r , ,

here
O f royal vengeance he w oul d stand in cons ta nt fear .

For this I trow the w orld not o ft has seen me

, ,

do ,

To pard on an offence and even reward it too .

The stra nge youth thanks his stars and qui ckly goes
his way .

The King the a rro w kept in memory o f the day ;

Whereby admonishe d he firm to his purpose stood , ,

To mercy still inclined and sh y o f shedding bloo d ,

But 10 th e hearts that once beneath his wrath were

cow ed ,

N o w when h is o wn rel ents all mutiny al oud

, , .

So wil d the uproar grow s he fle es his land at last , ,

But hi d beneath his vest the arro w still clings fast ,

An arro w o f remorse that gnaws the exile s heart

,
’

Yet its lo w voice al one has balm to soothe the smart .

In a far lan d at las t where every stranger found

,

To slavery is brough t he too is seized and bound

, .

In the dark palace yar d he lies there chaine d all d ay

-
, ,

Where o er the l ofty wall scarce climbs th e sun s fain t

’ ’

ray .

From far a joyous shout is born e upo n the air ;

He thinks upon th e chase and wishes he were
there
’

I
.
 WI SD O M OF T HE BRAH MIN .

He draws the arro w forth with sad and bodeful

tho u ht
g ,

Which hitherto naught el se b ut grief to him had .

brought .

A bird o f paradise above h is head sails by ;

With free and careless hand he lets the arrow fly .

The sh o t h as missed th e bird but finds a mark witho ut

, ,

Among th e happy group wh ence rang th at joyo us

sh o u t .

There stands the mon arch s so n in stately hunting ’

gear ,

The arro w flying comes and gra zes h is left ear

, , .

Amazed all cry at once : Whence did that arro w

,

fly
Fro m yonder p alace yard walled in so dark and -
,

”
high .

”
Who is confined therein ? A stranger lately
”
caught .

Forth with command s the Prince hither let h im

, ,

”
be brought .

They bring h im and he thinks no w death h is doom

, ,

must be ,

But 10 th e Prince inspects the arrow carefully ;

,

Then holding it al oft says to the exil e no w

, ,

Prince in thy service once a n unknown man hadst

,

thou .
 WI SD OM OF THE BRAH MIN .

The ud ders all dry ; all foddering is in vain ;

a re

The lambs no drop o f milk can fro m their mothers

”
dra rn .

Th e o ld man shakes h is head perplexed So s ud

de nly
The u dders all dried up ! Wh o kno ws whe nce th is
”
ca nbe ?
Up spake the daughte r then Th e caus e is this I ,

tr o w ,

The Prince s heart no l ove bears fo r his country n o w ;

’

F or as when Heaven no more its hear t to earth

inclines ,

No herd o f living man b ut languishes and pines ,

So when the Prince s heart turns coldl y from the land

’

’
Which h as been given in charge to him by H eaven s
”
h igh hand .

The o ld man s ai d What then remains but leave ,

behind
A land forsaken o f God another home to find ? ,

Go boy and let the beasts take here their last night s
, ,
’

rest !
An d thou my daughter serve thy last meal fo r o ur
, ,

guest .

To many a guest we here have given both meat and

drink
Let this o ne to o have cause kin dly o f us to think
, , .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

He mused ; j ust then came in the herd s man s boy ’

once m ore ,

And o f th e cattle s plight wa s questioned as before

’

, .

He sa id Th e herd see ms n o w in quite another

mood .

The s welling u dders b urst a n d pour a foaming flood ,

The milk pails sno wy white all overflo wi ng sta n d ;

-
,
-
,

”
Plainly they h ave no more desire to qu it the land .

The o ld man s lifte d eyes h is daughter s face have

’ ’

sought ,

Who sat in musing lost Full well sh e kn ew his .

tho ught ,

An d s m iling o ut sh e spake
, , This is becau se I ,

trow ,

The Prince s heart in l ove turns to h is co un try n o w ;

’

F or as when Heaven its heart turns kin dly to th e

,

e arth k

The herds o f all that live partake their food with

mirth ,

So when the Prince s heart turns kin dl y to the land

’

Which h as been given in charge to him by Heaven s ’

”
high hand
Then o ut th e o ld farmer spake T o Heaven due
praises pay ,

That with such tirnely grace hath blessed the lan d

to d ay !
-
 WISD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN.

We shall n o t no w be forced from o ur loved land to

fare .

But to the Prince s ear wh o the n o ur th anks shall

’
,

bear
I plainly see 0 guest , as from thy raiment n o w
,

The rain h as drie d aw ay o f noble rank art tho u

, .

To morro w h e ar o ur word with thee to princely

-

halls
But take th y rest to day withi n a pea san t s walls
’
-
.

35 .

’
A nobleman as guest came to an other s gate ,

And on a flying leaf sen t in th is card o f state

Is entrance granted me ? I come a s comes th e ,

feather
And sail s a way again in the ligh t s ummer w eather .

Then cam e the ans wer o ut : We give th ee not the

right
T o enter at o ur gate ; thou mak st thyself too light
’
.

Then went the message in I come as comes th e

stone ,

Which to sse d into the sea lies quiet where t was

, ,
’

”
th rown .

Then ca m e the ans wer forth We never can

all ow
Thy entrance at o ur gate ; too he avy fa r art thou .
 WISDO M OF TH E BR AH MIN .

Then went the message in I come as mounted

men ,

Who w hen their errand s done mount an d ri de on

,
’
,

”
again .

Then he withi n call ed o ut That word I like the

best .

Porter fling wide the gate to such a n oble gues t !

,

36 .

Far in the So uthern seas on islan d s d wells a race , , ,

Rich in content an d pure from evil s faintest trace

,
’
.

The islan d s in a group stretc h like a garland round

Separate distinct they lie
,
sund ered yet closely
, , ,

bo un d .

O n every isle a s mall and peaceful peopl e d well ;

All from one sire have sprung no legend nee d s to ,

tell .

An d o ver all o f them hol ds rule the islan d ! ueen ;

No armed host h as she and peaceful is her mien , .

An d peaceful is the mind her s ubj ect peoples bear ; -

N o w ar flag fires their bloo d nor glory s trum pet

’
-
,

blare .

Their weapons are their prayers their glory songs , ,

an d psalms ,

In Nat ure s te mple s ung beneath the spreading

’

palms .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Pirate s come cruis ing round shiplo ads o f warlike,

troops ,

Thro ugh the sea pass ages o f the Peace Island groups
- -
.

But all their fighting end s in fights among themselves

They never to u ch the goods u pon the islan ds h elves
For they have heard an d so bel ieve as w ell they ,

might
O n him wh o shoul d to uch them th e curse o f Heaven
w ould light .

This cree d alone has kept the island peopl es free -

,

Who els e unarmed had been co nsigned to slavery

, , .

But whe n a seaman co mes a peace ful one to land ,

Gladly the island maid in marriage gives her hand

Then comes the roving fit and calml y he I wis
, , ,

Le aves wife an d child behind his briefly tasted bliss

, .

F or an adopte d land men leave and scarcely mourn

, , ,

But with sore pain the land where they were bre d and
born .

The sea man carries home when skies and seas are
,

Th e tal e th at none beh ave yet, all delight to hear .

37 .

A ertain King h ad once

c the l egend tell s us
stored
Within h is palace walls o f bo oks the h ugest hoard
-
 WISD O M O F TH E BRAH MIN .

And when h e journ eyed round , a h undred c amels

stro de ,

Each bearing on his back a literary load .

At last he grew a ware h o w cou ld he fail to be ?

T wa s cumb rous j o um eyrng with s uch a bookery
’ ’
.

’
So fo r convenience sake he had a hu ndre d sages
, ,

A travelling library extra ct fro m all these pages .

O f these again was ma d e an abstra ct which when he

, , ,

Went journeying o n e sto ut m ule coul d carry easily

, .

But he mu st h ave his things more snugly p a cked he ,

said ,

And o f the abstract they another abstra ct made .

I n o n e small vol ume no w the m ul e s l oad was co m

’

prise d ,

Which in his ha nd th e Kin g coul d b ear un co mpro

m ised .

Yet was it still fo r him a burden somewh at sore ;

’
The abstract s abstra ct no w they mus t abstra ct once
more .

So fro m the extract book they set themselves to -

e xtract

O ne sentence as its pith short simple and comp act , , ,

.

This co ul d he comprehend an d easily retain , ,

And by it gu ide his soul and regul ate h is reign .

Did he succeed in th is If not it m ust be laid ,

To this ,
that he h imself th e abstract h ad not m ade .
 WI SD OM OF TH E B RAH MIN .

’
Butthis is certain thou for thy salvation s s ake
, ,

Must from the waste of books thyself su ch abstract

make .

38 .

The post assigne d to thee fail not to un derstand

, ,

Nor sunder heaven and e arth with a pres umptuous

hand .

For both God placed thee here : the fight o f earth

to wage ;
And still to ward heavenl y peace pursue thy pilgrim
age .

Whoso seeks idle peace fo r pri vate en ds al one ,

A traitor to the world s great commonw ealth is

’

shown .

To fu rther human w eal with all thy power belo w ,

No s acri fice too great save peace o f soul I know

, , .

But let n o po w er co mpel no gl ory blin d thine ,

eyes ,

Nor Lo v e tempt thee to make to her this sacrifice .

Th is n o self seeking is -
shirking things hard to
,

do
To thine eternal self thy work is to be true
, , .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N .

E en
’
no w soft glea ms break o ut the gloomy clouds ,

betwixt ;
E en n o w a foretaste sweet is with the bitter m ixt
’
.

If still the shadow wanes and light co mes s ure but

,

sl o w ,

Though heavy fall s th e sha de and feebl e still the

gl ow ,

A little longer yet a glad an d patient mood !

,

Soon S hall all dark b e bright all evil t urn to good

,

4 .

The days th e precious days ; we gladly let them

,

fly ,

That still more precious fruit may ripen by an d by

A rare and w ondrou s plant that sh all bloom o ut
so me night ,

A child we re t raining up a book we long to write

’
, .

5 .

How high o r lo w thou art tha t solves not all thy

thinking ;
But f eeling tells if thou art rising no w or sin king .

Sinking thou feel st thy weight ; rising thy bu oy

,
’
,

ancy ;
There by thyself o pprest here fr om all pressur e
, ,

free .
 WI SD OM OF T H E BRAH MI N . 83

Th isnote and heed meanwhile : freely cans t tho u my ,

friend ,

From lowest depth mount up from loftiest height ,

descend

6 .

’
Th e world s great reckoning book conta ins and keeps
-

in it
-

What enjoy profess a nd love

we , , all fairly writ .

H o w long a time to enjoy is here to each assigned ,

He kn ows Wh o h as the B ook

, all writte n in His

7 .

Where in th e land and h o w to dwell thou askest , ,

frien d ,

’
That thou may st reach the bliss o f m an life s aim ,
’

and en d ?
’
D well un der hea ven s broad roof o n turf in green , ,

self drest
-
,

And rest in full content on Nature s bo unteous breast ’

.

Dwell in the well till ed field where Nature o n thee

‘
-
,

w aits ,

And h onest toil enjoys the ful ness it creates .

Dwell inth e popul ous town where stirs a busy life ;

Act an d be acted on in m utual hum an strife
, .
 WISD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N .

D well in the wilderness where foot of man ne er

’
,

trod ,

Where Nature rests from w ork ; live to thyself an d

God
’
D well wheresoe er thou may st thou still canst ’
, h ide
and be
A man and h ere o r th ere do all things humanly
,
.

8 .

With gl ory and renown the heart is never s ated ;

T is surfeite d and sick l ong ere t is satiated
’ ’
,

They say the ear-drum rings when fame th y pra ises ,

1
sings
But a weak st upor t is w hen o f itself it rings
’
, .

Let neither this nor that wake in thy ear s uch roar ,

But tran quil peace within thy bosom Sh ut her d oor .

9 .

Men s praise or blame makes not thy true nobility ;

’

Yet better than half praise is hearty blame fo r thee .

Blam e is a spur to thee which as j ust blame thou , ,

pr iz est ;

The nj ust harms thee not

u , which j ustly thou
despisest .

1 P o pular superstitio n Wh en yo ur ear

k
tal in g a b o ut
yo u. Tr .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

12 .

What inl y seizes thee let ripen by d egrees

,

What glides by o ut wardl y that mus t thou quickly,

seize .

What is n o t seized at once is lost to thee forever ;

,

What in t h y soul grows ripe is born to perish never , .

13 .

Why goest thou from thyself o ut in the worl d o f

men ?
To come ba ck fro m the whirl to thine o wn peace
again .

And wh y from that world s whirl comest thou back

’

to this ?
To think o ut fo r the world in silence thoughts o f
, ,

B lest a rt thou if th e world gives thee what thou

a st use
c n ,

An d if these thoughts of thine the world shall not

refuse .

14 .

As the cured sick man feels full bliss o f heal th at

l ast ,

Th en o nl y when he th inks upon the sickness p as t ,

 WI S DOM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Rejoiced th at life s full tide once more flow s fre ely

’

on ,

All hin drances henceforth he hopes forever gone

, ,

S o too the man wh o thinks on sins and errors past

, , ,

Whence Go d has led him forth to the righ t way at

las t .

Right gla dly can he n o w purs u e the rightful track ,

Strongly resolve d that he will never more turn back .

Yet as the cure d one feels the memory o f past pain

Whisper a warni ng lo w then die away again ;
,

So he wh o sadly thinks on sins and errors pas t ,

O nly his backward glance with keener pa ng is cas t .

For difference vast it makes in wha t o ne h as to

bear ,

Wh ether or no his faul t h as in his fate a Sh are .

15 .

When courage faileth thee th y po wer to work fails

,

too
Th e nervel ess crippled arm no more its t ask can d o
,
.

When co urage once revives within the fainting heart ,

Then will the qu icken ed shoot to wil d luxuriance

start .

Then daily pray to G o d that He as w ise as goo d , ,

Will keep thee fr om the weak and from the w ilful

,

mood .
 WI S D O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

A Para dise n ever lost acco unt far less 0 men

, , ,

Than a lost Para dise entreated back again .

B el ieve me fo r I say the first is lost to yo u ;

,

The other when ye w ill is born in yo u ane w

, , .

El se w oul d I ne er ad vise w ere it not lost before

’

, ,

That yo u sho uld l ose it n o w to get it back once ,

more
.

17 .

To be what thou art not what thou art meant to be

, ,

That which thou should st and canst ’

scant space ,

earth giveth thee .

The task is infinite so from this finite earth

,

Into the infinite beyond it stretches forth

Good cheer ! Wh at here thou dost yonder with thee ,

sh all go

And what that world co mplete s must be begun bel o w, .

18 .

Stand no t alo of fro m wh ere men meet to worship ,

prou d
That tho u canst pray alone as well as in a cro wd
True Go d is every where and in the crowd thou art
, ,

No nearer Him unless thou h eed st Him in thy heart

,
’
.
 WISD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

22 .

Against the ungenial wo rld thou utterest loud com

plaints
’
Thou ca nst not bear thou say st society s restraints
, ,
’
.

Tho u seek st the wil derness to fly from man

’
— and lo ,

He clings to thee e en there and will not let thee go

’

,
.

But if tho u m us t th yself en d ure an d tolerate ,

Why fro m thy image then wo uld st thou be separate ? ’

With Nature tho u canst feel far more in unison ,

B ecause tho u d ost not ask her path thy way to run .

T ho u wilt prescribe thy way to men an d men alone , ,

F orgetting that lik e th ee each o f them is his own

, ,
.

Frost rain h ail sto rm and wind tho u bearest

, , , ,

patiently ;
Man s way wardness alone annoys an d angers thee ?
’

The man wh o refuge seeks in flight from life s restraint ’

Is like the child w h o flees parental chastisement ;

Who thro ugh all bogs and briers o f tro ubl e plunges in ,

To take revenge ( h e th inks ! on hated di scipline .

Life s limits the tr ue m an will o wn and honor too

’
, ,

And to that knowledge feel his freedom to be due .

Action his in n er store still to increase he stri ves ;

, ,

S uffering an o ut ward thing he bravely fro m him

, ,

driv es .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN . 91

Yet even sufferi ng he ca n change to action to o , ,

When acting h umanly he lead s men to so do ;

, ,

F or Passion only t is th at makes men disagree ;

’

O nly in Reas on lies the strength o f unity .

Man s probl em is to tra in and to deba rbariz e

’

Himself an d help h is race in cul ture s scal e to rise

,
’
.

23 .

is d one then gladly rest therein ;

If please d with wh at ,

And if it please thee not then something n ew begin ; ,

Yet let not what is done pl ease thee beyond due

bou nd ,

For genuine joy al one is in fresh a ction found .

24 .

T is
not enough the thing cl early to understand
’

Know it by heart tho u must to practise it o ff hand ,

-
.

Hast it at thy tongue s end to u nd erstan d the thing

’

N0 nee d as thou may st s ee in the art o f reckoning

’
.

F or in the noble art o f reckonin g as we see , ,

Perfection best is gaine d when one from thought is free

, .

25 .

Thou seest h o w easily w ith one things go o ff han d -

,

Which tho u m ust rack thy brai n long time to u nder

stand ;
92 WI SD O M OF T H E BRAH MIN .

While tho u so nimbly d eal st with thin gs o f which ’

his brain ,

With all its agonies a notion scarce can gain

, .

Then either if thine o wn exploits thou prizest so

, ,

Set not the accomplishments o f other men too lo w ;

O r if their doing thou so very c h eaply rate
, ,

Hold not thy d oing then as anyth ing so great

, , .

26 .

Thou canst not see grass gro w h o w sharp s o e er thou ,

’

be ,

Yet that the gras s has grown thou very soon canst ,

see ;
So though tho u canst not see thy work n o w pros
,

pering kn o w
, ,

The print o f every w ork time without fail sh all Show .

27 .

Happy the man not le ft to form himself complete

, ,

Whom earlier mod els lend their traits by u sage

s weet .

A fath er he has known a teacher h as he found, ,

To who m by ties Of l ove his pliant h eart is bou nd ,

To whom he clings an d climbs by w hom unco rr , ,

scious grows
, ,

And so is good and strong and noble ere he kno ws .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MIN .

30 .

From one devoid of goo d some

, g o od may o ne day

8 1 0 W ;
O ne is turned away can never righ twise go
wh o , .

Thou buil dest up false things upon a false fou n

dation .

Thou cans t O misformed man h ave no true cul tiva

, ,

tion .

31 .

When thou with Nature feel st a balance in thy soul ’

Thou dost no l onger doubt the world a perfect w hole ;

The b alance once disturbe d doubt w ell m ay rise in
,

thee
The elements themselves against thee mutiny .

Yet must the human soul keep all its w eapons

bright ,

With seas on s and with climes to wage a strenuous

fight
And evermore the world a perfect thing is wro ught ,

Though the perfection comes at last from human

thought ;
For to this very end the whole included man
, ,

That man s min d migh t co mplete a nd cro wn the

’

mighty plan .
 WISD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN . 95

32 .

I honor him wh o strives a nd struggles to ward

id eal
I honor h im no less wh o prospers in the real .

But h im I l ove w h o with d ivine impartia lity

, , ,

1
Highest i deal weds to realest reality .

33 .

By many si de dness the crystal ch arms the sight ;

-

Therei n the broken ray plays with a live d elight .

Yet in its way and place one side dness is goo d ; -

The joy o f th e blue sky is the lake s glassy flo od ’

.

34 .

r.

Perfection is an end that mocks approach indeed ,

But one that must be sought by struggling not ,

speed .

O ne forward step that gai ns sure foothol d

, on the
tr ack ,

Is w orth two steps ahead ,

where one slides three steps
back .

1 I h a ve n o t venture d to atte m
pt to mat ch Ru ck ert s
’
Wir klichs t
Iceit Re alest-ity Tr .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAHMIN .

When once yo u thin k no more h o w far you re on ’

yo ur way ,

The jo urney is hal f o er ; the rest is merely play

’
.

rv .

He fin d s ,
wh o seeks — t is
’
true ; only not he wh o ,

Seeks where not even God s eyes the thing he seeks ’

coul d fi nd .

v .

’
Where tho u know st not the way there take a guide ,

to thee .

But d oes the guide him self kn o w it ? B e sure and se e !

vr .

’
Ne wsan dals pinch the feet gro wn easy they re , ,

all torn

When once yo u get things right their l oss yo u ,

have to mourn .

The word h as magic po wer it brings the m atter forth ; ,

Take heed then not to give a bad thing oral birth

, , .

vrrr .

O nce give thy sorro w words thou art relieved o f it

O nce give thy pleas ure w ords thou a rt bereaved
o f it .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRA H M IN .

The dog will wag and whine to coax from thee h is

meat ;
The noble steed must thou ca ress and coax to eat .

XVII .

Where beggars are a shamed to ask , or even receive ,

Mus t not the bo unte o us be no l ess ashamed to

giv e
xvrrr .

Who sleeps ,
no h unger knows ; alas fo r that poor
wrgh t
Who cannot close his eyes ,
fo r h unger , all the night
X IX .

A wretched set o f keys that open but not close ;

Soon wilt thou be starved o ut with such poor keys as

thos e !

The wife ca n ca rry her small apron more

o ut, in ,

Than in h is cart the man can w heel in at the door .

What is es teemed in ma n in w om an is despised ;

,

1
The hen that like the cock w ill cro w is sacrifi ced ,
.

1 Wh istling girls an d cro win

g h ens
Never c o me to h ap y p en ds
. O ld S ong .
 WI SD O M OF THE BRAH MIN .

If a great good th ou h ast crave not the little

, o ne ;
’
N ee d st thou th e ’
to rch s glare when shines th e n oon
day sun ?
xxrrr .

What thou art u sed to soo n thy heart

, will h anker
’
fo r t ;
Accustom not thy child to evil even in sport , .

He innocently errs wh o kno ws not the right way ,

Not he wh o sees the road but in the wood will stray

, .

XXV .

N0 man more w ofully wand ers in error s night ’

,

Than he wh o wilfully forsakes the path o f right .

xxvr .

’
An unembarras sed mind another s tra ck can use ;
A self embarras sed so ul its o wn will o ft confus e
-
.

xxvrr .

Le arn patience from the earth th y field and dwellin g ,

pl ace ;
The plough tears th rough her heart and sh e repays t ,
’

xxvi rr .

Revenge a rapture is that may live o ut th e day,

But magnanimity a bliss that lasts for aye .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

XXI X .

Modesty is a dres s th at doth all men beseem ,

But doubly h im wh o had most cause for self esteem - .

35 .

Fro m tyr annous Time had I sought refuge as he

passed ,

An d from his storms had fo und a s heltering rest at

last .

I set my h ouse to rights and snugly cl osed th e ,

And l et mad Ti me meanwhile o utside still rave and

roar .

h as far
’
I tho ught : I ve staid behind and Time , gone
by ;
Wh en 10 ! I found ’
t wa s Time had s taid behind ,

I
n ot .

What is there back o f him from which h is flight h e ,

takes ;
What is there o ut o f him whi ch h e forever seeks ?
,

36 .

There a broad gate way lies a narro w door beside ,

Through this one goes on foot ; through that they

,

drive and ride .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAHMIN .

37 .

I daily saw a man whose name I did no t kno w ;

I always meant to ask and still neglecte d to .

Me anwhile I heard a name o ft name d familiarly ;

But ne er co ul d see th e man whose na me it chan ced
’

to be .

C urious enough was I the o ft n amed man to view

, , ,

C urious to learn his name whose face so well I

knew .

I fi nd at last th at n ame this man are both the same

, , ,

And no w I care n o more for either man o r name .

They heaped upon me praise ; their very praises

sh amed me .

They heape d upon me blame ; and in my courage

lame d me .

Either both praise and bl ame they ga ve in some

wro ng w ay ,

O r el se I took them wrong ; but which I can not

s ay .

B oth praise and bl ame by right a strengthening , ,

sense shoul d leave ,

That something h as been gained , an d more is to

achieve .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

39 .

I know not what the world m eanwhil e has seen and, ,

done ,

But w eighty things no d o ubt have been beneath the

, ,

sun .

O nly noone o f them has re ached my eye or ear ;

No fain te st sign thereof have I d etected here .

And yet they have gone on although I knew it not , ,

An d mad e though urrper ce ive d my world or cold

, ,

or hot .

For the great body naught can tou ch in any part ,

But sympathetic pangs through all the me mbers d art ;

And coul d I o nly read my heart s true lookin g glas s ’
-
,

I there shoul d see the world and all that comes

to pass .

N o w I must wait till fame and th e ga z ette at last , ,

Bring to my ear an d eye the ne w s o f what is passed ,

Th at with the weal and woe I may rejoice or w eep ,

Which have b efall n the world th e whil e I lay

’
.

asleep .

40 .

The hours and d ays , as they with ch angeful mood

go by ,

Tempt thee to rate thy w ork to o lo w , or all to o high .

 WI SD OM OF T HE BR A H MIN .

Le t not those evil sprites the pro ud th e spiri tless

, , ,

O e rmas te r in th y soul the gen uine lo wliness

’
.

The highest self respect consists with mod esty ;

-

O instrument o f God He d o es th e work through thee

,

41 .

In highways a nd in by ways tho u shalt be seen w ith ,

none
But only honorable and honore d folk my so n , .

Half o f the honor s thine when men before them fall

’
, ,

And thou wilt by and by learn to deserve it all

, , .

42 .

Devoutly I looked up to see th e rain fall fast ,

That comes long cra ved to cheer the thirsting world

, ,

at last .

I always fo r myself have had enough to drink ,

But naught co uld slake my thirst whil e on the

w orl d s I think ;
’

But n o w fo r very thirst tho ugh all in silence dran k

, , ,

In their name an d my o wn must I the Father thank .

43 .

Yo hills beneath
,
whose brea st I laid my loved and

They ar e n o t wholly lost, fo r still ye gu ra d the ir rest .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MIN .

That rumble still I hear and seem to see the track

, ,

Tho ugh many a one h as since gone rumblin g forth

and back .

But pas s wh atever may naught can wipe o ut that

,

trace ;
And stil l I tread that track which time shall ne er
’

e flace
'

45 .

I never on my be d my nightly slumber s eek ,

Till with my han d I feel my little darling s cheek ; ’

And whe n I in the dark have felt h is flesh

, ,
to see ,

His face I d o not nee d — the to uch s uflic es m e .

I kno w full well that to u ch no goo d to h im will d o ,

Unl ess a better Power guards him the l ong night

thro ugh ;

Yet should I once refrain my fancy makes me fear

, ,

For evil po wers to work the way wo uld then be clear

,

An d if my ch ild natheless h a d sl ept on safely still

, , ,

Yet I myself mean while had slept th at night b ut ill

, ,
.

What dost tho u say to me ? Th ou ’

lt su rely speak
once more
A w ord to m e from there ,
w here thou hast gone
before !
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH M IN .

With speaking looks dost tho u 0 Siste r Spirit stan d , ,

Before my eyes as once thou tro d st this earthly

,
’

lan d
The w ell known features still the tones I loved to
-
,

h ear ,

Though softened to the sense less loud upo n the ear

,

Yet making clear that tho u contented w ith thy lo t

, ,

To sy mpathiz e with mine e en there forgettest not

,
’
.

Thou lettest me too share by sympathy thy bliss

, , , , ,

Peace wafte d to thy world as thou h ast been to this

-
, .

47 .

B e to thy fri end a friend th at ’

s Friendship s law ’

fo r thee ;
It is not in the bon d h is friend thy friend shall be
, .

That he with one hand takes thee with the o ther ,

me ,

F orms no immediate bond be tween myself and thee .

But his f oe s friend to be I cannot tolerate

’

For none can l ove the one he knows his friend to

h ate .

48 .

A miser wh o s urveys h is gold with gloating eyes ,

An d w orships to ward the shrine wherein his treas ure

h es,
 WISD O M O F TH E BRAH MIN .

Who of h is goods njoys naught else

e e xcept th e

vie w ,

Reopening still the chest only to shut it to

, ,

I s wiser still by far than many a ma n calle d w ise , ,

Who h as a nobler gained than any golden prize .

A living treasur e he has gaine d o f flesh and bloo d ,

Yet ever from the sight thereof derives no good

The chil dren God h as given wh at good to th e e are ,

If thou from them thine eyes indifferent turn st ’

, ,

away
I f sel d om with p ure joy their forms thine eyes behol d ,

An d scarcely look at them save to command or scold ?

49 .

Aro un d me in th e hou se a still and busy stir ,

My musing thoughts d o mu ch to vacancy prefer .

The littl e Maker Mind contentm ent feels there in

, , ,

As th e great Maker mids t the worl d s mel o dious

’

But one sharp cry the dream creative disappears

, ,

An d all is over n o w with harmony o f th e spheres .

50 .

Woman as wife to man fo r this h as Nature sent

, , ,

That spirit may be made by body s h elp content ; ’

 WISD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

52 .

’
w retche d
’
A b usiness t is and one
, which n e er ca n

thrive ,

Wh en none will si mply stick to that he ought to

When each negl ects his work at other men s to poop ,

’

This one will not drive goats because that one drive s
sheep ;
Will not ten d shop be cause that other tends a mill ;
O r drive a coach because his neighbo r drives a quill ;
,

Or becaus e h e grin d s pain ts refus es to grin d co rn ; ,

O r to keep books because h e to ma ke books is born

, .

Where other men go high still higher he would go ; ,

Where others are atop he will not stay below

, .

’
A wretche d business that and one that ne er ca n , .

thrive ;
No thri ft is in the lan d when thus their work they
,

dri ve.

Of Innocence an d Peace once h as been seen the reign

, ,

And sick Humanity shall hail it once again

In far futur ity as in the past the bliss
, ,

O f that bright age gleams o ut to cheer the wo e o f

 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAHMI N .

Y es,once that kingdom was and yet will come ,

again

In Heaven or on the Earth ? No doubt can also ,

remain .

Up yonder t were enough fo r my o wn piety ;

,
’

But I co ul d wish it here fo r the m that foll o w me .

54 .

That high abo ve thy reach soars unattainably

Th e type o f Goo d an d Fair Shoul d that disco urage
thee
It shoul d encourage thee and keep the fire alive ;
It stands to o h igh that thou may st ever higher
,
’

strive .

55 .

Six littl e words lay claim to me each pas sing day

I o ugh t I must I ca n I will I da r e I ma y
'

, , , , , .

I O ught : that is the law G o d on my heart h as

wr itten ,

The mark fo r which my so ul is with strong yearning

smitten .

I Mu st : that is the bo und set either side the way

By Nature an d the World so that I shall not stray ,
.

I Can : that meas ures o ut the power intruste d me

O f action kno wle dge art skill an d dexterity
, , , , .
 WISD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

I Will : no higher crown o n hum an head can rest ;

’
T is Free d om s Signe t seal upon the soul impressed
’

I D are is the device which on the seal yo u read

, ,

B y Freedom s open door a bolt for tim e o f need

’
.

I May among them all hovers uncerta inly

,

The moment must at l as t decide what it shall be .

I ought I must I can I will I dare I may

, , , , ,

The six lay cl aim to m e each hour o f every day .

Teach me O God ! an d then then shall I kno w each

, , ,

That which I ought to do , must , c an, will , dare and ,

56 .

Infinite in thyself yet fi nite outwardly

, ,

A mystery to thyself thou feel st thyself to be

’
.
,

But u nderstan d Wh at seem past reconciling quite ,

F in ite an d Infinite —yet at o ne point unite

, .

Thou art n o t yet become but ent to b ,

p
And rn all growth there lies self con -

In finite whil e it gro ws must yet as finite show

, , ,

Finite unfolding still to infinite will gro w

, , .

57 .

Wh y is
the one great self the whole humanity , ,

Torn into littl e selves conflicting endlessly ?,

”
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

58 .

Thou art 0 man but hal f what Natur e at thy bir th

, ,

Made thee and half what thou hast made thyself

,

on earth .

She lai d the building gro un d tho u c anst not change

-

one jot ;
T is thine to bu il d thereon a shapely house or not
’
, .

To th a t thou canst do naught with this has t al l ,

to do

Thou need st not rus t nor rest with this grea t work ,

in view .

Rest not till tho u hast ma de right what is wro ng

in thee ,

And what is false an d weak ma d e true an d stro ng in ,

thee .

This cannot be too soon nor yet too late begun ; ,

Th e making o f a man s a work that s never done

’ ’
.

59 .

Who ’
blest ? Wh o thinks h e is
s Unblest ? Wh o .

so believes .

B elief bestows the world an d o f the world bereaves , ,

No w strengthening th e weak the strong n o w pal sy ,

mg ,

A beggar this it makes , th e other makes a king .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

Earth ministers to Faith yet fills not her desires

, ,

For sh e alone to Heaven successfully aspires .

B e fore the face o f Go d sh e boldl y comes to s tand ,

And kno ws in j udgment sh e sh all bi de at Hi s r ight

hand .

60 .

Things d ost thou play with them or do they play ,

w ith thee ?
For mut ual make believes ye truly seem to be
-
.

O ne moment tho u as tru e a thing wilt j ustify ,

Which the nex t moment thou as falsehood wilt

deny .

Which is it of th e two ? or is it both perchance ? ,

O r haply each by tur ns in beings changeful dan ce ?

In thee the two exist with ever shifting show ;
,

Wh at is it then in thee that call s them so or so

, , ,

The Changeable in thee tha t changes everything ;

,

Wh ere is the Perman ent that all to rest shall bring ?

That Permanent can be the Eternal O ne n aught els e , , V
Before whose face Tru th stands an d Sho w to nothing,

melts .

B efore this j udgmen t seat be all things earthl y

-

brought ;
All s true th at it sustains all s false that it does
’ ’
,

not.
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAHMIN .

61 .

That th ou in the same strea m not twice thy limb s

canst la ve ,

B ecause each moment brings a new an d differe n t

w ave ;
An d that thou too as w ell not to thyself more tru e
, , ,

At e very moment art a different man and n e w

The wise man wh o sai d this was he too dost thou , , ,

d eem ,

A weak an d changeful thing an d fickl e as the str eam ,

Nay he was firm and fixe d maintaining steadfastly

, , ,

I mmovably that all w as m ovable but he

, .

Immutable himself all else he co unte d m utable

, ,

Nor care d to think if he might haply be re futable

, .

62 .

That su ch imperfect thoughts of heave nl y spheres ca n

find
A cheris hed dwelling pla ce and l odgment in th y
-

mind ,

And yet thou in thy sphere so perfect be and true

, , ,

H o w little what we kno w d etermines w hat we do

He rightly knows the world wh o in the w orld d o es ,

right ,

Tho ugh he no formula exactly can recite .

 1 18 WI SD O M OF THE B RAH MIN .

Nor of th y failures o ne w oul d

’
st thou from memo ry
l ose,
So it has helped thy soul a better thing to choo se .

64 .

Many memorials range d aroun d thee here I see , ,

O f the dear dead from w h om thes e relics came to

,

thee .

The precious names they no w with silent lips cal l

’
o er ,

And make thy heart thereby not glad but sad and
sore .

Each token seems to say o f life s fair banquet see !

’

, ,

The empty dish is all that n o w is left to the e .

65 .

The bird that as o f old still sings his evening lay ,

With what strange power his song thrills on my

heart to day ! -

Whence is it ? S ummer s days all fro m h is r each ’

have past ;
The song he sings to day is grave song for th e
- -

l ast .

T is a good n ight I hear in th is last evening s o ng ;

’
-
,

But not for o ne short n ight fo r a whole wi nter

'

l o ng .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

66 .

If Satan will not l et o ur yo uth quite do without

him.
Le t them at least be taught some grain o f truth
about him .

'

They hear the Devil like a roaring lion scours

, , ,

The land in quest o f prey which b e with greed ,

devours .

—
Not so ; the Devil no more o u murder bent and ,

plunder
Goes lion like up an d d own with roar lik e bellowing
-
,

thu n d er .

No ,
like a steal thy fo x more likely far he s links
And lurks unseen with keen sly vision like a lyn x
, .

But h o w shall the young folk escape h is wil es

ensnaring ,

If he is only known by roaring an d by tearing .

67 .

I do not love to read what hangs to gether so

That from ea ch step perforce on to the next I go
, , ,

Where if I take one step o u t o f the written track ,

I lose my way and must begin again far back .

I love that reading best which open where I will , ,

B eginning middl e end places be fore me still

, , , .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Where whether to stand still go on abruptly end

, , , ,

O r speak my min d righ t o ut on my o wn choi c e ,

d epen d .

I love that poet best wh o plants fo r thoughtful soul s

,

A whol e that shall contain a tho us and lesser wholes .

TO THE P EN MENDER
-
.

Th ou sh alt not at my board Sit down to day with me -

,

Until tho u first hast done the task that lies o n

thee ,

1
The weighty task to cut the quill s w here with I fly ,

And clothe the eternal thoughts I send thro ugh earth

a n d s ky .

F or this thy mission is to car ve my arro w s o ut

, ,

Which I with points can shoot at pl easure or ,

witho u t .

Why does not R uckert write ? the hungry reader ”

cries
Kopp w i ll not make him pens th e angry bar d
replies .

1 In G erman th e same wo rd Feder means pen and feather j ust

, ,

as , in Latin th e wo rd penna means pen and wing

, Tr . .
 WI S D OM O F TH E B RA H MI N.

2 .

The greatest Princes all Hindoo a nd Muss ulman

, ,

Who walked in glory s march still foremost in th e

’

van
,

A c us tom had at times to doff their sta te and so

, , ,

Disguis ed about their realm to tra vel to and fro ,

To l earn wh at they coul d else n o t eas ily have kno wn

, ,

What ho use and street and farm were th inking o f th e

throne .

But by a stringent la w mean whil e their s ouls they

bound
N o t secretly to hint what secretly they fou nd
S till less by s udden burst o f pa ssion an d o f rage
, ,

T o fling asi de the mask in which they trod the stage

What ti mely hints they heard the good thereof to ,

reap ;
And each ins ulting w ord like Princes to let sleep
, , .

3 .

Flatte rers my Prince shalt tho u far more th an rave n s

, ,

d read ,

Wh o peck n o t o ut men s eyes till after they are ’

dead .

The flatterer steals away from living men their eyes ,

And cheats the keenest sight with lyin g sorceri es .

 WI SDO M O F TH E BRAH MI N .

Whoever in his youth h as thus been robbe d o f sight ,

Henceforth like o ne born blind lives o n in hopeless

night .

4 .

means the pr in cipa l ma n w hen rightly un der

P r in ce ,

stood ;
The Fur st must be the first foremost in all things ,

good .

B e th us to thine the Prince Lead er an d Kingly , ,

O ne ;
—
Le ad them to what is goo d wh o to the bad will run ?
The m aster o f himself is the true a u tocr a t
The h ead str ong may n ot be str ong h ea ded fo r all that -
.

The r ul er o f himself true ru ler none b ut he :

,

Who conquers hea r ts al one wins the true victory

, , .

5 .

The art to be belove d is easiest Prince fo r thee ; , ,

Thou n eed st but bear thysel f lo vingly humanl y

’

, .

To make men hate yo u that is h a r der work by far

, ,

Yet in this very art yo u s o accomplishe d are .

6 .

A n obl e King once came o n his victorious day

, ,

To see the stately to mb in which his ri val lay .

 WI SDOM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

It is not right o ur King with victory crowne d

, ,

they cry ,

That in such honored grave his deadl y fo e shoul d

Let him be disinterre d fo r some more worthy guest

Then spake the King a nd sai d : Le t no n e disturb h is
rest !
In this o ur d eadly fo e were Death an d F oe co m
, ,

bin e d ;
No w Death has found the Fo o his death the Fo e ,

d oth fin d .

S o le ave h im as he lies ! Wh at better co ul d I crav e ,

Th an see my every fo e in s uch a stately grave ? ”

7 .

A little Prince yet great here in the lan d I kno w

, , ,

Will not be praised alo ud a n d so I praise h im lo w

,
.

He knows wha t prin ce dom is in essence and in d eed ; ,

Its pompo us titl e he will neither hear nor read .

His people from himself he lets no barriers part ;

Free access to his throne has every manly heart .

He blocks not up with tolls the bridgeway to his ear ,

Nor makes them pay a tax that b e their prayer s

may hear .

He means to sho w the world a people an d its Princ e ,

Can in each other s face look with full confi dence

’
.
 WISD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

As through full many a joint the reed its hea d wa y

As through foam whitened r ocks the strea m its path

-

way breaks ,

The glassy stream at last heaven s beaute ous image ’

S ho ws ,

An d full o f spicy pith the cane beside it grows .

10 .

The world is actual ; real ity al one

The real c an create : a real God we o wn .

The world itself is life ; a living power al on e

Can brin g forth life and s o a living God w e o wn
, , .

Man is a thinking soul ; a thinking po wer alo ne

Can generate thought ; an d so God a s a mind we

o wn .

The w ill of man doth will ; that which d oth w ill

alone
Can generate will ; an d so a G o d that wills we o wn .

And so the Holy Speech the Sanscrit brings to view , ,

The Self existent O ne an d call s Him Swaia mbh u

-
,

The Unconditione d O ne the Self conditioning I ,

-
,

Who brin ging forth the w orl d brings forth himself

, ,

1
thereby .

1 No t in th e sens e o f b irth precisely , b ut in th e etym o lo gica l sense

 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MIN . 12 7

11 .

O f the two spheres o f life above and here below

, ,

Prono unce if thou wil t dare tha t truth and this

, , ,

one Sho w !
Pronou nce Reality a Sh ado w in thy sight ,

Th at stretches down to thee fro m yonder distant light

Yet l et thy neighbor to o meanwhile h ave leave
, , ,

from thee
To h ug as life his faith in this reality ;
, ,

Who thy eternal real m itself a shadow calls ,

Which from the world o f sense o ut through the

vacuu m falls .

The shadow thou wilt not deny that dogs thee here ,

Nor he the one above that shakes his so ul with fear .

T wixt light and shado w ye alike the world divi de

’

And o nly sh ift the names ; wh o shall your stri fe

decide

Why wo rk st thou at the world ? T was finished

’ ’

”
l ong ago !
This dictu m h as u nnerve d thy freed om at a blo w .

Yes if th e w orld were d one and all its making

,

ended ,

Thy worry over it were toil in vain expended .

12 8 WI SDOM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

But it is not yet made it wai ts thy help to be

, ,

An d Go d fo r this h as lent the strength frail man , ,

to thee .

Nature is not yet d one eternally it grows ; ,

Her freedom can to thine no obstacle oppose .

She grasps thee with no wheels o f dea d machin ery ;

A vital spring in h er a rt thou s mall though th o u ,

be .

With aid o f spirits al l her end sh e strives to gain ;

And without help o f thine all agonize in vain , .

True obstacles an d boun ds against thee sh e h a th

,

s et ;
But when thou cle arest them , sh e gateful o wns
r h er
debt .

In waking nor in dream c anst thou to G o d attain ;

In space in thought s vast re al m tho u seekest H im
,
’
,

in vain .

Across the bo unds o f thought thy spirit canno t

stride ,

O nly within the bounds l ook o er to the oth e r ’

side ;
And as thine eye discern s what d oth thy grasp elud e ,

’
Thy higher se nse may soar where thought can n e e r
intrude ,
 1 30 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

Not that hast most success which taxed the to il wo rn ,

-

bro w ;
Th e liveliest growth is that which comes o ne kn o w s ,

not h ow .

So day and night take turns becau se both eve n in g ,

dew
O ur life requires by turns and morning , su nlight
too .

So too the bird each night h is daily songs forgettin g

, ,

Each morning with n e w zes t is heard those s o n gs

repeating .

Memory gro ws dim that I once sang the selfs a m e

,

things ,

And in my heart the o ld song with a ne w mu s ic

rings .

16 .

Play actress Nature takes the stage in e very part

-

That can dece ive the min d and captivate the h ear t ,

And when sh e finds e ach mask trans parent to man ’

s

eyes ,

Sh e then steps back ashamed and all illusion flies ,

.

17 .

The worl d s imperfectness dost thou

’
take to hea rt,
so

4 And as k its c ause ? It is that tho u imperfect art .

 WI SD O M OF T H E BRAH MIN . 131

If thou wort perfect then the world wo ul d be so too

, ,

Its imperfection then woul d vanis h from thy vie w .

O nly w ith thee to be m ade perfect is her min d ,

An d thou upon th is roa d art still so far behind

Th an k her that she with thee will keep an even pace
, ,

An d speed thee tha t sh e too may pro sper in the race .

18 .

Thou o nted in ; God s number w oul d not be

’
to o art c u

Fill ed up, it still would want a cipher without

thee .

True the , g re at recko nin g s made even if tho u

’

c o untes t n a ught ,

And yet tho u art thyself into the reckonin g bro ught .

Yes thou art reckone d on in man y forms and ways

,

Into those greater rings thy littl e circl e plays .

From evil and defect the world redeemed w o ul d be

To beauty and to good an d thou m ust help it free
, .

From evil and defect deliver tho u thy heart ;

T o ma ke worl ds fair and good so sh alt tho u do thy
part .

19 .

Dependent on the world d eem not thyself to be ;

Yet let th e world s j ust righ ts have due respect from
’

thee .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

Tho u livest not al one the world being dead ; nor y e t

,

Does it live thou being dead ; ye are two li ves offs e t

, .

Whether as ma n and w ife together ye are mated ,

O r thou the female so ul the w orld s the man s o u l

,
’
-

rated
Whether thou say st the world begat its elf in thee
’

O r whether in the w orld thy i mage thou dost see ;

So wilt thou h ere as man the world s wheel w or k
, ,
’
-

control,

And the w orld s mystery ther e ripen in silent soul

’
, , .

Then bard and hero work unenvying sid e by si d e

, ,

Thro ugh both in differing w ays the w orld is glorified

, , .

20 .

To see the vanity o f this world is not hard ,

O n all sides the plain truth is force d on thy regard .

’
But t is the bette r truth al one can make thee free
In th is vain world thy li fe that is not vanity
, .

The vanity o f things tho u in thyself must learn ,

Thy higher d estiny in cleam ess to discern .

Not thy most mo dest wants the world can satisfy ,

Till from the world to heaven thy soul h as learne d t o

fly.

Gladl y wilt thou forgive the world its vanity ,

When fo r thy heavenward leap the springboard it ca n

be.
 WI S D O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

23 .

Fair w orld of G o d h o w full o f

,children o f the light I
A field o f bloo ming flo wers that gl ow in beauty ,

bright .

And what tho u art in life and deed and in th y heart , ,

0 fe el h o w tho u thereby a flo wer companion a rt

, ,
-
.

So bloom tho u too and fade thy life a perfumed ,

breath ;
And fo r a wreath when plucked dread not th e ,

flowe r s fair death

’

24 .

How many a man complains the world mis reads ,

quite
But has he haply l earn ed to rea d himse lf aright ?
If tho u kn o w s t not thyself h o w kn o w st tho u my
’ ’
,

mis take
Would st thou not be misj udged thine o wn acquain
’
,

ta nce make .

25 .

Wh oso controls himself the outer world controls

, ,

F or that is evermore a mirror o f the soul s ’

.

Whoso commands himself a monarch s po wer defies ,

’
,

For in the outer w orld alone h is empire lies .

 WI SD O M OF THE B RAH MIN . 135

Condition thee he may an d gird with limitation

, ,

Submission o f th y so ul com es not at his d ictation .

He h as no po wer to to uch thine o wn imperial sway .

Thou gladly lettest him have his imperious way ,

! ust as thou let st the storm s th e ligh tnings wing

’ ’
, ,

sweep past ;
Bridl e thou thin e o wn self ! The world s rein Go d ’

h olds fast !

26 .

Uneasy is the worl d u nea sy is the heart

, ,

An d each to each doth ne w uneasiness impart .

In heaven alone is rest in heaven alone is peace

, .

O h from the world and self to part an d find release

,

Come Pea ce o f G od breathe o ut the tem pest from

, ,

my breast !
Th e tur moil o f the w orld baptiz e into thy rest !

27
.

Man buried in himself cannot the world control ;

, ,

S urrendered to the w orld he loses his o wn so ul

, .

Give thysel f up to it then take thyself again ;

,

So only canst thou joy an d happiness attain .

Like to the bo dy s breath the S pirit s breath must be

’ ’

Warm fro m the lungs it goes fresh it comes back to ,

thee .
 WIS D OM OF TII E BRAH MIN .

28 .

The Wo rld an d I wage war ; in G od th e strife is

'
o e r;

Fo r Wo rld and l in G o d are o ne fo revermore .

Against wild beasts witho ut th o u fencest in th y

g ro und ;
Mennwhiie thy inner field with o ut defence is fo und
No untininetio n in to tisfying i
’

pens o n sa ,

The pence o f lo ve nio ne co nquers by p aci fying .

‘
Io wnr nnd s trife ha ve ye full o ft perverted wit
'

‘
lint no te it pnnooinl vein also belo ngs to it
.
.

20.

Freedo m and
‘
l eeee twin so unds 1—th ro ugh con
iiie t ee me to life ;
The hnd of P eace bloo ms fo rth fro m blood of Free
‘
dmn n s trife .

True Libe rty ( 1 me n he m Nature

. , se ts th ee fre e ,
Fro m thine o wn nature, net t he Eternal c rc ling
i

V ith l i berty its elf Nature is no t at war ,

lint the n . sew-warring . rnek st

‘
th e hum an ly beings

f in peace alo ne ca n nu ke th h eavenly o nes agre e

:
e
.

When in than Beauty W is Nature a nd Libert v .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

In huts groupe d rou nd these fla mes a pea ceful race o f

Guebers
Lo ng time have d welt and there p ur s ue their quie t
,

labors .

The kin dly fire h as well its worshippers re warded ,

And pleas ant win ter ho mes without their pains

a ccord ed

A house with roof and walls o f well shaped stones is

,
-
,

fo und
’
Awaiting each one s choice where er he finds his
’

gro und
The builders need not there fo r house lots come to -

blo ws ;
At ple asu re on all sides the ring o f houses gro ws
For every where alike strea ms upward fro m the earth
The holy fire an d makes each hou se itself a hearth
,
.

Covering the basement floor a clay concrete yo u see

,

B etween the inhabitant an d his divinity .

Yet openings there are le ft where from within the

, ,

earth ,

The elem ental force entreated may come forth

, ,

Y o u thrust into the chink a ree d encased in clay ,

’
And at your pleasure gui de the fire spirit s way -
.

Wherever in th e house the reed s clay m o nth yo u turn

’
.

Touched by a spark the gas with l ovely light will

burn .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N . 139

With out or cost or care yo u h ave year afte r year ,

An ever bu m ing lamp convenient clean and clear

-
, , , .

So h ave I seen enringed with floating so ft ree d lights

, ,
-
,

Th e l inen wea vers w eave all thr o ugh the livel ong
-

n igh ts .

But if one wis h perchance co ffee or meats to boil

, , ,

Another chink sends up a fla me o f blaz ing o il ,

A flame than which no wood or coal fir e burns more

As goo d as either one and not by far s o dear , .

T is a self kindling fi re and burns o n at o n e s will

’ ’
-
,

And quietly goes o ut when h idde n to be still , .

From the l east chink it streams forth with the

grea test migh t ,

An d from re stra int o nce freed grows to th e tall est

, ,

I
’
ve seen it , fro m a mouth two inches wide stre am ,

An d ris e at first three feet and sin k at last to two , .

When thou hast do ne with it th o u needest but a light ,

Wave o f a fan ; and lo ! it smiles and si nks from

1
sight .

I ts subterra nea n hous e it seeks again : th e door

Thou closest ; and it dwell s in stillness as before .

1 Th ey n ever b lo w o ut a l igh t, because th eir breath is th o ugh t

to pollute it . Tr .
 WI SD OM OF TH E B RAH MI N .

Then does its w arm th alone proof of its presen c e

g ive ,

For there all winter long with open doors they live .

This is b ut one of all the forms the Fire sprit e -

takes ;
A second o f its power proof more resplenden t
, ,

makes .

As an inflammable th ing within the house it sl eeps ;

, ,

So an unburning fire along th e fields it s weeps

, , .

O ft in Septe m ber when the warm a ut um nal rain

,

Freshens the evening a ir the Sprite is there again

, .

Th en far and wid e where er the eye ca n rea ch th e

’

l and
Heaves like a tossing sea o f fire on every h and
O fttimes the fiery sea in monstrous billo ws rolled
, ,

Pours masses do wn the hills that scarce the vales

c an hold

Then in O ctober wh en the moon ill umes th e night

, , ,

The w estern ridges all laugh with a bl ue fireligh t ;

But when the night is thick a m any col ored spark ,
-

ling
D arts glimm e ring round the fields and all the hills ,

lie darkling .

Myself with such a fire enwrapt I sa w at night

, ,

The caravan s whole camp fill ed with the wondro us

’

light
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

W h en abo ve ground no more one wanderi ng flame

, ,

is seen ,

But each works on belo w behin d its earthl y scr een ; ,

Then in the Springtime lo ! in colors thou sa n d fol d

, ,
-
,

The flames like roses break sponta neous from th e

mold
An d hence the name by which th e region is well
known
R ose pa r a dise
-
fit name all wh o have seen it o wn
, , .

All wh o have seen it o wn with won der an d with ,

praise ,

H o w to Go d s glory th ere the lo vely rose fires blaz e

’
- .

Yellow blu e naphth a He tra ns figures to cheek red

-
,
-
,

1
An d even by brimstone stea m the rose s breath is fed
-
,
’
.

I bro ught away the rose ; it fad e d l ong ago ;

Yet the extin guished Spark still makes devotion s ’

gl o w .

32 .

The holy Ve da when thou readest in the night

By lamplight see that t h ou ten d carefully the light
, ,

That it may not b urn dim nor flicker nor yet flare ,

And so dis turb thy sense with fi tful gloom an d glare .

1 It b urn s with a yello wish wh ite flam e, an d e x pl o d e s wh en

mix ed with at mo sph eric a ir, whi ch are pro p erties o f car bur et te d
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N . 1 43

And pl a ce be fore the light a screen th at there may

,

com e
No breath o f air to stir its equilibrium ;
N o r fly night butterfly nor any winged thi ng
,
-
, ,

Attracted by thy light therein may singe h is wing

, .

F or while thou think st on Him wh o being gave to

’

all.

No t fo r th at ca use one life ho uld perish howe er ’

s ,

sm al l .

cons ecrated fla me to death Should e er

n v

bring ,

Nor lead as tray one blind , unconsecrated th ing .

33 .

The holy Veda if with profit thou wil t read ,

Thy soul and sense mu st be fro m all disturbance

freed
In a clean qu iet place thou first must fix thy seat ,

Where flowers perfu m e an d trees o e rsh a do w thy ’

retreat ;
Where glas sy waters lave a green and grassy shore ,

Where cooling breezes wave but never storm win d s

,
-

roar ;
Where no sh rill note o f bird no wild beas t s mu t,
’

tering moan ,

Nor E cho s voice is heard nor faintest human tone

’
, .
 WI SD OM OF T HE BR AH MIN .

Read only while the air s cal m bal ance is unstir re d ; ’

But cease th y readi ng whe n the th under spe aks its

word ,

When the rain patters do wn when th e st orms brew ,

at night ,

When flickers in the ind thy watch lamp s tre m

w -
’

bling light .

Then only when the flame b urns to the top unben t ,

Profou nd devotion fin ds its proper element .

When fr om the well fed wick the light s glan ce -

’

up ward turns ,

The soul fr om earthly th ings abstracte d heavenwar d

, ,

yearns .

Yet when l oud Nature sounds God s praises in th y ea r ’

The Scripture s voice is h ushed which mind alon e

’

can hear .

e t
4 t ( h
?
b u e

34 .

The holy Veda hol ds Go d s Word reveale d to men ; ’

But where is kept the key to u nl ock its mean ing

then
T is in the Ve d itself which cl ear to the clear eye
’
, , ,

O ut o f itself explains itself suffi cingly .

So ever did Go d s Word its o wn cl ear sens e unfold

’

O nly the speech in which it speak s is n o w gro wn

old .
 37 .

Attentiveness my son I reco mmend to thee

, , ,

In what thy mind is on with all thy so ul to be

, .

Thinking o f other things than wh at thy teacher says ,

Thou but h al f hear st his word and no thing by th e e

’

stays .

But th o u h a st nothing else to think o f happil y , ,

An d un dividedly canst give thy mind to me .

This one advantage h as the boy above the m an ,

Who m his o wn thoughts will still beset do what h e ,

can.

So many side th oughts while he listens fill his he a d

-
, , ,

He cannot fully hear o n e word o f what is said

38 .

Yawning dear so n indee d is quite involuntary

, , , ,

Yet to unl earn the trick fo r thee is necessary

, , .

I n ever yet observed th at when thou h adst be fore

,

thee
Any good thin g to e at a yawnin g fit came o er
,
’

thee ;
At least if in the midst o f ch ewing tho u shoul d s t
,
’

stop
To yawn thy open mo uth th e morsel well migh t
,

drop .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

But learning makes thee yawn at once ; whereby I see ;

Eating fa r pl easanter than learning is to thee .

Opening thy mo uth to yaw n tho u sh uttest up thy ear ,

The teacher s w ord is lost ; thou rt deaf and ca nst

’ ’

not hear .

O pening thy mouth to yawn tho u sh uttest to thy ,

eyes ,

And there the printed page a blank before thee lies .

The sweets o f learning sure thou never ca nst have

, ,

tas ted ,

Else would thy hours no more be in s wee t ya wning

ww md
Kn owledge shalt tho u my so n a s weetmeat als o
, , ,

reckon ,

Which is from th e soul s mouth by yawni ng rudely ’

shaken .

If then in st udying a yawn besets thee check it

, , , , ,

An d let its jail be tight as thy clenched teeth can

make it .

O f his expected bit Sir Yawn will th u s be cheated ,

And h is attempts ere long will be no more repeated

, , .

In all things must thou be hearty an d yet not heady ; ,

Though heart an d head must w ork in union cal m ,

and steady .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MIN .

Then let th e head he sound and let th e h eart be

strong ;
T h ough a strong head is goo d yet headstrongness is
,

wrong .

Ful ness o f will is good best when it is good will

, ,

H o w then comes wilf u lness to stan d fo r something ill

Tho u learn st hereby my chi ld h o w things fo r goo d
’

, , ,

designe d ,

May turn o ut bad when they perversely are combined

, .

Though a strong head is good and better wil l fo r

, ,

good ;
Wil ful and he adstrong these are but an e vil broo d .

40 .

Who is there free from care ? No m an on earth .

Th ough strong
Thy mo untain n o w may s tand the qu estion is : H o w
,

l ong
Whoso is free himself in othe rs feels oppressed
, ,

For wh o is blest that sees h is fellow men unbl est ? -

41 .

Those two old palms that side by side o erlo ok th e

,
’

land ,

Not to their native earth they o we that still they

stand ;
 WI SD O M OF T H E B RAH MIN .

In hono r o f the word a pious poet spake ,

Here my tri umphal car may well a circuit m ake .

But ye shall s tan d till s torm or age your fra m e hath

rent
That was the e vil thing pe rch ance th e p oet meant
, .

42 .

Forth fro m a rocky cleft among high mountain steeps

, ,

A water sweet and c old o f w ondrous virtue leaps ;

, ,

It flo ws forth once a year onl y a certain day , ,

An d whoso seeks it then a well man goes away ,

The water gushes o ut in volum e more or less ,

As fe w or m any come fo r c ure to that recess .

Still fewer every year o f pil grims climb th e moun t

, , ,

An d wh en none co m es at all dried up will be th e foun t

, .

43 .

’
N o rth e astward, mong the hills , a st o g wall ed town
r n -

Wher ein a singular folk for ages l ong h ave dwel t .

They thi nk fo r pious men future s alvation waits

, ,

And dail y they expect th e Saviour at their gate s . .

With the first peep o f day in b ann ered pomp and ,

pride ,

Full armed they mount their steeds and from th e

-

castle ride .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N . 1 51

To meet th e coming o ne their prancin g e d they

st e s

sp ur ,

As if he ha d sent on expre ss a messenger ,

As if to day had been fo r his arrival set ;

-

And if the sun comes-up an d h as not brought him yet ,

Then they ri de sadly back wi th looks that see m to

,

failed
’
B efore th eir lips h ave s poke He s again
”
to day
- l

44 .

I wi thmy Mas ter ro de a pilgrim thro ugh the land ;

, ,

Fro m th e fierce noon we so ught for rest a tree at

hand
A tiger with fierce bound s prang fro m th e woo d ;
and me
An u nreflectin g fear impelled to cl imb the tree .

And looking do wn I saw where my companion sat ,

B e fore him th e wild beast wh o all his rag e forgat .

He faw ned and licked his feet as any house dog tam e ,
-
,

An d walked back to the wood whence h e so fiercely ,

cam e .

Then I crept down ashamed ; b ut we went on o ur

way ,
And sought at night where we o ur weary li m bs
sho ul d lay
1 52 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

Midnigh t ha d n o w gone by when a small ins ect ,

stung

My mas ter that h e groa ned ; th en wonder loosed my

,

Thou from a tiger s jaws didst yesterday go free ;

’
'

H o w coul d an i nsect s sting to night hav e woun ded

’
-
,

thee
He answere d : Man s heart h as two different states
’
,

my so n .

Happy if all the time it coul d abide in o ne

Yesterday I by day was in God s hands al one
, ,
’

That was t e better sta te ; to night I m in my

h -
’
o wn .

45 .

I saw one night his roo m lit by a to rch s gl ow

’

, , ,

My mas ter deep in thought go pacing to and fro

, ,
.

So light his step h is so lo seemed scarce to touch th e

,

floor ,

While in lo w m urmur ing talk an eager p art h e

-
,

bore .

Then opened he his eyes and seeing me stan d by , ,

”
!

Y es mas ter
”
What ! art thou here ? h e said , ,

ans were d I .

”
H o w l ong A good long time .

further th en he said
,

But I bes o ught O ne ray o f light 0 mas ter Sh ed ! , .

1 54 WISD OM O F TH E BRAH MI N .

Thou Priest a shepherd art my fold and stall to

, , ,

keep ,

And tho u shalt give ac co unt h o w thou h ast kept my

sh eep,
T h ou Teacher h as t a flock to teach an d guide a nd
, ,

guard ,

S h alt give ac co un t to Me h o w thou h ast kept thy,

Tho u Soldier h ast a spear fo r shepherd s crook in

, , ,
’

hand ,

Sh al t give a ccount h o w stands th e honor o f the lan d

T h ou Citizen in th y estate a shepherd art
, , , ,

Sha lt give account h o w well thou h a st performe d thy

part .

Tho u Father h ast o er wife and ch il d a shepherd s

, ,
’ ’

care ,

Sha lt give account h o w thou that sacred trust dids t

bear .

’
Thou Servant o er thy l ord s goods art as shepher d
, ,
’

placed ,

Shalt give account h o w thou hast guarded them from

was te .

Aye shepherds are ye all and kn ow that ye sh all

, ,

be
C alled fo r yourselves an d flocks to give a cco unt to
Me .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN . 1 55

47 .

Where S cience happily with Essen ce coincides ,

The centre o f the world in conscio usness resi des .

In consciousness alone thou findest what is found

.
,

Wh en w ith the inner world an outer one is bound .

O nl y in consciou sness when G o d shall dawn on thee

, ,

Thy yearning is appeased thou hast Him really

, .

H e s not thy thought nor given to thee ; in thee He

’

l ives ,

And cons cious life to thee and a live world He gives

, , .

48 .

If with perpetual strain thou aim st at th e Divine

’

Thou canst not hold o ut so thou mu st the task

resign .

Yet if fro m the Divine thy aim is turn ed asid e ,

Then all its w orth is gone its vigor all h as died

,
.

O nl y half way between to o far and near can win

-

A standing place fo r thee to will and work therein

-
.

S uch place God gives He l ets th ee d o wi th gladness

,

here
Thy work and w orks th rough thee at once far o ff
, ,

a n d near ;

! ust as a planet needs the influ ence o f the s un ,

From which it neither flies nor into it d oth run .

 WI S D OM OF TH E B RAH MI N .

49 .

God sayest thou

, mus t nee ds have mad e th e
,

very be st ;
A better world co uld not have issue d from h is bre ast .

For it befits the All goo d Alm ighty an d All wise

-
, ,
-

To m ake the bes t that in tho ugh t s ample st circle ’

lies.

Tho u wil t not grant th at He freest o f all was free

, ,

To m ake things otherwise th an they have com e to

be !
But let me tell thee wh at I he ard a poet say ,

’
O f whom I aske d abo ut the S upreme Poet s way .

He said A prej udi ce spellbinds th e lay folk s -

’

eyes
Wh en a perfected work o f art before them lies ,

To think th at it j ust so must need s have bee n

arra nged ,

And not a stone in all the building can be changed

’
The b uildi ng being d one true there s no change to
,

make ,

Yet to the perfecting were various roads to take .

An d every poet know s ho wev er he may prize

,

His finished work he might still m ake it otherwise

,
.

And if he sho ul d do so then y o u w o uld still agree

,

”
This was the very best ; no other w o uld there be .
 WISD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

Wax softens in the sun but clay gro ws h ard an d dry ;

,

Favor does goo d to o ne one is mad e worse thereby

, .
”

53 .

Th e m an with whom n o faul t his neighbors e er could ’

find ,

F or him a pla ce w ith God is certainly as signed .

Who with h is neighbors here no peace can e er main ’

ta in
Will not be welcomed there where calms eternal ,

reign .

He wh o so ws strife be tween thee and thy neighbor ,

Poisons the common well from which ye both do

drink .

Not all good neighbo rs are wh o do not work thee ill ,

But he wh o vexe d by th ee remai ns thy neighbor sti ll

, , .

Tradition says Who plots h is neighbor to ensnare ,

God will the neighbor make o f that man s hous e th e ’

heir .

It says too in the prayer

, ,
God guard us evermore
From neighbor s eye and ear at windo w blin d an d
’
-

d oor .

He sees clear through the w all to thy most secret

place ,

Thy goings o ut an d in thy every track and trace

,
.
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

The good h e sees that makes his h e art wi thin h im

,

s or e ;

The evil that he sees he tells from door to door .

An evil neighbor is an ill th ou ne er canst flee .

’
,

Whom thr o ugh thy windo w thou each day art fo rced
to see .

What bo ots it ,
in thy ground thy kitchen herbs to
so w,

If neighbor o er th y hedge h is roots an d rubbish

’

throw
”
Why wilt thou sell thy house good man ? the ,

people cried .

B ecause I cann ot sell my neighbor he replied ,

54 .

A way h as been devised by th e goo d King o f Lahore ,

For scattering generous alms from h is abunda nt sto re .

E ach month the scal es are brought and in them he is

weighed
With coins both great and small which in his m int
, ,

were m ade .

The King is placed as weight in one s cale o f the

t wain ,

An d in the other coin exact to o unce and grain

, ,
.

Will he be simply kind in silver it is told ,

If generously inclined they mix there with some gold

,
.
 WISDOM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

And m uch as he weighs in alms h e straigh t

so ,

bestow s ;
Without one piece kept back to bless th e poo r it ,

goes .

O h wo ul d o ur gra cious Prin ce be pl eas ed th e poo r

, ,

men p ray ,

”
Not every month to take the scal e b ut every day ,
.

They pray their Prince may wax fatter and heavier .

Woe !
Leaner and ligh ter still ea ch day they see him
gro w
The princely bo dy soon a feather will o utweigh
, .

N0 gold nor silver yet the poor will get that day
, , .

55 .

A haughty kitchen pot said to a gourd flask once

- -

What art tho u besi de me but j ust a striped

dunce ?
I wrought with c are and skill do service h ere but
'

, ,

thou ,

As if sprung forth from naught art here I know not , ,

h ow .

Thou in the sun wast warmed whil e th e h ot fir e ,

baked me ;
I s weated on the hearth w hile the cool shade lulled
,

thee .
 WI SDOM OF TH E BR AH MI N .

Th e r ose thorn hel d the l ock

- in h is sh arp fin gers

T h en came th e nightingale ; to buil d h er nest sh e

s o ught .

O pen th y h and sh e said a nd give the l ock to

, ,

me ;
And when my n est is built my th anks I ll sing to
’

”
thee .

He gav e sh e to ok and b uilt ; and at h er s ong s last

,
’

tone ,

Fro m th e swee tbrier bush th e r ose fo r joy h as flo wn .

57
.

All tations from th e sea to Ganges fountain head

s ,
’
-
,

The faith ful T eacher h as as pilgri m visited .

At every holy strea m which into G anga flo ws ,

He knelt in prayer a nd bathed a nd cl eansed from sin ,

aros e .

Then to h is solitude he brings b ack the perfume ,

Memory o f Go d s rich grace and o f Creation s

’ ’

bloom
An d in his s olitude the glorio us image he
,

Unfolds o f Na ture s pomp and Go d s vast majesty

’ ’
.

To hang upon h is lips may scholars w ell repair ;

They hear th e holy streams mingle their murmurs
there .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR A H MI N .

58 .

A dro plet in th e cup o f offering left undrained ,

A rice grain fro m the feas t o f offering that remained

-
, ,

An ash grai n from the fire o f sacrifice preserved

-
,

A withered ro se that once as votive offering served ,

With deep d e votion take with deeper re verence too , ,

A word that drops from h im th y teacher thy Guru , , .

Prize it not less nay more than do th e lover s eyes

, ,
’

The love remembrances o f h is bel oved prize

-

Wherein love Seems to see the highes t heaven brought

nigh ,

But not th ro ugh what they are through what they

signify .

59 .

—
A nobleman there was by name u nkn o wn to me
O f who m they tell his dog was cunninger than he
,
.

W h ene er this courtier went to pay th e ho mage due

’

Within th e palace gates the dog w ent with him too ;

O
,

And foll owe d in till once w ithin the palace wall

, , ,

Th e prince s hou nd did h im un merciq y m aul

’
.

Thenceforth he did not dare to venture th rough the

gate .

But stayed o utside and there wo ul d fo r his m aster

,

wart .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAHMIN .

Then said th e nobleman My dog m ore wisdom

shows ,

Who to the palace gate and no step fur th er goes ,

Be cause h e once therein was plucked in hide a nd

But I , so often plucke d continue enterin g there

, .

60 .

Thus to a handsome dame a wise fool said one day ,

W h o at her windo w s tood fo r S how in rich array :

!
If fo r th y hus ba nd thou h ast donne d this gorgeo us
gear ,

Then leav e th e windo w ! P ray wh at use in staying

,

here ,

Except to make us trip an d stumble on th e stones ,

While l ooking up at thee and fal l a n d break o ur

,

”
bones ?
166 WI SD O M O F TH E BRAH MIN .

But what the Past h as l eft is no warmed over dish ; -

The fruit o f Paradis e remaineth ever fresh .

’
The beaker s fairest place the drinker s h and I ,
’
,

think ;
The o nl y fairer one is on h is warm lip s brink ’
.

O h were my book itself the beaker I h ave s ung

, ,

In a friend s hands one hour the next upon h is

’

tongue .

4
.

Humanity s highest r each wo ul d my song s mirror

’ ’

glass ,

Yet not its lowest things unimaged would I pass ;

,

For m any by the type o f greatness are mad e free ,

And m any are consoled th at s mall thin gs fair can

be .

B ooks o f pretension be read connectedly ;

w ill
This m akes the journey long and wearisome to
thee .

This u npretending one makes e asy stages friend , ,

F or where yo u wis h to stop there yo u h ave reached

,

an en d .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

A fragment which has power to think u pon its

w hol e,
W h ich seeks completeness still and ne er attains the ’

goal
S uch d oes man find himself when consciou s o f his ,

place ,

And this desire it is that binds h im to his race

,
.

But fragmen ts great or s mall a whole will n e er

’

, ,

have gro
Th e world becomes complete in Go d an d God al one ,
.

7 .

There an o ld word which makes the soul to be a

’
s ,

light ,

Revealing all things else but hid itself from sight , .

’
Creation s open page bright in its lustre lies ;
The light s o wn inner self elu des the sharpest eyes
’
.

! ust as the sun through space peers with ten thou

san d rays ,

An d yet the small est clou d can hide it from thy

gaz e .

The cl oudy veil t is true melts fr om be fore the

,
’

s un ;
And from th e Spirit too will once the nigh t be gone ?
168 WI SD OM OF T HE BR AH MIN .

It passes and thou seest the light o f bliss ; but dazed

, , ,

Thine eye sees na ught as if into the sun it gazed

, .

8 .

The contradiction in man s nature to ex plain ’

Many the n otio n have two so ul s within him reign ;

,

By th is incline d to goo d by th a t to ill im pell e d

, ,

By each in turn is he a willing s ubject h eld

And others thought o f o ld two angels each man ha d , ,

O n either sid e o f him one goo d the other bad

, , ,

E ach whispering in h is ear the other s voice to dro wn ’

Th is one to li ft h im up and that to drag him d o wn

, .

Not in two so uls belie ve nor in two angels tho u !

, ,

Freedom man s proper po wer thou shalt not dis

,
’
,

allo w .

The contradiction s there Wo uld st kno w whence

’
.
’

comes it ? See
The two opposing stuffs whence God h ath fas hione d
thee.

That he might make in thee o ut o f the twain a , ,

whole ,

Thy bo dy from the earth from heaven he took thy ,

soul
The body formed o f earth must earthl y things
, ,

d esire ,

The spirit born

, of heaven to heavenly things aspire
, .
 WISD O M OF T HE BRAH MIN .

As flow ers from nipping frost and skies where s to rm ,

w in d s broo d ,

S o B eauty m ust be spared contac t w ith all things

rud e .

11 .

OfB eauty is no lack nor o f perceiving eyes ;

,

Why is then in the world B eauty so great a prize ?

, , ,

l
B eauty scattered lies so sca tter ed , to o , m an s
’
so ,

mind ,

That seldo m gen uine joy they in each other fin d .

Hast thou a ttained a bliss no more thy aim canst ,

mi s s
E xult not yet ! A wo e lurks haply behin d this I
For seest thou not ? The bloo d fro m the boy s finger
’

flows ,

Pierced by the hidden thorn what time he plucked

the rose .

13 .

The w orl d is like an inn a rider comes at night ,

Is fed an d lodge d an d then jogs on at m orning light

,
.

The pleasure o f the w orld is like a flo wer ; at dawn

It bloom s nor dreams ere night its glory will be gone
, .

1 Do uble sen s e o f zerstr en t ( h er e , dis tr a it ! . Tr .

 WI S D OM OF TH E BRAH MI N . 171

14 .

What this worl d giveth thee what this world to ok ,

from thee ,

Does one awaken joy the other misery ?

,

F or what it giveth thee tho u shalt acco unt one day ;

,

For what it took from thee Go d s blessing is thy pa y

’

, .

Poor mortal s happines s is mostly not to know

’

Unhappiness his joy security from wo e

, , .

Destr uction fro wns an d flees in freedo m he aves ,

breast ;
That he calls happiness calls it h is being blest
,
.

16 .

Doubt makes th ee hesitate doubt fires thy zeal ,

a ne w ;

It serves to hold thee back and lure thee onward ,

too
.

The d oubt that urges on that never rests is goo d

, ,

Ba d is the stagnant numb an d soul benumbing broo d

, ,
-
.

That some what good an d fair lies unattained be fore

him ,

O f th a t no good man feels a singl e do ubt steal o er

’

him .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N.

Whether aught goo d or fair has been atta ined as

yet ,

O f tha t the best o f men is with strong do ubts

beset .

1
Doubt gives thee wings to rise to ever loftier
heights ;
1
Despair drags do wn thy soul to ever deeper nights .

17 .

O f things tho u well mayst doubt , whether or w hat

one is
Of thine o wn being s ure no doubt hast tho u, , of

B e certa in o f thyself the starting point is here ;

Then to all kn o wledge tho u sh alt fin d the entrance
clear .

Obj ects are o ut of thee that by their n ame is

sho wn
Yet in thee too fo r ther e are they to thee made
,

kno wn .

Thus things are do ubled see m to be bi formed to -

thee ,

O r Split in t wain because self contradictory

,
-
.

1 Zwezfel and ver zwez elung are

jf th e German words .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

20 .

Askest thou what is Time and what E ternity ?,

Where does the one begin the other cease to ,

be
Time is no more when thou the veil o f sense has t
riven ,

When the Eternal lifts thy spirit to its heaven .

Time is not there exists only E ternity .

Eternity alone fills ti me ete rnally .

T is that in Ti me w hose life goes on self pro

’
-

creating ,

True Present thro ugh all Ti me its elf pe rp etuating

, .

Where Past an d Future hid fro m sigh t a Present

, ,

fold eth ,

There in itself thy soul Eternity behold eth .

Where Pas t an d F uture both as Present thou be

, ,

holdest ,

There as a treas ure found Ete rnity thou holdest

, , .

21 .

Where are the bo unds o f space a nd time ?

askest friend
, .

Where hath infini ty this side and that an end ?

, ,

Yon der it ends in Go d hither it ends in thee ;

,

B etween the phantom lies men c all infinity

, .
 WI S D O M O F T HE BRAH M IN . 175

This phantom bet ween God and thee let disappear ; ,

T h en space a nd time collapse There is forever , ,

IIere .

The legend says when men were building that high

,

to wer ,

F or that they trusted more their o wn strength than

God s po wer
’

H o w Go d their daring scheme to ba ffle and bewil d er

, ,

Confuse d their tongu es and s o set b uilder against

,

bu ilder ;
So that they found it best after long strife a n d ,

pother ,

To separate fo r none co ul d und erstand the other

, .

And so fo r good and all each seize d on sack and

pack,

And trudge d his several way h is goods upon his ,

back .

Whereof the sun dr y tongues in all the co untries

aro und ,

N o w writ or spoke on earth among the sacks w ere

,

fo un d ;
For every one s o great the po wer o f selfishness
, ,

Though he forgot all el se thought o f his sack ,

natheless .
 WISD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

And no one to this day in life s most hurried hour

,
’
,

Forgets the sack he brought home w ith him from the

tower .

Earn an estate that tho u may st leave it to an heir

,
’

A nam e too w hich one d ay he may with honor wear

, , .

H o w little man enjoys o f all that this w orld len d s ,

Unless his span o f tim e a future comprehen d s !

What thou has t not enjoyed thy children will tho u , ,

th in k st ;
’

And in this dream to sleep contentedly tho u sink st

,
’
.

24 .

’
Thou say st : What I proposed to yond er man
!
o ne

day.
Receives fro m him as yet no ans w er yea or nay , .

Thou askest Sho ul d I be content to leave it so ?

Shall I demand at length his ans wer yes or no ? ,
”

Yes if witho ut chagrin thou the hard w ord canst

,

hear ,

Then give him the chagrin to speak it in thy ear .

25 .

He w h o fo r want of
sense forsakes the beaten way ,

(1 in th e tangle d wild o f w ilfulness will stray ,

1 78 WI S D OM O F TH E BRA H M IN .

But wise men as we hope s o in all lands abound

, , ,

That kingly seats enough fo r all co ul d not be foun d .

T were sha m e too fo r the w ise if he sho uld be a

’

, , ,

Kaiser
Or King yet w ise no m ore in stead o f being wiser
, , .

Yet if th a t wise ma n mu st be King a n d he alone , ,

ll
Who s ti is ise when King
w — then farewell to the ,

throne !

28 .

O nce on a time Might Strength and Force , , ,

all three
weremet ,

B ent on a work whereto their hands were jointly set .

Force came equippe d w ith arms ; Strength w ith h is ,

braw ny a rm
His only w eapon ; Might o f liegeman l ed a s warm , .

Yet had not E nergy the trio lent his aid ,

A wretched botch wo uld they with all their po wers , ,

have m ad e .

Might backed by Strength and Force b ut scantily

, ,

avails ,

0 King if Energy (mark this ! ! o f spirit fails

, .

They r e o f the worl d the three ; but Energy s

’

,
’

d ivine ;
If Heaven l end not its aid Earth s po wers in v ain
’
,

co mbine .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

29 .

N0 more unkingly trait than grudging can there be ;

By grudging is a king reduced to beggary .

A beggar w ell may grudge a beggar his last cru mb ,

For what the other gets o ut o f h is need must com

, e .

But wherefore sho uld a king begrudge men any

thing
F or naught which others n eed is nee dful to a king .

Grace is the co meliest robe o f all a king can w ear ,

And not to have his grace thou with go od grace ,

must bear .

But whe n in gru dging he t akes a n ungracious

pleasure ,

The d emon grudges him a king s most precious

’

treas ure .

The class below reflects the upper s strength or ’

w e akness ,

Its folly or good sense its arrogance or m eekness

, .

W ise men have said this not fo r mere h umiliation

,

O f princes nor yet fo r the peopl e s excul pation

’
.
,

Bad mo d els do not force men to be bad wh o h ave

them ,

But do ubly sin ful they wh o bad example gave the m .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAHMIN .

31 .

O ne glance at his true men the lead er s soul inspires ’

;
And so one glance o f h is theirs with n ew courage
,

fires .

They give h im confidence ; he gives them hardihoo d ;

He gives his wealth fo r them ; fo r him they give
their blo od .

He in his single ar m o f thousan ds feels the might ;

, ,

A tho usand hearts thro ugh h im as in one heart

u nite .

Co m mand er an d command th us feeli ng as one man ,

What w onder if he works w on ders none singly can ?

O ut o f light du st is m assed an earth wall o f d efence ;
-

What o n ce a p uff dislo dged d efies the elements ;

,

So fi rm and strong is that which concord s glue ’

cements .

Each has his load to bear ! Shall he then help h is

brothers
B ear theirs a n d plagu e hi mself wi th ad d ed plagues
,

o f others ?

Thou w ilt not so halve their s b ut only make thine

,

double ;
I know a better w ay with far less pai n and tro uble
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

35 .

H o w gl orious t is to feel by the soul s inward sight

’
,
’

Light after light come up and dark clouds take their

flight !
The glory o f the lights though yet thou m ayst not see ,

And shado ws o f the clouds linger twixt them an d ’

.

thee ,

Th ou kneel st before th e shrine and Truth s half

’

,
’

lifte d veil ,

Gazing where soon tho u shal t the full effulgence h ail

36 .

Withou t a future li fe and God s upreme in heaven ,

Tho u say st no moral law could ever have been given

’
.

Yet History says and show s that o n the heart ,

im presse d ,

The moral law s ustains itself withi n man s breast ’

.

He wh o h as stamped it there is God all needs mus t ,

ow n ;
And He has stamped it there not fo r this li fe al one .

Still me n may quite forget fo r what t was given forget ’

,

Who gave it an d the la w live in the conscience yet ;

,

Th us they wh o know not God are not by H im for ot g ,

And honor the true God although they name Hi m

not.
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MIN . 1 83

37 .

I h ave become what thou o rdain é d st me to be ’

Th e spirits ro un d Thee all are range d by Thy

decree .

O ne is preferred by Thee another kept behin d

, ,

Yet this one misses not the goo d to him assigne d .

He whom Thou sette st up the world will glorify

, , ,

And he w h o l owest stan d s ca n pra ise Thee the most ,

High .

Thou in the rugged path of conflict lead est one

,

Another born o f wings Thou w a fte s t lightly on

, , .

This shall not boast h is wings nor that his m artial

might ;
Thy wis dom gave one strength the other spee d o f ,

flight .

Nor yet let either vaunt himself above h is brother ;

I will ad mire th e one and envy not the other
, .

O n different heights they hold each a lik e lofty

seat ;
The conflict h o w sublim e ! the bliss o f gods h o w
, ,

sweet !
Pr aise to the man wh o knows his power wh o know s ,

h is bliss ,

And ow ns with grateful mind that it is Thine not ,

h is .
 WI SD O M OF TH E B RAH MI N .

38 .

Love is o f many kind s The Univers al loves .

Itself ; God in hi mself eternal raptur e proves .

Th e Universal then l oves the Partic ul ar too ;

, ,

A breath o f love fro m God flo ws all crea tion

through .

And the Particular l oves the Universal th en ,

That is as m uch as Th ou Go d canst be l o ve d by , ,

men
Part can w ith part alone in perfect l ove unite ,

T is l ove to Thee that doth my love to m an incite ;

’

I am a flo wer dus t grain an d will on flo w ers alight

-
,
.

39 .

When in its helplessness a little child I se e

, , ,

I th ink h o w before Go d such children too are we

, , , , .

H o w couldst thou help thyself if He were not poor , ,

heart ,

As pitiful to thee as to thy child tho u art ?

,

40 .

Two sunbeam s w and ering forth from the great fount

,

o f flame ,

Forgot upon the way the so urce from whi ch they

, ,

ca me .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

41 .

My evening joy is not that many a song I ve ‘ ’

sung ;
It is to know that none misforme d to life hath
sprung .

What o dds if none wa s born ? Yet one abortive

I m ust torment myself about it all day long .

The life it had fr om me I ca nnot take again

The poor misshape n chil d I needs m ust take an d
train.

42 .

F ull many a time h ave I ret uned my psaltery s ’

strin g ,

With every change my years or changeful times

might bring .

Full gra ve is n o w its tone whate er its cause may

,
’

be
,

Wh ether the times or a e have wrought the ch ange

g

in me .

The ti mes are serio us n o w even to the youthful

,

cre w,

M uch more to him whose years an d hairs are

thin ning too .
 WI S D OM O F TH E BRAH MI N . 187

43 .

My yo uth was dark an d sa d, the fault wa s all min e

o wn ;
That no w my age is bright thanks to Thy grace ,

alone .

H o w co ul d I dare to boast my gifts before Thy

face
’
I ne er can pay my debt can ne er repay Thy grace
’
, .

The sparkling heavens are full of stars both near and

fa r,
And n o w wh ich o f them all may be my lucky star ?
I wish that I coul d o nc e see where that fair star
stood ,

An d no unl ucky star were in its neigh borhood !

Well if the goo d one s place may not be shown to
,
’

me,
m spare d the fright t w oul d w ake the evil one to
’ ’
I
s ee .

45 .

’
There s one thou never seest tho ugh standing at thy ,

sid e ;
Another s always seen remov ed by distance w id e
’

,
.
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRA H MIN .

What farthest o ff from th ee Thy w ish in its ful

’
s

fi lment .

And wh at is nearest man ? Thy death in its conceal

'

ment .

46 .

The soul o f pleasure friend is its swift vanishing ;

, ,

The very fear o f death is life s sharp seasoning ’

.

Fools grumble o er the feast its en d too soo n w ill

’

come ;
The wise man takes h is fill and goes co nten ted
home .

47

What seek st th ou Poet ? Fame

’
Can soap
,

bubbles a muse me ? ”

Riches Mere painte d bi ts o f p ainte d glass

”
E xcuse me !
”
To share the age s work ? But I am not its s o n !
’

”
The c ul ture o f the mind ? The thing is overdone !
W hat then to please th yself is all thou hast in vie w ?
,

To make myself believe I m doing something too ’

.
”

48 .

Thou h eare st wise men say : End uring what annoys

”
Is full as hard fo r thee as to reno unce thy joys .
 WISD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

Those raised too high wilt tho u as far abstra ction s

, ,

reckon ,

An d these depresse d too lo w regar d as God fo r

, ,
-

saken .

The things around thee thou as wort hless wil t

d espise
The far o ff things will seem only to mock thine eyes
-
.

Then will the real worl d d espite each scornful nam e

, ,

Assert upon thy heart all the more urgent claim ;

An d that ideal h o w high so e er t is prize d bythee
’ ’
, ,

Its feebl eness will prove an empty shad e to be .

Th us will they nullify and kill each other quite ,

And leave thy picture voi d o f shado w as o f light

Th en let me co unsel thee not th u s to part the
twfi n ;
From both united thou thy fruit alone canst gain .

Tho u seest h ow eve ry tr ee must have that it may ,

shoot
In air its summit free firm in the earth its root
, .

What tho u in heaven dost see that bring tho u d o wn

,

to earth ;
What here is built by thee to heaven let to wer forth
, .

Kernel fro m shell canst thou in every fruit divide ,

Yet is each fruit with both kernel and shell supplied .

If thou h as t come to taste the kernel that is w ell ; ,

Yet t is no shame to take a pl eas ure in the shell

’
.
 WISD OM OF T HE BRAH MIN . 1 91

52 .

Evil d estroy the worl d ? That were an idl e thought

A na ugh ty thing can bring o nl y itself to naught .

Yet so far it may rea ch by action indirect ,

Like pestil ence it may the heal thy part infect .

Its poison can i nfuse self murderous inclination ;

-

The wisest is not safe from its infatuation .

Here is the Pas sion which lights its o wn hell ; an d

,

there
The Doubt wh ich drives man down to depths o f
,

black despair .

This is the double form o f mo ral s uici de ;

What world and time can d o to thee is small besi de .

Man feels that he is call e d to i mmortality ;

An d yet h o w shadowy all w e do what shado ws
we !

S till though around within all else on earth is

, ,

fleeting ,

The sense o f deathl ess life h ides to the h eart s last ’

beating .

All I have done or sought all I h ave felt or ,

tho ught ,

Into one endless life with mine by God is wrought .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BRA H MIN .

My life a ship borne down a s wi ft resistless strea m

’
s ,

That leaves behin d no track no tra ce no ripple s , ,

’

gl ea m .

He wh o glides after me kno ws not wh o s wept

before ;
He wh o strides after me asks n o t wh o steppe d before .

W h o s tr uggles after me dream s not I fought before ;

Who s uffers after me feels not what pan gs I bore .

Mong all the breaths that stir his bough on life s

’ ’

great tree ,

Mine too is one although o f that small thought h as

, , ,

he .

My son , I freely o wn I have forgotten n o w ,

As o ld ma n many a thing I learne d when yo ung

, as

tho u .

But this for an excuse will not avail th ee yet ;

Tho u too must learn them first ere thou can st dare
, , ,

forget .

My son th e worth o f things is not the price they

,

bear ;
The com mon things are cheap an d costly w hat is ,

rare .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

An d o f thyself demand to wage a manly strife ;

Though victory s cape thy grasp in conflict find thy
’
,

li fe
.

Though baffled o ft thy blows not al ways sh all be

,

vain ;
Who h as gained nothing yet al one h as all to gain
, .

To me s uccess was slow an d late in its arriving ,

Yet n o w I prize far less the victory than the striving .

I woul d not have thy bark too long fro m port be

driven ;
Yet happy if to thee full time to unfold is given .

59 .

What road is that which thou not yet hast reache d ,

my so n,

L on g as th e one before yet a m uch shorter one ?

,

It is the roa d d o w n hill o er which e en n o w I stride ;

,
’ ’

Much slo wlier I came up climbing the other side

, .

I was more vigorous then yet was the journ ey ,

slower ;
N o w it is short and swift yet I a weary goer
,
.

60 .

Trust in the world yet not the worl d th y refuge

,

make th ee
Rely upon thyself when all men else forsake thee ;
 WI S D OM OF TH E BR AH MIN . 1 95

And when the very posts o f s el f reliance break -

,

Then trus t in God fo r He alone will ne er forsake

,
’
.

Wh at o nce fo r all is done let rest ; but has te thee

,

too ,

To do with dil igence that which tho u still canst d o .

Resign thyself to that which is past altering ,

And thou shal t feel n ew stren gth to do another

thing .

Make God thy sh iel d ! Who else can shield thee

in the way ?
And stay thyself on H im ! Wh om wilt tho u make
thy sta y ?
The malice o f the world be frien ds the sons o f G o d ,

An d foes that hin d er thee advance thee on the roa d

,
.

63 .

My child th ycradle days have long ago gone by ;

,
-

No w help thyself and make thy bed as thou wilt

,

lie .

My chil d,
thy cradl e days have long ago gone by
-

Thy wings have gro wn on thee m ake use o f them to ,

fly .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

My child thy cradl e days have long ago gone by ;

,
-

Who climbs the mo untain he alone sta n ds u p on high

, .

My ch ild thy cradle d ays have long ago gone by ;

,
-

Are lions in the way ? Move on and they shall fly , .

64 .

By suffering one grows wise anoth er s not his o wn ’

Happy w h o wis d om learns fro m oth er men s alone ’

.

E xamples m eet thine eyes their meaning take to

thee ,

That thou thyself may st not one day a warning be

’
.

65 .

When good is done by thee because thou hast not ,

been
The so urce o f it should that forbid thy joy therei n
,

As tho u m us t sadly r ue so o ft things badly d one ,

Shalt tho u not gladly vie w fo r once a w orthier one

66 .

The w eed, pull e d u p, sprouts forth again an d yet

agai n ;
An d evil must afresh by consta nt blows be slain .

As every morning thou mu st was h thy li m bs ane w ,

So m ust thy tho ugh ts each day be cleanse d an d puri

fie d too
, .
 WI SD OM OF TH E B RA H MI N .

That no m an here on earth the law of God h as

broken
Who h as not o n himself the avenging senten c e
spo ken .

He s pu nishe d in the thought that he deserves t o

’

be ,

And all the m ore if he from p u nish m ent goes free

For he m ust think if d o om d oes not o e rta ke h im
,
’

here ,

He hastes to m eet that d oom in yo u e tern al sphere .

And this o ld sore wh ich beats an d boil s withi n h im

,

so ,

T were better fa r w ere p i erce d or bro ke n at a

’

bl o w .

Aye better t w ere fo r thee to heal it wholly here

,
’
,

That in thy Father s house all w ell thou may s t ’ ’

appear .

68 .

Tho u not my mother E arth but yet my nu rse fro m , , ,

wh o m ,

F e d at thy genero u s breast my so ul caught fiery ,

blo o m !
To gla d my eye hast tho u been ever gaily dresse d ,

And m e thy ch ild m id flo wers cl ose to thy boso m

, ,
’

pressed .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MIN . 1 99

Thy lap my cradle was my dream enchanted land ; ,

-

I learn e d to stan d an d walk held by thy guid ing ,

ha nd .

An d thou hast taught m e n o w to break thy lead ing

strings ,

An d fo r my flight from thee thyself hast given m e ,

w ings .

Fare well ! May blessings fall like de w o f Heave n

on thee ,

Whose l ove hast w atche d o er m e s o lo ng a nd ’

tend erly .

O n to ward the Father s ho use in yond er heaven I ’

fare
,

I go to seek my tr ue my unkno wn mo ther there , ,

The l ofty one who m n o w in dreams I d i mly see

, ,

An d many a n urse s tale o f her I ve heard from

’ ’

thee
.

69 .

What bo dy has the soul ? T is not this mortal ’

fram e ,

—
Which crumbles back to dus t the d ust from which ,

it ca me .

This the s o ul s body is the form it wove an d

’

w ears ,

Wherein to spirit eyes soul unto so ul appears

-
.
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

That body glimmers no w through this gross veil o f

earth ,

An d when it falls aw ay sh all in full light co m e ,

forth .

Therein w e eac h to each shall be hereafter know n ;

The so ul its bo dy has to see by an d be sho wn , .

70 .

From faith tho u goest forth , to faith thou come s t

back ;
To rob thee o f thy rest stands Doubt u pon thy track .

Wo uld st slink o ut of his w ay ? He is on all th e

’

ways ;
In ever changing forms he there will m eet thy ,

gaze .

The n flee not from th e fo e nor yet the fo e invite ; ,

But if he thwart th y path fli n g h im asi d e with ,

Conten d with him tho u m ust and leave him slain ,

behind ,

I f tho u th ro ugh his dom ain the way to Truth w i l t

fin d .

Tho u do u btest not because thou hast grown wiser

no w ;
Thy w isd om not ripe an d therefore do ubtest
’
s y e t ,

thou .
 WI SD O M OF T H E BRAH MI N .

war with H im, w ith

’
At thou ne er art thyself at

peace ;
At peace w ith Him , all strife fore vermore shall c ea s e .

72 .

’
O ne aske d a s age Dost n e er think on thy nativ e
l an d 7

Al w ays, he said be sure and raise d to Hea ve n

, ,

hi s hand .

The wise man s fatherla nd is the broad Heaven o n

’

high ,

An d ov erarche d by it the whol e h u manity .

H as he in that vast world the narro wer o n e forgot ?

S urely beca u se he thinks to eat forgets he not
, ,
.

Yet m o derately he eats and rightly so do th rate

,

The sm all as small and not in that forgets th e

,

great .

73 .

Go d s aid a lofty saint

,
— true teacher , ,
no d eceiver ,

Go d Hi mself gro ws in th ee O thou d evout believer ,

!

He grows not in h i mself th er e ever perfect He , ,

Who to perfectio n must still grow al one in thee .

An d gro ws He not in thee the m ore tho u ripe n e st , ,

With growing consciousness His mystery in thy ,

breast
 WI SD OM OF TH E BR AH MI N . 2 03

If yesterday thou h ad st o f Him some feeble sense ,

To day thou has t o f H im higher intelligence

-
.

To m o rro w haply daw ns o n thee a deepe r sight

-
, , ,

A growing day tha t ne er shall reach perfection s

,
’ ’

height .

An d should not G o d be glad as w ell as thou that , ,

He
In thee renew s Hi mself whil e He ren ewe th thee ,

A teacher s ure w ith joy sees in his pupil s breas t

, ,
’

An i m age o f Himself,each d ay more clear imprest ; ,

An d in the crystal glass he m ad e thy heart to be ,

God surely d o th Hims elf with no less rapture se e

, , .

0 hea rt by H im d esigne d as mi rror o f His m in d ,

O n thy appointe d track h o w far art thou behin d !

74 .

Th e light of Go d hath come into this w orl d of

night ;
We are arou se d an d can no longer sleep fo r light
, .

No longer can w e sleep the w o rld s benu mbing sleep ’

Night s horror m akes no more o ur flesh with fear to

’

creep .

Where is night s horror n o w ? T is co nqu ere d by the

’ ’

light .

P ierce d through by light we ga ze thereon w ith fear ,

l ess sight .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

’
That we re transfused by light and are , its servan ts
tru e ,

We in o ur faces show to night s dark slavish cre w ’

, .

B right witnesses o f Go d s o wn might o ur faces are

’

An d whoso canno t shine by nigh t can be no star .

75 .

The wand erer hails the step o f N ight along the land ,

Who co mes to take the staff o ut o f his w eary han d .

If life s a j o urney then as ancient w is d o m sai th

’
, ,

Why sho uld the living man not lik e wise w elco m e
death
The traveller hails the night when at his jo urney s ’

en d
O e rtaking h im half way the night is n o t his frien d
’
-
.
,

Fo r this perhaps m ost l ook on d eath w ith j o yles s

, ,

eyes ,

B ecause the en d o f life still far be fore them lies .

76 .

Thou stayest in thy cell n o r goest from thy door ;

,

Look fro m thy win dow then I pray thee all the
, , ,

m ore .

An d if even that will n o t quite suit thy dignity ,

Then through thy window let the world look in at

thee .
 WISD O M O F TH E B RA H MI N .

Seek o ut a happy man even if tho u art not he ;

,

B e happy that tho u seest another so to be .

Seek the u nhappy if thou deem st that thou ar t

,
’

one ,

And it shall comfort thee that tho u art not alon e .

Seek one whom thou canst rea d wh o reads the e

,

as thou art ,

That n aught shall reach the ear that goes n o t to th e

heart .

I t will dist urb him l ess to hear thy tale o f grief ,

An d speaking o ut thy wants will give thy he art

relief .

80 .

”
P ull thy o ld hous e d o wn says a pro verb wise a n d
,

true
A treas ure tho u shalt fin d to build it up ane w .

Thoro ugh con ver sio n is this ri ddle s true s o lution

’

Moral per ve rsi o n nee ds a m oral revol uti o n .

A crazy tottering fram e cannot be helpe d by patch

,

ing .

Sou n d stones to rotten beam s there is no sure attach

ing .

What boots it here a chink and there a crack t o

plaster
Still o er thy head will hang the menacing disas ter !
’
 WI SD O M O F TH E BRAH MI N . 2 07

Then pluck thy courage up o f rubbish have no fear ;

,

Wh at cannot be rebuilt on n ew fou ndations rear

, .

But happy he natheless w h o with a wiser care

, ,

Keeps by a stitch in time his hou se in good repair

, , .

81 .

Who many servan ts has servant o f many he ;

,

O nly as he serves them they serve h im cheerfull y

, .

He serves by gi ving them th eir bed and bo ard and

pay 5
I f all t h is keeps them not wh y then they r un ,

a way.

They with the body ser ve their m i nds from care are
,

free ;
They to their mas ter leave the care and slavery .

82 .

What us e o f a great hou se None be it full or bare , .

W h o keeps a great hou se need s a host o f servants

,

there.

A ho st o f servants naught but heavy pay can hold ,

An d heavy pay requires a pri vate shaft o f go ld .

A shaft o f gol d requires m uch toil and care to save ;

A small house only I on earth will therefo re crave
, , , .

The largest hou se is close the small est amply wid e

, ,

If there a constant crowd an d here content abide

, ,
.
2 08 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

83 .

The presence o f the poor s a m ute reproach to thee

’

O rich ma n ask thyself : Who has th us favore d

,

me
He wh o so favore d thee abo ve the sons o f w ant ,

Did He not in thy heart the seeds o f pity plant ?

And if more tha nkful they a mi d their poverty
Than tho u in a ll thy state — h o w t h ankless tho u
m u st be
An d if their cheerful trust p uts thee to shame eac h
d ay,

To p unis h thee Go d ne eds not take thy w ealth a way

,

But l ea ve it in thy han ds that l ike that snak e o f

, ,

yore ,

Sleepless an d trembling tho u may st watch thy gold e n

’

sto re ,

That Poverty may see and en vy thee no more .

84 .

When once one has eno ugh he m ust not strive fo r

,

more ;
Bu t what is j ust en o ugh — to say the task w ere sor e !
,

Man never has enough with all he h as attain ed ,

Wh il e yet he thinks there still is so m ething to be

gaine d .
2 10 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

But such a prou d conceit not l ong will shield a

nation
That fancy m elts away with gro wing information .

Another dangero u s dream m ore clos ely presses then

T h at everlasting change governs the w o rld o f men .

O ne thing is vali d here ano ther v alid there ;

,

Wh at has intrinsic wo rth exists not a nywhere .

’
There s no i ntrinsic Goo d or B eautiful or Right ;
This is the battle n o w that culture h a s to fight .

This may we boldly m eet with that w orld wisdo m -

wise ,

Which w oke the strife and set the w orld before o ur

eyes .

T will te a ch us th at th e form o f Goo d is mani fold

’
,

Yet al ways in a place one Right alone doth h o ld .

The height o f cult ure be in strangers to respect

Their strangeness ,yet to stand self centred true
-
, ,

erect .

87 .

T h is is thy b usiness man o f cultured head an d heart

, ,

To Speak o ut what tho u feel st an d sho w forth what

’

thou art .

To sho w forth what they are all things do struggl e here

,

And speak confus edly ; bu t thou shoul d s t speak o ut

’

cl ear
.
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRA H MI N .

Thou sho uld st cl ear ’

up fo r us this m ist and make us

se e

H o w fair , once cl early seen , all things on earth wo uld

be .

The faul ts i mpresse d on thee to o deep in childhood s ’

day ,

Will live to plague thee still when long since put ,

a way .

LO in thy chil dren there they mirrore d rise to vie w

, ,

An d there thy training h an d m ust fight them down

anew .

89 .

Futurity ye hold ye hold the fatherlan d

, ,

Ye hol d the heart o f youth 0 teachers in yo ur , ,

hand .

What in the spongy ground ye plant will s ure take

root ;
What on the tender twig ye graft will bring fort h
fruit .

Re member th at in them the world that joy must

see,

Wh ich we woul d fain have been an d yet have failed

to be .
2 12 WI SD O M O F T HE BR AH MIN .

90 .

My chil d oh coul d I here a s on li fe s th reshol d

, ,
’

thou
Art entering a t the goal an instan t place th e e
,

n o w,

Th at ,
tho u wo uld st have done when closing
w ha t
’

thy career ,

Th at tho u migh t st do e en n o w while en tering on it

’ ’

here .

My c h ild I trod this road l ong years ere tho u w as t

,

born ;
What profits it to w arn gainst serpent stone a n d
’
, ,

th o rn ?
My chil d it li fts my wings again thy march to see ;
May that success h e thine which wa s d enie d to
me .

What I have faile d to win thy ardor haply will ;

,

What I have l eft un done God help thee to fulfil !

,

My child I dread to think thy feeble feet may

,

Yet must I leave thee n o w alone to go thy

Al one with thy brave heart an d God s
’

grace
Go forth re me mbering none can e er one step
,
’

retrace !
 WISD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

Thus even by h alves a father s pla ce fills h e,

’
n o w, ,

Who h aply will one day to them a father be .

94 .

c ame and sa w th at Life was

worn
’
To death ; with Slumber s aid he to the grave w a s
,

borne ;
Night fo owed sab e robed a mourner fo r the de ad
ll l,
-
, ,

An d from h er starry eyes cold dewy te ar drops shed -

.

But ru ddy Morning came w ith gl owing cheek s

An d crie d : Where is my chil d ? I glo w for h is

!

embrace !
With her las t burs t o f tea rs Nigh t ans we red
”
He is dea d !
Then quickly broke h is sleep the kiss o f morning
red
.

Th en the fair mother s aid O h might I stay with ,

thee !
But 10 ! th e S un flames forth e e n n o w to banish
’

me.

Fare well ! Thou must to day and every day se e

-

death ,

Yet shalt receive new life each mornin g from my

breat
 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MI N . 2 15

95 .

H o w little, after all

saying men can say
, w orth ,

In that self torment calle d society to day !

- -

As if his o wn enn ui each one co ul d easier bear ,

When others co uld be foun d the load w ith him to

share .

When pompous ignora nce puts on the learne d air ,

Woful ly must the wise play ignoramus there .

H o w seldom a goo d word escapes by b o o k or crook ,

F or each woul d rather save his wit to make a book

96 .

The only fo e o f goo d is mediocrity ,

Not ba dness ; bad an d good never keep company .

To look lik e goo d no lathe the bad can ever make ,

O ne fro m the other none ca n possibly mistake ;

But me d iocrity tha t lies between the bou n d s
,

O f bad and goo d to o o ft the bad and goo d con fo u nds

, .

97 .

A wise o ld ma n
once said T would e dify a man
I f in a glas s h is face he w ith right m ind coul d
, ,

scan .

If a fair face he sees then let h im think h o w sad

,

If s uch a han d som e ho use an ugly tenant had

 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

And if no bea uty he sho ul d in h is features find ,

Let him be ware to join th ereto an ugly mind .

”

98 .

My soul believe thou not what certa in thinke rs sa y

, ,

That one in thinkin g must all feeling put a w ay

, , ,

That on the thin ker s tra ck it lays a stumblin g ston e

’
-
,

That e ven beau ty lives in truth s clea r light al one ’

That in pur e acts o f mind feeling m u st have no part ,

As if the min d co ul d thus be severe d fr om the h ear t !

I kn ow not what these men have by pure thinkin g
w ro ught ,

But I have al ways felt whate v er I h av e tho ught .

99 .

Th e m an wh o cannot jes t is a poor wight at bes t ,

None poorer save the man wh o naught ca n do but jest

,
.

Ea rnest is weak that sh uns a jest w ith jeal ous eyes ,

And jest is weaker still in which no ear nest lies .

1 00 .

My so n when thou attain st fair women s company

,
’ ’

Learn thou to look on them with reverent modesty .

Lightness high treason is against the Holiest ;

Think o f the mother so n wh o bore thee on h er
, ,

breast
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

From something else I see my , , weal and wo e mus t

spring ,

Tha n fail ure or su ccess in any o utward thing .

1 03 .

If tho u h ast aught within thou art ashamed to

sho w ,

Which fo r thy honor s sake the w orld must never

,
’

kno w ,

To hide it fro m the world wh at doth it profi t thee , ,

When tho u against thy will the thing m ust always

se e ?
Cast o ut fro m thee the thing ; thyself thou th us shalt
spare
The torment of the sight the secret s heavy care
,
’
.

104 .

He can d o what he w ill wh o wil l do what he can , ,

Is a goo d w ord b ut not eno ugh fo r a true man

,
.

He can d o what he will wh o will d o what he o ugh t

, ,

The way to manhoo d s height is by this max i m ’

taught .

This is the charm which can all doubt and discord

still
Who wil ls but what he ought he can d o what he ,

”
will
 WI SD O M OF THE B RAHMI N . 2 19

105 .

The w ork man eeds good tools to do his work aright ;

n

The warrior nee ds no less good weapons fo r the fight .

Work man and warrior thou o f God 0 so ul give

, , ,

heed ,

O f thine o wn body thou to take good care h ast need .

That is thy tool o f work thy w eapon in the strife ;

,

Then keep it strong to meet the war and work o f

What folly to destroy th y bo dy which is thine ,

As tho u art God s by ties eternal and di vine !

’

’
As tho u belo ng st to God so does thy frame to thee ;
,

Witho ut thy body tho u no man o f G o d canst be .

1 06 .

Remorse the discon te nt o f men with wh at they d o

, ,

May help them so that they shall n o t wrong d eed s

,

renew .

But to ward the righteo us deed small impuls e can it

yield
Re morse roots o ut the weed b ut wh o shall till the ,

fiel d
T o till thy inner gro und a nd fru cti fy the s o d
, ,

Self trust must fill thy soul sustained by trust in

-
,

God .
 WI SD OM OF TH E B RAH MI N .

1 07 .

O nce a delusive faith no doubt coul d m ov e

was m ine, ,

That I m ust live because I yet had mu ch to prove

, ,

I must needs live because I yet had mu ch to do ;

,

But that del usive dream my so ul long since pass e d

thro ugh
.

I feel that I have proved enough eno ugh have d on e

,

He n ceforth can cal mly wait what comes be neath th e

s un
.

That prop is broke and no w th is can al one su stai n

, ,

God wh o has rul ed so long I still ca n trust to reign

,
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH LH N .

They a shining wake as o er the deep they fl e w

left
’

And each that foll ow ed them a di fferent pa th lin e

dre w ,

Which the sea wiped away as soo n as it h ad flo wn ;

And each was left to find a path way o f its o wn .

No milesto nes mark the ro a d except the sta rs o n

high ,

And o ft obsc ured by cl ouds th ose to o their ligh t

, ,

deny .

The way indeed is lined with many a boundary ston e ~

,

But these thy wheel heeds no t till it is das h e d ,

thereon .

O n thro ugh an endl ess green careers the woo de n

steed
For h im n o gras s blade gro ws foam is his onl y
-

feed .

Right left and everywh ere is wate r and t o spare

, , , ,

1
To dro wn in not a drop fo r drinking anywhere .

Tho u kno w st not if the way will steep or level be

’
,

F or at its will it can go up or do wn with thee .

Wh at boots it to describe the stores tho u need st to ’

carry
That by experience learn unless at home thou l t ,
’

tarry .

Th e tran slatio n h as b een sh ape d h ere partly by Coleridge s ’

1

Water, wa ter, ever ywh ere ,

No r any dro p to drink .

”
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MIN .

So be the pitcher ha s a handl e whoso seizes ,

The handl e may take up the pitcher if he pleases , .

An d if the pitcher h as no han dle a wise man ,

May grasp it if he will and drink as well s he ca n

, ,
’
.

When opportunities appear wis e men will use them ,

And obstacles when these appear will not confuse

, ,

them .

3 .

What in th is game o f life is there fo r man to win ?

, ,

Who would not lose the game he never shoul d begin , .

The pl eas ure wo n by man he wins to lose again ;

Loss is in this o ur life the only lasting gain
, , .

We grieve fo r what we lost or failed to gain but ,

most
O f all we grieve to think o f what m ay still be lost ;
An d yet tho u still h ast all if thou hast co urage wo n
To carry through the ga m e which thou hast on ce
begun .

I once myself co uld scarce despairing though ts

, ,

w ith stand ,

When at my card s I looked and s aw s o slim a han d ;

But as I m u se d this song my fainting heart su staine d ;
, ,

Whatever has been lost the songs at least are gained, .

 WI SD OM O F TH E BR AH MIN .

How heart refreshing is the sense o f duty done !

-

It w arms the frostiest day an d cools the hottest sun .

As th rough the knotted ca ne gro w th holds its

, ,

u pw ard co urse ,

’
So from obstructions breaks the mind s victo rio u s
fO rce .

Yet t is a figh t which can in victory o nl y ceas e

’
,

O blessed he whose heart is b uried deep in pea ce !

The treasure o f the hea rt whoso begins to spend

O n indivi dual love with love o f self w ill end
,
.

B e universal love the first thy heart shall kn o w ;

To indivi d ual love the m agic haze shall gl ow .

When in divid ual love s bright dream fades o ut then

’
,

man
In u niversal love will end as he began , ,

Lo ve o f all creatures l ove o f Na ture s mighty whol e

,
’
,

O f God and every trace o f Go d within thy soul

, , .

6 .

The heat o f love did once my heart to hatre d

move
To hatre d o f his hate wh o hate d what I love .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

9 .

Eager desire thou say st is b ad w hen it proce e ds

,
’

,
!

Fro m what is evil — bad w hen it to evil leads ”

, .

But this I say to thee : Desire desires its o wn

Good only an d ab h ors by nature ill al one
, .

Say rather W h at it craves it there fore will c a ll

good ;
And what it hates therefrom it will as bad exclude
, , , .

— —
The contras t bad an d good thou hast thyse lf
create d ,

In saying h o w it stands to man s desire relate d ; ’

And had not m an himself distinguished bad and goo d ,

Free from d esire had he at peace with nature stoo d .

10 .

Fear not to do wh at thou h adst meant to l eav e

undone !
New ligh t may come to thee with the next ri sing
sun .

fear l eave m ind

’
Nor to u nd one , wh at t wa s thy
to do ;
The twin kling of a n eye will o ft make all things
n ew .

Weak is the child o f man a reed be fore the wind ; ,

Oh murmur not that thou art like thy h uman kind

, .
 WI S DOM OF TH E BRAHMIN .

O nly duty bids an d where it forbids there

where ,

A man stands firm and fixed to do or to forbear ,

.

Yet many a thing t is safe to do or to neglect ;

’

In these by out ward things canst thou thy course

dir ect .

11 .

Thou shoul d st conform thysel f to men so far as thi s

’

Each in h is way to take the way by nature his .

But if it means to adopt their ways and tricks wh y , ,

then ,

In so far thou shoul d st not conform thyself to men

’
.

12 .

A place where thou hast once escaped the tiger s ’

claws
Thou wilt not gladly pass or passing care to pause
, , , .

So can I never meet without a fluttering heart ,

The day when years ago I fel t m isfortune s dart ;

, ,
’

Nor can I pas s its hours with o ut a lurking dread ,

Misfortune still may lie in ambush o er my h ead ’

.

I think on you wh o once up from my bosom flew ,

And n o w smil e down on me from heaven s pure ar ch ’

o f bl ue .
 WISD O M OF TH E BR AH MIN .

The gracious spring returns the time when all things

,

fair
Come down from heaven and lo your image gr e e ts
,

me there .

N o w floats th e b utterfly ye ch ased with eager eye ;

No w sings the bird that sang your evening lul laby .

The flo wers n o w bloom as ye once bloomed a n d

,

fad e d here ;
The breezes breathe that seem to whis per ye are n ea r .

What yo u were once to m e an d I to yo u and wh a t ,

Ye are to me henceforth fill s all my musing tho ught

, .

Ye w ere to me a while here in this earthly lan d

, ,

B o un d by a natural tie n o w loosed by death s col d

,
’

hand .

But th at ye w ere in Lo ve s p ure fe elin g linke d to m e

’
,

Assures m e that ye shall be m ine eternally .

That in th is feeli ng ye to m e may ever live ,

Ful l often to my song your n ames a gra ce shall giv e .

14 .

As not the trees al one I trained long year s to last

, ,

But the frail flo wers I nu rse d while one brief s umm er

pas se d ,

S o not the child ren wh o pl eas e Go d ! shall make m y

,

grave ,

Al one make gla d my heart but those to earth I ga ve

, .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

18 .

My fr iend ,
no w far away , h ow o ft my thoughts
recall
The w ord thy lips in fr ee communion once le t
, ,

fall
That tho u coul d st never bear a fell ow man to m e e t
’
-
,

If ye in m utual l ove did not each other greet .

Say has thy heart till n o w to this brave uttera nc e

,

clung
Then the col d worl d full o ft thy heart hath su rely
stung .

Yet happy if the sting to thee a spur d id prove ,

More ard ently to press the heart s d emand o f love ’

.

Yes Love lets no man rest w hose heart her warm th

,

so s wells ,

Till all things that ca n love to love him he co mp els .

19 .

O h murmur not my heart that Lo ve her sign sh o ul d

, ,

I
sho w
So late when yo uthful fires have fad ed long ago
, .

Aye were it gold an d goo ds co mfort an d ease an d

, ,

state ,

Tho u mightest well complain that it shoul d come so

late .
 WI SD O M OF TH E B RAH M I N . 2 31

Soon mu st tho u leave behin d that household gaud

and gear ;
That cannot come too late which goes with thee fro m
,

here .

My Master ( in my soul na me d with devotion s fire ’

Said A s weet m elody ri ngs from the l ong

thru mmed lyre 1
,
”

For h is o wn solace thu s he spake with pri d e s incere ,

Who still so firml y played yet cou nte d many a ,

year.

But fo r my solace too so spake the ho n ore d sage

, ,

A shudder thrills my heart b ut not the chill o f age

, ,

The Spirit that strung th is harp aw hile still lets it ,

quiver
With rapture in h is breath till death the chords shall
,

shiver .

Thy thund er rolls an d says

,
shall I forget
Thou
My Mas ter art and I beneath Thy staff shoul d
, bo w .

1 Des Dich te r
’
s Wink gewartig ,

Melodisch IcIingt die d ur chgasp ie lte L eier ,

Ein lieb es O pfer traulich da rzubringen.
”

G oeth e , u. 5 .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

Th ou holdest in Thy hand my fate at every hour ,

But at this moment I m ore cl early feel Th y

po wer .

I kno w not what Thy will concerning me may be ;

What ho ur Thou wilt recall the pledge Thou ga ve s t
me .

Lo rd at Thy feet I lay Thy gift to me which th e n

, ,

As a n ew gift from Th ee I grateful take again .

Life is so d ear to me a s sent do wn from above

, ,

Gift and reme mbrancer o f God s parental lo ve ’

.

22 .

Thou that be wail st thy lo t with such a bitter cry

’

Mus t have a higher sense o f worthiness than I .

Far beyond my deserts have been the blessin gs

sent ,

An d I shoul d be ashamed if I were not content

, .

23 .

My heart s all gratitu de when I look ba ck and see

’

From wh at thick clo uds broke forth my sunn y

destiny ,

Through what d ark wrestlings life to light and fr ee

do m sprung ;
My youth was o ld with care my age with joy is ,

young .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N .

Far se ld omer the sight fill s me wi th

vision s fair
Of bloom and fruit the world one day will ripe n
there .

Not that I thence conclud e the world is vanity ,

But more than ever so it seems henceforth to me .

27 .

Thou and thy fate 0 man h o w like the crop s th a t

, ,

gro w ,

Whose fortune till the time o f har vest none c a n

, ,

kno w .

H o w many a sco urge fr ost flood drought fire th ey

, , , , ,

must withstand ,

Sent by the fi tful heavens on the defenceless land !

And w hen these foes escaped at last they we ar th e
, , ,

cro wn
O f gold then comes the end
,
which is to be c u t , ,

down .

Fair is the drop o f dew upon the blade o f grass ,

And not too small to be the great sun s l ooking ’

glass .

Fair is the rivul et then that h ardl y dares to kiss

The flow er half trembling even to breathe alo ud
,
its
bliss .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N . 2 35

An d fair the stately stream tha with a roaring

1”
song ,

His full exulting tid e majestic rolls along .

Rejoice in all things fair that from the fou nt o f good , ,

Trickle or purl or po ur dew rill or foa ming flood

, , ,
.

29 .

w ith feet the king s hall

’
O ne tread s u nshod within
doors ,
F or gems and costly stones inlay the marble floors .

Oh see ! The morning h as begemme d the floor

,
of

earth
.

With jewelry o f de w ; with naked feet step forth !

He Wh o at early m orn can walk in de ws o f May ,

Is from feet up m ad e strong fo r all the comi ng d ay .

B e joyful that the Lord thy feet in d e wdrops washes ,

’
Ne er let the m tread again sin s mire or sorro w s
’ ’

a shes .

We bring the m orning su n o ur gift o f praise sincere ,

Who lights creation s face and makes the spirits

’

clear .

B efore him Morn ing win d his herald s tr umpet blo ws

-
’
-
,

The ba nn er o f h is march th e morning redness sho ws .

1 Barry Cornwall . Tr .
2 36 WIS D O M O F T HE 5 3 4 11 1113 :

v a nc e ,

And o f h is kingdo m ta kes pomass io n w ith a gla n c e ;

And dr ives th e c re w o f N igh t h ac k to th e go rge s

’
n f ts
'

Like sac rific ia l c ups th e va les wit h ligh t o e rflo w ,

’

Eac h flo w re t of t he va le drin ks its peculia r glo w

’

An d as th e flo wer with j oy lifts its elf to th e ligh t ,

So in th e brea s t o f ma n his co nsc io us n e

s s gro w s b righ t .

S tretc h fo rth th y ra dia nt h and to take th e o ffering

Wh ich th e w orld s fa ce to th ee an d th e hea rt s yea rn
’ ’

ings b ring !
Lift with thy look a nd sta y as do th th e tree t h e ,

vine ,

Th e though ts w eighe d down w ith dew tha t rou n d

Life s tree wo ul d twin e
’
.

Th e wishes and th e hopes th e vows with ten d er ,

roots ,

Refresh invigorate and lea d like summer shoots

, ,
.

G ive to a ll b uds that they may blosso m fair and fre e ,

All flo wers that they may mo uld their fas hion afte r
,

thee !
2 38 WISD O M O F TH E B RAH MI N .

Th e waves a girdl e bright o f liquid crys tal string ,

Tha t shall aro un d thy form with gra ce and fo n dn ess

cling ;
An d on the bo ttom kissed by the caress in g sea ,

Rests the soft sa nd that w ell fo r sa ndals se r ve th

thee .

And so baptiz e thyself in each pure elem ent ,

With Him w h o dw ells in each inseparably blent , .

Th e fl o o d that everm ore d o wn from H is eyelid s

drips ,

He makes a well to cool Earth s feverish brow a n d ’

lips .

The wil d beasts grea t and small there to o th e ir

, ,

thir st all ay ,

But only in the night and in the m oonl ight they .

The cool refreshment they may onl y tas te at nigh t ,

That ma n an d beast by day may not each o the r

, ,

And the most innoce nt o f the wild brotherhoo d ,

Plunge in the d eepest there in re verential m ood .

The timid roe herself to drink stands not apart

, ,

O ut o n the brink bu t lets the w ave ris e to h er

,

h eart ;
And thro ugh the wave s h e 11 gli d e with ease to ’

th other rim
’

When to this sid e sh e hears approach the tiger grim .

 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MI N . 2 39

th e fell
’
From entering that pure flood , e en tiger
shrin ks ,

To cool his b urning to ngu e he on the m argin drinks .

The poisonous serpent d oth o f all the beas ts refus e

Al one to go an d drink lest he h is poison lose
, .

Th e w ave that woul d fr om him h is poison take he ll

’

flee ;
Be a pure stream a nd sin itself shall fly from thee !
,

32 .

S ee h o w the l otus s wims the pool a thing of gra ce ! ,

So is the p ure still pure e ven in an unclean place

, .

By the black w ave bu oye d up upon the top it ,

S wims
Th ough in the mire its root no stain its fair leaf
,

di m s .

It changes the foul slime to flowers o f heavenl y

b lu e ,

Whereon night after night distil s the kindly de w

, , .

Blame not the pool that rears a bloo m so un defil ed ;

O n the dark m other fall s a lustre from her chil d ;
Blam e not the world as if a p ure heart it woul d
,

stain ;
From the pure heart it woul d itself a pureness gain .

Thence to the l otus flower a heartlike shape is lent ,

Th at w ith its earthly sta te thy heart may be content .

2 40 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MI N .

33 .

Th e shafts o f destiny in all directions fly ,

Which even Virtu e s self is po werless to defy

’
.

O ne only shield remains — all self reproach to sh u n

,
-

So shall no inner storm m ake worse the o uter o n e .

F or innocence not qu i te out weighs the load o f fate ,

But suffering u ndes erve d is robbe d o f h alf its weight .

34 .

F ull many a man h o w great

,
a portion fall ’
s o e er

To him o f earthly good may d eem h is share too sm all

, .

An d would he soberly not highly estim ate

, ,

Himself he woul d confess that it was far too great

, .

35 .

A sudden shock o ft warns the i d ly drifting master ,

O n the smooth s ea o f life o f ship wreck and disaster

, .

Thank tho u the blow that th u s startl es thy tho ugh t

l essness
To thank th e God whose grace gui des thr ough th e
w ild erness ,

To thank his gu iding grace and fo r that grace s till ,

pray
T h at softly rocked thy bark may make a prospero us
, ,

w ay .
2 42 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MI N .

38 .

Be wail not that misfort unes on thee fall ;

so o ft

Lo h o w much profit too hath com e to thee w ith al

, , , .

Thy crop is rich in corn as well as chaff ; ta k e

P ains
,

An d ga ther cheerfully from o ut the cha ff the gra in s .

39 .

O ne travels that h e may fi nd home th e sw eete s t

pla ce
.

Th e tra veller through this life is in the self sam e -

cas e ;

S ave th at the traveller here knows not the home h e

,

s eeks
,

O nly h is homesickness h is exile from it speaks .

Tha t thou h as t travelled w ill give hom e a ric h

r ep as t ;

Tha t thou has t lived will b e a l ovely thing at las t .

40 .

If thou has t fal l en and yet it h as not inj ured thee ,

Then think !
T h is time h as Heaven been gracio u s
u nto me ?

If thou has t not d eserv ed the grace n o w do so then

, ,

Stand up with confidence an d never fall aga in .

 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .
2 43

41 .

A light heart is the best life good thou canst attain ; -

With it there is no lo ss wi thout it there s no gain

,
’
.

Yet if the w orld is d ark an d hea vy is thy heart

, , ,

Haply th y teacher s w ord a co nrfo rt m ay i mpart

’
.

Not the gay tulip b ut the d ark pink has perfume ;

And e en to Heaven the way leads o nl y thro ugh the
’

to mb .

Dread not to seek thy Heaven by the dark tomb s ’

lo w stair ,

And let w h o will purs ue the w orld s gay thorough

,
’

fare .

Dread not to pass to Heaven thr ough th e to mb s ’

lonely night ,

Dark perfume in the heart and in the eye soft light .

Dark perfum e in the h eart a soft light in the eye , ,

Thy way 0 tremble not leads through the tomb on

, , , ,

high

42 .

On w inter evenings (so I heard a friend relate ,

Who th e B ible o ft h a d pored w ith puz zled

’
o er

pate! ,

A good o ld gentl eman in sole mn sil en ce heard

H is servant read al o ud o ut o f the Holy Word .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BRAH MIN .

With glasses on h is nose and pe n cil in his hand ,

He read on til l Stop there ! the Old man ga v e

”

command
And shaking h is o ld head like one perplexed w ith
doubt
Dost unders tan d it ? Nor I Han s ! ,

”
stri ke it o ut !

Th us much was stricken o ut neither c oul d un d e r

, ,

stan d ;
Yet much they thought they coul d at last rem ain e d
in h and .

Thinks the o ld gentleman Without m uch wear o f

brain ,

The Scripture yet may be to common sense m a de

”
plain.

But when they recommenced the B ook the followin g

Lo !things h ad no w gro w n dark which had befo re ,

been clear .

Dost u nderstan d it ? Nor I Han s ! !

,

”
Strike it o ut !
The third year all was str okes ; not o ne text le ft
without .

Wh at is th e moral ? Th at in reading Scripture

, ,

we
D ark passag es should no t strike o ut too has tily .
2 46 WI SD OM OF T H E BR AH MI N .

Who d oes not know to -

day the mighty po wer of

g d
ol

How it o ermasters all

’
wh o is there need s be t o l d
,

Th e only d ifference is with yo u the gold chaine d l ie

, ,
-

In cell s with us they w alk at large beneath th e

sky .

A flo wer a mi dst the corn by chil dren s eyes spi e d

,
’

o ut,

How ro und that flower th e stalks are broken a l l

abo ut !

T wo uld pl eas e the farmer w ell if in among his ry e

’

, ,

There never bloo med a flo wer to catch the chil dren s ’

eye .

T wo ul d s uit the farmer w ell if in a mong his whea t

’

, ,

No bloss o m ev erstoo d to te mpt the urchin s feet ’

.

He d fi n d it right a nd w ell if in a mong his grain

’
.
, ,

Were naught which trampling boys m ust crush it

do wn to gain .

—
The flo wers he calls th e m wee ds and j ustly fo r ,

th ey are
The thin gs that i nj ure m ost the children o f his care .

As a strict father chi des h is daughter s handsom e ’

face ,

Seeing a dangero us l ure beneath each lovely grace ;

 WI SD OM O F TH E BRAH MIN . 2 47

O nly cares not like that farmer

th e father , ,

Nor da r es to pluck the wee d that draw s the

yo ungsters so .

S e l fi sh n es s d oes not m ean in difference to man s lo t ; ’

Each feel s his neighbor s case wheth er he will or

’

not .

The selfish man in all m en s weal or w o e takes part ; ’

For that his envy wakes and this makes gla d h is ,

heart .

Tr ue selfishness is that which only m akes pr eten ce

To co unt m en s interests w orth naugh t b ut indiffer
’

8 110 6 .

47 .

He wh o respects hi mself desires to be respected ,

His o w n an d all men s righ ts will w ish to see pro

’

tecte d .

Th e m ere external signs o f honor he 11 receive ’

C o ntente d at their hand s wh o have no m ore to give

, .

The defere n ti al h o w th e re verent sal utation

, ,

Are to the honore d ma n a w el com e atte stati o n

Not o f h is w orth which well he knows but theirs
, , ,

wh o so

Their hon ora bl e sen se of thi ngs w orth h on o ri n g show .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAH MIN .

48 .

I think upon my frien d when some rare joy I see ,

And say Co uld st thou have live d to share th i s

’

”
bliss w ith me !
Again I think on h im when falls some heavy blo w ,

And say : Oh happy thou to have b een spa r e d ,

this wo e
P itie st or enviest tho u him w h o before thee went ?
That he is gone an d tho u still left here be content , .

49 .

Wh y clever ch ildren die so —

early askest tho u
Whil e stupi d ones the fates a longer li fe allow
The answ er is : Because naught clev erer one can d o
Th a n d ie in s uch a w orld s o st upi d through a n d
, ,

through .

But thank God all o f you wh o have not grow n to

,

be
’
Too clever to e njoy the w orl d s stupi dity .

50 .

E xpect not in these tim es respect on any b a nd

From men h o w far soc ar bel ow thee they may stand
,
’

U nl ess tho u over the m has t gaine d external pow er ,

And canst d o serious harm to them at any ho ur .

 WI SD OM OF TH E BR A H M I N .

It fills thy e very sense it speaks to every sense ,

Try to escape fro m it and feel thy i mpote nce

-
.

Its w aters r ush an d r ush fo r mil es the l an d sc a p e ,

h ushing ,

Which in a breathless hush still lis te ns to the r u sh

, ,

ing .

It rumbles rumbles rumbl es

,
the country feel s
, ,

the rum bling ,

And trembles tre mbles trembles and never ce a se s

, , ,

tremblin g .

It steam s and steams and steams —the flower h ee ds ,

not the steaming ,

But drea ms an d dream s an d d reams an d never end s ,

its dreaming .

It glints an d glints an d glin ts —the painte r note s its ,

glinting ,

An d paints and paints and paints its beau ty ever ,

hi nting .

It breathes an d breathes and breathes the m o is t ,

air feel s its breathing ,

An d bathes an d bathes an d bathes in spray clo uds ,

all en wr eath ing .

It wells and w ells and w ells and wearies not o f ,

w elling ;

It s wells an d s well s and s wells u nsated still w i th ,

sw elling .
 WI SD O M OF TH E BR AH MI N .

Though it h as welle d and sw elled fo r u nknown ag es

so ,

is never dry its waters ne er o e rflo w

Its w ell ,
’ ’
.

The earth hold s not its lik e ; its type in Nature

see,

Itself o ut of itself pro d ucing e ndlessly .

1

53 .

Lo ok at the plant that forth from earthly darkness

,

presses
Up to the light o f which its insti nct darkly guesses
, .

With its bare stem at first it stand s in u nity

, ,

Divide d gainst itself so o n by its t wigs to be

’

, , .

But not in either form the ligh t it yet has fo und

, ,

Till w ith itself it is in higher oneness b o und .

The b ud ro unds into shape from which th e bl osso m ,

wakes ,

From w hose w arm color haz e to life the light n o w -

breaks .

Thr ough all these steps the light the plant h as

up w ar d le d ,

T o rest a top at last an Iris o n its head , , .

1 With a ll th e h el p he c o ul d g et fro m wh at ma y be c alle d th e

R h yming Dictio na r y O f Wa te rf a l l Wor ds — S o u t h ey s ,
’
des cri tio np of

th e way th e wa ter c o mes do wn at L o d o r e, th e tra n sla to r h a s b ut

feebly su c cee de d in keeping up with th e wo n derfully s usta in e d Tri

clangs in th e G erman co uplets h ere . Tr .
 WI SD OM OF TH E BRAHMIN .

An d s uch a plant as this is Nature s life sublim e ’

Wh ich struggling up from sel f will to Go d s gl ory

, ,
’

climb .

Rock is the root ; the ste m the realm o f vege tation ,

An d beast life s b usy play the intricate foliation

-
’
.

But from above n e w life darts forth a kin dlin g

,

glance ,

Where Nature s ins tinct roun ds in to m an s co u nte

’ ’

nance
Then thro ugh the earth ly shines a heavenly radiance .

The R ose o f Nature no w her crown o f bloom unfold s ,

When in her heart th e soul s s weet breath its ma ns io n ’

hold s .

Th e Rose on heaven s p ure air breathes o ut per fu m e

’

in d eath
So die a heaven absorbe d perfuming blosso m bre ath
,
-
,
! -

The Rose while living breathes her fragrance o e r

, ,
’

Lo ve s tomb ;
’

So live a heaven ward boun d upsoaring Love

,
-
,

perfume !

University P ress : ! oh n Wil so n a n d So n , Ca mb ridge .