Routledge Revivals: The Song Celestial or Bhagavad-Gita (1906)

From the Mahabharata

Edwin Arnold

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781351971300
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Asian Literary Collections
• Index: Literature

First published in 1909, this book presents an English translation of chapters 25-42 of the Bhishma Parva from the epic Sanskrit poem Mahabharata — better known as the Bhagavad-Gita, reckoned as one of the "Five Jewels" of Devanagari literature. The plot consists of a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Krishna, the Supreme Deity, in a war-chariot prior to a great battle. The conversation that takes place unfolds a philosophical system which remains the prevailing Brahmanic belief, blending the doctrines of Kapila, Patanjali, and the Vedas. Building on a number of preceding translations, this highly-regarded poetic interpretation provides a major work of literature in an accessible popular form.

CHAPTER XI

Arjuna. This, for my soul’s peace, have I heard from Thee,

The unfolding of the Mystery Supreme

Named Adhyâtman; comprehending which,

My darkness is dispelled; for now I know—

O Lotus-eyed! ¹—whence is the birth of men,

And whence their death, and what the majesties

Of Thine immortal rule. Fain would I see,

As thou Thyself declar’st it, Sovereign Lord!

The likeness of that glory of Thy Form

Wholly revealed. O Thou Divinest One!

If this can be, if I may bear the sight,

Make Thyself visible, Lord of all prayers!

Show me Thy very self, the Eternal God!

Krishna. Gaze, then, thou Son of Prithâ! I manifest for thee

Those hundred thousand thousand shapes that clothe my Mystery:

I show thee all my semblances, infinite, rich, divine,

My changeful hues, my countless forms. See! in this face of mine,

Ádityas, Vasus, Rudras, Aświns, and Maruts; see

Wonders unnumbered, Indian Prince! revealed to none save thee.

¹ “Kamalapatrâksha.”

Behold! this is the Universe!—Look! what is live and dead

I gather all in one—in Me! Gaze, as thy lips have said,

On GOD ETERNAL, VERY GOD! See Me! see what thou prayest!

• • • • • •

Thou canst not!—nor, with huma’n eyes, Arjuna! ever mayest!

Therefore I give thee sense divine. Have other eyes, new light!

And, look! This is My glory, unveiled to mortal sight!

Sanjaya, Then, O King! the God, so saying,

Stood, to Prithâ’s Son displaying

All the splendour, wonder, dread

Of His vast Almighty-head.

Out of countless eyes beholding,

Out of countless mouths commanding,

Countless mystic forms enfolding

In one Form: supremely standing

Countless radiant glories wearing,

Countless heavenly weapons bearing,

Crowned with garlands of star-clusters,

Robed in garb of woven lustres,

Breathing from His perfect Presence

Breaths of every subtle essence

Of all heavenly odours; shedding

Blinding brilliance; overspreading—

Boundless, beautiful—all spaces

With His all-regarding faces;

So He showed! If there should rise

Suddenly within the skies

Sunburst of a thousand suns

Flooding earth with beams undeemed-of,

Then might be that Holy One’s

Majesty and radiance dreamed of!

So did Pandu’s Son behold

All this universe enfold

All its huge diversity

Into one vast shape, and be

Visible, and viewed, and blended

In one Body—subtle, splendid,

Nameless—th’ All-comprehending

God of Gods, the Never-Ending

Deity!

But, sore amazed,

Thrilled, o’erfilled, dazzled, and dazed,

Arjuna knelt; and bowed his head,

And clasped his palms; and cried, and said:

Arjuna. Yea! I have seen! I see!

Lord! all is wrapped in Thee!

The gods are in Thy glorious frame! the creatures

Of earth, and heaven, and hell

In Thy Divine form dwell,

And in Thy countenance shine all the features

Of Brahma, sitting lone

Upon His lotus-throne;

Of saints and sages, and the serpent races

Ananta, Vâsuki;

Yea! mightiest Lord! I see

Thy thousand thousand arms, and breasts, and faces,

And eyes,—on every side

Perfect, diversified;

And nowhere end of Thee, nowhere beginning,

Nowhere a centre! Shifts—

Wherever soul’s gaze lifts—

Thy central Self, all-wielding, and all-winning!

Infinite King! I see

The anadem on Thee,

The club, the shell, the discus; see Thee burning

In beams insufferable,

Lighting earth, heaven, and hell

With brilliance blazing, glowing, flashing; turning

Darkness to dazzling day,

Look I whichever way;

Ah, Lord! I worship Thee, the Undivided,

The Uttermost of thought,

The Treasure-Palace wrought

To hold the wealth of the worlds; the Shield provided

To shelter Virtue’s laws;

The Fount whence Life’s stream draws

All waters of all rivers of all being:

The One Unborn, Unending:

Unchanging and Unblending!

With might and majesty, past thought, past seeing!

Silver of moon and gold

Of sun are glories rolled

From Thy great eyes; Thy visage, beaming tender

Throughout the stars and skies,

Doth to warm life surprise

Thy Universe. The worlds are filled with wonder

Of Thy perfections! Space

Star-sprinkled, and void place

From pole to pole of the Blue, from bound to bound,

Hath Thee in every spot,

Thee, Thee!—Where Thou art not,

O Holy, Marvellous Form! is nowhere found!

O Mystic, Awful One!

At sight of Thee, made known,

The Three Worlds quake; the lower gods draw nigh Thee;

They fold their palms, and bow

Body, and breast, and brow,

And, whispering worship, laud and magnify Thee!

Rishis and Siddhas cry

“ Hail! Highest Majesty!”

From sage and singer breaks the hymn of glory

In dulcet harmony,

Sounding the praise of Thee;

While countless companies take up the story,

Rudras, who ride the storms,

Th’ Âdityas’ shining forms,

Vasus and Sâdhyas, Viśwas, Ushmapas;

Maruts, and those great Twins

The heavenly, fair, Aświns,

Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Siddhas, and Asuras,¹—

These see Thee, and revere...