Indian Antiquary Vol 01

SR No.: 032493
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 22 MB

Page 358

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
326
ed made a deep impression on the philosophical | minds of the Hindus, and led to that outbreak of new religious theories which was reduced to system by Chaitanya in Bengal, by Râmânand and his disciple Kabir in Hindustan and by Nanak in the Panjab. Vishnu is the supreme being; the whole Hindu Pantheon sinks into the position of ministers to his will; by a further extension of the same line of thought this supreme being is in everything-he is everything. We must love him, for we are a part of his essence. He has provided us with a concrete. expression of this love, in his sports with Râdhâ and the gopis, Let us then meditate on these, Let let our hymns and songs be of these. Radha typify the human soul and Krishna the divine essence. But in man's nature the divine and the animal are strangely mingled-he is half god, half beast. The glowing temperament of the Indian poet, unrestrained by any of those curbs and checks which Europe has agreed to The obey, led him into the wildest excesses. love at first intended to be purely spiritual soon degenerated into mere earthly lust, and the scenes between Râdhâ and her lover are often more suggestive of the brothel than of the temple.
I give as an example of the least offensive of this class a short kirtan.
VI.
Bâlâ ramani ramane nahi sukha,
Antare madana dei diguna duḥkha; Sab sakhi meli sutala påsa
Chamki chamki dhali chhata je iswâsa Karaïte kole moraï sab anga Mantra na sunaï janu bâla bhujanga Beri eka kara dhali mudita nayâna, Rogi karaye janu aushadha pâna. Tila âdha dukha janam bhari sukha, Ithe kâhe dhali morasi mukha? Bhanaye Bidyapati sunaha Murâri
[Nov. 1, 1872.
Tuñhu' rasa sâgara mugdhini nâri. To a young girl in love there is no pleasure, In her heart Madana causes double pain; All her companions assembling lay beside her Starting, starting, the girl heaved sighs, When taking her into the arms she contorts all her body,
As spells are disregarded by the young serpent. Covering her closed eyes with her hands, As a sick man takes medicine;
For a moment is the pain, for life is the joy; From this O girl! why do you turn your face? Bidyapati says, hear, o Murari! Thou art the ocean of love, the girl is but young. This is Horace's
"Nondum subactâ ferre jugum valet Cervice; nondum munia comparis Equare, nec tauri ruentis
MR. W. THEOBALD, of the Geological Survey, in the Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal for July 1865, and again in the Proceedings for July 1869, first brought to public notice the existence of stone implements in Burmah "both of the paleolithic and neolithic types."
In venerem tolerare pondus."* But it is at first sight rather startling to see the metaphor applied as it is in this case to the first effect upon the soul of the awakening influence of divine love. Accustomed as we are to keep the flesh and the spirit widely apart and to regard them as antagonistic to one another, it is strange and revolting to be brought face to face with a phase of thought in which the fleshly serves as a type of the spiritual. Unaided human nature has in Vaishnavism soared high and nearly touched the goal of truth, but for lack of revelation it has fallen back and lies grovelling in the mire.
In conclusion, I must acknowledge the source whence I obtained these interesting hymns. I have to thank Babu Jagadishnath Rai for his kindness in procuring them for me, for assisting me with his advice in translating and making notes on them.
He has promised to endeavour to procure for me some more of them, which if the specimens herein given should prove interesting to any class of readers, I will publish in due course hereafter.
THE CELTS OF TOUNGOO. BY FRANCIS MASON, D. D.
In the latter number of the Proceedings he furnished a very full and interesting article, illustrated with figures of the principal types, and remarked :-"The entire number of all types which I have observed in Burmah amount to 50 or thereabouts."
Carm. II. v.