s: The trumpeters with the loud minstrelsy,


s: The heralds, that full loude yell and cry,


s: This fierce Arcite hath off his helm y-done,


s: For which his horse for fear began to turn,


s: His breast to-bursten with his saddle-bow.


s: Some hadden salves, and some hadden charms:


s: For which this noble Duke, as he well can,


s: Unyielding, and with twenty knights y-take


s: And gave them giftes after their degree,


s: There was no more but "Farewell, Have good day."


s: Swelleth the breast of Arcite and the sore


s: Then said he thus, as ye shall after hear.


s: "Nought may the woful spirit in mine heart


s: Declare one point of all my sorrows' smart


s: Since that my life ne may no longer dure.


s: That I for you have suffered and so long!


s: What is this world? what aske men to have?


s: Now with his love, now in his colde grave


s: Farewell, my sweet, farewell, mine Emily,


s: For love of God, and hearken what I say.


s: Had strife and rancour many a day agone,


s: That is to say, truth, honour, and knighthead,


s: As in this world right now I know not one,


s: That serveth you, and will do all his life.


s: And with that word his speech to fail began.


s: For from his feet up to his breast was come


s: That dwelled in his hearte sick and sore,


s: His spirit changed house, and wente there,


s: As I came never I cannot telle where.<84>


s: Of them, though that they writen where they dwell;


s: Swooning, and bare her from the corpse away.


s: To telle how she wept both eve and morrow?


s: For in such cases women have such sorrow,


s: In all the town, for death of this Theban:


s: For him there weepeth bothe child and man.


s: So great a weeping was there none certain,


s: When Hector was y-brought, all fresh y-slain,


s: Scratching of cheeks, and rending eke of hair.


s: "Why wouldest thou be dead?" these women cry,


s: "Right as there died never man," quoth he,


s: "In all this world, that sometime be not died.


s: This world is but a throughfare full of woe,


s: The people, that they should them recomfort.


s: His complaint, and for love his hote fires,


s: With cloth of gold, the richest that he had;


s: Eke on his head a crown of laurel green,


s: And in his hand a sword full bright and keen.


s: And, for the people shoulde see him all,


s: When it was day he brought them to the hall,


s: That roareth of the crying and the soun'.


s: In clothes black, y-dropped all with tears,


s: Duke Theseus let forth three steedes bring,


s: That trapped were in steel all glittering.


s: And covered with the arms of Dan Arcite.


s: Upon these steedes, that were great and white,


s: There satte folk, of whom one bare his shield,


s: The noblest of the Greekes that there were


s: With vessels in their hand of gold full fine,


s: All full of honey, milk, and blood, and wine;


s: Of straw first there was laid many a load.


s: But how the pyre was maked up on height,


s: How they were fell'd, shall not be told for me;


s: Fledden for feare, when the wood gan fall;


s: The myrrh, the incense with so sweet odour;


s: Nor what she spake, nor what was her desire;


s: When that the fire was great and burned fast;


s: Nor how some cast their shield, and some their spear,


s: And of their vestiments, which that they wear,


s: And cuppes full of wine, and milk, and blood,


s: Upon the left hand, with a loud shouting,


s: And thries with their speares clattering;


s: By process and by length of certain years


s: To have with certain countries alliance,


s: When he first made the faire chain of love,


s: Great was th' effect, and high was his intent;


s: Well wist he why, and what thereof he meant:


s: In certain bondes, that they may not flee:<91>


s: That same prince and mover eke," quoth he,


s: "Hath stablish'd, in this wretched world adown,


s: To all that are engender'd in this place,


s: That every part deriveth from its whole.


s: This mayst thou understand and see at eye.


s: Lo th' oak, that hath so long a nourishing


s: From the time that it 'ginneth first to spring,


s: That needes in one of the termes two, --


s: That is to say, in youth or else in age,-


s: He must be dead, the king as shall a page;


s: The which is prince, and cause of alle thing,


s: When with honour is yielded up his breath,


s: That good Arcite, of chivalry the flower,


s: And ere that we departe from this place,


s: And look now where most sorrow is herein,


s: "Sister," quoth he, "this is my full assent,


s: With all th' advice here of my parlement,


s: That serveth you with will, and heart, and might,


s: And ever hath, since first time ye him knew,


s: Lend me your hand, for this is our accord.


s: Since he hath served you so many a year,


s: Come near, and take your lady by the hand."


s: And God, that all this wide world hath wrought,


s: Send him his love, that hath it dearly bought.


s: Chaucer was indebted to Boccaccio, who had himself borrowed


s: from some prior poet, chronicler, or romancer.  Boccaccio


s: speaks of the story as "very ancient;" and, though that may not


s: Boccaccio's "Theseida;" but in some points the copy has a


s: distinct dramatic superiority over the original.  The "Theseida"


s: contained ten thousand lines; Chaucer has condensed it into less


s: than one-fourth of the number. The "Knight's Tale" is supposed


s: to have been at first composed as a separate work; it is


s: undetermined whether Chaucer took it direct from the Italian of


s: Boccaccio, or from a French translation.


s: Amazons. Gower, in the "Confessio Amantis," styles


s: discourse." The first, and half of the second, of Boccaccio's


s: twelve books are disposed of in the few lines foregoing.


s: yearly devoured a tribute of fourteen Athenian youths and


s: feudal castles; it was employed to detain prisoners of


s: importance. Hence the modern meaning of the word dungeon.


s: Edward III., according to Froissart, declared that he would


s: either succeed in the war against France or die in the pain --


s: the fashion has long died out, we still speak of "sworn friends."


s: Consolatione Philosophiae", which Chaucer translated, and


s: from which he has freely borrowed in his poetry. The words are


s: ("Who can give law to lovers? Love is a law unto himself, and


s: pronounced as words of four and three syllables respectively --


s: the vowels at the end not being diphthongated, but enunciated


s: separately, as if the words were printed Pe-ri-tho-us, The-se-us.


s: "stund;" akin to which is German, "Stunde," an hour.


s: house; from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning a crowd. Compare


s: "katharos", the Romans "purus," in the same sense.


s: probably made forty lines before, in the word "parlement," or


s: "parliament," questions like that here proposed were seriously


s: according to the different sensitive faculties," says Mr Wright,


s: "is very ancient, and is found depicted in mediaeval


s: manuscripts." In a manuscript in the Harleian Library, it is


s: stated, "Certum est in prora cerebri esse fantasiam, in medio


s: rationem discretionis, in puppi memoriam" (it is certain that in


s: eyes but he was sent to sleep by the flute of Mercury, who then


s: unexpected time.  "To  set a steven," is to fix a time, make an


s: tree-top, now down in the briars. "Crop and root," top and


s: decreed before my shirt ws shaped -- that is, before any clothes


s: common reading, however, is "regne," reign or power.


s: French, "Landes" -- flat, bare marshy tracts in the south of


s: the God of War. In his "Republic," enumerating the seven


s: planets, Cicero speaks of the propitious and beneficent light of


s: Jupiter: "Tum (fulgor) rutilis horribilisque terris, quem Martium


s: you say to be that of Mars." Boccaccio opens the "Theseida" by


s: Full of degrees, the height of sixty pas"


s: The building was a circle of steps or benches, as in the ancient


s: amphitheatre. Either the building was sixty paces high; or, more


s: probably, there were sixty of the steps or benches.


s: turns with and seems to watch the sun, as a jealous lover his


s: now called Cerigo: not, as Chaucer's form of the word might


s: imply, Mount Cithaeron, in the south-west of Boetia, which was


s: appropriated to other deities than Venus -- to Jupiter, to


s: chronology in this passage, where the deeds of Turnus, the


s: glory of King Solomon, and the fate of Croesus are made


s: memories of the far past in the time of fabulous Theseus, the


s: signifying the maintenance of a person in a law suit on the


s: condition of receiving part of the property in dispute, if


s: "sheppon" still survives in provincial parlance.


s: understand "the dancing ships," "the ships that hop" on the


s: waves; "steres" being taken as the feminine adjectival


s: termination: or we may, perhaps, read, with one of the


s: manuscripts, "the ships upon the steres" -- that is, even as they


s: representing two constellations-the one signifying Mars


s: Jupiter, turned into a bear by Diana, and placed afterwards, with


s: Thessaly; she was beloved by Apollo, but to avoid his pursuit,


s: she was, at her own prayer, changed into a laurel-tree.


s: Diana -- as well as Juno -- was invoked by women in childbirth:


s: ("Virgin custodian of hills and groves, three-formed goddess


s: who hears and saves from death young women who call upon


s: Scottish crown, he stabbed Comyn before the altar at Dumfries;


s: and, emerging from the church, was asked by his friend


s: into the church, and despatched Comyn with repeated thrusts of


s: daybreak) which after the astrological system that divided the


s: twenty-four among the seven ruling planets, was under the


s: death by the tusk of a boar she deeply mourned.


s: Palamon had gone forth in the hour of Venus, two hours before


s: daybreak; the hour of Mercury intervened; the third hour was


s: that of Luna, or Diana.  "Unequal" refers to the astrological


s: division of day and night, whatever their duration, into twelve


s: parts, which of necessity varied in length with the season.


s: twelve books of his "Thebaid" the ancient legends connected


s: with the war of the seven against Thebes.


s: hell; hence the direction of the eyes of her statue to "Pluto's


s: dark region."  Her statue was set up where three ways met, so


s: that with a different face she looked down each of the three;


s: from which she was called Trivia. See the quotation from


s: person of the deity endowed with the supposed quality of the


s: predicted "much debate" under his ascendancy; hence it was


s: "against his kind" to compose the heavenly strife.


s: call for silence in law-courts or before proclamations.


s: lower ribs join the cartilago ensiformis.


s: extraordinary violence in the action denoted.


s: passage refers impersonally to any of the combatants.


s: Africa; but "Palmyrie" has been suggested as the correct


s: cannot tell you, as I was not there.  Tyrwhitt thinks that


s: Chaucer is sneering at Boccacio's pompous account of the


s: passage of Arcite's soul to heaven. Up to this point, the


s: description of the death-scene is taken literally from the


s: beard, and rough hair strewn with ashes. "Flotery" is the general


s: funeral pile of an emperor or general; "on the left hand" is


s: added, in reference to the belief that the left hand was


s: propitious -- the Roman augur turning his face southward, and


s: so placing on his left hand the east, whence good omens came.


s: With the Greeks, however, their augurs facing the north, it was


s: funeral of Arcite is taken from Statius' "Thebaid" -- from a


s: Anglo-Saxon, "lice," a corpse; German, "Leichnam."


s: (Love ties these things together: the earth, and the ruling sea,


s: When that the Knight had thus his tale told


s: In all the rout was neither young nor old,


s: And swore by armes, and by blood, and bones,


s: By Godde's soul," quoth he, "that will not I,


s: "Now hearken," quoth the Miller, "all and some:


s: And therefore if that I misspeak or say,


s: Thou may'st enough of other thinges sayn."


s: This drunken Miller spake full soon again,


s: But I say not therefore that thou art one;


s: What should I more say, but that this Millere


s: And therefore every gentle wight I pray,


s: Of evil intent, but that I must rehearse


s: Their tales all, be they better or worse,


s: Turn o'er the leaf, and choose another tale;


s: For he shall find enough, both great and smale,


s: The Miller is a churl, ye know well this,


s: Notes to the Prologue to the Miller's Tale


s: middle ages, was probably represented as having a gruff, harsh


s: With him there was dwelling a poor scholer,


s: When that men should have drought or elles show'rs:


s: His astrolabe,<2>  belonging to his art,


s: And after that he sung the kinge's note;


s: Full often blessed was his merry throat.


s: And thus this sweete clerk his time spent


s: Of eighteen year, I guess, she was of age.


s: Jealous he was, and held her narr'w in cage,


s: For she was wild and young, and he was old,


s: He must endure (as other folk) his care.


s: Fair was this younge wife, and therewithal


s: Of coal-black silk, within and eke without.


s: Her fillet broad of silk, and set full high:


s: And by her girdle hung a purse of leather,


s: Her shoon were laced on her legges high;


s: As clerkes be full subtle and full quaint.


s: And she sprang as a colt doth in the trave<14>:


s: And with her head she writhed fast away,


s: Do away your handes, for your courtesy."


s: And spake so fair, and proffer'd him so fast,


s: That she her love him granted at the last,


s: And swore her oath by Saint Thomas of Kent,


s: When that she may her leisure well espy.


s: Then fell it thus, that to the parish church,


s: Her forehead shone as bright as any day,


s: So was it washen, when she left her werk.


s: Now was there of that church a parish clerk,


s: Curl'd was his hair, and as the gold it shone,


s: Well could he letten blood, and clip, and shave,


s: And make a charter of land, and a quittance.


s: In twenty manners could he trip and dance,


s: She was so proper, and sweet, and likerous.


s: I dare well say, if she had been a mouse,


s: The moon at night full clear and brighte shone,


s: He singeth in his voice gentle and small;


s: This carpenter awoke, and heard him sing,


s: "Yes, God wot, John, I hear him every deal."


s: He waketh all the night, and all the day,


s: To comb his lockes broad, and make him gay.


s: For some folk will be wonnen for richess,


s: And some for strokes, and some with gentiless.


s: Sometimes, to show his lightness and mast'ry,


s: He playeth Herod <22> on a scaffold high.


s: Maketh oft time the far lief to be loth. <23>


s: This nigh Nicholas stood still in his light.


s: Now bear thee well, thou Hendy Nicholas,


s: She shoulde sleepen in his arms all night;


s: But doth full soft unto his chamber carry


s: He would answer, for nought that might befall."


s: And ate, and slept, and didde what him list


s: And, at the chamber door while that he stood,


s: But all for nought, he hearde not a word.


s: An hole he found full low upon the board,


s: Where as the cat was wont in for to creep,


s: And at that hole he looked in full deep,


s: He saw not that. But yet, by Saint Thomas!


s: He shall out of his studying, as I guess."


s: And by the hasp he heav'd it off at once;


s: This Nicholas sat aye as still as stone,


s: Blesse this house from every wicked wight,


s: From the night mare, the white Pater-noster;


s: Gan for to sigh full sore, and said; "Alas!


s: Of certain thing that toucheth thee and me:


s: This carpenter went down, and came again,


s: And brought of mighty ale a large quart;


s: And when that each of them had drunk his part,


s: "Now, John," quoth Nicholas, "I will not lie,


s: That now on Monday next, at quarter night,


s: This world," he said, "in less than half an hour


s: And shall she drench? alas, mine Alisoun!"


s: For sorrow of this he fell almost adown,


s: And said; "Is there no remedy in this case?"


s: "Why, yes, for God," quoth Hendy Nicholas;


s: For thus saith Solomon, that was full true:


s: When that our Lord had warned him beforn,


s: That he had ere he got his wife to ship?<30>


s: *Him had been lever, I dare well undertake,


s: At thilke time, than all his wethers black,


s: This asketh haste, and of an hasty thing


s: Go now thy way, and speed thee hereabout.


s: But when thou hast for her, and thee, and me,


s: Y-gotten us these kneading tubbes three,


s: Then shalt thou hang them in the roof full high,


s: And hast our vitaille fair in them y-laid,


s: When that the water comes, that we may go,


s: And break an hole on high upon the gable


s: When that the greate shower is gone away.


s: Then shalt thou swim as merry, I undertake,


s: And thou wilt say, 'Hail, Master Nicholay,


s: Good-morrow, I see thee well, for it is day.'


s: And then shall we be lordes all our life


s: But of one thing I warne thee full right,


s: That none of us not speak a single word,


s: Nor clepe nor cry, but be in his prayere,


s: No more in looking than there shall in deed.


s: This ordinance is said: go, God thee speed


s: To-morrow night, when men be all asleep,


s: Men say thus: Send the wise, and say nothing:


s: Thou art so wise, it needeth thee nought teach.


s: Go, save our lives, and that I thee beseech."


s: This silly carpenter went forth his way,


s: Full oft he said, "Alas! and Well-a-day!,'


s: And she was ware, and better knew than he


s: Help us to scape, or we be dead each one.


s: Go, deare spouse, and help to save our life."


s: This newe flood come weltering as the sea


s: With his own hand then made he ladders three,


s: But ere that he had made all this array,


s: And still he sat and bidded his prayere,


s: Fell on this carpenter, right as I guess,


s: About the curfew-time,<33> or little more,


s: This parish clerk, this amorous Absolon,


s: And he drew him apart out of the church,


s: For timber, where our abbot hath him sent.


s: And thought, "Now is the time to wake all night,


s: So may I thrive, but I shall at cock crow


s: That at the leaste way I shall her kiss.


s: And all the night then will I wake and play."


s: When that the first cock crowed had, anon


s: To smelle sweet, ere he had combed his hair.


s: Under his tongue a true love <35>  he bare,


s: And still he stood under the shot window;


s: "Go from the window, thou jack fool," she said:


s: Well better than thee, by Jesus, Absolon.


s: Go forth thy way, or I will cast a stone;


s: "Wilt thou then go thy way therewith?" , quoth she.


s: "Yea, certes, leman," quoth this Absolon.


s: "Then make thee ready," quoth she, "I come anon."


s: For after this I hope there cometh more;


s: "Have done," quoth she, "come off, and speed thee fast,


s: Lest that our neighebours should thee espy."


s: Then Absolon gan wipe his mouth full dry.


s: Dark was the night as pitch or as the coal,


s: But with his mouth he kiss'd her naked erse


s: Full savourly. When he was ware of this,


s: Aback he start, and thought it was amiss;


s: He felt a thing all rough, and long y-hair'd,


s: "Te he!" quoth she, and clapt the window to;


s: "A beard, a beard," said Hendy Nicholas;


s: "By God's corpus, this game went fair and well."


s: But Absolon? that saith full oft, "Alas!


s: And weep as doth a child that hath been beat.


s: And said; "Undo, Gerveis, and that anon."


s: "What, who art thou?" "It is I, Absolon."


s: Hath brought you thus upon the viretote:<38>


s: By Saint Neot, ye wot well what I mean."


s: Than Gerveis knew, and saide; "Friend so dear,


s: Gerveis answered; "Certes, were it gold,


s: Hey! Christe's foot, what will ye do therewith?"


s: "Thereof," quoth Absolon, "be as be may;


s: He coughed first, and knocked therewithal


s: That knocketh so? I warrant him a thief."


s: Of gold," quoth he, "I have thee brought a ring,


s: And therewith spake this clerk, this Absolon,


s: "Speak, sweete bird, I know not where thou art."


s: Off went the skin an handbreadth all about.


s: This carpenter out of his slumber start,


s: And with his axe he smote the cord in two;


s: And down went all; he found neither to sell


s: And cried out an "harow!" <15>  in the street.


s: The neighbours alle, bothe small and great


s: For with the fall he broken had his arm.


s: For when he spake, he was anon borne down


s: He had y-bought him kneading-tubbes three,


s: And that he prayed them for Godde's love


s: It was for nought, no man his reason heard.


s: With oathes great he was so sworn adown,


s: That he was holden wood in all the town.


s: For every clerk anon right held with other;


s: formed the canon of astrological science in the middle ages.


s: instrument for taking the altitude of the sun or stars.


s: numeration; "augrim stones," therefore were probably marked


s: Censor, more probably the reference is merely to the "Moral


s: Distichs," which go under his name, though written after his


s: time; and in a supplement to which the quoted passage may be


s: brightness; "Ex auro nobilissimi, unde nobilis vocatus," (made


s: from the noblest (purest) gold, and therefore called nobles) says


s: In some parts of the country, a drink made from honeycomb,


s: after the honey is extracted, is still called "bragwort."


s: "piga," a young maid; but Tyrwhitt associates it with the Latin,


s: Davenport and Butler both use the word pigsnie, the first for


s: "darling," the second literally for "eye;" and Bishop Gardner,


s: "On True Obedience," in his address to the reader, says: "How


s: softly she was wont to chirpe him under the chin, and kiss him;


s: how prettily she could talk to him (how doth my sweet heart,


s: or aid. The "Clameur de Haro" was lately raised, under peculiar


s: circumstances, as the prelude to a legal protest, in Jersey.


s: possible shoot at any one approaching the door.


s: mysteries or religious plays; Herod was one of these parts,


s: which may have been an object of competition among the


s: proverb; the cunning one near at hand oft makes the loving one


s: at Oxford, and held there in high repute.


s: it has since appeared in many other forms.


s: the middle ages, some very active exploits against the prince of


s: darkness and his powers were ascribed by the monkish tale-


s: tellers to the saviour after he had "descended into hell."


s: come into the ark, and bade her husband row forth and get him


s: a new wife, because he was leaving her gossips in the town to


s: drown. Shem and his brothers got her shipped by main force;


s: and Noah, coming forward to welcome her, was greeted with a


s: At thilke time, than all his wethers black,


s: "At that time he would have given all his black wethers, if she


s: explained as the humming sound made in repeating prayers;


s: from the Anglo-Saxon, "clumian," to mutter, speak in an under-


s: William the Conqueror, all people were, on ringing of a bell, to


s: extinguish fire and candle, and go to rest; hence the word


s: curfew, from French, "couvre-feu," cover-fire.


s: another reading, however, is "a true love-knot," which may


s: editions: they are taken from Urry; whether he supplied them or


s: not, they serve the purpose of a necessary explanation.


s: this euphemistic phrase has enjoyed a wonderful vitality.


s: Spelman as a game in which children made themselves giddy by


s: whirling on ropes.  In French, "virer" means to turn; and the


s: explanation may, therefore, suit either reading. In modern slang


s: parlance, Gerveis would probably have said, "on the rampage,"


s: or "on the swing" -- not very far from Spelman's rendering.


s: playing a deeper game, had more serious business on hand.


s: WHEN folk had laughed all at this nice case


s: But I am old; me list not play for age; <2>


s: Grass time is done, my fodder is now forage.


s: As hath a leek; for though our might be gone,


s: The stream of life now droppeth on the chimb.<6>


s: The silly tongue well may ring and chime


s: When that our Host had heard this sermoning,


s: And said; "To what amounteth all this wit?


s: What? shall we speak all day of holy writ?


s: "Now, sirs," quoth then this Osewold the Reeve,


s: I pray you all that none of you do grieve,


s: Right in his churlish termes will I speak,


s: But in his own he cannot see a balk."<12>


s: sutore nauclerus" (a  seaman or pilot from a cobbler) were both


s: proverbial expressions in the Middle Ages.


s: or "houfe," means "hood;" and the phrase signifies to be even


s: Upon the whiche brook there stands a mill:


s: A thief he was, for sooth, of corn and meal,


s: With her he gave full many a pan of brass,


s: For that Simkin should in his blood ally.


s: But she were well y-nourish'd, and a maid,


s: There durste no wight call her aught but Dame:


s: One daughter hadde they betwixt them two


s: Saving a child that was of half year age,


s: But right fair was her hair, I will not lie.


s: The parson of the town, for she was fair,


s: Therefore he would his holy blood honour


s: Though that he holy Churche should devour.


s: There was their wheat and eke their malt y-ground.


s: For theretofore he stole but courteously,


s: Then were there younge poore scholars two,


s: That dwelled in the hall of which I say;


s: John hight the one, and Alein hight the other,


s: Of one town were they born, that highte Strother,<7>


s: Far in the North, I cannot tell you where.


s: Forth went Alein the clerk, and also John,


s: With good sword and with buckler by their side.


s: John knew the way, him needed not no guide,


s: And at the mill the sack adown he lay'th.


s: Alein spake first; "All hail, Simon, in faith,


s: How fares thy faire daughter, and thy wife."


s: "Alein, welcome," quoth Simkin, "by my life,


s: And John also: how now, what do ye here?"


s: To grind our corn and carry it home again:


s: I pray you speed us hence as well ye may."


s: "It shall be done," quoth Simkin, "by my fay.


s: What will ye do while that it is in hand?"


s: "By God, right by the hopper will I stand,"


s: Quoth John, "and see how that the corn goes in.


s: Alein answered, "John, and wilt thou so?


s: For all the sleight in their philosophy.


s: As whilom to the wolf thus spake the mare: <10>


s: Of all their art ne count I not a tare."


s: The clerkes' horse, there as he stood y-bound


s: And when the horse was loose, he gan to gon


s: Forth, with "Wehee!" through thick and eke through thin.


s: This miller went again, no word he said,


s: And when the meal was sacked and y-bound,


s: Then John went out, and found his horse away,


s: Our horse is lost: Alein, for Godde's bones,


s: Step on thy feet; come off, man, all at once:


s: With wilde mares, as fast as he could go.


s: "Alas!" quoth John, "Alein, for Christes pain


s: Lay down thy sword, and I shall mine also.


s: Toward the fen, both Alein and eke John;


s: And when the miller saw that they were gone,


s: He half a bushel of their flour did take,


s: And bade his wife go knead it in a cake.


s: He said; I trow, the clerkes were afeard,


s: Lo where they go! yea, let the children play:


s: They get him not so lightly, by my crown."


s: They coulde not, though they did all their might,


s: Their capel catch, he ran alway so fast:


s: Till in a ditch they caught him at the last.


s: Comes silly John, and with him comes Alein.


s: "Alas," quoth John, "the day that I was born!


s: Such as it is, yet shall ye have your part.


s: Mine house is strait, but ye have learned art;


s: Aye is thou merry, and that is fair answer'd.


s: I have heard say, man shall take of two things,


s: Such as he findes, or such as he brings.


s: Gar <16> us have meat and drink, and make us cheer,


s: And we shall pay thee truly at the full:


s: This miller to the town his daughter send


s: For ale and bread, and roasted them a goose,


s: And bound their horse, he should no more go loose:


s: And drinken ever strong ale at the best.


s: Well had this miller varnished his head;


s: To rock, and eke to give the child to suck.


s: There was no more; needed them no dwale.<19>


s: Alein the clerk, that heard this melody,


s: He poked John, and saide: "Sleepest thou?


s: That if a man in one point be aggriev'd,


s: Our corn is stol'n, soothly it is no nay,


s: By Godde's soul, it shall none, other be."


s: And up he rose, and by the wench he crept.


s: This wenche lay upright, and fast she slept,


s: Till he so nigh was, ere she might espy,


s: And, shortly for to say, they were at one.


s: Now play, Alein, for I will speak of John.


s: This John lay still a furlong way <23> or two,


s: Yet has my fellow somewhat for his harm;


s: He has the miller's daughter in his arm:


s: And groped here and there, but she found none.


s: "Alas!" quoth she, "I had almost misgone


s: Ey! Benedicite, then had I foul y-sped."


s: And forth she went, till she the cradle fand.


s: And wist not where she was, for it was derk;


s: But fair and well she crept in by the clerk,


s: And lay full still, and would have caught a sleep.


s: Within a while this John the Clerk up leap


s: And on this goode wife laid on full sore;


s: This jolly life have these two clerkes had,


s: Till that the thirde cock began to sing.


s: When that thou wendest homeward by the mill,


s: Thou shalt a cake of half a bushel find,


s: Which that I help'd my father for to steal.


s: And goode leman, God thee save and keep."


s: And with that word she gan almost to weep.


s: Alein uprose and thought, "Ere the day daw


s: And found the cradle with his hand anon.


s: "By God!" thought he, "all wrong I have misgone:


s: And caught him by the neck, and gan him shake,


s: And said; "Thou John, thou swines-head, awake


s: For Christes soul, and hear a noble game!


s: For by that lord that called is Saint Jame,


s: Swived the miller's daughter bolt-upright,


s: Ah, false traitor, false clerk," quoth he,


s: "Thou shalt be dead, by Godde's dignity,


s: Down ran the bloody stream upon his breast:


s: And in the floor with nose and mouth all broke


s: "In manus tuas! <27> Lord, to thee I call.


s: Mine heart is broken; help; I am but dead:


s: There li'th one on my womb and on mine head.


s: Help, Simkin, for these false clerks do fight"


s: This John start up as fast as e'er he might,


s: For at an hole in shone the moone bright,


s: And by that light she saw them both the two,


s: These clerkes beat him well, and let him lie,


s: And at the mill door eke they took their cake


s: Of half a bushel flour, full well y-bake.


s: And hath y-lost the grinding of the wheat;


s: And therefore this proverb is said full sooth,


s: Save all this Company, both great and smale.


s: Ages, and are found under various forms.  Boccaccio has told


s: them in the ninth day of his "Decameron".


s: or upper storey; supposed to have been Clare Hall.


s: (Transcribers note: later commentators identify it with King's


s: Chaucer has given the scholars a dialect that may have belonged


s: to either district, although it more immediately suggests the


s: (Transcribers note: later commentators have identified it with a


s: now vanished village near Kirknewton in Northumberland.


s: There was a well-known Alein of Strother in Chaucer's


s: which pretends that his name is written on the bottom of his


s: "every man of letters is not wise." A similar story is told in


s: barbe;" and Boccaccio uses the proverb in the same sense.


s: kitchen; a cook, in base Latin, being termed "coquinarius."


s: venture, nothing have;" German, "unselig," unhappy.


s: time; the cross or rood of the priory of Bromholm, in Norfolk,


s: was said to contain part of the real cross and therefore held in


s: THE Cook of London, while the Reeve thus spake,


s: For joy he laugh'd and clapp'd him on the back:


s: Bring thou not every man into thine house,


s: I pray to God to give me sorrow and care


s: Our Host answer'd and said; "I grant it thee.


s: Roger, tell on; and look that it be good,


s: For many a pasty hast thou letten blood,


s: And many a Jack of Dover<1> hast thou sold,


s: Of many a pilgrim hast thou Christe's curse,


s: For of thy parsley yet fare they the worse.


s: That they have eaten in thy stubble goose:


s: For in thy shop doth many a fly go loose.


s: "Thou sayst full sooth," quoth Roger, "by my fay;


s: But sooth play quad play,<2> as the Fleming saith,


s: And therefore, Harry Bailly, by thy faith,


s: And told his tale, as ye shall after hear.


s: Notes to the Prologue to the Cook's Tale


s: So have I read this wonderful and spirit-thrilling speech,


s: By Krishna and Prince Arjun held, discoursing each with each;


s: So have I writ its wisdom here,--its hidden mystery,


s: For England; O our India! as dear to me as She!


s: Its scene is the level country between the Jumna and the Sarsooti


s: Ranged thus for battle on the sacred plain--


s: What wrought my people, and the Pandavas?


s: And spake these words: "Ah, Guru! see this line,


s: Thy scholar in the war! Therein stand ranked


s: Chiefs like Arjuna, like to Bhima chiefs,


s: Dhrishtaket, Chekitan, Kasi's stout lord,


s: Subhadra's child; and Drupadi's;-all famed!


s: On our side, too,--thou best of Brahmans! see


s: Excellent chiefs, commanders of my line,


s: Whose names I joy to count: thyself the first,


s: Then Bhishma, Karna, Kripa fierce in fight,


s: Valiant and tried, ready this day to die


s: For me their king, each with his weapon grasped,


s: Each skilful in the field. Weakest-meseems-


s: Our battle shows where Bhishma holds command,


s: And Bhima, fronting him, something too strong!


s: Have care our captains nigh to Bhishma's ranks


s: Prepare what help they may! Now, blow my shell!"


s: With blare to wake the blood, rolling around


s: Blew the great Conch; and, at the noise of it,


s: Trumpets and drums, cymbals and gongs and horns


s: Burst into sudden clamour; as the blasts


s: Of loosened tempest, such the tumult seemed!


s: Then might be seen, upon their car of gold


s: Yoked with white steeds, blowing their battle-shells,


s: Krishna, with knotted locks, blew his great conch


s: Carved of the "Giant's bone;" Arjuna blew


s: Wolf-bellied Bhima-blew a long reed-conch;


s: Winded a mighty shell, "Victory's Voice;"


s: Named the "Sweet-sounding," Sahadev on his


s: Called"Gem-bedecked," and Kasi's Prince on his.


s: Drupada, with his sons, (O Lord of Earth!)


s: Long-armed Subhadra's children, all blew loud,


s: So that the clangour shook their foemen's hearts,


s: With quaking earth and thundering heav'n.


s: Weapons unsheathing, bows drawn forth, the war


s: Instant to break-Arjun, whose ensign-badge


s: Was Hanuman the monkey, spake this thing


s: "Drive, Dauntless One! to yonder open ground


s: Betwixt the armies; I would see more nigh


s: These who will fight with us, those we must slay


s: To-day, in war's arbitrament; for, sure,


s: On bloodshed all are bent who throng this plain,


s: Between the hosts that heavenly Charioteer


s: Drove the bright car, reining its milk-white steeds


s: Where Bhishma led,and Drona,and their Lords.


s: "See!" spake he to Arjuna, "where they stand,


s: Thy kindred of the Kurus:" and the Prince


s: Marked on each hand the kinsmen of his house,


s: Grandsires and sires, uncles and brothers and sons,


s: Cousins and sons-in-law and nephews, mixed


s: With friends and honoured elders; some this side,


s: Some that side ranged: and, seeing those opposed,


s: Melted with pity, while he uttered this:


s: Their common blood, yon concourse of our kin,


s: My members fail, my tongue dries in my mouth,


s: Bristles with horror; from my weak hand slips


s: My skin to parching; hardly may I stand;


s: The life within me seems to swim and faint;


s: It is not good, O Keshav! nought of good


s: Can spring from mutual slaughter! Lo, I hate


s: Triumph and domination, wealth and ease,


s: Can bring delight, Govinda! what rich spoils


s: Could profit; what rule recompense; what span


s: Of life itself seem sweet, bought with such blood?


s: Seeing that these stand here, ready to die,


s: For whose sake life was fair, and pleasure pleased,


s: And power grew precious:-grandsires, sires, and sons,


s: Brothers, and fathers-in-law, and sons-in-law,


s: Elders and friends! Shall I deal death on these


s: Even though they seek to slay us? Not one blow,


s: The rule of all Three Worlds; then, how much less


s: To seize an earthly kingdom! Killing these


s: Must breed but anguish, Krishna! If they be


s: Guilty, we shall grow guilty by their deaths;


s: Their sins will light on us, if we shall slay


s: Those sons of Dhritirashtra, and our kin;


s: What peace could come of that, O Madhava?


s: For if indeed, blinded by lust and wrath,


s: These cannot see, or will not see, the sin


s: Of kingly lines o'erthrown and kinsmen slain,


s: How should not we, who see, shun such a crime--


s: We who perceive the guilt and feel the shame--


s: Its women grow unwomaned, whence there spring


s: Mad passions, and the mingling-up of castes,


s: And whoso wrought its doom by wicked wrath.


s: Nay, and the souls of honoured ancestors


s: Fall from their place of peace, being bereft


s: Of funeral-cakes and the wan death-water.[FN#1]


s: So teach our holy hymns. Thus, if we slay


s: Kinsfolk and friends for love of earthly power,


s: To face them weaponless, and bare my breast


s: To shaft and spear, than answer blow with blow.


s: So speaking, in the face of those two hosts,


s: And let fall bow and arrows, sick at heart.


s: Him, filled with such compassion and such grief,


s: With eyes tear-dimmed, despondent, in stern words


s: How hath this weakness taken thee? Whence springs


s: The inglorious trouble, shameful to the brave,


s: Thy warrior-name! cast off the coward-fit!


s: Wake! Be thyself! Arise, Scourge of thy Foes!


s: How can I, in the battle, shoot with shafts


s: Than taste their blood in rich feasts spread,


s: And sighing,"I will not fight!" held silence then.


s: To whom, with tender smile, (O Bharata! )


s: While the Prince wept despairing 'twixt those hosts,


s: Thou grievest where no grief should be! thou speak'st


s: Words lacking wisdom! for the wise in heart


s: Mourn not for those that live, nor those that die.


s: All, that doth live, lives always! To man's frame


s: As there come infancy and youth and age,


s: So come there raisings-up and layings-down


s: Which the wise know, and fear not. This that irks--


s: Thy sense-life, thrilling to the elements--


s: Bringing thee heat and cold, sorrows and joys,


s: 'Tis brief and mutable! Bear with it, Prince!


s: As the wise bear. The soul which is not moved,


s: The soul that with a strong and constant calm


s: Takes sorrow and takes joy indifferently,


s: Lives in the life undying! That which is


s: Can never cease to be; that which is not


s: Will not exist. To see this truth of both


s: Is theirs who part essence from accident,


s: Learn thou! the Life is, spreading life through all;


s: Be anywise diminished, stayed, or changed.


s: But for these fleeting frames which it informs


s: With spirit deathless, endless, infinite,


s: They perish. Let them perish, Prince! and fight!


s: He who shall say, "Lo! I have slain a man!"


s: He who shall think, "Lo! I am slain!" those both


s: Know naught! Life cannot slay. Life is not slain!


s: Never the spirit was born; the spirit shall cease to be never;


s: Never was time it was not; End and Beginning are dreams!


s: Who knoweth it exhaustless, self-sustained,


s: Say, "I have killed a man, or caused to kill?"


s: I say to thee weapons reach not the Life;


s: Flame burns it not, waters cannot o'erwhelm,


s: Unentered, unassailed, unharmed, untouched,


s: And thought uncompassed, ever all itself,


s: Thus is the Soul declared! How wilt thou, then,--


s: Knowing it so,--grieve when thou shouldst not grieve?


s: How, if thou hearest that the man new-dead


s: Is, like the man new-born, still living man--


s: One same, existent Spirit--wilt thou weep?


s: The end of birth is death; the end of death


s: Is birth: this is ordained! and mournest thou,


s: Chief of the stalwart arm! for what befalls


s: Which could not otherwise befall? The birth


s: Of living things comes unperceived; the death


s: Comes unperceived; between them, beings perceive:


s: What is there sorrowful herein, dear Prince?


s: Nor wotteth man this, what a marvel it is,


s: When seeing, and saying, and hearing are done!


s: This Life within all living things, my Prince!


s: Hides beyond harm; scorn thou to suffer, then,


s: For that which cannot suffer. Do thy part!


s: Be mindful of thy name, and tremble not!


s: To whom comes joy of battle--comes, as now,


s: Glorious and fair, unsought; opening for him


s: A gateway unto Heav'n. But, if thou shunn'st


s: If, knowing thy duty and thy task, thou bidd'st


s: And those to come shall speak thee infamy


s: For men of noble blood to bear than death!


s: Will deem 'twas fear that drove thee from the fray.


s: Of those who held thee mighty-souled the scorn


s: Thou must abide, while all thine enemies


s: Will scatter bitter speech of thee, to mock


s: The valour which thou hadst; what fate could fall


s: More grievously than this? Either--being killed--


s: Thou wilt win Swarga's safety, or--alive


s: And victor--thou wilt reign an earthly king.


s: Therefore, arise, thou Son of Kunti! brace


s: Thine arm for conflict, nerve thy heart to meet--


s: As things alike to thee--pleasure or pain,


s: So minded, gird thee to the fight, for so


s: Hear now the deeper teaching of the Yog,


s: Which holding, understanding, thou shalt burst


s: Thy Karmabandh, the bondage of wrought deeds.


s: Here shall no end be hindered, no hope marred,


s: No loss be feared: faith--yea, a little faith--


s: Shall save thee from the anguish of thy dread.


s: Here, Glory of the Kurus! shines one rule--


s: One steadfast rule--while shifting souls have laws


s: Many and hard. Specious, but wrongful deem


s: The speech of those ill-taught ones who extol


s: The letter of their Vedas, saying, "This


s: Is all we have, or need;" being weak at heart


s: With wants, seekers of Heaven: which comes--they say--


s: As "fruit of good deeds done;" promising men


s: Much profit in new births for works of faith;


s: In various rites abounding; following whereon


s: Large merit shall accrue towards wealth and power;


s: Albeit, who wealth and power do most desire


s: Least fixity of soul have such, least hold


s: On heavenly meditation. Much these teach,


s: From Veds, concerning the "three qualities;"


s: But thou, be free of the "three qualities,"


s: Free of the "pairs of opposites,"[FN#2] and free


s: From that sad righteousness which calculates;


s: Self-ruled, Arjuna! simple, satisfied![FN#3]


s: Look! like as when a tank pours water forth


s: To suit all needs, so do these Brahmans draw


s: Text for all wants from tank of Holy Writ.


s: But thou, want not! ask not! Find full reward


s: Of doing right in right! Let right deeds be


s: Thy motive, not the fruit which comes from them.


s: And live in action! Labour! Make thine acts


s: Is less, far less, than the right-thinking mind.


s: Seek refuge in thy soul; have there thy heaven!


s: Scorn them that follow virtue for her gifts!


s: Comes perfect act, and the right-hearted rise--


s: More certainly because they seek no gain--


s: Forth from the bands of body, step by step,


s: To highest seats of bliss. When thy firm soul


s: Which ignorantly guide, then shall it soar


s: To high neglect of what's denied or said,


s: This way or that way, in doctrinal writ.


s: Troubled no longer by the priestly lore,


s: Safe shall it live, and sure; steadfastly bent


s: What is his mark who hath that steadfast heart,


s: Know we his speech, Kesava? Sits he, moves he


s: Abandoning desires which shake the mind--


s: Finds in his soul full comfort for his soul,


s: He hath attained the Yog--that man is such!


s: Not overjoyed; dwelling outside the stress


s: Of passion, fear, and anger; fixed in calms


s: By ties of flesh, takes evil things and good


s: Bears wisdom's plainest mark! He who shall draw


s: As the wise tortoise draws its four feet safe


s: Under its shield, his five frail senses back


s: Under the spirit's buckler from the world


s: Which else assails them, such an one, my Prince!


s: Hath wisdom's mark! Things that solicit sense


s: Hold off from the self-governed; nay, it comes,


s: Depart,--aroused no more. Yet may it chance,


s: Shall some time feel the sense-storms sweep, and wrest


s: Strong self-control by the roots. Let him regain


s: His kingdom! let him conquer this, and sit


s: Who keeps the mastery of himself! If one


s: Ponders on objects of the sense, there springs


s: Attraction; from attraction grows desire,


s: Desire flames to fierce passion, passion breeds


s: Recklessness; then the memory--all betrayed--


s: Lets noble purpose go, and saps the mind,


s: Till purpose, mind, and man are all undone.


s: But, if one deals with objects of the sense


s: Serve his free soul, which rests serenely lord,


s: The end and healing of his earthly pains,


s: Since the will governed sets the soul at peace.


s: Nor hath he knowledge of himself; which lacked,


s: That gives itself to follow shows of sense


s: And, like a ship in waves of whirlwind, drives


s: To wreck and death. Only with him, great Prince!


s: Whose senses are not swayed by things of sense--


s: Shows wisdom perfect. What is midnight-gloom


s: To unenlightened souls shines wakeful day


s: To his clear gaze; what seems as wakeful day


s: Is known for night, thick night of ignorance,


s: To his true-seeing eyes. Such is the Saint!


s: And like the ocean, day by day receiving


s: Floods from all lands, which never overflows


s: Its boundary-line not leaping, and not leaving,


s: Fed by the rivers, but unswelled by those;--


s: So is the perfect one! to his soul's ocean


s: The world of sense pours streams of witchery;


s: They leave him as they find, without commotion,


s: Taking their tribute, but remaining sea.


s: Yea! whoso, shaking off the yoke of flesh


s: Lives lord, not servant, of his lusts; set free


s: From pride, from passion, from the sin of "Self,"


s: That is the state of Brahm! There rests no dread


s: When that last step is reached! Live where he will,


s: Die when he may, such passeth from all 'plaining,


s: To blest Nirvana, with the Gods, attaining.


s: Thou whom all mortals praise, Janardana!


s: Than action, wherefore, then, great Kesava!


s: Dost thou impel me to this dreadful fight?


s: Now am I by thy doubtful speech disturbed!


s: Tell me one thing, and tell me certainly;


s: By what road shall I find the better end?


s: I told thee, blameless Lord! there be two paths


s: Shown to this world; two schools of wisdom.


s: The Sankhya's, which doth save in way of works


s: Prescribed[FN#4] by reason; next, the Yog, which bids


s: Yet these are one! No man shall 'scape from act


s: By shunning action; nay, and none shall come


s: Suppressing all the instruments of flesh,


s: But he who, with strong body serving mind,


s: Gives up his mortal powers to worthy work,


s: The body's life proceeds not, lacking work.


s: Unlike world-binding toil, which bindeth not


s: Free from desire, and thou shalt well perform


s: In the beginning, when all men were made,


s: And, with mankind, the sacrifice-- "Do this!


s: Your 'Cow of Plenty,' giving back her milk


s: Of all abundance. Worship the gods thereby;


s: The gods shall yield thee grace. Those meats ye crave


s: The gods will grant to Labour, when it pays


s: Tithes in the altar-flame. But if one eats


s: Fruits of the earth, rendering to kindly Heaven


s: No gift of toil, that thief steals from his world."


s: Are quit of fault, but they that spread a feast


s: All for themselves, eat sin and drink of sin.


s: By food the living live; food comes of rain,


s: And sacrifice is paid with tithes of toil;


s: To help the rolling wheels of this great world,


s: Glutting his idle sense, lives a lost life,


s: Shameful and vain. Existing for himself,


s: No part hath he in aught; nothing achieved,


s: Nought wrought or unwrought toucheth him; no hope


s: Of help for all the living things of earth


s: Depends from him.[FN#5] Therefore, thy task prescribed


s: Mounts to his highest bliss. By works alone


s: Janak and ancient saints reached blessedness!


s: Moreover, for the upholding of thy kind,


s: Action thou should'st embrace. What the wise choose


s: The unwise people take; what best men do


s: Thou Son of Pritha! in the three wide worlds


s: Awaits to scale, no gift remains to gain,


s: Earnest and watchful--those that look to me


s: For guidance, sinking back to sloth again


s: Because I slumbered, would decline from good,


s: And I should break earth's order and commit


s: Even as the unknowing toil, wedded to sense,


s: So let the enlightened toil, sense-freed, but set


s: To bring the world deliverance, and its bliss;


s: Seed of despair. Yea! let each play his part


s: In all he finds to do, with unyoked soul.


s: All things are everywhere by Nature wrought


s: The fool, cheated by self, thinks, "This I did"


s: And "That I wrought; "but--ah, thou strong-armed Prince!--


s: A better-lessoned mind, knowing the play


s: Of visible things within the world of sense,


s: Standeth aloof even from his acts. Th' untaught


s: Live mixed with them, knowing not Nature's way,


s: Of highest aims unwitting, slow and dull.


s: Those make thou not to stumble, having the light;


s: But all thy dues discharging, for My sake,


s: Heedless of issue--fight! They who shall keep


s: My ordinance thus, the wise and willing hearts,


s: Have quittance from all issue of their acts;


s: Thinking they know, know nought, and fall to loss,


s: Confused and foolish. 'Sooth, the instructed one


s: Doth of his kind, following what fits him most:


s: And lower creatures of their kind; in vain


s: Contending 'gainst the law. Needs must it be


s: The objects of the sense will stir the sense


s: To like and dislike, yet th' enlightened man


s: Yields not to these, knowing them enemies.


s: His own task as he may, even though he fail,


s: Than take tasks not his own, though they seem good.


s: But who seeks other roads shall wander still.


s: Yet tell me, Teacher! by what force doth man


s: Sinful, and strong is this!--man's enemy!


s: As smoke blots the white fire, as clinging rust


s: Mars the bright mirror, as the womb surrounds


s: The babe unborn, so is the world of things


s: Foiled, soiled, enclosed in this desire of flesh.


s: The wise fall, caught in it; the unresting foe


s: It is of wisdom, wearing countless forms,


s: Sense, mind, and reason--these, O Kunti's Son!


s: Are booty for it; in its play with these


s: It maddens man, beguiling, blinding him.


s: Therefore, thou noblest child of Bharata!


s: Govern thy heart! Constrain th' entangled sense!


s: Resist the false, soft sinfulness which saps


s: Knowledge and judgment! Yea, the world is strong,


s: But what discerns it stronger, and the mind


s: Strongest; and high o'er all the ruling Soul.


s: Wherefore, perceiving Him who reigns supreme,


s: Put forth full force of Soul in thy own soul!


s: Fight! vanquish foes and doubts, dear Hero! slay


s: What haunts thee in fond shapes, and would betray!


s: I taught Vivaswata,[FN#6] the Lord of Light;


s: Of all my royal Rishis. Then, with years,


s: The truth grew dim and perished, noble Prince!


s: This ancient lore, this mystery supreme--


s: Thy birth, dear Lord, was in these later days,


s: How shall I comprehend this thing thou sayest,


s: "From the beginning it was I who taught?"


s: Have been, Arjuna! and of thy births, too!


s: But mine I know, and thine thou knowest not,


s: The Lord of all things living; not the less--


s: On floating Nature-forms, the primal vast--


s: I come, and go, and come. When Righteousness


s: Is strong, I rise, from age to age, and take


s: Succouring the good, thrusting the evil back,


s: Who knows the truth touching my births on earth


s: And my divine work, when he quits the flesh


s: Puts on its load no more, falls no more down


s: To earthly birth: to Me he comes, dear Prince!


s: Many there be who come! from fear set free,


s: From anger, from desire; keeping their hearts


s: By sacred flame of Knowledge. Such as these


s: Shall fall into my path; albeit, those souls


s: Which seek reward for works, make sacrifice


s: Here have they their reward. But I am He


s: Made the Four Castes, and portioned them a place


s: Immortally, made all those mortal births:


s: For works soil not my essence, being works


s: Wrought uninvolved.[FN#7] Who knows me acting thus


s: Unchained by action, action binds not him;


s: And, so perceiving, all those saints of old


s: Worked, seeking for deliverance. Work thou


s: As, in the days gone by, thy fathers did.


s: Thou sayst, perplexed, It hath been asked before


s: And what inaction? "I will teach thee this,


s: And, knowing, thou shalt learn which work doth save


s: Needs must one rightly meditate those three--


s: Thorny and dark the path is! He who sees


s: Is wisest 'mid his kind; he hath the truth!


s: In all his works from prickings of desire,


s: Burned clean in act by the white fire of truth,


s: The wise call that man wise; and such an one,


s: Renouncing fruit of deeds, always content.


s: Doth nothing that shall stain his separate soul,


s: Which--quit of fear and hope--subduing self--


s: To body's need nothing save body, dwells


s: Taking what may befall, by grief unmoved,


s: By bond of deeds. Nay, but of such an one,


s: Whose crave is gone, whose soul is liberate,


s: Whose heart is set on truth--of such an one


s: Consumed upon the altar! All's then God!


s: The sacrifice is Brahm, the ghee and grain


s: Are Brahm, the fire is Brahm, the flesh it eats


s: Who, in such office, meditates on Brahm.


s: Some votaries there be who serve the gods


s: With flesh and altar-smoke; but other some


s: Who, lighting subtler fires, make purer rite


s: With will of worship. Of the which be they


s: Who, in white flame of continence, consume


s: Joys of the sense, delights of eye and ear,


s: Forgoing tender speech and sound of song:


s: And they who, kindling fires with torch of Truth,


s: Of youth and love, renouncing happiness:


s: And they who lay for offering there their wealth,


s: Their steadfast reading of the scrolls, their lore


s: Draw in their breath to feed the flame of thought,


s: And breathe it forth to waft the heart on high,


s: Governing the ventage of each entering air


s: Lest one sigh pass which helpeth not the soul:


s: Burning the body wan. Lo! all these keep


s: Victims; and all thereby efface much sin.


s: Even in the present world. How should he share


s: That all proceed by act; for knowing this,


s: Thou shalt be quit of doubt. The sacrifice


s: Which Knowledge pays is better than great gifts


s: Offered by wealth, since gifts' worth--O my Prince!


s: Lies in the mind which gives, the will that serves:


s: And these are gained by reverence, by strong search,


s: By humble heed of those who see the Truth


s: And teach it. Knowing Truth, thy heart no more


s: Will ache with error, for the Truth shall show


s: All things subdued to thee, as thou to Me.


s: Of all wrong-doers, this fair ship of Truth


s: Should bear thee safe and dry across the sea


s: Of thy transgressions. As the kindled flame


s: The flame of Knowledge wastes works' dross away!


s: In all this world, and he who seeketh it


s: Shall find it--being grown perfect--in himself.


s: Masters itself, and cleaves to Truth, and comes--


s: Possessing knowledge--to the higher peace,


s: The uttermost repose. But those untaught,


s: And those without full faith, and those who fear


s: Are shent; no peace is here or other where,


s: No hope, nor happiness for whoso doubts.


s: He that, being self-contained, hath vanquished doubt,


s: Disparting self from service, soul from works,


s: Works fetter him no more! Cut then atwain


s: This doubt that binds thy heart-beats! cleave the bond


s: Born of thy ignorance! Be bold and wise!


s: Give thyself to the field with me! Arise!


s: Yet, Krishna! at the one time thou dost laud


s: Surcease of works, and, at another time,


s: Service through work. Of these twain plainly tell


s: Is well; and both conduct to bliss supreme;


s: But of these twain the better way is his


s: That is the true Renouncer, firm and fixed,


s: Who--seeking nought, rejecting nought--dwells proof


s: Against the "opposites."[FN#8] O valiant Prince!


s: In doing, such breaks lightly from all deed:


s: 'Tis the new scholar talks as they were two,


s: This Sankhya and this Yoga: wise men know


s: Who husbands one plucks golden fruit of both!


s: The region of high rest which Sankhyans reach


s: Yogins attain. Who sees these twain as one


s: Sees with clear eyes! Yet such abstraction, Chief!


s: Pure-hearted, lord of senses and of self,


s: Lost in the common life of all which lives--


s: Straightway to Brahm. Such an one is not touched


s: By taint of deeds. "Nought of myself I do!"


s: Thus will he think-who holds the truth of truths--


s: In seeing, hearing, touching, smelling; when


s: He eats, or goes, or breathes; slumbers or talks,


s: Holds fast or loosens, opes his eyes or shuts;


s: Always assured "This is the sense-world plays


s: With senses."He that acts in thought of Brahm,


s: Detaching end from act, with act content,


s: The world of sense can no more stain his soul


s: Than waters mar th' enamelled lotus-leaf.


s: With life, with heart, with mind,-nay, with the help


s: Of all five senses--letting selfhood go--


s: Yogins toil ever towards their souls' release.


s: Such votaries, renouncing fruit of deeds,


s: Gain endless peace: the unvowed, the passion-bound,


s: Seeking a fruit from works, are fastened down.


s: The embodied sage, withdrawn within his soul,


s: Which hath nine gateways,"[FN#9] neither doing aught


s: Nor causing any deed. This world's Lord makes


s: Neither the work, nor passion for the work,


s: Nor lust for fruit of work; the man's own self


s: Pushes to these! The Master of this World


s: Of no man--dwelling beyond! Mankind errs here


s: By folly, darkening knowledge. But, for whom


s: That darkness of the soul is chased by light,


s: Splendid and clear shines manifest the Truth


s: Its beams of dawn. Him meditating still,


s: Him seeking, with Him blended, stayed on Him,


s: Which hath no turning back--their sins flung off


s: By strength of faith. [Who will may have this Light;


s: Who hath it sees.] To him who wisely sees,


s: The Brahman with his scrolls and sanctities,


s: The Outcast gorging dog's meat, are all one.


s: Encountering grief, but, stayed on Brahma, still


s: Constant let each abide! The sage whose sou


s: Holds off from outer contacts, in himself


s: His spirit tastes eternal peace. The joys


s: Springing from sense-life are but quickening wombs


s: Which breed sure griefs: those joys begin and end!


s: The wise mind takes no pleasure, Kunti's Son!


s: In such as those! But if a man shall learn,


s: Even while he lives and bears his body's chain,


s: Contentment, light, within: his life is merged


s: In Brahma's life; he doth Nirvana touch!


s: With sins effaced, with doubts at end, with hearts


s: Governed and calm. Glad in all good they live,


s: Nigh to the peace of God; and all those live


s: Who pass their days exempt from greed and wrath,


s: Subduing self and senses, knowing the Soul!


s: The Saint who shuts outside his placid soul


s: All touch of sense, letting no contact through;


s: Whose quiet eyes gaze straight from fixed brows,


s: Whose outward breath and inward breath are drawn


s: Equal and slow through nostrils still and close;


s: That one-with organs, heart, and mind constrained,


s: Passion, and fear, and rage;--hath, even now,


s: Obtained deliverance, ever and ever freed.


s: Yea! for he knows Me Who am He that heeds


s: The sacrifice and worship, God revealed;


s: And He who heeds not, being Lord of Worlds,


s: Lover of all that lives, God unrevealed,


s: Wherein who will shall find surety and shield!


s: Therefore, who doeth work rightful to do,


s: Not seeking gain from work, that man, O Prince!


s: And he is neither who lights not the flame


s: Works not as Yogin. So is that well said:


s: "By works the votary doth rise to faith,


s: And saintship is the ceasing from all works;


s: Because the perfect Yogin acts--but acts


s: Unmoved by passions and unbound by deeds,


s: The Self by Soul, not trample down his Self,


s: Since Soul that is Self's friend may grow Self's foe.


s: Soul is Self's friend when Self doth rule o'er Self,


s: Of him who lives self-governed and at peace


s: Pleasure and pain; heat, cold; glory and shame.


s: With joy of light and truth; dwelling apart


s: Whereto the clod, the rock, the glistering gold


s: Show all as one. By this sign is he known


s: Being of equal grace to comrades, friends,


s: Chance-comers, strangers, lovers, enemies,


s: His thoughts controlled, his passions laid away,


s: Quit of belongings. In a fair, still spot


s: Having his fixed abode,--not too much raised,


s: Nor yet too low,--let him abide, his goods


s: A cloth, a deerskin, and the Kusa-grass.


s: There, setting hard his mind upon The One,


s: Restraining heart and senses, silent, calm,


s: Body and neck and head, his gaze absorbed


s: Upon his nose-end,[FN#11] rapt from all around,


s: Tranquil in spirit, free of fear, intent


s: Musing on Me, lost in the thought of Me.


s: Comes to the peace beyond,--My peace, the peace


s: Or too much feasts, nor his who sleeps away


s: An idle mind; nor his who wears to waste


s: His strength in vigils. Nay, Arjuna! call


s: Earth-aches and ills, where one is moderate


s: Measured in wish and act; sleeping betimes,


s: So living, centres on his soul the thought


s: By stress of sense--then is he Yukta. See!


s: Steadfast a lamp burns sheltered from the wind;


s: Shut from sense-storms and burning bright to Heaven.


s: When mind broods placid, soothed with holy wont;


s: When Self contemplates self, and in itself


s: Hath comfort; when it knows the nameless joy


s: Beyond all scope of sense, revealed to soul--


s: True to the farther Truth; when, holding this,


s: But, harboured there, cannot be stirred or shook


s: By any gravest grief, call that state "peace,"


s: That happy severance Yoga; call that man


s: Must toil thereto, till efforts end in ease,


s: And thought has passed from thinking. Shaking off


s: All longings bred by dreams of fame and gain,


s: Shutting the doorways of the senses close


s: With watchful ward; so, step by step, it comes


s: To gift of peace assured and heart assuaged,


s: When the mind dwells self-wrapped, and the soul broods


s: Breaks--wild and wavering--from control, so oft


s: Let him re-curb it, let him rein it back


s: To the soul's governance; for perfect bliss


s: The spirit passionless, purged from offence,


s: His soul to the Supreme Soul, quitting sin,


s: In all things living, and all living things


s: In that Life-Soul contained. And whoso thus


s: Hold upon Me; but, dwell he where he may,


s: Whate'er his life, in Me he dwells and lives,


s: Because he knows and worships Me, Who dwell


s: In all which lives, and cleaves to Me in all.


s: Therein, no rest, because the heart of men


s: Wilful and strong. It were all one, I think,


s: To hold the wayward wind, as tame man's heart.


s: Man's heart is to restrain, and wavering;


s: Yet may it grow restrained by habit, Prince!


s: By wont of self-command. This Yog, I say,


s: Cometh not lightly to th' ungoverned ones;


s: Shall win it, if he stoutly strive thereto.


s: And what road goeth he who, having faith,


s: Fails, Krishna! in the striving; falling back


s: From holiness, missing the perfect rule?


s: Is he not lost, straying from Brahma's light,


s: Like the vain cloud, which floats 'twixt earth and heaven


s: When lightning splits it, and it vanisheth?


s: Fain would I hear thee answer me herein,


s: Since, Krishna! none save thou can clear the doubt.


s: Nor earth, nor heaven is forfeit, even for him,


s: Because no heart that holds one right desire


s: Treadeth the road of loss! He who should fail,


s: Unto the Region of the Just; dwells there


s: On Virtue's breast; but that is rare! Such birth


s: Is hard to be obtained on this earth, Chief!


s: So hath he back again what heights of heart


s: To perfectness, with better hope, dear Prince!


s: But, being Yogi, striving strong and long,


s: Purged from transgressions, perfected by births


s: Following on births, he plants his feet at last


s: Upon the farther path. Such as one ranks


s: Learn now, dear Prince! how, if thy soul be set


s: Still making Me thy Refuge--thou shalt come


s: I will declare to thee that utmost lore,


s: Whole and particular, which, when thou knowest,


s: Leaveth no more to know here in this world.


s: Of many thousand mortals, one, perchance,


s: Striveth for Truth; and of those few that strive--


s: Nay, and rise high--one only--here and there--


s: Earth, water, flame, air, ether, life, and mind,


s: These be my lower Nature; learn the higher,


s: Whereby, thou Valiant One! this Universe


s: Whereby the worlds of visible things are born


s: Than me there is no other Master, Prince!


s: As hangs a row of pearls upon its string.


s: The silver of the moon, the gold o' the sun,


s: The word of worship in the Veds, the thrill


s: That passeth in the ether, and the strength


s: Of man's shed seed. I am the good sweet smell


s: Of the moistened earth, I am the fire's red light,


s: The vital air moving in all which moves,


s: The holiness of hallowed souls, the root


s: Undying, whence hath sprung whatever is;


s: Of the informed, the greatness of the great.


s: The splendour of the splendid. Kunti's Son!


s: These am I, free from passion and desire;


s: Chief of the Bharatas! for all those moods,


s: Which Nature frames, deduce from me; but all


s: Are merged in me--not I in them! The world--


s: Deceived by those three qualities of being--


s: To pierce that veil divine of various shows


s: Which hideth Me; yet they who worship Me


s: Nor to the base and churlish; nor to those


s: Whose mind is cheated by the show of things,


s: Nor those that take the way of Asuras.[FN#12]


s: Four sorts of mortals know me: he who weeps,


s: And he who toils to help; and he who sits


s: O Prince of India! highest, nearest, best


s: That last is, the devout soul, wise, intent


s: All four are good, and seek me; but mine own,


s: The true of heart, the faithful--stayed on me,


s: They are not "mine,"but I--even I myself!


s: That man who sayeth, "All is Vasudev!"[FN#13]


s: There be those, too, whose knowledge, turned aside


s: By this desire or that, gives them to serve


s: Some lower gods, with various rites, constrained


s: By that which mouldeth them. Unto all such--


s: Worship what shrine they will, what shapes, in faith--


s: 'Tis I who give them faith! I am content!


s: The heart thus asking favour from its God,


s: Darkened but ardent, hath the end it craves,


s: The lesser blessing--but 'tis I who give!


s: Yet soon is withered what small fruit they reap:


s: Those men of little minds, who worship so,


s: Go where they worship, passing with their gods.


s: But Mine come unto me! Blind are the eyes


s: Unborn and changeless--to the idle world.


s: But I, Arjuna! know all things which were,


s: And all which are, and all which are to be,


s: By passion for the "pairs of opposites,"


s: By those twain snares of Like and Dislike, Prince!


s: All creatures live bewildered, save some few


s: Who, quit of sins, holy in act, informed,


s: Freed from the "opposites,"and fixed in faith,


s: Refuge from birth[FN#14] and death, those have the Truth!


s: Those know Me BRAHMA; know Me Soul of Souls,


s: Worship Me well, with hearts of love and faith,


s: And find and hold me in the hour of death.


s: Who is that BRAHMA? What that Soul of Souls,


s: How good men find thee in the hour of death?


s: The Soul of Souls! What goeth forth from Me,


s: Causing all life to live, is KARMA called:


s: I--speaking with thee in this body here--


s: Am, thou embodied one! (for all the shrines


s: Flame unto Me!) And, at the hour of death,


s: In putting off his flesh, comes forth to Me,


s: At hour of death, in putting off the flesh,


s: He goes to what he looked for, Kunti's Son!


s: Because the Soul is fashioned to its like.


s: Have Me, then, in thy heart always! and fight!


s: Thou too, when heart and mind are fixed on Me,


s: Shalt surely come to Me! All come who cleave


s: With never-wavering will of firmest faith,


s: Whoso hath known Me, Lord of sage and singer,


s: Ancient of days; of all the Three Worlds Stay,


s: Of that which quickens it: whoso, I say,


s: Hath known My form, which passeth mortal knowing;


s: Seen my effulgence--which no eye hath seen--


s: Than the sun's burning gold more brightly glowing,


s: Dispersing darkness,--unto him hath been


s: Right life! And, in the hour when life is ending,


s: Drawing still breath beneath calm brows unbending,


s: In happy peace that faithful one doth die,--


s: In glad peace passeth to Purusha's heaven.


s: The place which they who read the Vedas name


s: AKSHARAM, "Ultimate;" whereto have striven


s: Saints and ascetics--their road is the same.


s: That way--the highest way--goes he who shuts


s: The gates of all his senses, locks desire


s: Safe in his heart, centres the vital airs


s: Upon his parting thought, steadfastly set;


s: And, murmuring OM, the sacred syllable--


s: For who, none other Gods regarding, looks


s: They fall not--those Mahatmas--back to birth,


s: To life, which is the place of pain, which ends,


s: The worlds, Arjuna!--even Brahma's world--


s: Roll back again from Death to Life's unrest;


s: But they, O Kunti's Son! that reach to Me,


s: Taste birth no more. If ye know Brahma's Day


s: The thousand Yugas making Brahma's Night,


s: Then know ye Day and Night as He doth know!


s: When that vast Dawn doth break, th' Invisible


s: When that deep Night doth darken, all which is


s: Fades back again to Him Who sent it forth;


s: Yea! this vast company of living things--


s: At Brahma's Nightfall; and, at Brahma's Dawn,


s: Riseth, without its will, to life new-born.


s: Another Life, not like the life of sense,


s: Escaping sight, unchanging. This endures


s: When all created things have passed away:


s: Is Mine, and I am there! And, Prince! by faith


s: Which wanders not, there is a way to come


s: All living Things--may so be reached and seen!


s: Richer than holy fruit on Vedas growing,


s: Greater than gifts, better than prayer or fast,


s: Such wisdom is! The Yogi, this way knowing,


s: Comes to the Utmost Perfect Peace at last.


s: Or "The book of Religion by Devotion to the One Supreme God."


s: Rejects not--that last lore, deepest-concealed,


s: That farthest secret of My Heavens and Earths,


s: Which but to know shall set thee free from ills,--


s: Yea! for the soul such light as purgeth it


s: With inmost splendour shining; plain to see;


s: They that receive not this, failing in faith


s: To grasp the greater wisdom, reach not Me,


s: Into the realm of Flesh, where all things change!


s: Is spread abroad;--by Me, the Unmanifest!


s: Those visible things! Receive and strive to embrace


s: Creating all, sustaining all--still dwells


s: Move in the measureless space, but are not space,


s: At closing of each Kalpa, Indian Prince!


s: All things which be back to My Being come:


s: The realms of visible things--without their will--


s: Yet these great makings, Prince! involve Me not


s: Other, and Higher, and Free; nowise attached!


s: Thus doth the stuff of worlds, moulded by Me,


s: Bring forth all that which is, moving or still,


s: Living or lifeless! Thus the worlds go on!


s: The minds untaught mistake Me, veiled in form;--


s: Naught see they of My secret Presence, nought


s: Of My hid Nature, ruling all which lives.


s: Vain hopes pursuing, vain deeds doing; fed


s: On vainest knowledge, senselessly they seek


s: An evil way, the way of brutes and fiends.


s: Who tread the path celestial, worship Me


s: With hearts unwandering,--knowing Me the Source,


s: They glorify Me; seek Me; keep their vows


s: Of reverence and love, with changeless faith


s: Who, offering sacrifice of wakened hearts,


s: Have sense of one pervading Spirit's stress,


s: One Force in every place, though manifold!


s: The Mantra, and the flame, and that which burns!


s: The end of Learning! That which purifies


s: Which sends, and swallows up; Treasure of Worlds


s: Whence endless harvests spring! Sun's heat is mine;


s: Heaven's rain is mine to grant or to withhold;


s: The threefold Veds, who drink the Soma-wine,


s: Purge sins, pay sacrifice--from Me they earn


s: Passage to Swarga; where the meats divine


s: Of great gods feed them in high Indra's heaven.


s: Yet they, when that prodigious joy is o'er,


s: Paradise spent, and wage for merits given,


s: Come to the world of death and change once more.


s: They had their recompense! they stored their treasure,


s: Following the threefold Scripture and its writ;


s: Who seeketh such gaineth the fleeting pleasure


s: Of joy which comes and goes! I grant them it!


s: But to those blessed ones who worship Me,


s: Turning not otherwhere, with minds set fast,


s: Nay, and of hearts which follow other gods


s: In simple faith, their prayers arise to me,


s: O Kunti's Son! though they pray wrongfully;


s: Of every sacrifice, which these know not


s: Rightfully; so they fall to earth again!


s: Who follow gods go to their gods; who vow


s: Their souls to Pitris go to Pitris; minds


s: To evil Bhuts given o'er sink to the Bhuts;


s: A leaf, a flower, a fruit, water poured forth,


s: With pious will. Whate'er thou doest, Prince!


s: For Me, as Mine. So shalt thou free thyself


s: From Karmabandh, the chain which holdeth men


s: Safe unto Me-when thou art quit of flesh--


s: I know not favour! What is made is Mine!


s: But them that worship Me with love, I love;


s: Straightly to Me, count him amidst the good;


s: He hath the high way chosen; he shall grow


s: Righteous ere long; he shall attain that peace


s: Which changes not. Thou Prince of India!


s: Be certain none can perish, trusting Me!


s: Though they be born from the very womb of Sin,


s: Woman or man; sprung of the Vaisya caste


s: Plant foot upon the highest path; how then


s: Ah! ye who into this ill world are come--


s: Fleeting and false--set your faith fast on Me!


s: Fix heart and thought on Me! Adore Me! Bring


s: Offerings to Me! Make Me prostrations! Make


s: Unto My rest your spirits shall be guided.


s: Not the great company of gods nor kingly Rishis know


s: My Nature, Who have made the gods and Rishis long ago;


s: He only knoweth-only he is free of sin, and wise,


s: Who seeth Me, Lord of the Worlds, with faith-enlightened eyes,


s: Unborn, undying, unbegun. Whatever Natures be


s: To mortal men distributed, those natures spring from Me!


s: Intellect, skill, enlightenment, endurance, self-control,


s: Truthfulness, equability, and grief or joy of soul,


s: Whate'er befalls, and mirth, and tears, and piety, and thrift,


s: And wish to give, and will to help,--all cometh of My gift!


s: The Seven Chief Saints, the Elders Four, the Lordly Manus set--


s: Sharing My work--to rule the worlds, these too did I beget;


s: And Rishis, Pitris, Manus, all, by one thought of My mind;


s: Thence did arise, to fill this world, the races of mankind;


s: Wherefrom who comprehends My Reign of mystic Majesty--


s: The wise in spirit cleave to Me, into My Being brought;


s: And unto these--thus serving well, thus loving ceaselessly--


s: I give a mind of perfect mood, whereby they draw to Me;


s: And, all for love of them, within their darkened souls I dwell,


s: And, with bright rays of wisdom's lamp, their ignorance dispel.


s: Without beginning! Lord of Lords and Gods!


s: What Thou hast said now know I to be truth,


s: Of those perfections wherewith Thou dost fill


s: These worlds of Thine; Pervading, Immanent!


s: To know Thee, though I muse continually?


s: Under what form of Thine unnumbered forms


s: Mayst Thou be grasped? Ah! yet again recount,


s: Clear and complete, Thy great appearances,


s: Can mine ears drink the Amrit[FN#18] of such words!


s: Hanta! So be it! Kuru Prince! I will to thee unfold


s: Some portions of My Majesty, whose powers are manifold!


s: I am the Spirit seated deep in every creature's heart;


s: From Me they come; by Me they live; at My word they depart!


s: Vishnu of the Adityas I am, those Lords of Light;


s: By day I gleam, the golden Sun of burning cloudless Noon;


s: By Night, amid the asterisms I glide, the dappled Moon!


s: Of Vedas I am Sama-Ved, of gods in Indra's Heaven


s: Vasava; of the faculties to living beings given


s: The mind which apprehends and thinks; of Rudras Sankara;


s: Of Vasus, and of mountain-peaks Meru; Vrihaspati


s: Know Me 'mid planetary Powers; 'mid Warriors heavenly


s: Skanda; of all the water-floods the Sea which drinketh each,


s: And Bhrigu of the holy Saints, and OM of sacred speech;


s: Of prayers the prayer ye whisper;[FN#19] of hills Himala's snow,


s: And Aswattha, the fig-tree, of all the trees that grow;


s: Of the Devarshis, Narada; and Chitrarath of them


s: That sing in Heaven, and Kapila of Munis, and the gem


s: Of flying steeds, Uchchaisravas, from Amrit-wave which burst;


s: Of elephants Airavata; of males the Best and First;


s: Of weapons Heav'n's hot thunderbolt; of cows white Kamadhuk,


s: And thousand-fanged Ananta, on whose broad coils reclined


s: Leans Vishnu; and of water-things Varuna; Aryam


s: Of Pitris, and, of those that judge, Yama the Judge I am;


s: Of Daityas dread Prahlada; of what metes days and years,


s: Time's self I am; of woodland-beasts-buffaloes, deers, and bears-


s: Yea! First, and Last, and Centre of all which is or seems


s: I am, Arjuna! Wisdom Supreme of what is wise,


s: Words on the uttering lips I am, and eyesight of the eyes,


s: And "A" of written characters, Dwandwa[FN#20] of knitted speech,


s: Which brings to light all beings that are to be on earth;


s: And of the viewless virtues, Fame, Fortune, Song am I,


s: Of Vedic hymns the Vrihatsam, of metres Gayatri,


s: Of months the Margasirsha, of all the seasons three


s: The flower-wreathed Spring; in dicer's-play the conquering


s: The splendour of the splendid, and the greatness of the great,


s: Victory I am, and Action! and the goodness of the good,


s: And Vasudev of Vrishni's race, and of this Pandu brood


s: Thyself!--Yea, my Arjuna! thyself; for thou art Mine!


s: Of poets Usana, of saints Vyasa, sage divine;


s: The policy of conquerors, the potency of kings,


s: The great unbroken silence in learning's secret things;


s: The lore of all the learned, the seed of all which springs.


s: Living or lifeless, still or stirred, whatever beings be,


s: None of them is in all the worlds, but it exists by Me!


s: Nor tongue can tell, Arjuna! nor end of telling come


s: Of these My boundless glories, whereof I teach thee some;


s: For wheresoe'er is wondrous work, and majesty, and might,


s: From Me hath all proceeded. Receive thou this aright!


s: This, for my soul's peace, have I heard from Thee,


s: My darkness is dispelled; for now I know--


s: O Lotus-eyed![FN#21]--whence is the birth of men,


s: And whence their death, and what the majesties


s: Of Thine immortal rule. Fain would I see,


s: As thou Thyself declar'st it, Sovereign Lord!


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


s: Make Thyself visible, Lord of all prayers!


s: Gaze, then, thou Son of Pritha! I manifest for thee


s: Those hundred thousand thousand shapes that clothe my Mystery:


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


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


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


s: Behold! this is the Universe!--Look! what is live and dead


s: I gather all in one--in Me! Gaze, as thy lips have said,


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


s: Thou canst not!--nor, with human eyes, Arjuna! ever mayest!


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


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


s: Thrilled, o'erfilled, dazzled, and dazed,


s: And clasped his palms; and cried, and said:


s: The gods are in Thy glorious frame! the creatures


s: And in Thy countenance shine all the features


s: Of saints and sages, and the serpent races


s: Thy thousand thousand arms, and breasts, and faces,


s: And nowhere end of Thee, nowhere beginning,


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


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


s: With brilliance blazing, glowing, flashing; turning


s: Ah, Lord! I worship Thee, the Undivided,


s: To hold the wealth of the worlds; the Shield provided


s: With might and majesty, past thought, past seeing!


s: From Thy great eyes; Thy visage, beaming tender


s: Thy Universe. The worlds are filled with wonder


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


s: O Holy, Marvellous Form! is nowhere found!


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


s: And, whispering worship, laud and magnify Thee!


s: From sage and singer breaks the hymn of glory


s: While countless companies take up the story,


s: Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Siddhas, and Asuras,[FN#22]--


s: Yea! the Worlds,--seeing Thee with form stupendous,


s: Unnumbered eyes, vast arms, members tremendous,


s: Tushes of terror, mouths wrathful and tender;--


s: Quake, as I quake, to witness so much splendour!


s: Huge, rainbow-painted, glittering; and thy mouth


s: In all Thy worlds, east, west, and north and south.


s: Gone is heart's force, rebuked is mind's desire!


s: With burning glance, and lips lighted by fire


s: Of Thy wide-opened throat, and lips white-tushed,


s: Bhishma, Drona, and Karna, caught and crushed!


s: The best of both these armies torn and riven!


s: Ground into dust and death! Like streams down-driven


s: Straight to the gulfing deeps of th' unfilled ocean,


s: Pour, in unending streams, with helpless motion!


s: Drawn to their fiery doom, flying and dying,


s: Ceaselessly, all those multitudes, wild flying!


s: One with another, great and small, alike!


s: Lapping them up! Lord God! Thy terrors strike


s: To death, with deadly, burning, lurid dread!


s: Who art Thou, feasting thus upon Thy dead?


s: Whence doth this aspect horrible proceed?


s: The Slayer Time, Ancient of Days, come hither to consume;


s: Excepting thee, of all these hosts of hostile chiefs arrayed,


s: There stands not one shall leave alive the battlefield! Dismayed


s: No longer be! Arise! obtain renown! destroy thy foes!


s: 'Tis I who bid them perish! Thou wilt but slay the slain;


s: Thou God of gods, Life's Dwelling-place and Rest!


s: Of being formed, and formless being the Framer;


s: The worlds with wealth of life! O Treasure-Claimer,


s: In all, and All; for all from Thee have risen


s: Vayu[FN#24] Thou art, and He who keeps the prison


s: Varuna's waves are Thy waves. Moon and starlight


s: They knelt in worshipping the old world's far light,


s: Uttered where Thou dost come! Namo! we call;


s: Hail to Thee! Praise to Thee! Thou One in all;


s: Thou shouldst remember I did think Thee Friend,


s: Did call Thee "Krishna," "Prince," nor comprehend


s: Sitting at council, straying in the grove,


s: Be Thy grace granted for that witless sin!


s: I praise, and serve, and seek Thee, asking grace.


s: This unknown marvel of Thy Form! But fear


s: Thine earthly shape, which earthly eyes may bear!


s: Thou that sustainest all things! Undismayed


s: Thou of the thousand arms and countless eyes!


s: My Charioteer, in Krishna's kind disguise.


s: Yea! thou hast seen, Arjuna! because I loved thee well,


s: The secret countenance of Me, revealed by mystic spell,


s: Shining, and wonderful, and vast, majestic, manifold,


s: Which none save thou in all the years had favour to behold;


s: For not by Vedas cometh this, nor sacrifice, nor alms,


s: Nor works well-done, nor penance long, nor prayers, nor chaunted


s: That mortal eyes should bear to view the Immortal Soul unclad,


s: Prince of the Kurus! This was kept for thee alone! Be glad!


s: Let no more trouble shake thy heart, because thine eyes have seen


s: So will I be again for thee; with lightened heart behold!


s: Once more I am thy Krishna, the form thou knew'st of old!


s: This friendly human frame, my mind can think


s: Calm thoughts once more; my heart beats still again!


s: To view me as thou didst, dear Prince! The gods


s: Nor penance, nor gift-giving, nor with prayer


s: And seen, and entered into, Indian Prince!


s: Which I have made, and Me, for Love's sole end


s: Lord! of the men who serve Thee--true in heart--


s: As God revealed; and of the men who serve,


s: Which take the better way of faith and life?


s: Constantly true, in full devotion fixed,


s: Uttermost, All-pervading, Highest, Sure--


s: Who thus adore Me, mastering their sense,


s: Of one set mind to all, glad in all good,


s: The travail is for such as bend their minds


s: To reach th' Unmanifest That viewless path


s: Shall scarce be trod by man bearing the flesh!


s: Renouncing self for Me, full of Me, fixed


s: To serve only the Highest, night and day


s: Forth from life's ocean of distress and death,


s: Whose soul clings fast to Me. Cling thou to Me!


s: Clasp Me with heart and mind! so shalt thou dwell


s: Surely with Me on high. But if thy thought


s: Droops from such height; if thou be'st weak to set


s: Despair not! give Me lower service! seek


s: To reach Me, worshipping with steadfast will;


s: And, if thou canst not worship steadfastly,


s: Work for Me, toil in works pleasing to Me!


s: For he that laboureth right for love of Me


s: Thy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure! find


s: Renouncing hope for Me, with lowliest heart,


s: So shalt thou come; for, though to know is more


s: Than knowing, and renouncing better still.


s: Of all which lives, living himself benign,


s: By good or ill; patient, contented, firm


s: In faith, mastering himself, true to his word,


s: Seeking Me, heart and soul; vowed unto Me,--


s: That man I love! Who troubleth not his kind,


s: And is not troubled by them; clear of wrath,


s: Living too high for gladness, grief, or fear,


s: That man I love! Who, dwelling quiet-eyed,[FN#25]


s: Stainless, serene, well-balanced, unperplexed,


s: Working with Me, yet from all works detached,


s: That man I love! Who, fixed in faith on Me,


s: Dotes upon none, scorns none; rejoices not,


s: And grieves not, letting good or evil hap


s: Light when it will, and when it will depart,


s: That man I love! Who, unto friend and foe


s: Bears shame and glory; with an equal peace


s: Takes heat and cold, pleasure and pain; abides


s: Quit of desires, hears praise or calumny


s: In passionless restraint, unmoved by each;


s: Linked by no ties to earth, steadfast in Me,


s: Those happy ones to whom 'tis life to live


s: In single fervid faith and love unseeing,


s: Now would I hear, O gracious Kesava![FN#26]


s: Of Life which seems, and Soul beyond, which sees,


s: And what it is we know-or think to know.


s: Yea! Son of Kunti! for this flesh ye see


s: Is Kshetra, is the field where Life disports;


s: And that which views and knows it is the Soul,


s: Kshetrajna. In all "fields," thou Indian prince!


s: Only that knowledge knows which knows the known


s: By the knower![FN#27] What it is, that "field" of life,


s: What qualities it hath, and whence it is,


s: That wotteth it, the mightiness of this,


s: And how it wotteth-hear these things from Me!


s: The elements, the conscious life, the mind,


s: The unseen vital force, the nine strange gates


s: Of the body, and the five domains of sense;


s: Desire, dislike, pleasure and pain, and thought


s: These all are wrought on Matter by the Soul!


s: Humbleness, truthfulness, and harmlessness,


s: Patience and honour, reverence for the wise.


s: Contempt of sense-delights, self-sacrifice,


s: In birth, death, age, disease, suffering, and sin;


s: Children, and wife, and all that bindeth men;


s: Loving all solitudes, and shunning noise


s: And grace to understand what gain it were


s: So to attain,--this is true Wisdom, Prince!


s: Now will I speak of knowledge best to know-


s: That Truth which giveth man Amrit to drink,


s: The Truth of HIM, the Para-Brahm, the All,


s: Not Form, nor the Unformed; yet both, and more;--


s: Whose hands are everywhere, and everywhere


s: Planted His feet, and everywhere His eyes


s: Enlightening and encompassing His worlds.


s: Yet dwells He unattached: of forms and modes


s: Master, yet neither form nor mode hath He;


s: Motionless, yet still moving; not discerned


s: In all which lives; for ever to be known


s: As the Sustainer, yet, at the End of Times,


s: The Light of Lights He is, in the heart of the Dark


s: And Wisdom's way, and Guide of all the wise,


s: Of Life's stuff, and the moulding, and the lore


s: Perceiveth this, shall surely come to Me!


s: Know thou that Nature and the Spirit both


s: And changes of them are by Nature wrought;


s: That Nature puts to work the acting frame,


s: Feeling of pain and pleasure. Spirit, linked


s: With qualities by Nature framed, and, thus


s: Married to matter, breeds the birth again


s: Yea! in its bodily prison!--Spirit pure,


s: Guarding, possessing; Lord and Master still


s: Whoso thus knows himself, and knows his soul


s: With Nature's modes, the light hath come for him!


s: Shall he take on its load. Some few there be


s: Self-schooled; and some by long philosophy


s: And holy life reach thither; some by works:


s: From other lips, and seize, and cleave to it


s: Worshipping; yea! and those--to teaching true--


s: Life is--of moving things, or things unmoved,


s: Plant or still seed--know, what is there hath grown


s: The living, lordly Soul; the Soul Supreme,


s: For, whoso thus beholds, in every place,


s: In every form, the same, one, Living Life,


s: But goes the highest road which brings to bliss.


s: Seeing, he sees, indeed, who sees that works


s: Are Nature's wont, for Soul to practise by


s: Acting, yet not the agent; sees the mass


s: Of separate living things--each of its kind--


s: Unqualified, even when it entereth flesh


s: Taketh no stain of acts, worketh in nought!


s: Like to th'' ethereal air, pervading all,


s: Which, for sheer subtlety, avoideth taint,


s: The subtle Soul sits everywhere, unstained:


s: Like to the light of the all-piercing sun


s: The Soul's light shineth pure in every place;


s: And they who, by such eye of wisdom, see


s: How Matter, and what deals with it, divide;


s: And how the Spirit and the flesh have strife,


s: Those wise ones go the way which leads to Life!


s: The which possessing, all My saints have passed


s: With Me, they are not born again at birth


s: Of Kalpas, nor at Pralyas suffer change!


s: Seed of all lives! Thence, Prince of India, comes


s: Birth to all beings! Whoso, Kunti's Son!


s: Mothers each mortal form, Brahma conceives,


s: The qualities of Nature, "Soothfastness,"


s: "Passion," and "Ignorance." These three bind down


s: The changeless Spirit in the changeful flesh.


s: Whereof sweet "Soothfastness," by purity


s: The sinless Soul to happiness and truth;


s: Of Darkness, blinding mortal men, binds down


s: Their souls to stupor, sloth, and drowsiness.


s: Yea, Prince of India! Soothfastness binds souls


s: In pleasant wise to flesh; and Passion binds


s: By toilsome strain; but Ignorance, which blots


s: The beams of wisdom, binds the soul to sloth.


s: Leave Soothfastness, O Bharata! Where this


s: With Ignorance are absent, Passion rules;


s: And Ignorance in hearts not good nor quick.


s: The Lamp of Knowledge, then may one see well


s: Soothfastness settled in that city reigns;


s: Where longing is, and ardour, and unrest,


s: Impulse to strive and gain, and avarice,


s: Those spring from Passion--Prince!--engrained; and where


s: Darkness and dulness, sloth and stupor are,


s: 'Tis Ignorance hath caused them, Kuru Chief!


s: In Soothfastness, it goeth to the place--


s: Perfect and pure--of those that know all Truth.


s: Of Impulse, it shall pass into the world


s: Of spirits tied to works; and, if it dies


s: In hardened Ignorance, that blinded soul


s: The fruit of Soothfastness is true and sweet;


s: The fruit of lusts is pain and toil; the fruit


s: For Light brings light, and Passion ache to have;


s: Grow forth from Ignorance. Those of the first


s: Rise ever higher; those of the second mode


s: Take a mid place; the darkened souls sink back


s: To lower deeps, loaded with witlessness!


s: When, watching life, the living man perceives


s: And knows what rules beyond the Qualities,


s: Thus passing forth from the Three Qualities--


s: Birth, Death, Sorrow, and Age; and drinketh deep


s: Which be the signs to know him that hath gone


s: Past the Three Modes? How liveth he? What way


s: Leadeth him safe beyond the threefold Modes?


s: Lustre of goodness, strife of passion, sloth


s: Not wishful when they are not: he who sits


s: Unruffled, standing off, saying--serene--


s: When troubles break, "These be the Qualities!"


s: He unto whom--self-centred--grief and joy


s: Sound as one word; to whose deep-seeing eyes


s: The clod, the marble, and the gold are one;


s: Whose equal heart holds the same gentleness


s: For lovely and unlovely things, firm-set,


s: Well-pleased in praise and dispraise; satisfied


s: Detached from undertakings,--he is named


s: That whereof Brahma is the likeness! Mine


s: Or "The Book of Religion by Separation from the Qualities."


s: Men call the Aswattha,--the Banyan-tree,--


s: Which hath its boughs beneath, its roots above,--


s: Are green and waving hymns which whisper Truth!


s: Who knows the Aswattha, knows Veds, and all.


s: Its branches shoot to heaven and sink to earth,[FN#30]


s: Even as the deeds of men, which take their birth


s: From qualities: its silver sprays and blooms,


s: Leap to quick life at kiss of sun and air,


s: As men's lives quicken to the temptings fair


s: Of wooing sense: its hanging rootlets seek


s: The soil beneath, helping to hold it there,


s: As actions wrought amid this world of men


s: Bind them by ever-tightening bonds again.


s: If ye knew well the teaching of the Tree,


s: What its shape saith; and whence it springs; and, then


s: How it must end, and all the ills of it,


s: The axe of sharp Detachment ye would whet,


s: And cleave the clinging snaky roots, and lay


s: This Aswattha of sense-life low,--to set


s: New growths upspringing to that happier sky,--


s: Which they who reach shall have no day to die,


s: Nor fade away, nor fall--to Him, I mean,


s: From passion and from dreams who break away;


s: Who part the bonds constraining them to flesh,


s: And,--Him, the Highest, worshipping alway--


s: Of summer pleasure stirs the sleeping trees,


s: What blast of tempest tears them, bough and stem


s: To the eternal world pass such as these!


s: Another Light,--not Dusk, nor Dawn, nor Noon--


s: Which they who once behold return no more;


s: They have attained My rest, life's Utmost boon!


s: The undying Spirit, setting forth from Me,


s: From Being's storehouse,--which containeth all,--


s: Senses and intellect. The Sovereign Soul


s: Thus entering the flesh, or quitting it,


s: Gathers these up, as the wind gathers scents,


s: Blowing above the flower-beds. Ear and Eye,


s: And Touch and Taste, and Smelling, these it takes,--


s: Yea, and a sentient mind;--linking itself


s: Mark not that Spirit when he goes or comes,


s: Nor when he takes his pleasure in the form,


s: Conjoined with qualities; but those see plain


s: Who have the eyes to see. Holy souls see


s: Which strive thereto. Enlightened, they perceive


s: That Spirit in themselves; but foolish ones,


s: Even though they strive, discern not, having hearts


s: Which lighten all the world: from Me the moons


s: Draw silvery beams, and fire fierce loveliness.


s: I penetrate the clay, and lend all shapes


s: Their living force; I glide into the plant--


s: Root, leaf, and bloom--to make the woodlands green


s: With springing sap. Becoming vital warmth,


s: I glow in glad, respiring frames, and pass,


s: With outward and with inward breath, to feed


s: The Undivided, one. All things that live


s: Are "the Divided." That which sits apart,


s: The Highest, holding all, whose Name is LORD,


s: The Eternal, Sovereign, First! Who fills all worlds,


s: Sustaining them. And--dwelling thus beyond


s: Am called of men and Vedas, Life Supreme,


s: With mind unclouded, knoweth all, dear Prince!


s: And with his whole soul ever worshippeth Me.


s: Declared to thee! Who comprehendeth this


s: Hath wisdom! He is quit of works in bliss!


s: Or "The Book of Religion by attaining the Supreme."


s: Fearlessness, singleness of soul, the will


s: Always to strive for wisdom; opened hand


s: Uprightness, heed to injure nought which lives,


s: Truthfulness, slowness unto wrath, a mind


s: That lightly letteth go what others prize;


s: Which spieth no man's faults; and tenderness


s: Towards all that suffer; a contented heart,


s: Fluttered by no desires; a bearing mild,


s: Modest, and grave, with manhood nobly mixed,


s: To rate itself too high;--such be the signs,


s: O Indian Prince! of him whose feet are set


s: On that fair path which leads to heavenly birth!


s: Deceitfulness, and arrogance, and pride,


s: Quickness to anger, harsh and evil speech,


s: And ignorance, to its own darkness blind,--


s: These be the signs, My Prince! of him whose birth


s: Is fated for the regions of the vile.[FN#32]


s: The Heavenly Birth brings to deliverance,