Invocation. Invocation
p. 1
Invocation. 1
Praise to Vlmki, 2 bird of charming song, 3
Who mounts on Poesy's sublimest spray,
And sweetly sings with accent clear and strong
Rma, aye Rma, in his deathless lay.
Where breathes the man can listen to the strain
That flows in music from Vlmki's tongue,
Nor feel his feet the path of bliss attain
When Rma's glory by the saint is sung!
The stream Rmyan leaves its sacred fount
The whole wide world from sin and stain to free. 1b
The Prince of Hermits is the parent mount,
The lordly Rma is the darling sea.
Glory to him whose fame is ever bright!
Glory to him, Prachetas' 2b holy son!
Whose pure lips quaff with ever new delight
The nectar-sea of deeds by Rma done.
Hail, arch-ascetic, pious, good, and kind!
Hail, Saint Vlmki, lord of every lore!
Hail, holy Hermit, calm and pure of mind!
Hail, First of Bards, Vlmki, hail once more!
Footnotes
1:1 The MSS. vary very considerably in these stanzas of invocation: many lines are generally prefixed in which not only the poet, but those who play the chief parts in the poem are panegyrized. It is self-apparent that they are not by the author of the Rmyan himself.
1:2 'Vlmki was the son of Varuna, the regent of the waters, one of whose names is Prachetas. According to the Adhytm Rmyana, the sage, although a Brhman by birth, associated with foresters and robbers. Attacking on one occasion the seven Rishis, they expostulated with him successfully, and taught him the "mantra"
of Rma reversed, or "Mar", "Mar", in the inaudible repetition of which he remained immovable for thousands of years, so that when the sages returned to the same spot they found him still there, converted into a "valmik" or ant-hill, by the nests of the termites, whence his name of Vlmki.'
Wilson. Specimens of the Hindu Theatre, Vol. I. p. 313.
'Vlmki is said to have lived a solitary life in the woods: he is called both a "muni"
and a "rishi". The former word properly signifies an anchorite or hermit; the latter has reference chiefly to wisdom. The two words are frequently used promiscuously, and may both be rendered by the Latin
"cates" in its earliest meaning of "seer":
Vlmki was both poet and seer, as he is said to have sung the exploits of Rma by the aid of divining insight rather than of knowledge naturally acquired.' Schlegel.
1:3 Literally, "Kokila", the Koil, or Indian Cuckoo. Schlegel translates 'luscinium.'
Invocation. 1
Praise to Vlmki, 2 bird of charming song, 3
Who mounts on Poesy's sublimest spray,
And sweetly sings with accent clear and strong
Rma, aye Rma, in his deathless lay.
Where breathes the man can listen to the strain
That flows in music from Vlmki's tongue,
Nor feel his feet the path of bliss attain
When Rma's glory by the saint is sung!
The stream Rmyan leaves its sacred fount
The whole wide world from sin and stain to free. 1b
The Prince of Hermits is the parent mount,
The lordly Rma is the darling sea.
Glory to him whose fame is ever bright!
Glory to him, Prachetas' 2b holy son!
Whose pure lips quaff with ever new delight
The nectar-sea of deeds by Rma done.
Hail, arch-ascetic, pious, good, and kind!
Hail, Saint Vlmki, lord of every lore!
Hail, holy Hermit, calm and pure of mind!
Hail, First of Bards, Vlmki, hail once more!
Footnotes
1:1 The MSS. vary very considerably in these stanzas of invocation: many lines are generally prefixed in which not only the poet, but those who play the chief parts in the poem are panegyrized. It is self-apparent that they are not by the author of the Rmyan himself.
1:2 'Vlmki was the son of Varuna, the regent of the waters, one of whose names is Prachetas. According to the Adhytm Rmyana, the sage, although a Brhman by birth, associated with foresters and robbers. Attacking on one occasion the seven Rishis, they expostulated with him successfully, and taught him the "mantra"
of Rma reversed, or "Mar", "Mar", in the inaudible repetition of which he remained immovable for thousands of years, so that when the sages returned to the same spot they found him still there, converted into a "valmik" or ant-hill, by the nests of the termites, whence his name of Vlmki.'
Wilson. Specimens of the Hindu Theatre, Vol. I. p. 313.
'Vlmki is said to have lived a solitary life in the woods: he is called both a "muni"
and a "rishi". The former word properly signifies an anchorite or hermit; the latter has reference chiefly to wisdom. The two words are frequently used promiscuously, and may both be rendered by the Latin
"cates" in its earliest meaning of "seer":
Vlmki was both poet and seer, as he is said to have sung the exploits of Rma by the aid of divining insight rather than of knowledge naturally acquired.' Schlegel.
1:3 Literally, "Kokila", the Koil, or Indian Cuckoo. Schlegel translates 'luscinium.'
