ON WISDOM
Poets and Princes
Unhonoured
in a State when poets dwell
Whose
fames range wider than its strong-winged birds,
Whose
utterance is for grace adorable
Of
chosen speech and art of noble words,
Whose
wisdom hundreds come to hear and tell;
The
world that nation’s chief for dullness blames,
For
poets without wealth are rich and kings:
When
values low depreciate costly things,
‘Tis the appraiser’s shame and not the gem’s.
True Wealth
Knowledge
is truest wealth, not this which dies, —
It
cherishes a strange deep peace within
Unutterably,
nor the robber’s eyes
Ever
shall find it out; to give it is gain,
It
then grows most when parted with, and poured
With
sleepless hand fills gloriously its lord.
Worlds
perish may, Knowledge survives their fall;
This
wise men cherish; 0 Kings, your pride recall,
You
have but wealth, they inner royalty
Of lordliest wisdom. Who with these shall vie ?
The Man of Knowledge
Scorn
not the man of knowledge to whose eyes
The
secrets of the world have been revealed!
Thou
canst not hold his spirit from the skies
By
fortune light nor all that earth can yield.
The
furious tusker with new dark rut stained
Were
sooner by a lotus-thread detained.
Page– 168
Fate and Wisdom
What
can the extreme wrath of hostile Fate?
The
swan that floats in the cool lotus-wood
She
from his pleasant mansion can exclude.
His
fame remains, in food adulterate1
Who
could the better choose, the worse discern.
Fate
cannot touch glory that mind can earn.
The Real Ornament
It is
not armlets that adorn a man,
Nor
necklaces all crammed with moonbright pearls,
Nor
baths, nor ointments, nor arranged curls.
Tis
art of excellent speech that only can
Adorn
him: jewels perish, garlands fade;
This
only abides and glitters undecayed.
The Praises of Knowledge
Knowledge
is nobler beauty in a man
Than
features: ‘tis his hidden hoard of price;
This
the long roll of Masters first began;
Pleasure
it brings, just fame and constant bliss,
And
is a helping friend in foreign lands,
And
is a very god with puissant hands.
Knowledge,
not wealth in great men is adored,
Nor
better than a beast the mind unstored.
¹
The swan was supposed to have the power of separating milk from water when the
two were mixed.
Page– 169
Comparisons
Men cherish burning anger in
their hearts,
Yet look without to find if
they have foes.
Who sweet forbearance has,
requires no arts
Of speech; persuading
silently he goes.
Why fear the snake when in thy
kindness bask
Men evil, or a fire while
kinsmen jar
Burning thy house! From heaven
no medicines ask
To heal a troubled mind,
where true friends are.
Nor seek for ornaments, noble
modest shame
Being with thee, nor for
wealth when wisdom’s by.
Who needs a kingdom when his
mind can claim
A golden realm in sweetest
poetry?
Worldly Wisdom
Have mercy for all men, for
thy own race
Have kindness, for the
cunning cunning have,
Affection for the good, and
politic ways
For princes: for thy foes a
spirit brave,
Patience for elders, candour for
the wise:
Have skilful ways to steal
out women’s hearts.
Who shine here, masters in
these social arts,
In them the human scheme
deep-rooted lies.
Page– 170
Good Company
Company of good men is a very soil
Of plenty, yielding all high things to man.
The dull weight of stupidity it can
Lift from the mind and cleanse
of falsehood vile,
Sprinkling truth’s fragrance
sweet upon the speech;
And it can point out greatness’
rising path,
And drive out sinful lust and
drive out wrath,
And a calm gladness to the
senses teach;
Glory that to the very stars
would climb,
Can give thee, conquering thy
heart and time.
TheConquests of
Sovereign Poetry
Who are the conquerors ? Not mere
lords of land,
But kihigly poets, whose high
victories
Are perfect works; men’s hearts
at their command
Are wholly; at their will the passions rise.
Glory their body is, which Death’s pale fear
Afflicts not, nor abhorred Age comes near.
Rarites
Whatever most the soul on
earth desires,
Are rarities, as, a virtuous
son; a wife
Who wholly loves; Fortune that
never tires;
A friend whose sweet affection
waters life;
A master pleased; servants
that ne’er deceive;
A charming form; a mind no
sorrows grieve;
A mouth in wisdom proved that
makes not strife.
These to his favourites being
pleased allows
Hari, of whom the world grows
amorous.
Page– 171
The Universal
Religion
All varying Scriptures that the
earth divide,
Have yet one common rule that
need o’erride
Dogma nor rite, nor any creed
offend;
All to their heavens by one sole
path intend.
Tis this: — Abstain from
slaughter; others’ wealth
To covet cease, and in thy
speech no stealth
Of falsehood harbour; give in
season due
According to thy power; from
ribald view
Or word keep far of woman, wife
or maid;
Be mild obedience to thy elders
paid;
Dam longing like a river; each
act beneath
Show mercy and kindness to all
things that breathe.
Great and Meaner
Spirits
Some from high action through
base fear refrain;
The path is difficult, the way
not plain.
Others more noble to begin, are
stayed
By a few failures. Great spirits
undismayed
Abandon never what once to do
they swore.
Baffled and beaten back, they
spring once more,
Buffeted and borne down, rise up
again,
And, full of wounds, come on
like iron men.
Page– 172
The Narrow Way
Kind to be, yet immutably be
just;
To find all baser act too
hard to do, —
Yea, though not doing shatter
our life to dust;—
Contempt that will not to
the evil sue;
Not to the friend that’s
poor our need to state;
Baffled by fortune still
erect to stand;
Being small to tread in
footprints of the great;
Who for weak men such rugged
path has planned,
Harder to tread than edge of
this sharp brand ?
|