{"id":2298,"date":"2013-07-13T01:40:41","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:40:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=2298"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:40:41","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:40:41","slug":"15-stanzaic-rendering-of-the-opening-of-canto-1-vol-05-translations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/03-cwsa\/05-translations\/15-stanzaic-rendering-of-the-opening-of-canto-1-vol-05-translations","title":{"rendered":"-15_Stanzaic Rendering of the Opening of Canto 1.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
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 <\/td>\n

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\nThe Birth of the War-God<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nEDITORS’ NOTE<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nIn the first and third versions of this translation, Sri Aurobindo left some lines or parts of lines blank, apparently with the intention of returning to them later. Such incomplete portions are indicated by square brackets enclosing a blank of appropriate size.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n
\nThe Birth of the War-God<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\nSTANZAIC RENDERING OF THE OPENING OF CANTO I <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n1<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nA god mid hills northern Himaloy rears<\/span><\/p>\n

\nHis snow-piled summits’ dizzy majesties,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd in the eastern and the western seas<\/span><\/p>\n

\nHe bathes his giant sides; lain down appears<\/span><\/p>\n

\nMeasuring the dreaming earth in an enormous ease.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n2<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nHim, it is told, the living mountains made<\/span><\/p>\n

\nA mighty calf of earth, the mother large,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nWhen Meru of that milking had the charge<\/span><\/p>\n

\nBy Prithu bid; and jewels brilliant-rayed<\/span><\/p>\n

\nWere brightly born and herbs on every mountain marge.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n3<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nSo is he in his infinite riches dressed<\/span><\/p>\n

\nNot all his snows can slay that opulence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAs drowned in luminous floods the mark though dense<\/span><\/p>\n

\nOn the moon’s argent disc, so faints oppressed<\/span><\/p>\n

\nOne fault mid crowding virtues fading from our sense.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n

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Page \u2013 257<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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\n4<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nBrightness of minerals on his peaks outspread<\/span><\/p>\n

\nIn their love-sports and in their dances gives<\/span><\/p>\n

\nTo heavenly nymphs adornment, which when drive<\/span><\/p>\n

\nSplit clouds across, those broken hues displayed<\/span><\/p>\n

\nLike an untimely sunset’s magic glories live.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n5<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nFar down the clouds droop to his girdle-waist;<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd to his low-hung plateaus’ coolness won<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe Siddhas in soft shade repose, but run<\/span><\/p>\n

\nSoon glittering upwards by wild rain distressed<\/span><\/p>\n

\nTo unstained summits splendid with the veilless sun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n6<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nAlthough unseen the reddened footprints blotted<\/span><\/p>\n

\nBy the new-fallen snows, the hunters know<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe path their prey the mighty lions go;<\/span><\/p>\n

\nFor pearls from the slain elephants there clotted<\/span><\/p>\n

\nFallen from the hollow claws the dangerous passing show.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n7<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nThe birch-leaves on his slopes love-pages turn;<\/span><\/p>\n

\nLike spots of age upon the tusky kings<\/span><\/p>\n

\nOf liquid metal ink their letterings<\/span><\/p>\n

\nMake crimson pages that with passion burn<\/span><\/p>\n

\nWhere heaven’s divine Circes pen heart-moving things.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Page \u2013 258<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n8<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nHe fills the hollows of his bamboo trees<\/span><\/p>\n

\nWith the breeze rising from his deep ravines,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nFlutes from his rocky mouths as if he means<\/span><\/p>\n

\nTo be tune giver to the minstrelsies<\/span><\/p>\n

\nOf high-voiced Kinnars chanting in his woodland glens.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n9<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nHis poplars by the brows of elephants<\/span><\/p>\n

\nShaken and rubbed loose forth their odorous cream;<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd the sweet resin pours its trickling stream,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd wind on his high levels burdened pants<\/span><\/p>\n

\nWith fragrance making all the air a scented dream.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n10<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nHis grottoes are love-chambers in the night<\/span><\/p>\n

\nFor the strong forest-wanderer when he lies<\/span><\/p>\n

\nTwined with his love, marrying with hers his sighs<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd from the dim banks luminous herbs give light,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nStrange oilless lamps to their locked passion’s ecstasies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n11<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nHimaloy’s snows in frosted slabs distress<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe delicate heels of his maned Kinnaris,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd yet for all that chilly path’s unease<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThey change not their slow motion’s swaying grace<\/span><\/p>\n

\n[                                          ]<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n

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Page \u2013 259<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n12<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nHe guards from the pursuing sun far-hid<\/span><\/p>\n

\nIn his deep caves of gloom the fallen night<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAfraid of the day’s eyes of brilliant light:<\/span><\/p>\n

\nEven on base things and low for refuge fled<\/span><\/p>\n

\nHigh-crested souls shed guardian love and kindly might.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n13<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nThe mountain yaks lift up their bushy tails<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd with their lashing scatter gleamings round<\/span><\/p>\n

\nWhite as the moonbeams on the rocky ground:<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThey seem to fan their king, his parallels<\/span><\/p>\n

\nOf symbolled monarchy more perfectly to found.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n14<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nThere in his glens upon his grottoed floors<\/span><\/p>\n

\nWhen from her limbs is plucked the raiment fine<\/span><\/p>\n

\nOf the Kinnar’s shamefast love, hanging come in<\/span><\/p>\n

\nHis concave clouds across the cavern doors;<\/span><\/p>\n

\nChance curtains shielding her bared loveliness divine.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n15<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nWeary with tracking the wild deer for rest<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe hunter bares his forehead to the fay<\/span><\/p>\n

\nBreezes which sprinkle Ganges’ cascade spray<\/span><\/p>\n

\nShaking the cedars on Himaloy’s breast,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nGambolling with the proud peacock’s gorgeous-plumed<\/span><\/p>\n

\narray.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n

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Page \u2013 260<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n16<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nCircling his mountains in its path below<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe sun awakes with upward-glittering wands<\/span><\/p>\n

\nWhat still unplucked by the seven sages’ hands<\/span><\/p>\n

\nRemains of the bright lotuses that glow<\/span><\/p>\n

\nIn tarns upon his tops with heaven-kissing strands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n17<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nBecause the Soma plant for sacrifice<\/span><\/p>\n

\nHe rears and for his mass upbearing earth<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe Lord of creatures gave to this great birth<\/span><\/p>\n

\nHis sacrificial share and ministries<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd empire over all the mountains to his worth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n18<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nCompanion of Meru, their high floor,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nIn equal wedlock he to his mighty bed<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe mind-born child of the world-fathers wed,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nMena whose wisdom the deep seers adore,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nStable and wise himself his stable race to spread.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n19<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nTheir joys of love were like themselves immense<\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd its long puissant ecstasies at last<\/span><\/p>\n

\nBore fruit for in her womb a seed was cast;<\/span><\/p>\n

\nBearing the banner of her youth intense<\/span><\/p>\n

\nIn moving beauty and charm to motherhood she passed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

Page \u2013 261<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n20<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\nMainac she bore, the ocean’s guest and friend<\/span><\/p>\n

\nUpon whose peaks the serpent-women roam,<\/span><\/p>\n

\nDwellers in their unsunned and cavernous home;<\/span><\/p>\n

\nMainac, whose sides though angry Indra rend<\/span><\/p>\n

\nFeels not the anguish of the thunder’s shock of doom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

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Page \u2013 262<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  The Birth of the War-God   EDITORS’ NOTE   In the first and third versions of this translation, Sri Aurobindo left some lines or…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-05-translations","wpcat-48-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2298"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2298\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}