Fakeer of Jungheera: Notes: Canto Second
Dark shadows are falling on holy Mandar
This mountain may be seen at a considerable distance from the place which forms the scene of the first part of this Canto It was used by the Dius and Assoors for the churning of the ocean when the Amreeta was to have been won. Vide Mr. Parker's delightful poem "The Draught of Immortality."
When the sound of the Pearl-fall enraptured we hear
"We obtained two beautiful glimpses of the Rajmahal hills, the first soon after rounding the point of land where this ridge of mountain falls abruptly in the river ; the other a few miles further on, where in a profound ravine of the thickly-wooded mountains may discerned from near the river's brink, a beautiful cataract of water, which apparently bursting from a deep chasm, descends in a sheet of rilver for some distance, and then breaking into showers of sparking spray, has received the appropriate and beautiful applellation of the Mootee Girna, or the "Fall of Pearls" — Forest's Tour
When the Bulbul's loved mate, the Zuleikha of flowers,
The rose which is here alluded to, may be well called the Zuleikha of flowers; Zuleikha, (the chaste wife of Potiphar, according to the Mussulmans) having been the most beautiful of women.
And see a minstrel now appears
This mountain may be seen at a considerable distance from the place which forms the scene of the first part of this Canto It was used by the Dius and Assoors for the churning of the ocean when the Amreeta was to have been won. Vide Mr. Parker's delightful poem "The Draught of Immortality."
When the sound of the Pearl-fall enraptured we hear
"We obtained two beautiful glimpses of the Rajmahal hills, the first soon after rounding the point of land where this ridge of mountain falls abruptly in the river ; the other a few miles further on, where in a profound ravine of the thickly-wooded mountains may discerned from near the river's brink, a beautiful cataract of water, which apparently bursting from a deep chasm, descends in a sheet of rilver for some distance, and then breaking into showers of sparking spray, has received the appropriate and beautiful applellation of the Mootee Girna, or the "Fall of Pearls" — Forest's Tour
When the Bulbul's loved mate, the Zuleikha of flowers,
The rose which is here alluded to, may be well called the Zuleikha of flowers; Zuleikha, (the chaste wife of Potiphar, according to the Mussulmans) having been the most beautiful of women.
And see a minstrel now appears
Familiar quite with griefs and tears.
In the Upper Provinces of Hindoostan, there are to this day, in the families of the great, one or two dependants, whose sole business is to tell stories for the amusement of the lord It has been conjectured that the tales in the Arabian Nights’, Entertainment are of Indian origin.
"The Legend of the Shushan"
In the Upper Provinces of Hindoostan, there are to this day, in the families of the great, one or two dependants, whose sole business is to tell stories for the amusement of the lord It has been conjectured that the tales in the Arabian Nights’, Entertainment are of Indian origin.
"The Legend of the Shushan"
A student of that excellent institution, the Hindu College, once brought me a translation of the Betal Puncheesa, and the following
fragment of a tale having struck me for its wildness, I thought of writing a ballad, the subject of which should be strictly Indian. The Shushan is a place to which the dead are conveyed, to be burnt In conformity with the practice of eastern story tellers, who frequently repeat the burden or moral of the song, have I introduced the "O Love is strong". &c wherever an opportunity offered. —
"Thereupon, he took the Jogee aside, and said, "O Gosayn! you have given me many rubies, but have never even once eaten in my
"Thereupon, he took the Jogee aside, and said, "O Gosayn! you have given me many rubies, but have never even once eaten in my
house. I am therefore much ashamed, so pray tell me what it is that you want ?" "Great king", replied the Jogee, "On the banks of the river Godavurry is a Shushan, where all I wish for will be gained by Muntra Seven-eighths of what I want have been already obtained, and I now seek at your hands the remaining portion. You must therefore stay with me one whole night " "Agreed", replied the king, "appoint the day “ “On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month Bhader, come to me armed " "Go", returned the Raja “and I promise to be with you on the day you have fixed " With this promise the Devotee took leave of the king, and proceeded to the Shushan. The Raja was lost in meditation, till the time appointed stole upon him, and then having armed imself,
he went alone in the evening to the Jogee.
"Come in and sit down my son," said the Devotee; and the Raja complied with his request, while at the same time he, unalarmed,
he went alone in the evening to the Jogee.
"Come in and sit down my son," said the Devotee; and the Raja complied with his request, while at the same time he, unalarmed,
beheld demons, ghosts, witches, and malignant spirits, dancing around him, and changing their forms "Now", said the Raja, "What are your commands?" "Four miles south of this," replied the Jogee, "is a Shushan, where, on a tree, hangs a corpse , bring me that corpse, while I pray." Having now sent the king away, the Jogee sat himself down, and commenced his devotions The dark night frowned upon him, and such a storm with ram come on, as if the heavens would have exhausted themselves, and never have rained again, while the demons, and evil spirits set up a hawl that might have daunted the stoutest heart But the king held on his way, and though snakes came wreathing round his legs, he got free of them by repeating a charm. At last overcoming all opposition, he reached the cemetery, where he saw demons beating human beings, witches gnawing the livers of children, and tigers and elephants roaring. As he cast his eyes upon a Serus tree, He saw it root and branch in flames, and heard these words sounding from all quarters, "strike, strike ' seize, seize ' take care that none escape." "Come what will," said he then to himself, "this undoubtedly is the Jogee of whom the Dev made mention to me." So saying, he went up to the tree, where he saw a corpse hanging with its head downwards "Now, “cried he, my labour is at an end", then fearlessly climbing the tree, he made a cut with his sword at the rope, that suspended the corpse, which as soon as it fell began to cry The king hearing its voice, was pleased at the thought that it must have been a living being, then having descended, "who are you ?" said he to it. To his great astonishment, the corpse only laughed and without any reply, climbed the tree. The king followed it, and having brought It down in his arms, repeated his question. But receiving no answer, he thought that it might have been the oilman, who the Dev had said had been kept m the cemetery by the Jogee , then having bound it in his cloak, began to bring it away.
"He who greatly ventures, will greatly win. "who are you", said Betal the corpse, to the Raja, "and where are you taking me ?“ “I am Raja Vicrom," said the king, "and I am taking you to the Jogee " "Let it be agreed between us," replied Betal, "that if you speak while we are on the road I shall return." To this the Raja consented, and proceeded with the corpse. While they were on the way, "O king," said Betal, "the learned and the wise spend their time in songs and study, and the indolent and ignorant, in frivolity and sleep It therefore behoves us to make an easy journey of it with pleasant conversation. Here then what I now tell thee "
But there was a man, and a holy man,
A gifted Sunyasee,
A sunyasee is a devotee who lives in the desert —
"The moss his bed, the cave his humble cell.
His food the fruits, his drink the crystal well "
But now, a hum as when young bees
Come swarming round the rich date trees,
There are two lines, much like these, in Mr. Parker's very beautiful poem "The Draught of Immortality." But mine had passed through the press, before I made the discovery However, I am satisfied that persons who have been in the habit of reading and writing much verse, will not charge me with plagiarism I have often struck out lines when I have been in doubt whether "that quaint witch. Memory" was deceiving me or not, and these should have shared the fate of many that have been so got rid of, but for the fact above started. Mr. Parker's lines are —
Till they flew through heaven quick as bees
Swarm clustering round the wild date trees