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SEPTEMBER, 1893.]
no difference between them. The faults and virtues of the subtile are all found in the grosser body (22).
NOTES ON TUL'SI DAS.
231
As water for four months cometh from the sun, and for eight months goeth to it, so are the souls of men; they return to the place whence they camels (23). The water as it cometh is visible, but as it goeth is invisible, even so is the going of the soul hard to know without a spiritual guide (24). The wicked man goeth along the path of sorrow and is reborn to misery for countless generations (25). There are the two paths of bliss and sorrow, but without the grace of the Lord they cannot be recognized (26), and it is not till he experienceth the sorrow of these perpetual births, that he calleth for the moon, lit. way of Sitâ (wisdom) (27). Once a holy man treadeth on this path his woes disappear. For that path leadeth to Sita's (wisdom's) feet, which guide him to the feet of the Lord19 (28). This moon of wisdom distilleth nectar of itself, and never suffereth eclipse or shadow (29). Like the real moon she giveth joy to all the world, and if the chakraváka bird and lotus (i. e. the worldly) grieve when she appears, 'tis not her fault (30). Yet when the world, without experience, seeth them in sorrow, it falsely accuseth her of the fault, though, with a spiritual guide, all that sorrow would be wiped away (31). Learn the parable of the rain-cloud, which sheddeth water and maketh the whole world to rejoice. But, though the rain also causeth the jawás plant to wither, no one blameth the cloud (32). The moon draweth poison from the earth, and yieldeth nectar in return; such is faith which destroyeth the holy man's sins, and giveth him peace (33).
Again, the fierce rays of the sun draw moisture from the earth, and the cool rays of the moon give back nectar. 20 Each is the complement of the other, so is it with the Lord and with wisdom (34, 35).
The earth is like the grosser (sthula) body, and water like the subtile (súkshma) one (which is absorbed by the sun, and given out by it again). This requireth a spiritual guide to understand (36).
The just man adoreth the cool rays of this moon, while others are seeking refuge (at once) in the fierce rays of the sun21 undergo difficulties and miseries (39). Therefore should a man by every possible device seek association with the holy, for this endeth finally in union with the Lord (38). Take the part of a servant, which leadeth to happiness, and not that of a master (which by pride and confidence in good works) leadeth to misery. Remember the fates of Vibhishana and Ravana (39).
The moon produceth coolness, and the sun heat,' (so saith the ignorant), but neither produceth either; consider thou this carefully (40). No one ever saw them do it, yet everyone calleth them the cool-maker' (sta-kara) and the heat-maker' (ushṇa-kara), and saith, therefore it is true, and cannot be false.' But the maker of heat and cold, of sun and moon, is the Lord alone (41). The very Védas tell us of the virtues of nectar, how a draught of it destroyeth disease, and bringeth the dead to life, yet even it is subject to the Lord's will22 (42). Every one knoweth that the property of earth is smell, of water coolness, of fire heat, and of air the sense of touch, and their existence is accepted as proved, although they cannot be seen23 (43).
18 That is to say during the pralaya period (see above) during which matter is unevolved, and intelligence is in a state of contraction, when the Lord is in his causal state.
19 Baij'nath's commentary is instructive.
A father cannot cherish a young child. The mother cherishes it
and brings it to the father, so, &c.'
20 Or, the sun gives fiery rays, and the moon coolness.
21 i. e. seeking to know the supreme deity at once, by pure reason, without an intercessor, or by means of good works alone.
23 As for instance, the shower of nectar after the battle of Lanka only brought the bears and monkeys to life, and not the rakshasas.
Read, gandha sita api ushṇata sparta vidita jaga jana. A reference to the well known categories of the Nyaya philosophy. In the following verse, ala alaris parna: chétana parabrahmarúpa Ramachandra. I am indebted to Pandit Sudhakar Dvivêdi for the explanation of this very difficult verse, of which the commentators available to me can make no sense. If, in verse 44, we could read bilakha, na instead of bilakhata, the passage would be still easier: So in these (i. e. the faithful) the Pure Almighty is not visible, but is revealed, &c."
