Page:TheBirth of the War-God.djvu/32

And stayed his awful penance, that had hurled
Flames, death, and ruin o'er the subject World.
When that great warrior battles for his life,
O, who may conquer in the deadly strife,
Save one of Siva's seed? He is the Light,
Eeigning supreme beyond the depths of night;
Nor I, nor Vishnu, his full power may share,
Lo, where he dwells in solitude and prayer!—
Go, seek the Hermit in the grove alone.
And to the God be Uma's beauty shown;
Perchance, the Mountain-child, with magnet's force,
May turn the iron from its steadfast course,
Bride of the mighty God—for only she
Can bear to Him as Water bears to me;
Then from their love a mighty Child shall rise,
And lead to war the armies of the skies:
Freed by his hand, no more the heavenly Maids
Shall twine their glittering hair in mournful braids."

He spake, and vanished from their wondering sight—
And they sped homeward to their world of light ;
But Indra, still on Brahma's words intent.
To Káma's dwelling-place his footsteps bent ;
Swiftly he came—the yearning of his will
Made Indra's lightning course more speedy still;
The Love-God, armed with flowers divinely sweet,
In lowly homage bowed before his feet,—
Around his neck, where bright love-tokens clung,
Arched like a maiden's brow, his Bow was hung,
And blooming Spring, his constant follower, bore
The Mango twig, his weapon famed of yore.