Page:Cradle Tales of Hinduism .djvu/239

KRISHNA PARTHA SARATHI 215 opened His little mouth to cry, and His grieved foster-mother, bending over Him, had seen the great vision of the Universe within His lips, so now again, on the field of battle. He showed to Arjuna His Universal Form.

First in a kind of swift mystic chant came the words, '< I am the soul, O Arjuna, seated in the heart of every being. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all things. Vishnu amongst the gods am I, amongst lights I am the Sun, I am the mind amongst the senses, the moon amongst the stars. Amongst the waters, I am Ocean himself. Amongst trees the Aswattha ^ tree am I ; amongst weapons the thunderbolt ; and Time amongst events. Of rivers I am the Ganges. Of created things I am the beginning, middle, and end. Time Eternal am I, and the Ordainer with face turned on every side ! Death that seizeth all, and the source of all that is to be. I am the splendour of those that are splendid. I am Victory, I am Exertion, I am the goodness of the good. I am the Rod of those that chastise, and the Policy of them who seek victory. I am Silence amongst things that are secret, and the Knowledge of those possessed of knowledge. That which is the seed of all things, I am that I Supporting this entire Universe with a portion only of My strength, I stand ! "


 * An old name for the Bo-tree, Ficus religiose.