Page:Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Purānic.djvu/50

26  "Thou art the cord that stretches to the skies,   The bridge that scans the chasm, profound and vast.    Dividing earth from heaven, o'er which at last  The good shall safely pass to Paradise.

"But when, great god, thine awful anger glows,   And thou revealest thy destroying force,    All creatures flee before thy furious course, As hosts are chased by overpowering foes.

"Thou levellest all thou touchest; forests vast   Thou shear'st, like beards which barber's razor shaves.    Thy wind-driven flames roar loud as ocean's waves. And all thy track is black when thou hast past.

But thou, great Agni, dost not always wear That direful form; thou rather lov'st to shine Upon our hearths, with milder flame benign, And cheer the home where thou art nursed with care.

"Yes! thou delightest all those men to bless   Who toil unwearied to supply the food    Which thou so lovest—logs of well-dried wood. And heaps of butter bring, thy favourite mess.

"Though I no cow possess, and have no store   Of butter, nor an axe fresh wood to cleave,    Thou, gracious god, wilt my poor gift receive: These few dry sticks I bring—I have no more.

"Preserve us, lord; thy faithful servants save   From all the ills by which our bliss is marred;    Tower like an iron wall our homes to guard, And all the boons bestow our hearts can crave.

"And when away our brief existence wanes,   When we at length our earthly homes must quit.    And our freed souls to worlds unknown shall flit. Do thou deal gently with our cold remains.

"And then, thy gracious form assuming, guide   Our unborn part across the dark abyss    Aloft to realms serene of light and bliss. Where righteous men among the gods abide."