Page:The Bengali Book of English Verse.djvu/120

88 Long he toiled, the learned Brahman,
 * Power Almighty to explain,

Quoted he from holy sastras,
 * Argued long, but argued vain!

To his reasons, to his learning,
 * Ever answered thus the king,

Mighty wondrous is all nature,
 * But it is created thing!"

Still he toiled, the learned Brahman,
 * To explain the God on high,

Spoke of fire and spoke of ether,
 * Spoke of water and of sky,

Spoke of shadow and reflection,
 * Spoke of echo and of sound,

Argued about dreams and slumber,
 * But solution none he found!

Silently the boastful Brahman
 * Bent his head in grief and shame,

Sad he was, the learned Brahman,
 * To a wiser king he came!

Thus far,"—said the monarch gently,
 * "Thus far doth thy wisdom go!"

Thus far! wise and learned monarch!
 * Teach me what you further know!"

With the fuel, meek and humble,
 * Balaki as student came,

Seeking knowledge from the monarch,
 * Great in learning as in fame.

He who made the sun and moon,
 * And the sky and earth so broad,

He who breathed all Nature forth,—
 * He is Brahman, He is God!"