The True Gospel of Chrishna-Jeseus
Section 4 — Appulse of Crises
43 — The Chapter of the Vision in the River
A-UM !
1. The next day, the early sun cast his topaz locks upon the sky and over the earth, and the morning birds shook dewspangled wings at the elves upon the grass and in the ferny furrows, and with merry pipings greeted the Lord of the firmament, beautiful like young gold, freshly dug, virgin gold with red gleams and purple.
2. High upon the inaccessible mountain crag, the eagle, seated on his eyry with his mate, tossed his feathery mane in defiance of all other beings.
3. The earth smelled as sweetly as the fragrant breath of white heifers, lowing for the milkmaid's ewer, and in the air there was the perfume of a branch of sandal-wood.
4. And the Disciples woke up, and saw that everything looked as fresh as the bright loveliness of the Ashoka leaf—the child of Spring, passing from grace to beauty and thence to perfection.
5. 'Ha!' said Akruna, the messenger of the Patriarch, 'now let us strike the peacock-lute of glorification, and worship the Lords of Life under Vishnu, the Deity of colours and hues, tints and shades, sound and silence!'
6. And he strode towards the river to make ablution and rinse his mouth, and, entering the stream he stood meditating upon the perfections of the Supreme Being, whilst pelicans and many great birds stood fishing in the current near the banks.
7. And as he looked upon the fast-flowing waters, glittering beneath Surya's unwinking Eye, his inner vision was extended as the sunbeams mingled with the waters in which rose many bubbles, cool with light.
8. And deep within the waves, as it were, he saw the Lord Chrishna in the midst of a lovely garden, and he was adorned with a garland of jasmine flowers; His face brimmed with the luminance of holiness, casting divine rays upon the hearts of men.
9. And there were heavenly nymphs, decorated with wild blooms, wearing brilliant robes in many colours, and they were crowned with chaplets of lotuses, and worshipped him; they—whose waists were almond-curved and delicate.
10. A diadem of precious stones shone upon his brow, and he wore a white lotus for his crest; and flowers had spilled their odours upon him, and there were the scents of lemon-trees and orange-groves around him.
11. He was attended, too, by many holy Sages, who, fixing their eyes upon him, were absorbed in profound meditation upon the sublimities of Paradise, where beautiful-coloured fruits grew in abundance, and doves abode in fresh-stemmed trees.
12. And when Akruna thus beheld the Lord within the mirror of the waters, he was sore amazed, and wished to address the apparition, but the gods had deprived him of the faculty of speech, and all he could do was to stare in silent surprise, as the woodland roamer gazes upon the unexpected fairy.
13. But presently he shook himself, and the vision disappeared at once, and on looking round, lo, there sat the Lord amidst his Disciples upon the little hill, like unto a splendid planet among the stars.
14. Again Akruna looked into the river, and beheld the previous scene once more, and he saw and heard that Chrishna was hymned by those who worshipped him in that strange garden, and were consumed with love for him, as yellow straw is consumed in redly-blazing fire, so that the messenger was utterly confounded, for how could this be and how could the Lord be in two places at once?
15. And Akruna exclaimed softly, 'His beauty excels that of the red Japa flower, and his forehead glistens like the full moon, adorned with gold and silver hues, and purple;
16. 'His great eyes are grape-lustrous in the light, and the six sacred lotuses of his inner being flash like lightning in a deep blue sky, and fragrant he is like unto the Kashmir aloe;
17. 'And his thoughts are like sunset-tinted clouds, most beautiful to behold, and not to be described in words, though they shine forth from his being like a great halo'. Thus spoke the messenger in his astonishment at what he saw.
18. And now he was enabled in the spirit to join those who adored the Lord in the garden, and he prayed to the holy Form his eyes had first beheld within the waters.
19. But presently, Chrishna and the Disciples came down from the hill to the river, at the place where the shape of Akruna still stood, and that one was withdrawn from the garden, and the divine vision ended once more.
20. But the Lord knew what had come to pass, for his Soul—which dwelleth for ever in Paradise, no matter where his body bideth—had seen Akruna, and heard his prayer, and he said:
21. 'Surely, Akruna, you must have seen some marvel in the stream, for your eyes are staring, as if with astonishment'.
22. And the Patriarch's messenger replied, 'The marvel I have seen in the stream I now behold before me, even here, in bodily shape:
23. 'For he whom I have encountered in the water and in the garden, Chrishna, is, also, your wondrous Self, of whose illustrious person the whole world is the miraculous development'.
24. And Chrishna smiled, whilst the Disciples listened in surprise.
25. But the Lord said, 'Enough of this, we now proceed to Mathura, teaching on the way those who wish to listen, for there is work for us to do'.
26. And so they returned into the forest, once more upon their way, and the Lord performed many miracles, and gave forth great Sermons, so that more and more people followed him, refusing to leave him any more.
27. But one day a scoffer listened to a holy Teaching of the Lord, and spoke to him rudely, insolently interrupting him.
28. And he demanded of the Lord on what authority he called himself the Son of God; and the man denied the reality of Heaven, and of the ever-living Soul.
29. Thus spoke he in his peacock's pride, wrapped in the winding-sheet of immolate folly.
30. And the Disciples were wroth, and wanted to drive away the impertinent mocker in their indignation.
31. But Arjuna held them back, whilst Chrishna stood in silence; and the beloved Disciple said unto this man:
32. 'Canst thou tell me whither flieth the blossom's soul that gives it being, when ruthless man does rape it from its flowery nest?
33. 'Or whence it came, to bloom in beauty; or how it was projected in that glorious signature of its Creator?
34. 'Oh, thou! ignorant of the simplest origins of the wondrous thoughts of the God whom thou deniest, and of the Heaven which is beyond the capacity of realization by thy matter-bound mind.
35. 'Thoughts expressed in works thou canst not understand, being blind, and deaf, and utterly incompetent, thou poor vessel of non-comprehension.
36. 'The inner Spark of thy heart is like unto a lump of ice from the mountain-top: but it will melt anon in the smoke and fire of thy nether destination.
37. The flame of thy imagination is nothing but a chilly frost that smites with coldness, instead of bringing blessings with its gentle warmth;
38. 'Oh, thou who art devoid of all goodliness and true perception!
39. 'Overwhelmed by the bounties of strange conceits, the Godless one will be disconcerted by disasters when he goeth to his reward.
40. 'Can the hazelnut stand still upon the sloping roof?
41. 'Can brass be boiled until it becomes white milk?
42. 'Is a lump of wax as strong as a marble pillar?
43. 'Nay, indeed, such things cannot be; and even so is thine unstable mind incapable of knowing either the steadfastness, the wholesomeness, or the strength of virtue which lie concealed within the golden words of our Master'.
44. And the people heard, and murmured, threatening to stone that impertinent one, and he slunk away like any cur that beholdeth the whip of a fierce and ruthless master; or as one who is lost within the mazes of a dim forest, where lurks the ominous shadow of the unseen tiger, dimly sensed.
45. But Akruna turned unto Arjuna and exclaimed excitedly:
46. 'Oh, thou valiant Hero! First thou slayest the evil king with the sword of steel, and now thou hast disconcerted a scoffer with the iron of thy tongue.
47. 'Mayest thou rise to the topmost peak of Sri-Saila, as a reward for thy valour and strength of wit;
48. 'For verily, the spirals of thy rational penetration are as divine as those of Vishnu's favourite gem: Salag-rama, from the Gandak river, the rays whereof pierce the clouds of ignorance.
49. 'May Sarabha from the Himalayas trample all scoffers with his eight legs!'
50. And the people were vastly amused at Akruna's words, and peace was restored, so that the scoffer took heart again, and returned from the far edge of the crowd where he had concealed himself, to listen to what should befall; hovering like unto a green but shabby moth about a burning lamp, his thoughts and fears drifting like a lost canoe in the middle of grim waters.
51. And he heard, and was ashamed of his previous conduct, and he spoke, and said:
52. 'May the lion of my better self destroy the raving elephant of my sinful senses, as Garuda killeth the snake!' And he knelt before the Lord, and asked to be forgiven.
53. 'Nay, my son', replied Chrishna benevolently—'The senses should be regarded as gifts from thy Maker,
54. 'To use wisely and with true understanding of their frail tendencies and greeds.
55. 'Then—the true Self will become like unto the true master who protects his erring slaves from their folly with firm and kindly tolerance;
56. 'So that in the end they may qualify for liberation and become good masters themselves.
57. 'This is wisdom in the highest sense, and he who knows this Law is for ever free from rebirth'.
58. The great ones of the Land now heard of Christina's Mission, and they sent him rich gifts, which he distributed among the poor by the hands of his Disciples.
59. And the Lord, in his all-perceiving Wisdom spoke to the lowly slaves, and the erring ones, and even to those who had sinned greatly in the eyes of men; and gave them words of comfort, after washing them clean of their misdeeds.
60. But some there were who could not understand such Mercy, and they said:
61. 'What manner of Teacher is this, whose bearing is royal, with a princely countenance, preaching purity and goodness, yet attending the base ones of this world, and those who practise evil deeds!'
62. But the Lord ignored those complaints, and continued his work—for in his omniscience he could discern the dimly smouldering remnant of some good beneath the darkest covering, if it were present there.
63. And as Chrishna Jeseus heard the voice of the inward Monitor: so could he open up the inner ear of those to whom the Soul whispers ever in vain without this aid;
64. So that the word of inspiration which cometh from on high might carry a Light within the darkness of the mind of those who come not from the lowest realms.
65. Then—the indwelling comforter poureth balm upon the warring lower mind, and the inward devotion of the risen man leadeth his true Self unto Salvation by means of the spiritual sustaining-power of God.
66. Man on earth is nailed to the cross of the flesh, and his only escape is by accepting the spiritual cross of balanced self-denial and devotion.
67. There is no need for such to renounce the world, but to accept it at a righteous valuation.
68. This is the double meaning of the cross, which thus becometh the Emblem of intelligent religion.
69. This is the cross which is indeed greater than any crown, and with it cometh the Peace of Heaven, beyond the understanding of the common world of men.
70. And one day the Lord and his Disciples passed a flower shop, and the flower-seller beheld them with surprise, seeing how radiant they were in outward being on account of the sun which shone within.
71. And Chrishna and the Disciples went up to the shop, and asked for some flowers they wished to purchase.
72. And the flower-seller placed his hands upon the ground, and touched it with his head, saying:
73. 'My Lords have shown me great kindness in coming to my house, and I have reaped the fruit of my birth, fortunate that I am'.
74. And with smiling aspect he presented them with choice flowers, conciliating their favour.
75. And the Lord, being pleased with him, gave him his blessings, saying:
76. 'Fortune, my good friend, shall never forsake you, and so long as time shall last, your descendants will not fail.
77. 'Your heart shall ever be intent on righteousness, and fullness of days shall be thy portion, until thou shalt enter into my heavenly garden, and sup upon its luscious fruits, beholding the everlasting flowers which bloom in utmost splendour in my Domain for all Eternity.
78. 'For—those who shun evil and turn to good, were it only to give a simple flower without thought of reward, not speaking or thinking evil of any man, and being generous in heart and deed, loving all beings and beholding them with mercy: such practise godly virtues and will receive their good reward'.
79. And they went away, leaving the good flower-seller in a state of bliss and bewildered happiness.
80. Akruna, the messenger of the Patriarch, having a war-like spirit, not yet quite tamed by prolonged contact with the Lord, could never bear the slightest criticism of the Master;
81. Regarding slights from ignorant men also as personal attacks upon himself, as it were, so that one day the Lord rebuked him gently, saying:
82. 'The only revenge upon an enemy is to become more virtuous.
83. 'Then, Providence, the Nourisher, will send thee blessings, and the idle words of a spiteful man will pass thee by, leaving kindliness in their wake'.
84. And the doves, cooing upon their nests which hang in the patient Ashoka trees, assented softly and with gentle voices to the words of the Lord.
Next: 44 — The Chapter of The Alabaster Casket
This e-text facsimile of The Book of Sa-Heti was published on 5 August 2012.
© Copyright 2012 J Michaud PhD & occult-mysteries.org. Last updated 28 March 2017.
