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Title: Mystical Poem
Author: George Borrow [
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Relating to the worship of the Great Foutsa or Buddh.
From the Tibetian.
Should I Foutsa's force and glory,
Earth's protector, all unfold,
Through more years would last my story
Than has Ganges sands of gold.
Him the fitting reverence showing
For a minute's period e'en,
Bringeth blessing overflowing
Unto heaven and man, I ween.
If from race of man descended,
Or from that of dragon-sprite,
When thy prior course {1} is ended,
Thou in evil paths shouldst light,--
If Great Foutsa ever, ever
Thou but seek with mind sincere,
Thou the mists of sin shalt sever,
All shall lie before thee clear.
Whosoe'er his parents losing
From his early infancy,
Cannot guess with all his musing,
Where their place of birth might be;
He who sister dear nor brother,
Since the sun upon him shone,
And of kindred all the other
Shoots and branches ne'er has known--
If of Foutsa Grand the figure
He shall shape and colour o'er,
Gaze upon it rapt and eager,
And with fitting rites adore,
And through twenty days shall utter
The dread name with reverend fear,
Foutsa huge of form shall flutter
Round about him and appear,
And to him the spot discover,
Birth-place of his flesh and bone {2};
And though evils whelm them over,
For his sake release them soon;
If that man unchang'd still keeping
From back-sliding shall refrain,
He, by Foutsa touch'd when sleeping,
Shall Biwangarit's title gain;
If to Bouddi's elevation,
He would win, and from the three
Confines dark of tribulation
Soar to light and liberty--
When a heart with kindness glowing
He within him shall descry,
To Grand Foutsa's image going,
Let him gaze attentively:
Soon his every wish acquiring
He shall triumph glad and fain,
And the shades of sin retiring
Never more his soul restrain.
Whosoever bent on speeding
To that distant shore, the home
Of the wise, shall take to reading
The all-wondrous Soudra tome;
If that study deep beginning,
No fit preparation made,
Scanty shall he find his winning,
Straight forgetting what he's read:
Whilst he in the dark subjection
Shall of shadowing sin remain,
Soudra's page of full perfection
How shall he in mind retain?
Unto him the earth who blesses,
Unto Foutsa, therefore he
Drink and incense, food and dresses
Should up-offer plenteously;
And the fountain's limpid liquor
Pour Grand Foutsa's face before,
Drain himself a cooling beaker
When a day and night are o'er;
Tune his heart to high devotion:
The five evil things eschew,
Lust and flesh and vinous potion,
And the words which are not true;
Living thing abstain from killing
For full twenty days and one,
And meanwhile with accents thrilling
Mighty Foutsa call upon--
Then of infinite dimension
Foutsa's form in dreams he'll see,
And if he with fixt attention,
When his sleep dissolv'd shall be,
Shall but list to Soudra's volume,
He, through thousand ages flight,
Shall of Soudra's doctrine solemn;
Ne'er forget one portion slight
Yes, a soul so richly gifted
Every child of man can find,
If to mighty Foutsa lifted
He but keep his heart and mind.
He who goods and cattle lacking
Is to fell disease a prey,
In whose household bones are cracking,
Cuts occurring every day,
Who though slumbering never resteth
From excess of bitter pain,
And what he in prayer requesteth
Never, never can obtain,--
To earth-favouring Foutsa's figure
If but reverence he shall pay
Dire misfortune's dreadful rigour
Flits for ever and for aye;
In his sleep no ills distress him,
And of nought he knows the want;
Cattle, corn and riches bless him,
Which the favouring demons grant.
Those, who sombre forests threading,
Those, who sailing ocean's plain,
Fain would wend their way undreading
Evil poisons, beasts and men,
Evil spirits, demons, javals {3},
And the force of evil winds,
And each ill, which he who travels
In his course so frequent finds--
Let them only take their station
'Fore the form of Foutsa Grand,
On it gaze with adoration,
Sacrifice with reverent hand--
And within the forest gloomy,
On the mountain or the vale,
On the ocean wide and roomy
Them no evil shall assail.
Thou, who every secret knowest,
Foutsa, hear my heart-felt pray'r;
Thou, who earth such favour showest,
How shall I thy praise declare?
Through ten million calaps {4} hoary
If with cataract's voice I roar,
Yet of Foutsa's force and glory
I may not the sum out-pour
Whosoe'er the title learning
Of the earth's protector high,
Shall, whene'er his form discerning,
On it gaze with steadfast eye,
And at times shall offer dresses,
Offer fitting drink and food.
He ten thousand joys possesses,
And escapes each trouble rude.
Whoso into deed shall carry
Of the law each precept, he
Through all time alive shall tarry,
And from birth and death be free.
Foutsa, thou, who best of any
Know'st the truth of what I've told,
Spread the tale through regions, many
As the Ganges' sands of gold.
Footnote: {1} Allusion is here made to metempsychosis or the transmigration of
souls.
Footnote: {2} His relations.
Footnote: {3} Goblins.
Footnote: {4} Spaces of time.
[The end]
George Borrow's poem: Mystical Poem
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