The True Gospel of Chrishna-Jeseus
Section 4 — Appulse of Crises
44 — The Chapter of the Alabaster Casket
A-UM !
1. And one day, after the daily ceremonial of Sandhya, the noon-day prayer, Chrishna and the Disciples met a young girl, who was much deformed; and she carried precious unguents in an alabaster casket as frail as a cassia-flower in her twisted hands.
2. And when she beheld the Lord, brilliantly adorned with the garlands of praise and adoration, as it were,
3. She bowed to him, smilingly, though the pain of her crooked limbs lay on her face like a veil of everlasting anguish.
4. And the Lord went up to her, and said,
5. 'Tell me, sweet maiden, for whom are you carrying that unguent?'
6. And the poor maiden looked at him, saying, 'I am a servant of the queen at Mathura, and appointed to prepare her perfumes;
7. 'Unguents ground by any other hands she does not desire or approve, hence I am enriched by the queen's rewards'.
8. But the Lord answered her, saying, 'You have a long journey to make, sweet maiden, for Mathura is many days' travel from this spot, and I know you are in pain; how then shall you accomplish the pilgrimage to the city, being almost exhausted now?'
9. And the girl bowed again, saying. 'The divine Lord, even Vishnu, will give me strength, for I am on the path of duty, and those who attend to their work sincerely will be protected and assuaged by Him.
10. 'And what is pain? Is it not true that the flame of pain burneth up the dross of sensuous desire?'
11. And the Lord heard her words, and the Disciples wondered greatly at the courage and the wisdom of the maid.
12. And Chrishna said unto her, 'But what if this journey be too much for thee after all, frail as thou art, and thou shouldst die before it is accomplished?'
13. And the maiden replied, looking down modestly as she spoke, saying, 'Earthly life is like a fleeting shadow, but death is like a glorious rainbow—a colourful arc of Light, across which walk the Gods to the land called Mishraka-Vana,
14. 'Which leadeth to Mount Meru in Paradise, where sup the blessed mortals who have left the earth, now being immortal, and the Gods take them by the hand and guide them safely across that lighted Way before they enter'.
15. And as she spoke, the air was filled with the tuneful sounds of her speech, as if Spring, in the form of a fair Goddess, were walking about in the land, singing softly, adorned with golden anklet bells which tinkled greetings to the voluptuous magic of her own creation.
16. And it was as if the souls of the Keora, the Rose, and the Jessamine were perfuming the winds.
17. The bees were loud in the nearby peach-groves, raiding the starry blossoms of their delights;
18. And bright swallows hastened in the air, as wildwood fays come running up to the forest god:
19. So great was the effect of the words of the maiden as she spoke unto the Lord; and the Disciples and all who heard were stricken with awe.
20. Then—Chrishna stepped closer to the Maiden, who stared at him in surprise, and, after carefully placing his feet upon hers, so as not to cause her pain,
21. He placed the thumb and two fingers of each hand beneath her chin, and gently stretching her thus he made her straight.
22. And when the maiden stood upright for the first time since her birth, too amazed to speak, he placed his right hand between her breasts and his left hand upon her back, blowing softly upon her face, and then stepped back.
23. And the damsel became suddenly filled with health and beauty, and in appearance she resembled the passion flower in full bloom.
24. And she took her alabaster casket, and broke it at his feet, anointing first the Lord, and then Arjuna and the Disciples, and even Akruna, with its balmful contents.
25. And the people who had beheld the miracle, clapped their hands and embraced each other for joy, for never had anyone done the like of this before;
26. And they praised the Lord exceedingly, saying, 'Here be wonderful deeds, and words, and the Lord is a God indeed, omnipotent, for the maiden whom we all have known as one disfigured by a fiend, now is like unto an Apsaras from Indra's Heaven'.
27. And they shouted, and wept, and laughed, and danced in their joy and exuberance.
28. Even the trees rejoiced and waved their silken tassels in the wind, as if to salute the Lord with their homage.
29 And after blessing the maiden, and the people, the trees, the flowers, the birds and bees and the winds, the Lord took up his staff and proceeded on his way to Mathura; but the maiden followed him, together with the multitude of worshippers.
30. And Arjuna spoke unto Chrishna, saying, 'What we have seen today resembles a great poem, and it only needs words to make it immortal, O, beloved Lord'.
31. And Chrishna answered, 'The words of a true poet, whether in rhyme or in prose, are ladders wherewith to storm the ramparts of the fortress of inspiration; and all who read such words are blest'.
Next: 45 — The Chapter of Kadru, the Queen
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.