moral courage.

margam

Bharatanatyam Margam

Alarippu

The word ‘Alarippu’ means ‘blooming’ (root ‘alaru’ may be found in telugu, tamil and other Dravidian languages). Alarippu is short invocatory Nritta item. It’s meaning is paying obeisance or salutation to God, guru and audience. It opens performance and also opens dancer’s body – limbs are warmed up by simple movements, mind is focused by precise rhythm and emotions are activated by harmony and beauty of traditional choreography and inner joy of dance, so dear to each dancer.

Alarippu can be performed in different thalas and jatis, traditional alarrippu-s are rupaka, misra chapu and chaturasra eka thalam alarippu.

S Sharada Teacher explained Alarippu as follows:

'The Alarippu movements begin with the eyes and neck and move progressively downwards. This is essencially a dance dedicating each part of the body before commencing the actual program. Alarippu conveys happyness. 'Nanadanti anena devata - iti naandi.' That which makes the deva-s happy is naandi. Hence the Alarippu is like the naandi sloka.Hence the Alarippu is like the naandi sloka. Since this is dedicatory dance, it has to be simple, setting the stage for the more complicated dance to follow.'

Jathiswaram

This is pure Nritta item set to tune (ragam) in particular rhythm (thalam). Jathiswasram includes Jathi (sollukattu), Pallavi, Anupallavi and one or more Charanas. There is no any sahityam passages present her, the whole composition is sung by swaras.

The meaning of Nritta, pure dance, is using the God given body and limbs we create as many forms of beauty as possible through flow of poses and movements connected together by rhythm and music. Beauty and inner joy of dance is the only meaning of Nritta. It doesn’t have any particular mood or sentiment. It produces aesthetic pleasure.

In answer to question asked by the sages, Bharata explained: “The dance is occasioned by no specific needs. It has come into use because it creates beauty.”

As a dance composition, jathiswaram includes jathi and several korvais set to Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanas. Some korvais are intervened by Mai adavu (set of adavus characterized by elaborate body movement).

Famous Jatiswarams are composed in ragas Kalyani, Chakravakam, Arabi, Vasanta, Saveri, Kamas.

Shabdam

This is a song in praise of deity The other name of this musical composition is ‘Yasho geetam’ (song in praise). In olden days all Shabdams were composed in Kamboji ragam. Nowadays shabdams are sung in raga malika, but the first ragam of the sequence should be Kamboji. Majority of shabdams are set to Misra Chapu thalam.

Shabdam starts with short jathi. Each line of sahityam is repeated several times. Dancer should explain it through pada artha (word by word) and vachika artha (sanchari) abhinaya. Each line is concluded by short jathi when the dancer executes set of simple adavus.

Varnam

'In the Varnam, teermanam-s should be in proportion to the rest of the piece. Disproportionately lenghy teermenam-s spoil the continuity of the work. So do unnecessary long Sanchari-s. When Sanchari go beyond three or four avarta-s (rhythmical cycles), the dance turns into a drama or mono-acting. At one recital, I counted as many as 60 repetitions of a line, at which point I gave up counting. This kind of a thing distorts the form of the varnam. IT is possible to communicate what is necessary in the shortest span of time.'

'The kalapramanam (tempo) for a varnam should be moderate. This enhances the beauty of the presentation. In the older forms, tattu mettu was never done for the Pallavi and Anupallavi. Tattu mettu was done for the Chittaswara sahitya. The continuity of teermanam-s should also not be broken. Adavu-s should be in proportion to the teermanam-s.'

The stage space should be correctly used. Just as the delineation of adavu is important, so also are the lines created when covering the stage. A dancer should not wander on the stage; there are certain prescribed ways of moving which should be respected.'

'For the Sanchari-s in the varnam, the various subtle meanings of the song should be used within the context. This will make the presentation attractive.'

Padam

Padam may be described as musical monologue. To understand meaning of Padam it is very essential to comprehend relationship between the heroine (Nayaki) and the hero (Nayaka).
In Padam human soul is represented by female lover (Jeevatma) yearning for union with supreme being (Paramatma). This type of relationship is called ‘Sringara-bhakti’ (devotion through love of the highest, dignified kind).

Padams give the widest scope for Abhinaya, expression of sentiments, emotions, feelings, moods including all the shades possible.
Before performing a padam, the one should visualize the hero and heroine, the previous history of their relationships, the current situation, the mood and intentions of the heroine (or hero, depends upon from whose name the padam is sung) and possible development of the situation between the lovers.

Padams are suggestive, they admit dual meaning – direct and indirect aspects. Padams are centered round theme of love, which is basic and underlying mood of Padam. Over this mood different emotions may be expressed, according to situation and character of the heroine and hero, but they should not break the main stream of tender affectionate feeling of love flowing underneath. Anger is often pretended, suffering is mingled with hope and indignation is softened by hidden affection.

'Care should be taken when selecting the theme for a padam which is a slow item and contains a lot of deep rasa bhava. The rasa is nearly always Sringara. An idea already presented in a sanchari should not be repeated. The best charana-s should be selected. The mood of the nayika should be correctly ascertained and portrayed.'

Padam includes Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanas. For dance not all charanas may be selected, just one or two the most beautiful lines are enough. Padams are set to Rakti ragas such as Ananda Bhairavi, Shankarabaranam, Todi. Padams are sung in slow tempo.

Padams are mostly composed in Telugu and Tamil, but there are also Sanskrit, Kannada and Malayalam padams.

The famous composers of Padams are Kshetrayya, Sarangapani, Annamaya, Melattur Venkatarama Sastri, Kasturi Rajgaya, Swathi Tirunal, Iraiman Tambi.

Keertanam

Keertanas deal with glories of the Gods. It includes Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charana-s. Keertanas are set to lighter ragas. It is usually sung in Madhyama kalam (medium tempo). Sahityam narrates prayers and stories from Puranas, thus basic bhava of keertanam is Bhakti.

As a dance composition, Keertanam is abhinaya item, where lines of sahityam are intervened with jathis and swaras during which the dancer executes different korvais (sets of adavus).

'Keertanas are taken from other works should be authentically presented. There is a common misconception that the keertana 'Yaro ivar yaro' is Sita singing about Rama, while in reality it is Rama singing about Sita*. The kalapramanam should be moderate.

*This wonderful keertanam is sung in Bhairavi ragam, very deep, touching and rich of moods raga. In this keertanam Rama comes to garden along with Lakshmana and encounters Sita first time. He is stunned and taken by overwhelming feeling of attraction and admiration towards her. He asks 'Yaro ivar yaro? Enna pero narien?' - 'Who is she? What is her name?'

'The keertana is a form of single-minded devotional music. The Ramanataka keertanas or Nandanar keertanas and others of different authors are therefore steeped in bhakti and evoke devotional mood with little or no distraction or conflict. Hence the delineation of different moods as in Sringara rasa is not possible. So the expansion of ideas in those songs is only by elaborating on the episodes and stories found in the puranas about the God in whose praise the keertanas are composed.'

Javali

In contrast to Padams (songs of dignified love), Javali-s are songs reflecting very casual aspects of love, in light and playful manner. They emphasize amorous (and even erotic) nature of relationships between the lovers.

Javalis are set to lighter ragas. It is usually sung in Madhyama kalam (medium tempo) or faster. Language of sahityam is very simple, even colloquial. It is also suggestive but in playful sense, without deep philosophical insinuations.

Daru

This composition belongs to the sphere of applied music. It figures in dance dramas. It is the story told in form of a song. In Daru the principal character of dance drama is praised and his deeds are described. Daru is sung in Madhyama kala (medium tempo).

Thillana

Main feature if Thillana is brick and attractive music. Thillanas are sung in the end of either music or dance performance.

Thillana includes Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam. Is starts from eye movements, followed by several Mai Adavus (featuring elaborate body movements) set to Pallavi. After Mai adavu several korvais (sets of adavus) are performed set to Pallavi and Anupallavi.

Usi adavu is another feature of Thillana, when dancer covers the stage by quick and fast sequence of movements. Thillana is Nritta item, but there is always one-two line slokam in the end when dancer performs abhinaya (Addressing the deity last time before to conclude the program).

Sloka

Sometimes a recital concludes with a sloka (prayer). The sanchari-s in a sloka should be brief. This is an item without tala and provides felief after the earlier items. It also gives the musicians a chance to use their creativity.

swamiyai vara soladi.

1.Aneyu karadare, adhimoola bandanthe,
Ajamilanu karedhare Narayana bandanthe


2.Adaviyalli Dhruva raya karedare Vasudeva bandanthe,
SAbheyalli DRaupadi karedare Sri Krishna bandanthe


3.Ninna dasara dasanu na karadare,
Yenna palisa beku , Purndhara vittala



1.Like the primeval God coming when an elephant called,
Like The God Narayana came when Ajamila called.

2. Like the coming of Vasudeva when Druva called him in the forest
Like Sri Krishna coming when Draupadi called him in the court

3. If I your slave of slaves call you ,
You should protect me says Purandara Vittala



Pallavi

Ba ba ranga bhujanga shayana,
Komalanga krupanga abhanga

Anupallavi

Ba ba yenna antharanga mallara gaja singa,
Duritha bhava paanga

Charanam

1.Ubaya kaveriya madhya nivasa,
Abhaya dayaka , manda hasa,
SAbheyolu sathivala kaydha ullasa,
Ipraja varada , hey Srinivasa.

2.Yelu prakarada malike manayolage , kaliya deyvara deva,
Sola sasira gopiya ralida ereyalu lokada janaranu kava.
3.Sampraripita dambara hitha mana ,

Ambhujadha lagipa nethra,
Shanka Chakra dara purandara vittala,
Thumburu Narada grutha stotra,


Pallavi

Come, Come Ranga who sleeps on a snake,
Who is pretty, shows mercy and is sung about.

Anupallavi

Come come, Oh lion like wrestler to the elephant,
Oh God who quickly ends miseries of life.

Charanam

1. God who lives between two branches of Cauvery,
God who gives protection, God who smiles prettily,
Oh pleasant God waited for girls in the crowd,
Oh God who blesses all, Oh God in whom Lakshmi lives.

2. Oh Black god who lived in the house,
Surrounded by seven enclosures,
Oh god who is with sixteen thousand Gopis making sound,
Please protect the people of the world.

3. Oh God who has the good of devotes who offer their mind to you,
Oh God who has eyes like lotus flowers,
Oh Purandara Vittala holding a conch and a wheel,
Oh God who is praised by Dumburu and Narada.




Pallavi
Samiyai vara Cholladi , sakhiye,
Kumara bhumi pugazhum Shivakami magizhum balan

Anupallavi
Thamadam sheyalagumo , idhu samyam ,
Kaman kanai thoduthu kalanga cheigiraridi

Charanam
Sholladi manam kallodi jalam chevadhu yenadi

1.Ma mathi mukhattai kana vendum yendru

2. Kalla thanamum kondu , mella nadandhu vandhu,
Thalladi thalladi valli mel vizhundavarukku

3.Vanna mamayil yeri ingu vara yennama, yemathama,
Indha mannum vinum yeno chuzaluthadi,
Kannum urangathu kathu mirppen yendru

4.Oru naal yen kanavinil vanthanadi , perum vinai thanadi,
Karunai ullam arul puriyum endru thavam irundum oru payan illayadi,
Ilam paruva kalam thirumba varumodi ,
Manam urugi vazhum nilai arumodi,
Ithu tharum thiru pazhani malayil uraibhavanai ,
Maruvidave iru karam thudikkuthadi.


Pallavi

Oh friend, Please request the God to come,
The God who is praised in land of Muruga,
Who is the lad who makes Goddess Shivakami happy,

Anupallavi

Should you cause delay, for at this time,
He makes me confused by sending arrows of god of love,

Charanam

Tell me, is his heart stone , Why is he doing these tricks

1.With a desire to see the full moon like face

2.The one with deceit in his mind , he walked and came slowly,
And tottered and tottered and fell on Goddess Valli

3.Is he thinking of coming here riding on the coloured peacock, is it deceit,
Somehow this earth and sky seem to rotate .
And the eyes tell that they will wait without sleeping.

4. One day he came in my dream , it was a great event,
There was no use of doing penance thinking that ,
His merciful mind will one day shower his grace,
Will the time of early youth come again?
Will the state of living with a melted mind cease?
And my hands are shivering to hug,
The one living on Pazhani mountain and is giving me this.



Pallavi

Deva Banda, Namma Swami Bandano
Devara deva Shikhamani Bandano
Deva Banda Namma Swami

Anupallavi

Uraga Sayana Banda
Garuda Gamana Banda
Naragolidava Banda
Narayana Banda

Chararanam

1.Mandarodhara Banda,
Mamanohara Banda,
Brindavana pathi Govinda bandano,
Nakraharanu banda, Chakradharanu Banda,
Akrooragolida Trivikrama bandhano


2.Pakshi vahana Banda
Lakshmanagraja Banda
Akshaya phalada sri Lakshmi Ramana Banda
Nigama kochara Banda
Nithya Trupathanu Banda
Nagemuka purandara vittala Bandhano


Pallavi

God came , our Lord has come
The greatest god of gods came
The crest jewel has come
God came, our Lord has come

Anupallavi

He who sleeps on the snake has come
He who travels on Garuda has come
The one who blessed nara(Arjuna) has come
Narayana has come

Charanam
1.He who lifted the Mandara mountain has come,
He who stole the mind of Lakshmi has come,
The Govinda who is the Lord of Brindavana has come,
The killer of the crocodile has come,
The holder of the divine Chakra has come,
The one who blessed Akroora has come,
The God Trivikrama has come.

2.He who rides the bird has come,
He who is the elder brother of Lakshmana has come,
The giver of endless benefits who pleases Lakshmi has come
He came for making a conclusion
He who cannot be seen even by Vedas has come
The ever cheerful Purandara Vittala has come.

kelathi mama hrudahye

Two saints....separated by more than a thousand years, two completely different works and yet, the more we look at them, the more alike they seem...both in content and in wording.
Adi Shankara has a written a prakarana grantha (preliminary text) on Vedanta called Atma Bodha. In this work of 68 verses, there is one verse (verse 50) where he has used the metaphor of the Ramayana.
Sadashiva Brahmendra was a saint and composer who lived in the 18th century. One of his famous compositions, which is often sung in Carnatic music concerts is the piece "khelati mama hridaye". This composition too uses the analogy of the Ramayana.
I

khelati mama hridaye raamah, 
khelati mama hridaye.......
moha mahaarnava taaraka kaari
raaga-dvesha mukhaasura maari
shaanti videha suta sahachaari
daharaayodhya nagara vihaari
paramahamsa saamraajyodhaari
satya gnyaanaananda shareeri 
khelati mama hridaye.......


Rama dances (khelati) in my heart (mama hridaye). 
He is the one who helps me cross (taaraka kaari) the huge ocean of delusion (moha mahaarnava).
He is the one who helps to destroy asuras in the form of my own raaga-dveshas.
With this, I regain peace (shaanti). Here, Sita is equated with peace. A special epithet is used for her- She is Vaidehi, "videha suta", princess of the Kingdom of Videha. (Sita's father Janaka was well known as a grihastha gnyaani. And as videha suta, Sita is an inheritor of that peace.)
There after, I shall live happily (vihaari) in Ayodhya, that city which can never be destroyed (yoddhum ashakyaa ayodhya). Where is this Ayodhya?  It is in my own heart/mind (hence, dahara ayodhya).
And what kind of place is this Ayodhya? It is a heart/mind where dharma flourishes. An empire (saamraajya) where noble people (paramahamsas/sanyasis/noble thoughts) are protected.
Finally, Rama, who helps me accomplish all this, and who dances in my heart, what is his nature? How does he look? He is  "satya-gnyaana-aananda shareeri". That Rama is my own Self, my Higher Nature, Atma whose swarupa is "satyam-gnyaanam-anantam" as the Upanishads declare.


Teertvaa moha mahaarnavam
hatva raaga-dveshaadi raakshasaan
yogi shaanti samaayuktah
Aatmaaraamo viraajatey

This verse presents the journey of a spiritual aspirant using the metaphor of the Ramayana.
"Crossing (teertvaa) the ocean of delusion (moha mahaarnavam), and having destroyed (hatva) the raakshasaas in the form of binding likes and dislikes (raaga dvesha), the yogi (the qualified spiritual aspirant) gets united (samaayuktah) with peace (shaanti) and shines/enjoys (viraajatey) as the Self (aatma raama)".

The imagery is self explanatory. The jeeva (the individual) is the Self in reality (atma-rama). Peace (shanti) is his very nature, his better-half (Sita), as it were. Ravana comes in the form of binding likes and dislikes (raaga-dvesha) and loots this peace away. Peace recedes even further...and lies imprisoned beyond an ocean of delusion (moha mahaarnavam).  Alas! The individual gropes for peace in the forest of samsara.
How must he regain his exalted, pristine status? Every seeker has to go through the story of the Ramayana as a personal, subjective journey.

It is easy to see how similar these two poems are. Sadashiva Brahmendra seems to have had this Atma Bodha verse in mind and he has embellished it with a few more ideas. In keeping with this presentation of the Ramayana as a personal journey.

work.

Let us work as we pray for work is the body's best prayer to the divine.
life's master word is work, with this magic word in one's heart all things are possible. It is the touch stone of progress and the key to success.

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You've all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you would be wise.


The Gita's yoga consists in the offering of one's work as a sacrifice to the Divine, the conquest of desire, egoless and desireless action, bhakti for the Divine, an entering into the cosmic consciousness, the sense of unity with all creatures, oneness with the Divine. This yoga adds the bringing down of the supramental Light and Force (its ultimate aim) and the transformation of the nature.

The only work that spiritually purifies is that which is done without personal motives, without desire for fame or public recognition or worldly greatness, without insistence on one's own mental motives or vital lusts and demands or physical preferences, without vanity or crude self-assertion or claim for position or prestige, done for the sake of the Divine alone and at the command of the Divine. All work done in an egoistic spirit, however good for people in the world of the Ignorance, is of no avail to the seeker of the yoga.

Skill in works will come when there is the opening in the physical mind and the body. 

In work there must be a rule and discipline and as much punctuality as possible in regard to time.
To be regular is a great force. one becomes master of ones time and ones movements.
remember always that there is magic in the early dawn brahma murtham. 
also watch youtube discussion of the magic of 3:40 by sadguru.

one must experience it to know it for sure.

surrender

Pallavi:
Arasi nannu gaachinataniki saranu
Paramu nihamu nele pathikini saranu

Charanam1:
Vedamu dechhinatti vibhuniki saranu
Aadi moola mante vachhinathaniki saranu
Yedasa thaanaiyunna eetaniki saranu
Sreedevi magadaina sree pathiki saranu

Charanam2:
Andariki pranamaina aathaniki saranu
mundu moodu moorthula murthiki saranu
dindupadi devathala devuniki saranu
andi minnu nelanekamainataniki saranu

Charanam3:
Thaane chaithanyamaina daivaanaku Saranu
Naanaa brahmandaala naathuniki saranu
anuka sree venkatadri yandu nundi varamulu
deenula kindarikichhe devuniki saranu

to the one who is always protecting me to him i surrender
to the lord who rules the spiritual and the material to him i surrender

to the great master who brought back the Vedas to him i surrender
to the primordial god that pervades to the core to him i surrender......

anni maMtramulu niMdE aavahiMchenu
vennatO naaku galige vEMkaTESu maMtramu ||

naaraduMDu japiyiMche naaraayaNa maMtramu
chEre prahlaaduDu naarasiMha maMtramu |
kOri vibheeShaNuMDu chEkone raama maMtramu
vEre naaku galige vEMkaTESu maMtramu ||

raMgagu vaasudEva maMtramu dhruvuMDu japiyiMche
naMga viMve kRuShNa maMtra marjunuMDunu |
muMgiTa viShNu maMtramu mogi SukuDu paThiMche
viMgaDamai naaku nabbe vEMkaTESu maMtramu ||

inni maMtramula kella iMdiraa naadhuMDe guri
pannina didiye para brahma maMtramu |
nannugaava kalige bO naaku guru Diyyagaanu
vennela vaMTidi Sree vEMkaTESu maMtramu ||

narada chanted narayana mantra

prahalada did narasimha mantra

vibhishana asked for rama mantra

I got Venkatesa mantra......

pa|| aMtayu nIvE hari puMDarIkAkSha | ceMta nAku nIvE SrIraGurAma ||

ca|| kulamunu nIvE gOviMduDA nA | kalimiyu nIvE karuNAnidhi |

talapunu nIvE dharaNIdhara nA | nelavunu nIvE nIrajanABa ||

ca|| tanuvunu nIvE dAmOdara nA | manikiyu nIvE madhusUdana |

vinikiyu nIvE viTThaluDA nA | venakamuMdu nIvE viShNu dEvuDA ||

ca|| puTTugu nIvE puruShOttama | kona naTTanaDumu nIvE nArAyaNa |

iTTE SrI veMkaTESvaruDA nAku | neTTana gati iMka nIvE nIvE ||

You are my cast

you are my wealth

you are my thoughts

you are my home.

anklet.

vedic sacrifices.

sing

Sing.
Sing a song.
Sing out loud, sing out strong.
Sing of good things, not bad.
Sing of happy, not sad.
Sing.
Sing a song.
Make it simple to last your whole life long.
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear.
Just sing.
Sing a song.

R and R

dream within dream.

YogaVasista.
The wisdom imparted by sage Vasista to Lord Rama defies the outward forms of seriousness. 
Vasista teaches through telling of a good story actually 64 interwoven tales with variety of themes. The first being the relation between dream and reality. Svapna/ Satya;
The story of Lavana the king coming under a spell of a court jester lives an alternate life within the poor tribal community regains consciousness and finds out his supposed dream confirmed when he visited his former imagined realm and discovered that his alternate family was real.
Visista discusses concepts of the individual in interesting ways showing the soul creates its own situations due to their will and action because of the efficacy of Karma they all bend towards correct action or dharma.
to be continued.

chod

Even such is time which takes in trust
our youth our joys and all we have
and pays us nought but age and dust
which in the dark and silent grave
when we have wandered all our ways
shuts up the story of our days
and from which grave and earth and dust
the lord shall raise me up I trust.


The more we live more brief appears
our life's succeeding stages
a day to childhood seems a year
and years like passing ages
when joys have lost their bloom and breath
and life itself is vipid
why as we reach the falls of death
feel we its tide more rapid
Heaven gives our years of fading strength
indemnifying fleetness
and those of youth and seeming length
proportioned to their sweetness.

living art.

BG, Sanatsugatiya and Anugita.

Too old to play with passion. too young to be without desire

Faust

A knock? Come in! Again my quiet broken?

Mephistopheles

’Tis I!

Faust

   Come in!

Mephistopheles

   Thrice must the words be spoken.

Faust

Come in, then!

Mephistopheles

      Thus thou pleasest me.

I hope we’ll suit each other well;

For now, thy vapors to dispel,

I come, a squire of high degree,

In scarlet coat, with golden trimming,

A cloak in silken lustre swimming,

A tall cock’s-feather in my hat,

A long, sharp sword for show or quarrel —

And I advise thee, brief and flat,

To don the self-same gay apparel,

That, from this den released, and free,

Life be at last revealed to thee!

Faust

This life of earth, whatever my attire,
Would pain me in its wonted fashion.
Too old am I to play with passion;
Too young, to be without desire.
What from the world have I to gain?
Thou shalt abstain — renounce — refrain!
Such is the everlasting song
That in the ears of all men rings —
That unrelieved, our whole life long,
Each hour, in passing, hoarsely sings.
In very terror I at morn awake,
Upon the verge of bitter weeping,
To see the day of disappointment break,
To no one hope of mine — not one — its promise keeping:—
That even each joy’s presentiment
With wilful cavil would diminish,
With grinning masks of life prevent
My mind its fairest work to finish!
Then, too, when night descends, how anxiously
Upon my couch of sleep I lay me:
There, also, comes no rest to me,
But some wild dream is sent to fray me.
The God that in my breast is owned
Can deeply stir the inner sources;
The God, above my powers enthroned,
He cannot change external forces.
So, by the burden of my days oppressed,
Death is desired, and Life a thing unblest!

Mephistopheles

And yet is never Death a wholly welcome guest.

Faust

O fortunate, for whom, when victory glances,
The bloody laurels on the brow he bindeth!
Whom, after rapid, maddening dances,
In clasping maiden-arms he findeth!
O would that I, before that spirit-power,
Ravished and rapt from life, had sunken!

Mephistopheles

And yet, by some one, in that nightly hour,
A certain liquid was not drunken.

Faust

Eavesdropping, ha! thy pleasure seems to be.

Mephistopheles

Omniscient am I not; yet much is known to me.

Faust

Though some familiar tone, retrieving
My thoughts from torment, led me on,
And sweet, clear echoes came, deceiving
A faith bequeathed from Childhood’s dawn,
Yet now I curse whate’er entices
And snares the soul with visions vain;
With dazzling cheats and dear devices
Confines it in this cave of pain!
Cursed be, at once, the high ambition
Wherewith the mind itself deludes!
Cursed be the glare of apparition
That on the finer sense intrudes!
Cursed be the lying dream’s impression
Of name, and fame, and laurelled brow!
Cursed, all that flatters as possession,
As wife and child, as knave and plow!
Cursed Mammon be, when he with treasures
To restless action spurs our fate!
Cursed when, for soft, indulgent leisures,
He lays for us the pillows straight!
Cursed be the vine’s transcendent nectar —
The highest favor Love lets fall!
Cursed, also, Hope! — cursed Faith, the spectre!
And cursed be Patience most of all!

Chorus of Spirits(invisible)

Woe! woe!

Thou hast it destroyed,

The beautiful world,

With powerful fist:

In ruin ’tis hurled,

By the blow of a demigod shattered!

The scattered

Fragments into the Void we carry,

Deploring

The beauty perished beyond restoring.

Mightier

For the children of men,

Brightlier

Build it again,

In thine own bosom build it anew!

Bid the new career

Commence,

With clearer sense,

And the new songs of cheer

Be sung thereto!

Mephistopheles

These are the small dependants
Who give me attendance.
Hear them, to deeds and passion
Counsel in shrewd old-fashion!
Into the world of strife,
Out of this lonely life
That of senses and sap has betrayed thee,
They would persuade thee.
This nursing of the pain forego thee,
That, like a vulture, feeds upon thy breast!
The worst society thou find’st will show thee
Thou art a man among the rest.
But ’tis not meant to thrust
Thee into the mob thou hatest!
I am not one of the greatest,
Yet, wilt thou to me entrust
Thy steps through life, I’ll guide thee —
Will willingly walk beside thee —
Will serve thee at once and forever
With best endeavor,
And, if thou art satisfied,
Will as servant, slave, with thee abide.

Faust

And what shall be my counter-service therefor?

Mephistopheles

The time is long: thou need’st not now insist.

Faust

No — no! The Devil is an egotist,
And is not apt, without a why or wherefore,
“For God’s sake,” others to assist.
Speak thy conditions plain and clear!
With such a servant danger comes, I fear.

Mephistopheles

Here, an unwearied slave, I’ll wear thy tether,
And to thine every nod obedient be:
When There again we come together,
Then shalt thou do the same for me.

Faust

The There my scruples naught increases.
When thou hast dashed this world to pieces,
The other, then, its place may fill.
Here, on this earth, my pleasures have their sources;
Yon sun beholds my sorrows in his courses;
And when from these my life itself divorces,
Let happen all that can or will!
I’ll hear no more: ’tis vain to ponder
If there we cherish love or hate,
Or, in the spheres we dream of yonder,
A High and Low our souls await.

Mephistopheles

In this sense, even, canst thou venture.
Come, bind thyself by prompt indenture,
And thou mine arts with joy shalt see:
What no man ever saw, I’ll give to thee.

Faust

Canst thou, poor Devil, give me whatsoever?
When was a human soul, in its supreme endeavor,
E’er understood by such as thou?
Yet, hast thou food which never satiates, now —
The restless, ruddy gold hast thou,
That runs, quicksilver-like, one’s fingers through —
A game whose winnings no man ever knew —
A maid that, even from my breast,
Beckons my neighbor with her wanton glances,
And Honor’s godlike zest,
The meteor that a moment dances —
Show me the fruits that, ere they’re gathered, rot,
And trees that daily with new leafage clothe them!

Mephistopheles

Such a demand alarms me not:
Such treasures have I, and can show them.
But still the time may reach us, good my friend.
When peace we crave and more luxurious diet.

Faust

When on an idler’s bed I stretch myself in quiet.
There let, at once, my record end!
Canst thou with lying flattery rule me,
Until, self-pleased, myself I see —
Canst thou with rich enjoyment fool me,
Let that day be the last for me!
The bet I offer.