From the caves and jungles of Hindostan

...the stage, or from behind it. At last, the curtain rose. The silence, which had been very remarkable before the performance—especially considering the huge crowd of spectators of both sexes—now became absolute. Râma is one of the incarnations of Vishnu, and since most of the audience were worshippers of Vishnu, the spectacle was not merely a theatrical performance to them, but a religious mystery representing the life and achievements of their favorite and most venerated god.

The prologue was set in the era before creation began—it can safely be said that no dramatist would dare to choose an earlier setting—or rather, before the last manifestation of the universe. All the philosophical schools of India, except for the Muslims, agree that the universe has always existed. However, the Hindus divide these periodic appearances and disappearances into "days and nights" of Brahmâ. The nights, or the withdrawals of the objective universe, are called Pralayas periods of cosmic dissolution or rest, and the days, or the eras of a new awakening into life and light, are called Manvantaras, Yugas, or "centuries of the gods." These periods are also known, respectively, as the "inbreathings and outbreathings" of Brahmâ. When a Pralaya ends, Brahmâ awakens, and with this awakening, the universe that rested within the deity—having been reabsorbed into its subjective essence—emanates again from the divine principle and becomes visible. The gods, who perished along with the universe, begin slowly to return to life. The "Invisible" alone, the "Infinite," the "Lifeless"—the One who is the unconditioned, original "Life" itself—soars, surrounded by shoreless chaos. Its holy presence is not visible. It reveals itself only through the periodic pulsation of chaos, represented by a dark mass of water filling the whole stage. These waters are not,

IN BOMBAY.

as yet, separated from the dry land, because Brahmâ, the creative spirit of Nârâyana, has not yet separated from the "Ever Unchanging." Then a heavy shock vibrates through the entire mass, and the waters begin to grow transparent. Rays, emanating from a golden egg at the bottom, spread through the chaotic waters. Receiving life from the spirit of Nârâyana, the egg bursts, and the awakened Brahmâ rises to the surface of the water in the form of a huge lotus. Light clouds appear, initially transparent and web-like. They gradually condense and transform themselves into the Prajapatis—the ten personified creative powers of Brahmâ, the god of all living things—and they sing a hymn of praise to the creator. There was something naively poetic to our unaccustomed ears in this steady melody, which was performed without any orchestral accompaniment.

The hour of general revival has struck. The Pralaya comes to an end. Everything rejoices as it returns to life. The sky is separated from the waters, and upon it appear the Asuras divine beings or titans and Gandharvas, the heavenly singers and musicians. Then Indra, Yama, Varuna, and Kuvera—the spirits presiding over the four cardinal points or the four elements of water, fire, earth, and air—pour forth atoms from which the serpent "Ananta" arises. The monster swims to the surface of the waves and, bending its swanlike neck, forms a couch upon which Vishnu reclines with the Goddess of Beauty, his wife Lakshmi, at his feet. "Swatha! Swatha! Swatha!" cries the choir of heavenly musicians, hailing the deity. In the Russian Orthodox church service, this is pronounced Svyat! Svyat! Svyat! and means "Holy! Holy! Holy!" original: "Swiat! Swiat! Swiat!"

In one of his future avatars, Vishnu will incarnate as Râma, the son of a great king, and Lakshmi will become Sîtâ. The central theme of the entire poem of the Râmâyana is