SWARGA or Swarga locum according to Hindu ' mythology, the paradise of Inelra— ' Great Sarya smiles with lustre gay, And flings through azure sldes his ray; Tho 'golden mountain's glittering brOvt Is decked with many a sparkling gem, Which shines, by Surya's brightness, now, As if a halo circled them ; Aral on the mount, beneath his beam, The king of Swarga's garden smiles, In which, by many a gurgling stream, The god his time in pleasure whiles.
Here Vayu through the charming wood For ever creeps im gentlest mood : Now o'er the blowing grass he goes, Now stirs the fragrance of the rose. ' Here many a flower of lovely hue, Famed'in the loves of former time Blooms glittering with the diamond dcw, And sweetening the heavenly clime. Young roses, through the passing breeze, To taste their sweets invite the bees.
Here fountains round the heavenly bowers Perpetual fall, and glittering showers Of diamonds, pearls, and stars descend, And sweet celestial music lend Unto the ears of mortals, blessed, For pious deeds, with heavenly rest.
The garden's edge is compassed round With trees with lasting verdure crowned, And in the garden's centre stands • A palace built by heavenly hands, With sapphires decked, the g,olden walls Of Satakruta's courtly halls, Reflecting all their beauteous light, And glistening round all fair and bright. The snow-white pavements made have been Of chrysolites of brightest sheen, Where sweetest flowers of lovely hue Are sparkling bright with drops of dew ; . The outer wall is smooth all o'er With rubies glittering more and more, And through the gardens trees appear Like morning's light in winter's sky, E'er the resplendent Surya rears His glorious face of light on high, As if in floods of ruby light The court is bathed and shines so bright. But lo ! a throng afar appears, Like vanished joys of former years, So indistinct, that scarce the eye Its faint progression can descry, As when at morning's dubious light A star or two appears in sight ; And now beheld, and now no more They glimmer in the growing shine; So like a mass of dim light o'er The garden move the gods divine ;
.And midst them those who greater are Shine like so many stars afar ; Now more and more advance they nigh With breast erect and statures high, With steps majestically slow, With looks cast on the ground. below ; Before them Indra, dignified With royal mien and royal pride, Proceeds.' The Apsaras, in Hindu mythology, are nymphs of Swarga, celestial dancers celebrated for their beauty. Amongst them is 'Rembha, the popular Venus of the Hindus, a,nd some others are de scribed to be of inconceivable loveliness. They answer to the Peri of the ancient Persians, and the damsels called in the Koran, Hur-ul-ayun, the antelope-eyed Huri. These Hindu nymphs were produced at the churning of the ocean, as related in the Ramayana. Sir William Jones thus de scribes them in Swarga 'Now, while each ardent Cinnara persuades The soft-eyed Apsaras to break the dance, And leads her loth, yet with love-beaming glance, To banks of marjoram and champac shades, Celestial genii tow'rd their king advance, So call'd by men, in heav'n Gandharvas named.' According to Kshatriya belief, warriors slain in battle are transported to Indra's heaven by the Apsarasa, nymphs of Swarga. Thus in Menu, vii. 89, it is said, These rulers of the Wirth who, desirous of defending each other, exert their utmost strength in the battle, without ever avert ing their faces, ascend after death directly to heaven.' And in Book ii. 19 of the Nala, Indra says, 1Vhy are no warriors 'slain now-a-days, that I see none arriving in heaven to honour as my guests ?' Swarga-rohana, SANSK., death ; a .Hindu funeral ceremony ; ascending to he,aven. Swarga Vilasam, or celestial pavilion, the throne room of the rulers at Madura.—Coleman ; Sir William Jones' Hymn to Indra ; Tr. of Hind. i. p. 302 ; Nala, p. 140.