A BIBLICAL STORY RETOLD.

Freethought Review, Volume II, Issue 24, 1 September 1885, Page 11

A BIBLICAL STORY RETOLD.

We have heard so often repeated, from our cradles to our manhood, the expressions of respedl for the antiquity of the Hebrew Scriptures, that the judgment of most of us becomes clouded and warped in considering the subject. Even those who make themselves sufficiently free in spirit to acknowledge how much Moses was indebted to his initiation and training as an Egyptian priest for the laws and government he gave to the Jews, do not consider that the Egyptian civilisation and religion was not evolved from itself, but had its birth in that dim magnificent antiquity of India and of Asia, which had passed the period of its full flower ages and ages before civilisation expanded itself elsewhere. The Egyptian himself was but an Asiatic immigrant into Africa, and founded his religion and his laws on memories of infinitely older traditions. It will perhaps be interesting for the readers of the Review to drink of the fount of Biblical anecdote at its source, comparing the Hebrew stories with the far more beautiful legends from which they sprang, and marking how corrupted and turbid the stream became ere it reached us through the Israelitish scriptures. THE FALL OF MAN. (Ramatsariar, texts and commentaries on the Vedas.) “ The earth was covered with flowers, the trees bent under their fruit, _ thousands of animals sported over the plains and in the air, white elephants roved unmolested under the shade of gigantic forests, and Brahma perceived that the time had come for the creation of man, to inhabit this dwelling-place. He drew from the great Soul, from the pure essence, a germ of life, with which he animated the two persons whom he made, male and female, that is, proper for reproduction, like plants and animals, and he gave them the ahancara , that is, conscience,—and speech, which rendered them superior to all he had yet created', but inferior to the angels and to God. He distinguished the man by strength, shape, and majesty, and named him Adima, (in Sanscrit “ The first man.”) The woman received grace, gentleness, and beauty, and he named her Heva, (in Sanscrit “what completes life.”) Therefore, in giving Adima a companion, the Lord perfected the life bestowed on him, and in thus establishing the conditions under which humanity was about to be born, he proclaimed in earth and in heaven the equality of the man and woman.

The Lord then gave to Adima and to his wife, Heva, the island of Ceylon for a residence, well-fitted from its climate, its products, and its splendid vegetation to be the terrestial paradise, cradle of the human race. “ Go, said he, unite, and produce beings who shall be your living image upon earth, for ages and ages after you have returned to me. Your mission is confined to peopling this island, where I have gathered together everything for your pleasure and convenience ; and to implant my worship in the hearts of those to be born. The rest of th world is as yet uninhabitable ; if hereafter the number of your children so increase as to render this habitation insufficient to contain them, let them inquire of me in the midst of sacrifice, and I will 1 make them know my will.” This said, he disappeared. | Adima then turned towards his young wife, who stood before him, erect and smiling in her youthful candour. Clasping her in his arms, he gave her the first kiss of love, in softly murmuring the name of Heva. Thus had Brahma willed it, to teach his creatures that the union of the man and the woman without love would be but an immorality contrary to nature and to his law. Adima and Heva lived for some time in perfect happiness—no suffering came to disturb their quietness ; they had but to stretch forth | the hand and pluck from surrounding trees the most delicious fruits ; but to stoop and gather rice of the finest quality. But one day a vague disquietude began to creep upon them ; jealous of their felicity and of the work of Brahma, the Prince of the Rakchasos, the Spirit of Evil, inspired them with disturbing desires. “ Let us wander through the island,” said Adima to his companion, “ and see if we may not find some place even more beautiful than this.” Heva followed her husband ; they wandered for days and for months, resting beside clear fountains, under gigantic Banyans that protected them from the sun’s rays. But as they advanced the woman was seized with strange fears, inexplicable terrors. “ Adima,” said she, “ let us go no farther ; it seems to me that we are disobeying the Lord. Have we not already quitted the place which he assigned us as a dwelling?” “ Fear not,” said Adima, “ this is not that fearful uninhabitable country of which he spoke to us.” And they journeyed on. Arriving at last at the extremity of the island, they beheld a smooth and narrow arm of the sea, and beyond it a vast and apparently boundless country, connected with their island by a narrow and rocky pathway arising from the bosom of the waters. The two wanderers stood amazed ; the country before them was covered with stately trees, birds of a thousand colours flitting midst their foliage. “ Behold what beautiful things !” cried Adima, and what good fruits such trees must produce, let us go and taste them, and if that country is better than this, we will dwell there.” Heva, trembling, besought Adima to do nothing that might irritate the Lord against them. “ Are we not well here ? Have we not pure water and delicious fruits? Wherefore seek other things “True,” replied Adima, “ but we will come back ; what harm can it be to have visited this unknown country, that presents itself to our view ?” And approaching the rocks, Heva, trembling, followed. Then, placing his wife upon his shoulders, he proceeded to cross the space that separated him from the object of his desires. But no sooner did they touch the shore than trees, flowers, fruit, birds, all that they had seen from the opposite side, vanished in an instant amid terrific clamour ; the rocks by which they had crossed sunk beneath the waters, a few sharp peaks alone remaining above the surface to indicate the place of the bridge, which had been destroyed by Divine displeasure. The vegetation which they had seen from far was but a delusive mirage, raised by the Prince of the Rakchasos to tempt them to disobedience. Adima threw himself, weeping, upon the naked sands, but Heva came to him, and threw herself into his arms, saying, “ Do not despair; let us rather pray to the Author of all things to pardon us.” And as she thus spoke there came a voice from the clouds saying, “ Woman, thou hast only sinned from love to thy husband, whom I commanded thee to love, and thou hast hoped in Me. I pardon thee, and him also for thy sake ! But you may no more return to the

abode of delight which I had created for your happiness. Through your disobedience to my commands, the spirit of evil has obtained possession of the earth. Your children, reduced to labour and to suffer by your fault, will become corrupt and forget Me. But I will send Vishnu, who shall incarnate himself in the worn!) of a woman, and shall bring to all the hope and the means of recompense in another life, in praying to Me to soften their ills.” They arose consoled, but ever after subjected by painful labour to obtain their substance from the earth.—(Jacolliot). E.T.