‘ y , : '^r SHIVA, “THE DESTROYER ” THE f 'M p ffct mf ^ -K ,V:.^'H^j[5^'.: ^Av|l|f ' v|f | ■/»$'■■ -.5>^ ? ^ ■ij"' '. .'^ '' -V' '-" ? - 1 Legend of the Moonstone Illustrations and Text by CARLO DE FORNARO Published by MARCUS & CO. Jewelers 544 Fifth Avenue New York Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Getty Research Institute https://archive.org/details/shivathedestroyeOOforn SHIVA, “THE DESTROYER” THE Legend of the Moonstone Illustrations and Text by CARLO DE FORNARO Published by MARCUS & CO. Jewelers 544 Fifth Avenue New York Copyright, 1 902, by Carlo de Fornaro Mrs. Ernest Thompson Set on Therefore they who worship, thinking that it is fulfilled by sacrifice and gifts, win the lunar world. They verily return again. — From the Upanishads. Asenkhaya plus several world cycles ago there lived in the island of Lanka, a King and a Queen cobra who were rulers over the most numerous, the most cunning and powerful tribe on the island. Lanka had been overrun by these reptiles to such an extent that they had frightened and driven from the land all the animals excepting the winged inhabitants. Shiva, “ The Destroyer,” grew pensive at this 5 unusual happening, so contrary to the laws of balance and equity. Nevertheless with his usual energy he devised a means of speedily destroy- ing the footless creatures. Therefore he filled the hearts of the many rulers of the tribes with envy, hatred and lust. Very soon they began quarreling among them- selves on the hunting fields. Strife grew more frequent and every night they fought regal battles until the rising sun drove the victors under cover. Silent and swift as fleeting shadows, encircling one another in convulsive clasps, tighter and tighter until the poisonous fangs had achieved their deadly work, they fought in the dark, in masses as numerous as the blades of jungle grass which their bodies pressed. Occasionally an angry hood hissed in challenge ; everywhere there was the glimmering of emerald eyes which dotted the darkness like angry stars ; and above all was heard the rustling of scaled 7 V bodies with a noise of parched leaves when the wind blows them to and fro. The morning sun glanced indifferently upon the countless bodies, lacerated, distorted, in couples, in groups, in hybrid embraces, still violent in masterly hatred. But the heart of Vishnu,“ The Preserver,” grew full of compassion at these cruel contests which menaced to obliterate the entire race of the foot- less ones. In vain did he try to stem this fearful, relentless annihilation — alone, he felt helpless and meanwhile Peace and Goodwill were weeping the tears of Despair. “ But the hunting ground,” said the Cobras, “ is everybody’s ground, and no law will be recognized but the law of the mightiest.” One morning the despairing Vishnu counted as many as two lakhs of mangled bodies on the battle ground. And Shiva was smiling furtively his insatiable smile. An Asenkhaya plus several world cycles ago Soma shone every night of the sun-year, illum- 9 mating the land as ever with his delicate splendor. He owed his existence to Vishnu’s kind services and when this god appealed to him for help Soma agreed to perform a sacrifice. On the next night Soma did not appear on his aerial chariot, to the great astonishment of the cobras who wondered if the gods were holding a terrible punishment over their heads. They flew, hiding in great terror, forgetting all about their quarrels. But the King and Queen Cobra, more daring than the rest, peeped out of their cave and saw in front of it a round stone shining as vividly as the largest of glow worms and attracting by its light the fire-flies by the thousands. It was like a pale and sad smile from Soma. They stood guard over this strange appearance all the while hunting fire-flies until they had de- voured their fill. Then they took it to their cave, watching it as a kingly gem, to use it again on the following eve. After eight sun-days Soma appeared again on the heavens, not perfectly round as before, but in the form of a double-pointed scimitar, adding each night to its shape until it was its own self again. Thus it happened an Asenkhaya plus several world cycles ago, and every month for a short period of time Soma descends on this planet, in- carnating a moonstone, to be worshipped by the fire-flies and the rulers of the Cobras, who take possession of it, thereby cutting short their quar- rels and avoiding their destruction. But Shiva's head was very heavy on his shoul- ders. r. r' cr*i * «s»