Years on years, and still unwearied--drew that fish the bark along, Till at length it came, where lifted--Himavan its loftiest peak. There at length it came, and smiling--thus the fish addressed the sage: "To the peak of Himalaya--bind thou now thy stately ship." At the fish's mandate quickly--to the peak of Himavan Bound the sage his bark, and ever--to this day that loftiest peak, Bears the name of Manubandhan--from the binding of the bark. To the sage, the god of mercy--thus with fixed look bespake: "I am lord of all creation--Brahma, higher than all height; I in fishlike form have saved thee--Manu, in the perilous hour; But from thee new tribes of creatures--gods, asuras, men must spring. All the worlds must be created--all that moves or moveth not, By an all-surpassing penance--this great work must be achieved. Through my mercy, thy creation--to confusion ne'er shall run," Spake the fish, and on the instant--to the invisible he passed. Vivaswata's son, all eager--the creation to begin, Stood amid his work confounded:--mighty penance wrought he then. So fulfilled that rigorous penance--instant Manu 'gan create-- Instant every living creature--Raja! he began to form. Such the old, the famous legend--named the story of the Fish, Which to thee I have related--this for all our sins atones. He that hears it, Manu's legend,--in the full possession he, Of all things complete and perfect--to the heavenly world ascends. NOTES ON NALA. [Footnote 1: p. 3. l. 4. _Over, over all exalted_. This repetition is in the original.] [Footnote 2: p. 3. l. 5. _Holy deep-read in the Vedas_. All the perfections, which, according to the opinions and laws of the Hindus, distinguish the sovereign from the rest of mankind, are here ascribed to the hero of the poem. The study of the Vedas must be cultivated by the three superior castes, and ensures both temporal and eternal beatitude. In the laws of Menu it is said, "Greatness is not conferred by years, not by grey hairs, not by wealth, not by powerful kindred." The divine sages have established this rule--Whoever has read the Vedas and their Angas, he is among us great. (JONES'S MENU, ii. 254). Of all these duties, answered Bhrigu, the principal is to acquire from the Upanishads a true knowledge of the one supreme God: that is the most exalted of all sciences, because it ensures immortality, (xii. 85). For in the knowledge and adoration of one God, which the Veda teaches, all the rules of good conduct before-mentioned in order, are fully comprised, (ib. 87.) The study of the Vedas is considered the peculiar duty of kings, (vii. 43). The Upanishads are doctrinal extracts of the Vedas.