Gropes blindly on his brief and restless round, And then in starless darkness disappears? There must be light, fountains of living light, For which my thirsty spirit pining pants As pants the hunted hart for water-brooks-- Another sun, lighting a better world, Where weary souls may find a welcome rest. Gladly I'd climb yon giddy mountain-heights, Or gladly take the morning's wings and fly To earth's remotest bounds, if light were there, Welcome to me the hermit's lonely cell, And welcome dangers, labors, fastings, pains-- All would be welcome could I bring the light To myriads now in hopeless darkness sunk. Farewell to kingdom, comforts, home and friends! All will I leave to seek this glorious light." The die is cast, the victory is gained. Though love of people, parent, wife and child, Half selfish, half divine, may bid him pause, A higher love, unselfish, all divine, For them and every soul, bade him go forth To seek for light, and seek till light be found. Home he returned, now strong to say farewell. Meanwhile the sweet Yasodhara still slept, And dreamed she saw Siddartha's empty couch. She dreamed she saw him flying far away, And when she called to him he answered not, But only stopped his ears and faster flew Until he seemed a speck, and then was gone. And then she heard a mighty voice cry out: "The time has come--his glory shall appear!" Waked by that voice, she found his empty couch, Siddartha gone, and with him every joy; But not all joy, for there Rahula lay, With great wide-open eyes and cherub smile, Watching the lights that flickered on the wall. Caught in her arms she pressed him to her heart To still its tumult and to ease its pain. But now that step she knew so well is heard. Siddartha comes, filled with unselfish love Until his face beamed with celestial light That like a holy halo crowned his head. Gently he spoke: "My dearest and my best, The time has come--the time when we must part. Let not your heart be troubled--it is best." This said, a tender kiss spoke to her heart, In love's own language, of unchanging love. When sweet Rahula stretched his little arms, And cooing asked his share of tenderness, Siddartha from her bosom took their boy, And though sore troubled, both together smiled, And with him playing, that sweet jargon spoke, Which, though no lexicon contains its words, Seems like the speech of angels, poorly learned, For every sound and syllable and word Was filled brimful of pure and perfect love. At length grown calm, they tenderly communed Of all their past, of all their hopes and fears; And when the time of separation came, His holy resolution gave her strength To give the last embrace and say farewell. And forth he rode,[2] mounted on Kantaka, A prince, a loving father, husband, son, To exile driven by all-embracing love.