Bhairon am I--Bhairon of the Common People, and the chiefest of
the Heavenly Ones to-day. Also my staff says--"
"Peace, thou," lowed the Bull. "The worship of the schools is mine,
and they talk very wisely, asking whether I be one or many, as is the
delight of my people, and ye know what I am. Kali, my wife, thou knowest
also."
"Yea, I know," said the Tigress, with lowered head.
"Greater am I than Gunga also. For ye know who moved the minds of men
that they should count Gunga holy among the rivers. Who die in that
water--ye know how men say--come to us without punishment, and Gunga
knows that the fire-carriage has borne to her scores upon scores of such
anxious ones; and Kali knows that she has held her chiefest festivals
among the pilgrimages that are fed by the fire-carriage. Who smote at
Pooree, under the Image there, her thousands in a day and a night, and
bound the sickness to the wheels of the fire-carriages, so that it
ran from one end of the land to the other? Who but Kali? Before the
fire-carriage came it was a heavy toil. The fire-carriages have served
thee well, Mother of Death. But I speak for mine own altars, who am not
Bhairon of the Common Folk, but Shiv. Men go to and fro, making words
and telling talk of strange Gods, and I listen.
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