The Light of Asia

Arnold's Vision

[1]

India possesses historical records dating as far back as fourteen centuries before the Christian era. [2 ] Little is known of the history of its original inhabitants, though it is believed they are, to some degree, represented by various tribes. At some point in recent centuries, Hindu has poured and gradually "dislodged the possessor of the soil." [3] Additionally, the English took control of India before Arnold wrote his poem The Light of India, but Indian mutiny reached the news of England July of 1857. Shortly after, however, the mutiny was quelled. In spite of this, Arnold had his own vision of India. Arnold wanted to convey, " to his countrymen in England, in the language native to them, the vision he had seen of India, of her glory that was bygone--bygone only to reemerge in brighter hues."[4]

Arnold's compassion for India is not only telling of his fondness of the country, but also the influence its history of Buddhism had on him (that is, if we're to analyze the meaning of his poem). Arnold writes, 

"Buddha will go again to help the World."

"Yea! spake He, "now I go to help the World."

This last of many times; for birth and death

End hence for me and those who learn my Law

I will go down among the Sakyas, 

Under the southward snows of Himalay,

Where pious people live an d a just King." [5]

Perhaps the impiousness Arnold refers to is the the British stronghold in India. The Indian Mutiny sealed the fate of the East India Company. The overarching extension of the British Empire in India had suggested its desire to bring the Indian administration directly under the crown. The government of India was transferred to the crown and the East India Company, seen below, later ceased to exist.

  [6]East India House is a vast edifice; it was originally founded in 1726, but was in 1798 so much altered and enlarged as to become almost an entire new building; it comprises the principal offices of the East India Company, and contains several noble apartments.

Arnold seemed to have wanted a different India than that of his time,

"Thus spake he, and Yasodhara, for joy, 

Scarce mastered breath to answer: "Be it well

Now and at all times with ye,  worhty friends,

Who bring good tiding; but of hits great thing

Wist ye how it befell?" [7]

There are many things to be interpreted within The Light of Asia.  In the below YouTube video is a poetic retelling of the life of Buddha and Arnold's vision for India. 

 [8]

Interestingly enough, as much as Arnold liked India, the feelings didn't seem to be mutual towards the British, "Yet how imperfectly these promises have been fulfilled". [9] 

The Queen assumed the august title of Empress of India, her Viceroy, Lord Lytton, declared the Delhi Imperial assemblage on January 1 1877.  She spake, "You the natives of India, whatever your race and whatever our creed, have recognised claim to share largely with your English fellow subjects, according to your capacity for the task, in the administration of the country you inhabit." [10]

Not only is the Queen playing religious politics here; seemingly, if we examine the era, the Queen couldn't get enough people to share wealth with her. However, the people of India did give her the below painting to fulfill her neediness of material excess:

    [11] 

"The title Empress of India was given to Queen Victoria in 1877 when India was formally incorporated into the British Empire. It is said Victoria's desire for such a title was motivated partially out of jealousy of the Imperial titles of some of her royal cousins in Germany and Russia. Prime minister Benjamin Disraeli is usually credited with having given her the idea. When Victoria died and her son Edward VII ascended the throne, his title became Emperor of India. The title continued until India became independent from the United Kingdom in 1947." [12]

Queen Victoria seemed to possess selfish intentions, but at least Arnold's were in the right place as he seemingly adhered to the Buddhist philosophy,

"Take of our store, great sir!" and "Take of ours!"

Marking his godlike face and eyes enwrapt;

And mothers, when they saw our Lord go by,

Would bid their children fall to kiss his feet, 

And lift his robe's hem to their brows, or run

To fill his jar, and fetch him milk and cakes

And oftimes as he paced, gentle and slow,

Radian with heavenly pity, lost in care

For those he knew not, save as fellow-lives

With his poem Light of Asia, Arnold leaves questions that would later come involving difficulties of future relationships, material excess and India's success,

 

"It is greatly to be hoped and wished that this royal visit to India will be productive of great and lasting good, that it will remove obstacles and prejudices from the naive mind, and esablish friendly and harmonious relations cement more firmly than ever our alliances with native princes, and implant in the heart of our illustrious Prince principles that magnitude and gravity the whole matter requires."[13]

 [14]

And now I'm left pondering the principles of Buddhism and the point of Arnold's poem. . . 

1 http://www.moonpointer.com/media/2/20070730-loa.jpg

2 Norwood Samuel, Rise of Supremacy in Hindustan, (Jaipur India: Arihant Publishers, 1989) 9

3Norwood Samuel, Rise of Supremacy in Hindustan, (Jaipur India: Arihant Publishers, 1989) 10

4 Course anthology 

5 Course anthology

6 http://www.victorianlondon.org.html

7 Course anthology

8 http://youtube.com/watch?v=XL5L2-CFkMM

9 Dutt Romesh C, England and India "(New Delhi India: Mutgal Publications 1897) 151

10

Dutt Romesh C, England and India "(New Delhi India: Mutgal Publications 1897) 151
11 http://www.indhistory.com/img/queen-victoria.jpg
12 http://www.indhistory.com/queen-of-england.html

[13] 

2 Norwood Samuel, Rise of Supremacy in Hindustan, (Jaipur India: Arihant Publishers, 1989) 330

[14]

http://www.great-buddha-statue.com/great_buddha_statue.jpg