Author: Herman Hesse
Release Date: February, 2001 [EBook #2500]
[Most recently updated: October 23, 2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** Start of the project gutenberg
EBOOK, Siddhartha ***
This etext was produced by Michael Pullen globaltraveler5565@yahoo.com,
with original translations made by: Gunther Olesch,
Anke Dreher, Amy Coulter, Stefan Langer, Semyon Chaichenets.
Proofreading corrections were done by Chandra Yenco
cyenco@dnet.net.id and Isaac Jones ijones@cis.ohio-state.edu.
An Indian Tale
by Hermann Hesse
To Romain Rolland, my dear friend
In the shade of the house, in the sunshine of the
riverbank near the boats, in the shade of the Sal-wood
forest, in the shade of the fig tree is where Siddhartha
grew up, the handsome son of the Brahman, the young
falcon, together with his friend Govinda, son of a
Brahman. The sun tanned his light shoulders
by the banks of the river when bathing, performing
the sacred ablutions, the sacred offerings. In
the mango grove, shade poured into his black eyes,
when playing as a boy, when his mother sang, when
the sacred offerings were made, when his father, the
scholar, taught him, when the wise men talked.
For a long time, Siddhartha had been partaking in
the discussions of the wise men, practising debate
with Govinda, practising with Govinda the art of reflection,
the service of meditation. He already knew how
to speak the Om silently, the word of words, to speak
it silently into himself while inhaling, to speak
it silently out of himself while exhaling, with all
the concentration of his soul, the forehead surrounded
by the glow of the clear-thinking spirit. He
already knew to feel Atman in the depths of his being,
indestructible, one with the universe.
Joy leapt in his father’s heart for his son
who was quick to learn, thirsty for knowledge; he
saw him growing up to become great wise man and priest,
a prince among the Brahmans.
Bliss leapt in his mother’s breast when she
saw him, when she saw him walking, when she saw him
sit down and get up, Siddhartha, strong, handsome,
he who was walking on slender legs, greeting her with
perfect respect.
Love touched the hearts of the Brahmans’ young
daughters when Siddhartha walked through the lanes
of the town with the luminous forehead, with the eye
of a king, with his slim hips.
