(This is chapter 24 of the Nicholas Roerich's book
Shambhala.)
KING
SOLOMON
Legends
of the Orient—how unexpected they are! And what modern thought they reveal to
us. How stirring it is to feel, in the myths of the remote places of Asia, a
concept so related to our own aspirations and to our own enthusiasms.
For
example in some legends, they tell of strange diseases now appearing and every
Western physician will share the interest in the still-undiscovered processes
of the human organism.
The
legends speak also of underground rivers and one’s mind follows the modern
systems of irrigation and rejuvenation of the deserts.
They
speak also about the hidden treasures yielded to humanity by nature. And you
smile, looking at Asia’s rivulets of oil and admiring the iron and copper
mountains.
It
is as a fairy tale.
Today
the front pages of all our newspapers are devoted to the daring attempts to
conquer space and air. And in the sandy deserts your guide, rhythmically
plodding along on his camel, tells you of the flying apparatus of King Solomon!
In
these old symbols you do not feel only out-worn superstition. No, there is a
thought of beauty and a feeling for evolution. The best images are collected by
the people around these beautiful possibilities and in the name of evolution.
Up
till now, in the people’s conception, King Solomon soars on his miraculous
flying device over the vast spaces of Asia. Many mountains in Asia are crowned
either with ruins or stones bearing the imprint of his foot or of his knees, as
evidence of his long-enduring prayers. These are the so-called thrones of
Solomon.
The
Great King flew to these mountains, he reached all heights, he left behind him
the cares of rulership and here refreshed his spirit. The Mountain of Solomon,
the hidden treasures of Solomon, the wisdom of Solomon, the mysterious power of
the ring of Solomon, the seal of Solomon, with its power to discriminate
between Light and Darkness— to whom else has Asia paid so much admiration and
so much respect?
The fable
of the hoopoes
The
greatest mysteries and fables are attributed to the name of Solomon. The
hoopoe, considered the most occult of birds, is also linked by legend to King
Solomon. The hoopoes guarded King Solomon’s rest at the time of his great work.
Returning from his labors, the King asked his birds what they desired as a
reward. They replied:
-
“Give
us, O King, your golden crown. It is so beautiful and we have seen nothing more
wondrous than yourself when you don the crown.”
The
King smiled and said:
-
“But,
my dear ones, my crown is heavy. How could you wish to take such a burden?”
However,
the birds continued to beseech him for his crown and the King ordered his
goldsmith to make miniature crowns, exact copies of his own, and these were set
upon the heads of the birds. Only a short while after the birds came again to
the King with their little heads drooping under their golden crowns. And they
appealed to the King:
-
“O
King! Free us of these crowns. You were right, in your wise warning. What can
we know, we little ones? Can we know that behind the glitter and charm, there
lie such burdens? Free us, O King!”
The
King replied:
-
“Now
you see where your desire to take a burden upon yourself has led you. Let it be
as you wish! The golden crowns will be removed—but you must wear a remembrance
of your senseless yearning for a crown. From now on, you will wear a crown of
feathers. These will not overburden you, but will only be a crown of the secret
kingdom, that you knew when serving my work.”
And
so it came to pass that the hoopoe, the most occult bird, knowing many secrets,
still wears a crown of feathers. And whenever this bird follows a caravan or
boat, people say:
-
“This
will be a fine voyage—the bird of King Solomon knows!”
The fable
of the ants
Other
animals also served the King. A Moslem who came to Kashmir with his caravan
across the Afghan border, told us that even ants helped the Great Suleiman to
build the temple. Beginning with great Jinns, the spirits of the air and of the
fire, down to ants, all labored upon the building. And in ceaseless prayer,
King Solomon controlled without interruption, the work of the forces of nature
for the creation of the wonderful Temple. When the strength of the King began
to fade and he knew that his time to pass into another world was near, he
commanded the Jinns to complete the building without him, but the tempestuous
elemental spirits replied that on earth they would agree to submit themselves
only to him, but that without him they were freed.
Then
King Solomon, strengthening himself spiritually and leaning on his staff,
remained in the Temple, summoning all his powers to the task. Although at that
moment his spirit departed, the body remained motionless and erect so that the
tempestuous Jinns might not fly away. And no living being nor any Jinn knew
that the spirit of the King had already departed, nor did they dare approach
the motionless Ruler. But each one strained himself to the utmost to finish the
building. And the Temple was completed, but the Ruler remained immobile. Who
would dare to disturb him in his aspirations! But the smallest co-worker of the
King—the ant—began to gnaw at the staff of the King until the wood, having been
eaten through, the body of the King fell and all saw that his Spirit had
departed. But the Great Temple remained!
Others fables
But
King Solomon is not a celestial ruler alone. He goes down to the people and, as
other rulers of the East, he changes his garments and mixes with the crowd in
order to penetrate all the secrets of their life. His ring with the miraculous
stone, in which is laid the foundation of the World, King Solomon left in
safe-keeping with his wife, the Princess of Egypt. But cunning and artful was
the Egyptian high priest, who, disguised as the King, took possession of the
ring. And now the Ruler is condemned to many years of wandering, until Truth is
restored.
Thus
the people connect everything unique and extraordinary with King Solomon. He
ascended the mountains, he descended under the earth, he met kings and he
disappeared in the crowds of people.
In
the old kingdom of the Uighurs, where now live the true-believing Moslems, the
name of Solomon is linked with that of Alexander, or with the great Akbar.
Sometimes one recognizes the same legends which adorned the King-Unifier of
India:
-
“It
seems that the same things are also told of Akbar, called the Great?”
The
old gray-bearded Moslem in his green turban, who has fulfilled his pilgrimage
of repentance to Mecca, bows his head low:
-
“Both
Rulers were wise and great. When seeing two snowy mountains, how would you
attempt to describe their differences? Both glitter under the rays of the sun.
To approach them is equally difficult. Who would dare to ascribe to one Ruler
what may be common to both? True, the Great Akbar did not leave the boundaries
of India. He strengthened the land from within and we do not know what Jinns
served him. Of King Solomon every one knows that he flew throughout the earth
and that he learned the Truth in all lands and that he had even been on the
far-off stars. But who can judge from below of two snowy summits? We even wear
dark glasses to protect our weak eyes from their glitter.”
Talai-Pho-Brang, 1928.
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