Brahm Dreams
Jun. 16th, 2022 08:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloSomething- I forget what now- prompted me to re-read Kipling's story the Bridge-Builders- in which a civil engineer has a vision of the gods; then, because it's in the same collection of short stories (The Day's Work, 1898) I re-read the Brushwood Boy- in which a young soldier dreams in tandem with his soulmate- and both gave me the chills- as I fully expected them to.
Kipling had his political beliefs- which many- myself included- now find insufficient- but they weren't what he was really about- and he knew it and repeatedly said so. Cottar in the Brushwood Boy has a brilliant military career and wins the DSO and it's all very splendid and praiseworthy but his real existence is elswhere- in another dimension- "and perhaps when we die we may find out more." Findlayson has built a bridge and it is- as the gods eventually agree- something that should be allowed to stand for the time being- but...
"Ye know the Riddle of the Gods," says Indra, "When Brahm ceases to dream the Heavens and the Hells and Earth disappear. Be content. Brahm dreams still. The dreams come and go, and the nature of the dreams changes, but still Brahm dreams...."
Kipling had his political beliefs- which many- myself included- now find insufficient- but they weren't what he was really about- and he knew it and repeatedly said so. Cottar in the Brushwood Boy has a brilliant military career and wins the DSO and it's all very splendid and praiseworthy but his real existence is elswhere- in another dimension- "and perhaps when we die we may find out more." Findlayson has built a bridge and it is- as the gods eventually agree- something that should be allowed to stand for the time being- but...
"Ye know the Riddle of the Gods," says Indra, "When Brahm ceases to dream the Heavens and the Hells and Earth disappear. Be content. Brahm dreams still. The dreams come and go, and the nature of the dreams changes, but still Brahm dreams...."
