"Let us go unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a _manger_."[150:3]
The Luke narrator evidently borrowed this story of the _shepherds_ from the "_Gospel of the Egyptians_" (of which we shall speak in another chapter), or from other sacred records of the biographies of Crishna or Buddha.
It is related in the legends of _Crishna_ that the divine child was cradled among shepherds, to whom were first made known the stupendous feats which stamped his character with marks of the divinity. He was recognized as the promised _Saviour_ by Nanda, a shepherd, or cowherd, and his companions, who prostrated themselves before the heaven-born child. After the birth of Crishna, the Indian prophet Nared, having heard of his fame, visited his father and mother at Gokool, examined the stars, &c., and declared him to be of celestial descent.[151:1]
Not only was Crishna adored by the shepherds and Magi, and received with _divine honors_, but he was _also presented with gifts_. These gifts were "sandal wood and perfumes."[151:2] (Why not "frankincense and myrrh?")
Similar stories are related of the infant _Buddha_. He was visited, at the time of his birth, by _wise men_, who at once recognized in the marvellous infant all the characters of the divinity, and he had scarcely seen the day before he was hailed god of gods.[151:3]
"'Mongst the strangers came A grey-haired saint, Asita, one whose ears, Long closed to earthly things, caught heavenly sounds, And heard at prayer beneath his peepul-tree, The Devas singing songs at Buddha's birth."
Viscount Amberly, speaking of him, says:[151:4]
"He was visited and adored by a very eminent _Rishi_, or hermit, known as _Asita_, who predicted his future greatness, but wept at the thought that he himself was too old to see the day when the law of salvation would be taught by the infant whom he had come to contemplate."
"I weep (said Asita), because I am old and stricken in years, and shall not see all that is about to come to pass. The Buddha Bhagavat (God Almighty Buddha) comes to the world only after many kalpas. This bright boy will be Buddha. _For the salvation of the world_ he will teach the law. He will succor the old, the sick, the afflicted, the dying. He will release those who are bound in the meshes of _natural corruption_. He will quicken the spiritual vision of those whose eyes are darkened by the thick darkness of ignorance. Hundreds of thousands of millions of beings will be carried by him to the 'other shore'--will put on immortality. And I shall not see this perfect Buddha--this is why I weep."[151:5]