Translations Of Shakuntala And Other Works Part 45

LVIII

_And at Mount Kailasa, the long journey is ended_;

Seek then Kailasa's hospitable care, With peaks by magic arms asunder riven, To whom, as mirror, G.o.ddesses repair, So lotus-bright his summits cloud the heaven, Like form and substance to G.o.d's daily laughter given.

LIX

Like powder black and soft I seem to see Thine outline on the mountain slope as bright As new-sawn tusks of stainless ivory; No eye could wink before as fair a sight As dark-blue robes upon the Ploughman's shoulder white.

LX

Should s.h.i.+va throw his serpent-ring aside And give Gauri his hand, go thou before Upon the mount of joy to be their guide; Conceal within thee all thy watery store And seem a terraced stairway to the jewelled floor.

LXI

I doubt not that celestial maidens sweet With pointed bracelet gems will p.r.i.c.k thee there To make of thee a shower-bath in the heat; Frighten the playful girls if they should dare To keep thee longer, friend, with thunder's harshest blare.

LXII

Drink where the golden lotus dots the lake; Serve Indra's elephant as a veil to hide His drinking; then the tree of wis.h.i.+ng shake, Whose branches like silk garments flutter wide: With sports like these, O cloud, enjoy the mountain side.

LXIII

_for on this mountain is the city of the Yakshas_.

Then, in familiar Alaka find rest, Down whom the Ganges' silken river swirls, Whose towers cling to her mountain lover's breast, While clouds adorn her face like glossy curls And streams of rain like strings of close-inwoven pearls.

LATTER CLOUD

I

_The splendid heavenly city Alaka_,

Where palaces in much may rival thee-- Their ladies gay, thy lightning's dazzling powers-- Symphonic drums, thy thunder's melody-- Their bright mosaic floors, thy silver showers-- Thy rainbow, paintings, and thy height, cloud-licking towers.

II

_where the flowers which on earth blossom at different seasons, are all found in bloom the year round_.

Where the autumn lotus in dear fingers s.h.i.+nes, And lodh-flowers' April dust on faces rare, Spring amaranth with winter jasmine twines In women's braids, and summer siris fair, The rainy madder in the parting of their hair.

III

_Here grows the magic tree which yields whatever is desired_.

Where men with maids whose charm no blemish mars Climb to the open crystal balcony Inlaid with flower-like sparkling of the stars, And drink the love-wine from the wis.h.i.+ng-tree, And listen to the drums' deep-thundering dignity.

IV

Where maidens whom the G.o.ds would gladly wed Are fanned by breezes cool with Ganges' spray In shadows that the trees of heaven spread; In golden sands at hunt-the-pearl they play, Bury their little fists, and draw them void away.

V

Where lovers' pa.s.sion-trembling fingers cling To silken robes whose sashes flutter wide, The knots undone; and red-lipped women fling, Silly with shame, their rouge from side to side.

Hoping in vain the flash of jewelled lamps to hide.

VI

Where, brought to balconies' palatial tops By ever-blowing guides, were clouds before Like thee who spotted paintings with their drops; Then, touched with guilty fear, were seen no more, But scattered smoke-like through the lattice' grated door.

VII

_Here are the stones from which drops of water ooze when the moon s.h.i.+nes on them_.

Where from the moonstones hung in nets of thread Great drops of water trickle in the night-- When the moon s.h.i.+nes clear and thou, O cloud, art fled-- To ease the languors of the women's plight Who lie relaxed and tired in love's embraces tight.

VIII

_Here are the magic gardens of heaven_.

Where lovers, rich with hidden wealth untold, Wander each day with nymphs for ever young, Enjoy the wonders that the gardens hold, The s.h.i.+ning Gardens, where the praise is sung Of the G.o.d of wealth by choirs with love-impa.s.sioned tongue.

IX

Where sweet nocturnal journeys are betrayed At sunrise by the fallen flowers from curls That fluttered as they stole along afraid, By leaves, by golden lotuses, by pearls, By broken necklaces that slipped from winsome girls.

X

_Here the G.o.d of love is not seen, because of the presence of his great enemy, s.h.i.+va.

Yet his absence is not severely felt_.

Where the G.o.d of love neglects his bee-strung bow, Since s.h.i.+va's friends.h.i.+p decks Kubera's reign; His task is done by clever maids, for lo!

Their frowning missile glances, darting plain At lover-targets, never pa.s.s the mark in vain.

XI

_Here the G.o.ddesses have all needful ornaments.

For the Mine of Sentiment declares: "Women everywhere have four kinds of ornaments--hair-ornaments, jewels, clothes, cosmetics; anything else is local_."

Where the wis.h.i.+ng-tree yields all that might enhance The loveliness of maidens young and sweet: Bright garments, wine that teaches eyes to dance, And flowering twigs, and rarest gems discrete, And lac-dye fit to stain their pretty lotus-feet.

XII

_And here is the home of the unhappy Yaksha_,

There, northward from the master's palace, see Our home, whose rainbow-gateway s.h.i.+nes afar; And near it grows a little coral-tree, Bending 'neath many a blossom's cl.u.s.tered star, Loved by my bride as children of adoption are.

XIII