Translations of Shakuntala and Other Works

its two favourite trees, which will not blossom while their mistress is grieving;

The ashoka-tree, with sweetly dancing lines, The favourite bakul-tree, are near the bower Of amaranth-engirdled jasmine-vines; Like me, they wait to feel the winning power Of her persuasion, ere they blossom into flower.

its tame peacock;

A golden pole is set between the pair, With crystal perch above its emerald bands As green as young bamboo; at sunset there Thy friend, the blue-necked peacock, rises, stands, And dances when she claps her bracelet-tinkling hands.

and its painted emblems of the god of wealth.

These are the signs—recall them o'er and o'er, My clever friend—by which the house is known, And the Conch and Lotus painted by the door: Alas! when I am far, the charm is gone— The lotus' loveliness is lost with set of sun.

Small as the elephant cub thou must become For easy entrance; rest where gems enhance The glory of the hill beside my home, And peep into the house with lightning-glance, But make its brightness dim as fireflies' twinkling dance.

The Yaksha's bride.

The supremest woman from God's workshop gone— Young, slender; little teeth and red, red lips, Slight waist and gentle eyes of timid fawn, An idly graceful movement, generous hips, Fair bosom into which the sloping shoulder slips—

Like a bird that mourns her absent mate anew Passing these heavy days in longings keen, My girlish wife whose words are sweet and few, My second life, shall there of thee be seen— But changed like winter-blighted lotus-blooms, I ween.

Her eyes are swol'n with tears that stream unchidden; Her lips turn pale with sorrow's burning sighs; The face that rests upon her hand is hidden By hanging curls, as when the glory dies Of the suffering moon pursued by thee through nightly skies.

The passion of love passes through ten stages, eight of which are suggested in this stanza and the stanzas which follow. The first stage is not indicated; it is called Exchange of Glances.

Thou first wilt see her when she seeks relief In worship; or, half fancying, half recalling, She draws mine image worn by absent grief; Or asks the caged, sweetly-singing starling: "Do you remember, dear, our lord? You were his darling."

In this stanza and the preceding one is suggested the second stage: Wistfulness.

Or holds a lute on her neglected skirt, And tries to sing of me, and tries in vain; For she dries the tear-wet string with hands inert, And e'er begins, and e'er forgets again, Though she herself composed it once, the loving strain.

Here is suggested the third stage: Desire.

Or counts the months of absence yet remaining With flowers laid near the threshold on the floor, Or tastes the bliss of hours when love was gaining The memories recollected o'er and o'er— woman's comforts when her lonely heart is sore.

Here is suggested the fourth stage: Wakefulness.

Such daytime labours doubtless ease the ache Which doubly hurts her in the helpless dark; With news from me a keener joy to wake, Stand by her window in the night, and mark My sleepless darling on her pallet hard and stark.

Here is suggested the fifth stage: Emaciation.

Resting one side upon that widowed bed, Like the slender moon upon the Eastern height, So slender she, now worn with anguish dread, Passing with stifling tears the long, sad night Which, spent in love with me, seemed but a moment's flight.

Here is suggested the sixth stage: Loss of Interest in Ordinary Pleasures.

On the cool, sweet moon that through the lattice flashes She looks with the old delight, then turns away And veils her eyes with water-weighted lashes, Sad as the flower that blooms in sunlight gay, But cannot wake nor slumber on a cloudy day.

Here is suggested the seventh stage: Loss of Youthful Bashfulness.

One unanointed curl still frets her cheek When tossed by sighs that burn her blossom-lip; And still she yearns, and still her yearnings seek That we might be united though in sleep— Ah! Happy dreams come not to brides that ever weep.