Kalidasa

“ Already with the Gods thy father dwells;—
A husband, Lady?—forbear the thought,
A priceless jewel seeks not, but is sought.
Maiden, thy deep sighs tell me it is so,
Yet, doubtful still, my spirit seeks to know
Couldst thou e'er love in vain?—What heart so cold
That hath not eagerly its worship told?
Ah! could the cruel loved one, thou fair Maid,
Look with indifference on that bright hair's braid?
Thy locks are hanging loosely o'er thy brow.
Thine ear is shaded by no Lotus now!
See, where the Sun hath scorched that tender neck
Which precious jewels once were proud to deck. ”

“ What noble guerdon would thy Penance earn;
Say, art thou toiling for a second birth,
Where dwells the great Creator?—o'er the earth
Resistless sway? Or fair as Beauty's Queen,
Peerless, immortal, shall thy form be seen?
⁠The lonely soul by grief and anguish broken,
By Penance' aid may win some gracious token,
But what, faultless one, can move thy heart
To dwell in solitude and prayer apart?
Why should the cloud of grief obscure thy brow,
Mid all thy kindred, who so loved as thou?
Foes hast thou none—for what rash hand would dare
From serpent's head the magic gem to tear? ”

“ Where flowers lie scattered neath the nobles' feet,
And banners waving to the breeze unfold
Their silken broidery over gates of gold.
⁠And she, their child, upon her bridal day
Bears her dear parents' every thought away—
So, when from distant shores a friend returns,
With deeper love each inmost spirit burns—
So, when grim Death restores his prey again
Joy brighter shines from memory of pain.
⁠Each noble matron of Himálaya's race
Folds his dear Uma in a long embrace,
Pours blessings on her head, and prays her take
Some priceless jewel for her friendship's sake. ”

“ Forlorn and withered, it must perish too.
⁠Then come, dear friend, the true one's pile prepare,
And send me quickly to my husband there;
Call it not vain—the mourning Lotus dies
When the bright Moon, her lover, quits the skies;
When sinks the red cloud in the purple west,
Still clings his bride, the lightning, to his breast—
All nature keeps the eternal high decree.
Shall woman fail?—I come, my love, to thee! ”

“ On his bright bow Love placed the unerring dart,
The soft beguiler of the stricken heart.
⁠Like the Moon's influence on the Sea at rest.
Came Passion stealing o'er the Hermit's breast,
While on the Maiden's lip that mocked the dye
Of ripe red fruit, he bent his melting eye;
And oh! how showed the Lady's love for him.
The heaving bosom, and each quivering limb!
Like young Kadambas, when the leaf-buds swell.
At the warm touch of Spring they love so well ”

“ Where the strong elephant, o'ermastered, fell,—
Cling to the lion's talons, and betray,
Falling at every step, the mighty conqueror's way.
⁠Dear to the Sylphs are the cool shadows thrown
By dark clouds wandering round the mountain's zone,
Till the big rain-drops fright them from the plains
To those high peaks where sunshine ever reigns.
There birch-trees wave, that lend their friendly aid
To tell the passion of the love-born maid. ”

“ And led Himálaya's daughter to the God;
Before his feet her young companions spread
Fresh leaves and blossoms as they bow the head,
While Uma stooped so low, that from her hair
Dropped the bright flower that starred the midnight there;
To him whose ensign bears the Bull she bent,
Till each spray fell, her ear's rich ornament.
"Sweet Maid," cried Siva, "surely thou shalt be
Blessed with a husband who loves none but thee!" ”

“ All things that move, and all that move not, sprung;
Before thy triple form they wondering bow,
Maker, preserver, and destroyer, Thou!
⁠Thou, when a longing urged thee to create,
Thy single form in twain didst separate;
The Sire, the Mother that made all things be
By their first union were but parts of Thee;
From them the life that fills this earthly frame,
And fruitful Nature, self-renewing, came.
⁠Thou countest not thy time by mortals' light.
With Thee there is but one vast day and night;
When Brahma slumbers fainting Nature dies,
When Brahma wakens all again arise. ”

“ The Sun's first ray and parting splendour fall;
Ne'er could he waken with a lovelier glance
His own dear Lotus from her nightly trance;
For him, proud Fiend, the Moon no waning knows,
But with uuminished full-orbed lustre glows.
He would not brook its crescent glory set
Amid the blaze of Siva's coronet.
⁠How fair his garden, where the obedient breeze
Dares steal no blossom from the slumbering trees! ”

“ In full round beauty matched her swelling breast;
⁠Here in a thin bright line, some delicate spray,
Red as her lip, ravished the soul away—
And then how loving, and how close they hung
To the tall trees that fondly o'er them hung!
Bright, heavenly wantons poured the witching strain,
Quiring for Siva's ear, but all in vain—
No charmer's spell may check the firm control,
"Won by the Holy, o'er the impassioned soul. ”

“ A father's heart should grieve not, but rejoice.
Her Lord is Father of the World, and she
Of all that liveth shall the Mother be;
Gods that adore him with the Neck of Blue
In homage bent shall hail the Lady too;
And give a glory to her feet with gems
That sparkle in their priceless diadems.
⁠Hear what a roll shall blazon forth thy line,—
Maid, Father, Suitor, Messengers divine!
Give him the chosen Lady, and aspire
To call thy Son the Universe's Sire —
He laudeth none but all mankind shall raise
To Him through endless time the songs of praise. ”

“ Full buds and flowerets of celestial hue,
Nor waited for the Maiden's touch, the sweet
Beloved pressure of her tinkling feet;
There grew Love's an-ow, his dear Mango spray,
Winged with young leaves to speed its airy way,
And at the call of Spring the wild bees came. ”

“ But beat her with her flower-wreath playfully.
⁠Then tiring-women took the jetty dye
To guard, not deck, the beauty of her eye
Whose languid half-shut glances might compare
With Lotus leaves just opening to the air;
And as fresh gems adorned her neck and arms,
So quickly changing grew the Maiden's charms.
Like some fair plant where bud succeeding bud
Unfolds new beauty; or a silver flood
Where gay birds follow quickly; or like Night,
When crowding stars come forth in all their light. ”

“ Enthrals our spirit at an hour like this?
Great Lord of All, thou Soul of Life indwelling
We crave one word thy wondrous nature telling —
Though to our eyes thy outward form be shown.
How can we know thee as thou shouldst be known? ”

“ Dims not the beauty of his gems below;
For who can gaze upon the Moon, and dare
To mark one spot less brightly glorious there?—
Who, mid a thousand virtues, dares to blame
One shade of weakness in a hero's fame? ”

“ How can thy tender frame, sweet Lady, bear
In thy firm spirit's task its fearful share?
Canst thou the grass and fuel duly bring,
And still unwearied seek the freshening spring?
Say, do the creeper's slender shoots expand,
Seeking each day fresh water from thy hand. ”

“ Patent to all, yet hidden from the sight.
⁠Thine are the sacred hymns which mortals raise,
Commencing ever with the word of praise.
With three-toned chant to grace the sacrifice,
And lead the worshipper to Paradise;
They hail Thee Nature labouring to free
The immortal Soul from low humanity—
Hail Thee the stranger Spirit, unimpressed,
Gazing on Nature from thy lofty rest. ”

“ Less bright the Moon, when a dark band of cloud
Enhances beauties which it could not shroud.
⁠Behind her ear a head of barley drew
The eye to gaze upon its golden hue,
But then her cheek with glowing Saffron dyed
To richer beauty called the glance aside ”

“ Mocking the brightness of each look of thine;
⁠O Mountain-Lady, it is truly said
That heavenly charms to sin have never led.
For even Penitents may learn of thee
How pure, how gentle Beauty's self may be. ”

“ And throughly drenched the Lady's tender frame,
So steams the earth, when mighty torrents pour
On thirsty fields all dry and parched before.
⁠The first clear rain-drops falling on her brow,
Gem it one moment with their light, and now
Kissing her sweet lip find a welcome rest
In the deep valley of the Lady's breast ”

“ O'er their celestial frames, they thus began:—
⁠"Glorious the fruit our Holy Studies bear,
Our constant Penance, Sacrifice and Prayer,
For that high place within thy thoughts we gain
Which fancy strives to reach, but longs in vain! ”

“ In reverent greeting to his heavenly guest.
⁠Himálaya, joying in the festive day,
Before the immortal Bridegroom led the way
Where heaps of gay flowers burying half the feet
Lay breathing odours through the crowded street.
⁠Careless of all beside, each Lady's eye
Must gaze on Siva as the troop sweeps by:
One dark-eyed beauty will not stay to bind
Her long black tresses, floating unconfined,
Save by her little hand; her flowery crown
Hanging; neglected and unfastened down. ”

“ Or how couldst thou have died, nor Reti perish too?
⁠Yes, I will fly to thee, of thee bereft.
And leave this world which thou, my life, hast left—
Cold, gloomy, now this wretched world must be.
For all its pleasures came from only thee.
When night has veiled the city in its shade
Thou, only thou, canst soothe the wandering maid,
And guide her trembling at the thunder's roar
Safe through the darkness to her lover's door. ”

“ Senseless and breathless on the earth she lay;
Sleep while thou mayst, unconscious Lady, sleep!
Soon wilt thou rise to sigh and wake to weep.
⁠E'en as the red bolt rives the leafy bough
Did Siva blast the hinderer of his vow.
Then fled with all his train to some lone place
Far, far from Woman and her witching face.
{{gap}Sad was Himálaya's daughter,—grief and shame
O'er the young spirit of the Maiden came; —
Grief—for she loved, and all her love was vain,
Shame—she was spurned before her youthful train ”

“ His failings many and his virtues few,
Still clings my heart to him, its chosen Lord,
Nor fails nor faulters at thy treacherous word.
⁠Dear Maiden, bid yon eager boy depart,
Why should the slanderous talc defile his heart?
Most guilty who the faithless speech begins,
But he who stays to listen also sins."
⁠She turned away,—with wrath her bosom swelling.
Its vest of bark in angry pride repelling,—
But sudden, lo, before her wondering eyes
In altered form she sees the Sage arise;
'Tis Siva's self before the astonished Maid,
In all his gentlest majesty displayed ”

“ Deluded Maid, how shall thy tender hand,
Decked with the nuptial bracelet's jewelled band,
Be clasped in his, when fearful serpents twine
In scaly horror round that arm divine?
How shall thy robe, with gay flamingoes gleaming,
Suit with his coat of hide with blood-drops streaming?
⁠Of old thy pathway led where flowerets sweet
Made pleasant carpets for thy gentle feet.
And e'en thy foes would turn in grief away
To see those vermeil-tinted limbs essay.
Where scattered tresses strew the mournful place,
Their gloomy path amid the tombs to trace.
⁠On Siva's heart the funeral ashes rest. ”

“ Of one like Siva, perfect, infinite!
'Tis ever thus, the Mighty and the Just
Are scorned by souls that grovel in the dust;
Their lofty goodness and their motives wise
Shine all in vain before such blinded eyes;
Say who is greater, he who strives for power,
Or he who succours in misfortune's hour?
Refuge of Worlds, how should Siva deign
To look on men enslaved to paltry gain?
The spring of wealth himself, he careth nought
For the vile treasures that mankind have sought ”

“ Like the world basking in an Autumn day.
⁠They met; and true love's momentary shame
O'er the blest bridegroom and his darling came;
Eye looked to eye—but quivering as they met.
Scarce dared to trust the rapturous gazing yet. ”

“ The rich o'erflowings of its loveliness.
⁠Round lofty towers adorned with gems and gold
Her guardian stream the holy Ganga rolled;
On every side, the rampant's glowing crown,
Bright wreaths of fragrant flowers hung waving down,—
Flowers that might tempt the Maids of heavenly birth
To linger fondly o'er that pride of earth.
⁠Their noble Elephants, unmoved by fear,
The distant roaring of the Lions hear;
In beauty peerless, and unmatched in speed,
Their thousand coursers of celestial breed ”

“ Fanning their Lord, that fancy still might deem
Swans waved their pinions round each Lady of the Stream.
⁠E'en Brahma came—Creator—Lord of Might,—
And Vishnu glowing from the realms of light;
"Ride on!" they cried, " thine, thine for ever be
The strength, the glory, and the victory! ”

“ Where the bright Champac opes her fragrant flowers—
Dear shades, beloved by the Sylphs that roam
In dewy evening from their mountain home.
⁠Ah! why should mortals fondly strive to gain
Heaven and its joys by ceaseless toil and pain? ”

“ The heavenlier nectar of his darling's lip—
Pure pearls of heat had just distained the dye.
But flowery wine was sparkling in her eye.
⁠How the young creeper's beauty charmed the view.
Fair as the fairest maid, as playful too! ”

“ Your lofty sovereignties ordained of old—
But why so mournful? what has dimmed your light?
Why shine your faces less divinely bright?
Like stars that pour forth weaker, paler gleams.
When the fair Moon with brighter radiance beams. ”

“ Like pictured forms, each rayless Deity.
⁠Some baffling power has curbed the breezes' swell,
Vainly they chafe against the secret spell—
We know some barrier checks their wonted course.
When refluent waters seek again their source;
The Rudras too—fierce demigods who bear
The curved Moon hanging from their twisted hair—
Tell by their looks of fear, and shame, and woe. ”