SRI AUROBINDO
Translations
from Sanskrit and Other Languages
Kalidasa
Bhartrihari. The Century of Life
On Pride and Heroism
O child of the immortal mountains hoar,
Mainak,1 far better had this been to bear
The bleeding wings that furious Indra tore,
The thunder’s scars that with disastrous roar
Vomiting lightnings made the heavens one flare,–
Not, not this refuge in the cool wide sea
While all thy suffering people cried to thee.
1 The mountains had formerly wings and could move about, — to the great inconvenience of everybody: Indra, attacked by them, smote off their wings with the thunderbolt. Mainak, son of Himalay, took refuge in the sea.