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SRI AUROBINDO

Translations

from Sanskrit and Other Languages

II. From Bengali

Songs of Bidyapati

XXI

The moonwhite maiden from her bath

Passing I saw on a woodland path.

Moonwhite beauty from all sweet things

Had stolen beauty fit for kings.

The tresses that her small hands wrung

A rain of glittering water flung

As carcanets of loveliest pearl

Did from a fan imperial whirl.

Her wet curls wearing wondrous grace

Like bees besieged her lotus face

For all that honey wild with lust.

The water from her sweet eyes thrust

Yet left them reddened, as in the ooze

Petals of lotus with ceruse.

Heavy with water her thin robe

Defined each bright and milky globe;

Like golden apples gleamed her breasts

On which the happy hoar-frost rests.

So the robe clung as if it said

“Soon will she leave me and love be dead,

Nor ever once shall I attain

Such exquisite delight again.”

So the robe thought, as well appears,

And therefore sorrowed, showering tears.