SRI AUROBINDO

Translations

from Sanskrit and Other Languages

II. From Bengali

Songs of Bidyapati

XXV

She looked on me a little, then

A little smile her lips o’erran

As though a moonbeam making bright

The darkness of the blessed night;

And from her eyes a lustrous glance

Fell shy and tenderly askance,

As though blue heaven’s infinities

Were grown a sudden swarm of bees.

I know not whose she is, being fair:

I know she hath my soul with her.

With a sweet fear as to deny

Her virgin soul to the honey-fly

That in the lotus’ womb did play,

With startled feet and hurried look,

The beauteous damsel went her way.

The sweet and hasty motion shook

The robe from her warm breasts of gold

Like lotus-flowers the heart to hold.

Half-hid, yet naked half, they seemed

To speak aloud the bliss they dreamed.

O sweet, O young desire! the dart

Of secret love omits¹ no heart.

¹ leaves out

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