SITE OF SRI AUROBINDO & THE MOTHER
      
Home Page | Workings | Works of Sri Aurobindo | Translations

SRI AUROBINDO

Translations

from Sanskrit and Other Languages

II. From Bengali

Songs of Bidyapati

XVIII

Alternate Version

Low on her radiant forehead shone

A star of the bright vermilion.

O marvellous face! O shining maid!

Moonlight and sunlight drawn together

Met in a heaven of golden weather,

While the massed midnight hangs afraid

Behind in her burden of great dark hair.

O woman of moonlight rarer than Nature’s!

O delicate body! O wonderful features!

Whence did Fate build you with effort made fair?

The buds of her flower-like breasts between

Her robe’s white folds were a little seen.

The snows may cover the high bright hill –

Hidden it is not, strive as you will.

From her darkened eyes her shy look roving

On lids love-troubled tenderly burned

Like the purple lilies winds were moving

By the weight of a bee overturned.

Hearken, O girl, to Bidyapati

And the lyre made sweet in the year’s sweet end.

To Lachhima, lady of Mithila city,

And Shiva Singha the King, his friend.