SRI AUROBINDO
Translations
from Sanskrit and Other Languages
III. From TAMIL
Andal
Ye others cannot conceive of the love that I bear to Krishna. And your warnings to me are vain like the pleadings of the deaf and mute. The Boy who left his mother’s home and was reared by a different mother,– Oh, take me forth to his city of Mathura where He won the field without fighting the battle and leave me there.
Of no further avail is modesty. For all the neighbours have known of this fully. Would ye really heal me of this ailing and restore me to my pristine state? Then know ye this illness will go if I see Him, the maker of illusions, the youthful one who measured the world. Should you really wish to save me, then take me forth to his home in the hamlet of the cowherds and leave me there.
The rumour is already spread over the land that I fled with Him and went the lonely way, leaving all of you behind – my parents, relations and friends. The tongue of scandal ye can hardly silence now. And He, the deceiver, is haunting me with his forms. Oh, take me forth at midnight to the door of the Cowherd named Bliss who owns this son, the maker of havoc, this mocker, this pitiless player; and leave me there.
Oh, grieve not ye, my mothers. Others know little of this strange malady of mine. He whose hue is that of the blue sea, a certain youth called Krishna – the gentle caress of his hand can heal me, for his Yoga is sure and proved.
On the bank of the waters he ascended the Kadamba tree and he leaped to his dance on the hood of the snake, the dance that killed the snake. Oh take me forth to the bank of that lake and leave me there.
There is a parrot here in this cage of mine that ever calls out his name, saying ‘Govinda, Govinda’. In anger I chide it and refuse to feed it. ‘O Thou’ it then cries, in its highest pitch, ‘O Thou who hast measured the worlds.’ I tell you, my people, if ye really would avoid the top of scandal in all this wide country, if still ye would guard your weal and your good fame, then take me forth to his city of Dwaraka of high mansion and decorated turrets; and leave me there.