the hills of mistSri Aurobindo
Translations
CWSA.- Volume 5
Part One. Translations from Sanskrit
Section Three. Kalidasa
Fragments from a Lost Translation
Golden, the dwelling place of Faery kings,
And mansions by unearthly moonlight kissed: –
For one dwells there whose brow with the young moon
Lightens as with a marvellous amethyst –
*
Of Tripour slain in lovely dances joined
And linkèd troops the Oreads of the hill
Are singing and inspired with rushing wind
Sweet is the noise of bamboos fluting shrill;
Thou thundering in the mountain-glens with cry
Of drums shouldst the sublime orchestra fill.
*
Dark like the cloudy foot of highest God
When starting from the dwarf-shape world-immense
With Titan-quelling step through heaven he strode.
*
For death and birth keep not their mystic round
In Ullaca; there from the deathless trees
The blossom lapses never to the ground
But lives for ever garrulous with bees
All honey-drunk – nor yet its sweets resign.
For ever in their girdling companies. . . .
*
A flickering line of fireflies seen in sleep.
*
Her scarlet mouth is a ripe fruit and red.
*
Sole like a widowed bird when all the nests
Are making.