Sri Aurobindo

Translations

CWSA.- Volume 5

Part One. Translations from Sanskrit
Section Four. Bhartrihari. The Century of Life

Miscellaneous Verses

The Roots of Enjoyment

That at thy door proud-necked the high-foaming steeds

Prance spirited and stamp in pride the ground

And the huge elephants stand, their temple’s bound

Broken with rut, like slumbrous mountains round,–

That in harmonious concert fluted reeds,

The harp’s sweet moan, the tabour and the drum

And conch-shell in their married moments come

Waking at dawn in thy imperial dome,–

Thy pride, thy riches, thy full-sated needs,

That like a king of gods thou dwellst on earth,–

From duties high-fulfilled these joys had birth;

All pleasant things washes to men of worth

The accumulated surge of righteous deeds.