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Sri Aurobindo

Translations

CWSA.- Volume 5

Part Two. Translations from Bengali
Section One. Vaishnava Devotional Poetry

Selected Poems of Ganodas

7

(The human soul, in a moment of rapt excitement when the robe of sense has fallen from it, is surprised and seized by the vision of the Eternal.)

I will lay bare my heart’s whole flame,

To thee, heart’s sister, yea the whole.

The darkhued limbs I saw in dream,

To these I have given my body and soul.

It was a night of wildest showers;

Ever incessant and amain

The heavens thundered through the hours,

Outside was pattering of the rain.

Exulting in the lightning’s gleams,

Joyous, I lay down on my bed;

The dress had fallen from my limbs,

I slept with rumours overhead.

The peacocks in the treetops high

Between their gorgeous dances shrilled,

The cuckoo cried exultantly,

The frogs were clamorous in the field;

And ever with insistent chime

The bird of rumour shrieking fled

Amidst the rain; at such a time

A vision stood beside my bed.

He moved like fire into my soul,

The love of him became a part

Of being, and oh his whispers stole

Murmuring in and filled my heart.

His loving ways, his tender wiles,

The hearts that feel, ah me! so burn

That maidens pure with happy smiles

From shame and peace and honour turn.

The lustre of his looks effaced

The moon, of many lovely moods

He is the master; on his breast

There was a wreath of jasmine buds.

Holding my feet, down on the bed

He sat; my breasts were fluttering birds;

His hands upon my limbs he laid,

He bought me for his slave with words.

O me his eyebrows curved like bows!

O me his panther body bright!

Love from his sidelong glances goes

And takes girls prisoner at sight.

He speaks with little magic smiles

That force a girl’s heart from her breast.

How many sweet ways he beguiles,

I know; they cannot be expressed.

Burning he tore me from my bed

And to his passionate bosom clutched;

I could not speak a word; he said

Nothing, his lips and my lips touched.

My body almost swooned away

And from my heart went fear and shame

And maiden pride; panting I lay

And felt him round me like a flame.