वासवदत्ता (महाकवि सुबन्धु - श्लेष-प्रधान शास्त्रीय गद्यकाव्य सान्वय सटीक)

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 83
to them, after they had reached middle age, a daughter named
Vāsavadattā, with a form enchanting the triple world; ⟨giving
joy to the eyes of thousands⟩ as Pulōman’s daughter ⟨delighted
the God of a Thousand Eyes⟩.¹ Now, even though she has
reached maturity, she, who ⟨rejoices her family⟩ as Rāvaṇa’s arm
⟨made the mountains quake⟩, has remained averse to marriage in
her youth.²
[131] ‘But once upon a time ³ came Spring, that causes fever
in travellers ⁴ through the soft, low sound of the swarms of bees
that settle on the masses of buds of the opening mango-trees;
that carries to every quarter the noise of the koels, whose throats
are fragrant from tasting the perfume of the flowers of the mango
shaken by the gentle Malaya breeze; that makes all ⁵ the lake
resound with the din of the kalahaṁsas, intoxicated and clinging
to the clusters of expanded lotuses; [132] that wounds the
hearts of the wives of absentees with the arrows of the southern
breeze,⁶ come into contact with quantities of falling drops of
showers of sap ⁷ passing out through holes in the stems ⁸ of buds
mark» as a stretch of forest is lovely with ‹new Arabian jasmines› and has «groves of
ushoka-trees»; who has ‹beautiful hair› and a «sweet voice» as the host of Apsarasas
has ‹Sukēśī› and «Mañjughōṣā».’
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘with an ‹exquisite form› as the slopes of Mount
Mēru have ‹beautiful gold›; with ‹glistening pupils› as an autumn night has ‹glittering
stars›; beautified with a ‹row of perfect teeth› as an assembly of good men has a ‹group
of faultless Brāhmans›; adorned with ‹garlanded, lovely tresses› as the good fortune of
the Rākṣasa race was adorned with ‹Mālyavān and Sukēśa›.’ The deity in question is
Indra.
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘now, even though she has reached maturity, she
has remained averse to marriage in her youth, which ‹rejoices her family› as the forest
of Rāvaṇa’s arms ‹made the mountains quake›; which is adorned with ‹love› as Mount
Vindhya is adorned with ‹madana-trees›; which has innate ‹loveliness› as the ocean
has innate ‹salinity›; which is beautified with ‹excellent adornments› as Indra’s pleasure
grove is adorned ‹continually with the kalpa-tree› (Srirangam text, ‘which is delighted
with ‹youths of excellent adornment› as Indra’s pleasure grove is delighted ‹continually
with the kalpa-tree›’); which is ‹charming› as the wind ‹carries off flowers›.’
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘then once upon a time.’
⁴ Because the humming of the bees recalls to them the homes that they have been
obliged to leave and fills them with the fever of love-longing.
⁵ Tel. ed. omits ‘all.’
⁶ Tel. ed., ‘by warding off love in the southern breeze, which has its origin in
quantities of drops’; similarly the Srirangam text.
⁷ Srirangam text, ‘sweet sap.’ ⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘stems.’
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