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

84 VĀSAVADATTĀ
of trumpet-flowers cloven by the tips of the claws¹ of koels ;
that makes medlar-trees horripilate from sprinkling² with rum in
mouthfuls³ by amorous girls merry with wine; that has
hundreds of ushoka-trees delighted by the slow⁴ stroke of the
tremulous lotus feet, beautiful with anklets, of wanton damsels
enslaved by amorous delights⁵; that has countless hundreds⁶
of travellers bewildered⁷ with listening to festal songs⁸ begun by
knaves eager to hear songs full of obscenity sung everywhere⁹;
[133] that has ⟨red lotuses⟩ as a rascal is ⟨unpleasant to the
good⟩; that has no ⟨Malabar jasmine creepers⟩ as one of low
birth has no ⟨origin⟩; that is honoured with hundreds of ⟨yel-
lowish-red dhak-trees⟩ as Rāvaṇa was honoured by hundreds
of ⟨demons that had drunk of blood⟩; that has ⟨sweet breezes⟩ as
a great lady-killer has ⟨perfumes⟩; that has ⟨thriving blue lotuses⟩
as a good king makes the ⟨circle of earth prosper⟩; [134] that
has ⟨full-grown cucumbers⟩ as a realist¹⁰ ⟨increases hope of weal⟩;
that has ⟨overcome winter⟩ as the poetic composition of good
poets ⟨possesses tu, hi, and na⟩¹¹; that is ⟨freed from continuous
night⟩ as a good man has ⟨no connexion with the bad⟩; that ⟨has
blue lotuses, azure lotuses, and sal-trees⟩ as a fisherman ⟨catches
rājīva-, utpala-, and śāla-fish⟩¹²; that dislikes¹³ the ⟨cranes of Maru⟩
¹ Tel. ed., 'hard beaks'; Srirangam text, 'hard nails and beaks.'
² Tel. ed., 'attention.'
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add 'from the lotus mouths.' According to the con-
ventions of Sanskrit literature, the medlar (Mimusops Elengi, Willd.) blooms only when
sprinkled with mouthfuls of wine from the lips of beautiful girls. In like manner, the
ushoka (Jonesia asoca) blossoms only when touched by a fair girl's foot.
⁴ Tel. ed. omits 'slow.' ⁵ Tel. ed., 'ardour.'
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit 'hundreds.'
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'delighting in.'
⁸ Srirangam text, 'beat of festal songs.'
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'sung daily by buffoons full of obscenity.' The
allusion is, of course, to the Holi-festival, held in early spring (see Crooke, Popular
Religion and Folk-Lore of Northern India, 2. 313–322, Westminster, 1896).
¹⁰ Srirangam text, 'as a city man.'
¹¹ Tel. ed., 'that has no ⟨winter⟩ attached as the poetry of good poets has no ⟨tu, hi,
and na⟩ attached'; Srirangam text, 'that has ⟨no fall of winter attached⟩ as the poetry
of good poets has ⟨no particles tu and hi attached⟩.'
¹² Tel. ed., 'that has ⟨multitudes of blue and azure lotuses⟩ as a fisherman ⟨catches
nets of rājīva- and utpala-fish⟩.'
¹³ Tel. ed., 'displeases.'