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

106 VĀSAVADATTĀ

Lakṣmī with her gentle smile,¹ (though herself) unsurpassed ;
yielding unto thee ; with her heart spotless as a mirror ; trans-
cending the tendrils with her lotus hand ; with coquetry in her
sportful fingers ²; peering perturbedly³ through the interstices of
the bars of her windows ;—she suffereth distress at eventide,⁴
being lonely without thee, her ram : for, O lord of life ! who here
depend not for life upon some happy man ⁵ ? [Thou lord of vio-
lence ! She, the receptacle of bliss, surpassing Lakṣmī with her
gentle smile,¹ (though herself) unsurpassed ; yielding unto thee ;
with her heart spotless as a mirror ; transcending the tendrils
with her lotus hand ; with coquetry in her sportful fingers ²;
peering perturbedly³ through the interstices of the bars of her
windows ;—she laugheth not, (but) suffereth distress at eventide,⁴
being lonely without thee, her ram : for, O destroyer of life ! who
here depend not for life upon some happy man ⁵ ?]’ ; [208] ‘Let
other women be ! I suffer slavery before thee ! Therefore be
there love because of love ! [Thou that art cast off by other
(women) ! Thou speechless one ! Thou slave (even) in the pre-
sence of the base ! I ⁶ go to her ! Therefore let hatred arise from
love !]’ ; [209] ‘Straightway thou art mightily beloved ; why dost
thou not perform the lovely rites of love, especially since death
standeth immediately near ⁷ ? [Thou art straightway utterly
devoid of love, why dost thou not perform the lovely rites of love,
especially since death standeth immediately near ⁷ ?]’ ; [210]
‘Thou purifier of them that have the minds of false lovers ! Thou
glorious one ! By love is she ⁸ to be won, great and noble,⁹ with
large eyes, with sidelong glances ; then her attendants will show

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¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘she by whom the lotus-dwelling Lakṣmī is surpassed
with smiling laughter.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘her fingers sportful, as it were, with coquetry.’
³ Tel. ed. omits ‘perturbedly.’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘she suffereth distress (even) without (an ascetic’s)
curse, having her destruction prevented by her folk.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘on what happy man doth she not depend ’?
⁶ The messenger.
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘since stern death is immediately near.’
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘this unparalleled maid.’
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘accompanied by Lakṣmī.’