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

76 VĀSAVADATTĀ
to hospitality»; which is ⟨unnumbered⟩ yet «numbered», for
it is ⟨peaceable⟩ and «learned»; which is ⟨no arrow⟩ yet an
«arrow», for it ⟨discloses secrets⟩ and is «valiant»; which is ⟨not
degraded⟩ yet is addicted to many «liquors», for it is ⟨free from
repentance⟩ and addicted to many «sacrifices»; which is (Viṣṇu's)
⟨disc⟩ yet «no disc», for it is ⟨beautiful⟩ and «without guile»;
which ⟨exudes no ichor⟩ yet is «Supratīka»,¹ for it ⟨has no
egotism⟩ and is «goodly in figure»; [113] which is ⟨no bird⟩ yet
is a «flamingo», for it is like ⟨Viṣṇu's bird⟩ and «pure»; which
shows no ⟨diminution of oil⟩ yet is a «household lamp», for it
shows no ⟨ill consequences of affection⟩ and «illumines its race»;
which has no ⟨knots⟩ yet is a «bamboo-shoot», for it has no
⟨deceit⟩ and is a «scion of its race»; which increases its ⟨lustre
by justice⟩ as a summer's day increases its ⟨glow by Taurus⟩;
which begins ⟨asceticism⟩ as the day at the end of Māgha begins
⟨Phālguna⟩²; [114] which ⟨has no planets⟩ yet knows «Venus
and Jupiter», for it is ⟨free from theft⟩ and knows «the essence
of poetry».
'It is supplied with a population of courtesans who show the
⟨marks of tooth-bites⟩ as a day of the rainy season³ shows
⟨broken clouds⟩; who are adorned with ⟨pravālamaṇi-bites⟩
as the seashore is adorned with ⟨coral and jewels⟩⁴; who are
⟨expert in practising the indrāṇī⟩⁵ as the host of Apsarasas
are ⟨cunning from their association with Indra's wife⟩; who have
their appetites whetted by their ⟨paramours⟩ as a wild elephant⁶
has his appetite whetted by the ⟨young boughs⟩; [115] who are
bred up ⟨for strangers⟩ as the koel is bred up ⟨by another⟩; who
¹ The world-elephant of the northeast quarter.
² Māgha is the name of a lunar month corresponding to the latter part of January
and the first part of February, and is followed by Phālguna. Tel. ed. and Srirangam
.text add, 'which goes in the path of the ⟨good⟩ as the wind goes in the path of the
⟨planets⟩; which is the lord of ⟨earth⟩ as the sun is the lord of ⟨rays⟩; which has ⟨gold⟩
as the Great Lord (Śiva) has the ⟨moon⟩.'
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'as the autumn.'
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'who are adorned with ⟨hair⟩ as the seashore is
adorned with ⟨coral⟩.' See Schmidt, Beiträge zur indischen Erotik, pp. 502-503,
Leipzig, 1902.
⁵ See Schmidt, op. cit. pp. 530-531, 564, 570.
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'lordly elephant.'