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

72 VĀSAVADATTĀ
the sight of the uddaṇḍapālas who moved within the circles of its
rippling ¹ waves ; [100] whose shores ² were dug up by hundreds ³
of barbarians whose greed for getting treasure had been aroused
by the sight of the mating of pairs of wagtails.
[101] As if angry, it displayed a ‹distortion of its face›, for it
displayed an ‹outlet and waves› ; drunk, so to say, it had a
‹tottering gait›, for it had a ‹winding current› ; it was the beauty
of the dawn, as it were, that gives ‹time› increase, for it gave its
‹shores› increase ; it was like unto the place of combat of the
Bhāratas with ‹quivering corpses›, for it had ‹dancing waters› ; it
was, one might fancy, the rainy season with ‹peacocks appearing
but serpents hidden›, for its ‹pools were hid by expanded
lotuses› ; [102] it seemed to be one who courts a ‹king› out of
desire for gain,⁴ for it courted the ‹mountain›. And also—
Even to-day it seems to call on him ⁵
Who from a jar was born, while on its heights
Loud scream the elephants, with temples rent
By tawny lions' fearsome claws and keen.
Then said Makaranda :
[103] ‘Behold this lion with his sinewy frame,
Now rising high behind and now before ⁶ ;
His curving tail along his archèd back,
His cavernous mouth, and white-tipped fangs agleam ;
Yea, and his ears erect,⁷ the while he springs
Upon the lordly king of elephants.⁸
‘And furthermore—
‘His ears erect,⁹ in sudden onslaught skilled,
His mane astart, and jaws all hideous,¹⁰
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit.
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘uneven shores.’ ³ Tel. ed. omits ‘hundreds.’
⁴ Tel. ed., ‘it seemed an amorous woman ‹courting a king›.’
⁵ Agastya ; cf. Rāmāyaṇa, 7. 57.
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text interchange the order of the epithets.
⁷ Tel. ed., ‘neck erect.’
⁸ The literal translation of this stanza is given above, Introduction, p. 26.
⁹ Srirangam text, ‘neck erect.’ ¹⁰ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘cavernous.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 73
His stiffened tail high-waving in the breeze—
No artist could portray this awful beast
[104] What time he croucheth on the mighty brow
Of some great elephant, shrill trumpeting
Adown the lonely dells of Vindhya's mount.'
Meanwhile, in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree ¹ that seemed
a paramour conspicuous on account of ⟨aphrodisiacs⟩, since it was
conspicuous on account of its ⟨mainas⟩,² he (Kandarpakētu) rested,
after having gone a few steps ³ along the Vindhya forest which
abounded in ⟨banyans⟩ as a river in a low region abounds in
⟨underbrush⟩; [105] which had ⟨great reeds everywhere⟩ as the
battlefield ⁴ of the capture of Uttara's kine had ⟨Bṛhannalā
appear⟩; which produced an abundance of ⟨camphor⟩ as the
entrance of a drum in a dry land produces an abundance of
⟨water from the clouds⟩⁵; which had ⟨sap inherent in many
trees⟩ as the nectarous converse of the wise has its ⟨savour drunk
by many a knave⟩; which continually held ⟨plantain trees⟩ as
Nalakūbara's desire was to hold ⟨Rambhā⟩ continually; [106]
which had its paths indicated by ⟨ghaṇṭāravā-plants⟩ as the
course of a must elephant has his path indicated by the ⟨sound
of his bells⟩; which had ⟨quickly growing kadambas⟩ as the
worship of the Holy Lord ⁶ has ⟨many fruits growing near by⟩;
which gave joy to hundreds of ⟨reeds⟩ as the wealth of Virāṭa
gave joy to hundreds of ⟨Kīcakas⟩.⁷
[107] Meanwhile, to the peak of the western mount climbed
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘in the shade under a rose-apple tree.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add, ‘like Vikartana, who ⟨loved Chāyā⟩, for it had
⟨delightful shade⟩; like Viṣṇu, who possessed ⟨Lakṣmī⟩, for it possessed ⟨beauty⟩; as
a king bent on invasion is adorned with ⟨thronging vehicles⟩, it was adorned with
⟨close-set leaves⟩; as the Veda is bedecked with many ⟨schools⟩, it was bedecked with
many ⟨branches⟩; as a group of courtesans has ⟨the love of many paramours⟩; it was
⟨bright with many buds⟩.’
³ Tel. ed., ‘a journey of some length’; Srirangam text, ‘a journey of some steps.’
⁴ Tel. ed., ‘as the land of the capture’; cf. Mahābhārata, 4. 36–69.
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘as the drum in the Kuru land brought a host of full
mighty men’ (i. e., the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas). The allusion seems to be to a rain charm.
⁶ Śiva. Tel. ed., ‘as the worship of the Holy Lord has ⟨many fruits gone forth
from afar⟩, it had ⟨lofty-growing kadambas⟩.’
⁷ Cf. Mahābhārata, 4. 14–22.

74 VĀSAVADATTĀ
that very god whose garment is of rays, with his disc red as the
eyes of a must buffalo ¹ exhausted by heat. Then Makaranda,
getting fruits and roots, brought an abundance ² of pleasing food
in some way or other, and himself ate the remainder of what had
been enjoyed by Kandarpakētu. Thereupon, placing that most
dear one on the tablet of his heart, looking on her as if limned
by a pencil,³ [108] Kandarpakētu, with unshaken resolution,
slept on a couch of boughs prepared by Makaranda. Then,
when but half a watch of the night ⁴ had elapsed, Kandarpakētu
heard there, on the tip of the rose-apple tree, the chatter of
a parrot and a maina ⁵ quarrelling one with the other, and he
said to Makaranda : ‘ Good friend, let us now listen to the chit-
chat of this pair ’ !
[109] Then the maina ⁶ said, in a voice tremulous with anger :
‘ Wretch ! you have gone off courting some other maina ! How
else have you passed this night ’ ? Hearing this,⁷ the parrot said
to her : ‘ My dear, an unprecedented story has been heard and
witnessed by me ⁸ ; for this reason there has been a loss of time.’
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ forest elephant.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘ abundance.’
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ looking on that most dear one as if limned by the
pencil of fancy on the tablet of his heart.’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ when but a watch of the night had elapsed,’ also
omitting ‘ there.’
⁵ The association of the parrot and maina (here called śārikā) is a common-
place in both the ancient and the modern literature of India. In this association they
convey weighty information in Swynnerton, Rājā Rasālu, pp. 105, 115–117, Calcutta,
1884 (where the maina is called šārak); Knowles, Folk-Tales of Kashmir, 2 ed.,
pp. 65–66, London, 1893 (where it is termed hār); Schiefner, Tibetan Tales, tr. Ralston,
pp. 168–169, London, 1906; Steel and Temple, Wide-Awake Stories, p. 139, Bombay
1884; Ram Satya Mukharji, Indian Folklore, p. 60, Calcutta, 1904 (where the maina
is called sāri). On talking birds in general in modern Indian folk-tales cf. Knowles,
op. cit., pp. 168–169, 198, 231, 434; Steel and Temple, op. cit., pp. 176, 412; Temple,
Legends of the Panjāb, 1. 9–10, Bombay, 1884; Day, Folk-Tales of Bengal, pp. 41–42,
134–135, London, 1883; Frere, Old Deccan Days, 2 ed., pp. 74–75, London, 1870; Dra-
cott, Simla Village Tales, p. 62, London, 1906; Natesa Sastri, Dravidian Nights, p. 275,
Madras, 1886; O’Connor, Folk-Tales from Tibet, pp. 160, 166, London, 1906. On
the basis of the belief see MacCulloch, Childhood of Fiction, pp. 38, 247, London, 1905.
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ a maina in the rose-apple bower, in a voice tremulous
with anger, said to a parrot that had come after a long time.’
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text insert ‘ then.’
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ dismiss your wrath ! An unprecedented great story
has been witnessed by me.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 75
Then, being urged¹ by the maina, whose curiosity had been
aroused, he began to recount the tale.
[110] ‘There is a city named Kusumapura,² adorned with
whitewashed houses³ that have ‹statues› as the introductions⁴ to
the Bṛhatkathā have ‹heroines›⁵; where ‹children play› even as
the ‹māṇavakakrīḍas›⁶ have metres; that have ‹turrets› as herds
of elephants have ‹must beasts›; that have ‹windows› as Sugrīva's
army had ‹Gavākṣa›; that are situated in ‹pleasant places› as
Bali's abodes are situated in the ‹Sutala-hell›; [111] that is filled
with a population which is ‹Kubēra› yet «Varuṇa», for it is
‹generous› and «wise»; which is a ‹goatherd› yet a «deer», for
it ‹holds fast to passion› and is «delightful»⁷; which is ‹Priyam-
vada› yet «Puṣpakētu», for it ‹speaks kindly› and is «bedecked
with flowers»; which is ‹Bharata› yet «Śatrughna», for it
‹delights in astronomy› and «slays its foes»⁸; [112] which
‹makes the lunar day its highest object› yet «gives no heed to
the lunar day», for it is ‹devoted to lovers› and «gives full heed

¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘repeatedly pressed.’
² With this description of Kusumapura Cartellieri (‘Subandhu and Bāṇa,’ in WZKM.
I. 132) compares that of Ujjayinī in Kādambarī, pp. 102–111, Bombay ed., 1890
(tr. Ridding, pp. 210–214, London, 1896). Kusumapura is, of course, synonymous
with Pāṭaliputra, the Palibothra of the classics, and the modern Patna (cf. Lassen,
Indische Alterthumskunde, I, 2 ed., 167–169, Leipzig, 1867; Hall, Introd., pp. 35–36;
M'Crindle, Ancient India as described in Classical Literature, p. 42, n. 3, West-
minster, 1901).
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘radiant with houses ‹white with auspicious white-
wash› as the peaks of Mount Mandara are ‹delightsome with renowned ambrosia›.’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘sections.’ Lacôte (Essai sur Guṇāḍhya et la
Bṛhatkathā, pp. 220–225, Paris, 1908), adopting the lambhāir or lambhakāir of
Hall's manuscripts D and F and the commentator Jagaddhara, translates ‘conquests,’
thus bringing the allusion of Subandhu into harmony with the divisions of the
Kathāsaritsāgara and Bṛhatkathāmañjarī (for other interpretations see Speyer, ‘Het
zoogenaamde groote verhaal (de Bṛhatkathā) en de tijd zijner samenstelling,’ in
Verslagen en mededeelingen der Koninklijk Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afdeeling
Letterkunde, 4. 9. 142; Von Mańkowski, Der Auszug aus dem Pañcatantra in
Kshemendras Bṛihatkathāmañjarī, Introd., p. 10, Leipzig, 1892).
⁵ Lacôte (loc. cit.) very plausibly translates śālabhañjikā by ‘vidyādharīs’. (cf.
Jagaddhara's gloss ad loc., śālabhañjikā vidyādharī, ‘śālabhañjikā (is the same as)
vidyādharī’).
⁶ See Weber, Ueber die Metrik der Inder, p. 367, Berlin, 1863.
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘which is ‹Kṛṣṇa› yet «Rāma», for it is ‹eloquent›
and «delightful».’
⁸ Srirangam text, ‘yet «Lakṣmaṇa» . . . and «prosperous».’

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.'

are rocked ⟨by Kāma⟩ as a bee is rocked ⟨among the flowers⟩;
who are skilled in drawing ⟨paramours⟩ as a leech is skilled in
drawing ⟨blood⟩; who are bent on ⟨coition⟩ as a sacrificial priest ¹
is bent on ⟨divinity⟩; who have ⟨gay paramours⟩ as the arm of
the Great Dancer ² has the ⟨quivering serpent⟩; who ⟨inflame the
hearts of their gallants⟩ as Garuḍa ⟨causes anguish to the hearts
of serpents⟩; [116] who are ⟨superior to (other) courtesans⟩ as the
demon ³ Andha was ⟨impaled on the trident⟩.
‘There, too, dwells the revered Kātyāyanī herself, called
Vētālā,⁴ whose lotus feet are caressed by the garlands on the
crests of gods and demons; [117] who is the forest fire of
the great woods ⁵ of Śumbha and Niśumbha ⁶; who is the
adamantine cliff of the mountain of the great demon ⁷ Mahiṣa;
whose lotus feet are bathed by the river ⁸ of Jahnu’s daughter
falling from the matted locks ⁹ of Him ¹⁰ who holds the Ganges
subdued by love.¹¹
‘And in its environs flows the blessed Ganges, with a stream
of fragrance from the lines of pollen of the flowers of the diadems
of gods and demons ¹²; [118] with a current of the tide of virtue ¹³
from the ascetic’s water-jar of the Great Father ¹⁴; a pure rope ¹⁵
for Sagara’s hundreds ¹⁶ of sons, come ¹⁷ to earth, to ascend to the
city of the gods ¹⁸; with its waters perfumed by the dripping of
the yellow sandal-wood trees¹⁹ on the bank, (trees) shaken by being

¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘as one who continually performs sacrifices.’
² Śiva. Tel. ed., ‘who are ⟨tight in the embrace of their lovers⟩ as the forest of the
arms of the Great Dancer has ⟨the marks of the serpent he holds⟩.’
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘demon.’ For the allusion cf. Harivaṁśa,
143-144.
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘Caṇḍā.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘of the might of the great demons’; cf. Mārkaṇ-
ḍēyapurāṇa, 72-73. ⁶ Cf. Mārkaṇḍēyapurāṇa, 85-90.
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘of the excellent mountain of the demon.’
⁸ Ganges.
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘from the pinnacle of the matted locks.’
¹⁰ Śiva. ¹¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘subdued by the strife of love.’
¹² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘pollen of diadem-flowers fallen in the bathing of
gods and demons.’
¹³ Srirangam text, ‘proceeding from.’ ¹⁴ Brahmā.
¹⁵ Srirangam text, ‘a pure rope-ladder.’ ¹⁶ Tel. ed. omits ‘hundreds.’
¹⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘fallen.’ ¹⁸ Cf. Mahābhārata, 3. 106-109.
¹⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘perfumed by the sap dripping from.’

78 VĀSAVADATTĀ
rubbed by the frontal lobes ¹ of Āirāvata ; with its waves in com-
motion from their beating by the round hips of wanton Apsa-
rasas ; with its current pure because of the perfume of the forest
of matted locks of the Seven Sages ² come down to bathe ; wind-
ing because of the very purification produced by its revolutions
in the terrible cave of the matted locks ³ of Him ⁴ whose crest is
the moon.
‘ As the earth is capable of the delight of touching the ⟨trunk
of Sārvabhauma⟩, it is capable of the delight of touching the
⟨hands of universal sovereigns⟩ ; as a pool in the autumn-tide has
⟨white lotuses and (other varieties of) white lotuses⟩ submerged ⁵
by the water but revealed by swarms of bees hovering about and
intoxicated with ⁶ the perfume, so it has ⟨Kumuda and Puṇḍa-
rīka⟩ ; [119] as the Chandōviciti has the ⟨mālinī (metre)⟩ ⁷ it has
the ⟨Mālinī (river)⟩ ⁸ ; though it has its darkness destroyed, it is
⟨full of darkness⟩, for it has the ⟨Tamasā⟩ ; though it has ⁹ billows,
it is ⟨not difficult to cross on account of its billows⟩, for it is
⟨impassable for the Avīci-hell⟩.
‘ This city is also adorned in one place and another with trees
of pleasure gardens that produce ¹⁰ flowers multitudinous as the
hosts of stars ; [120] that prop up the clouds with shoots ¹¹ made
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ cheek.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ forest of pure matted locks of the circle of the Seven Sages.’
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ winding even now as if in the purification produced by its revolution in the cave of the terrible matted locks.’
⁴ Śiva.
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ deeply submerged.’
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘ and intoxicated with.’
⁷ See Weber, Ueber die Metrik der Inder, p. 391, Berlin, 1863. South Indian manuscripts give the name Chandōviciti to the sixteenth book of the Bhāratīya-nāṭyaśāstra (ed. Regnaud, ‘ La Métrique de Bharata,’ in Annales du Musée Guimet, 2, Paris, 1881), and Krishnamachariar (Introd., pp. 35-36) likewise discards the old hypothesis that the Chandōviciti mentioned by Subandhu was the one written by Daṇḍin.
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘ as the series of planets is adorned with ⟨Saturn, the moon, and the sun⟩, it has the ⟨Yamunā and flamingoes⟩; as the beauty of an autumnal day has ⟨the sound of yawning Brahminy ducks and Viṣṇu awakened⟩, it has ⟨blazing red lotuses and the eyes of expanded white lotuses⟩.’
⁹ Tel. ed., ‘ is full of.’
¹⁰ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text insert ‘ a multitude of flowers, as it were, of the santānaka-tree clinging to its pinnacles,’ the santānaka being one of the five trees of Indra's heaven.
¹¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ tips of shoots.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 79
uneven by the feeding of the horses of the chariot of the sun
which are obedient when lashed by the whip in the hands ¹ of
Anūru ; that show the beauty of an untimely evening by thou-
sands of thick, soft, young shoots ² produced by sprinkling with
quantities of drops of ambrosia adhering to the feet of the gazelle
in the moon ; that are ⟨refuges of joy most excellent⟩ as Bharata's
conduct was ⟨ever a refuge to Rāma⟩ ; that sustain ⟨cocoanut
palms⟩ as great heroes sustain the ⟨wanton sport of women⟩ ; that
extend wide the ⟨bedda-nut trees⟩ as raw youths let their ⟨eyes⟩
stray wide ³ ; that have ⟨lofty ⁴ iron-wood trees⟩ as lions bent on
cleaving the frontal lobes of must ⁵ elephants have ⟨bristling
manes⟩ ; that, though they have ⟨omens of approaching death⟩,
are «long-lived», for they indeed have ⟨soap-berry trees⟩ and
«saj-trees» ⁶ ; [121] it (the city) is filled with ⟨many temples⟩ as
the belly of Aditi is filled with ⟨hosts of many gods⟩ ; it is
adorned with ⟨great offerings⟩ and abounds in «gallants» as Hell
is adorned by ⟨great Bali⟩ and abounds in «serpents» ; it is pure
even through its ⟨drinking haunts⟩, because of its ⟨temples⟩ ; it is
free from calamities even through its ⟨serpents⟩, because of its
⟨wealthy⟩ inhabitants. Where also ⁷ dwells a king named Śr̥ṅgā-
raśēkhara, whose staff-like arms are marked with the impress ⁸ of
the jewelled earrings of sleeping women exhausted by much ⁹
passion ; whose lotus hands are fragrant with the perfume of
the garlands of flowers in the hair of the goddess of fortune of
his mighty adversaries ; [122] who makes ⟨the affairs of others
prosper in many ways⟩ like a far-famed field which yields ⟨great
store of grain⟩. He cleaves the ⟨might (of the foe), is pure, rules
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘hands.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘flower-shoots.’
³ Tel. ed., ‘have their faculties of politeness far away.’ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text
insert here, ‘that are devoted to the ⟨China rose⟩ as ascetics are devoted to ⟨muttered
prayers⟩; that are adorned with ⟨purging cassias⟩ as those ornamented are adorned
with ⟨made garlands⟩.’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘blooming.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘must.’
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘though ⟨provided with ascetics⟩, they are «dominated
by passion», for they are ⟨filled with muni-⟩ and «madana-»trees.’
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘there.’ ⁸ Tel. ed., ‘edges.’
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘vehemence.’

80 VĀSAVADATTĀ
justly, is free from envy and full of forethought, continually active,
a giver of wealth, and a cause of happiness⟩, being ⟨Indra, Agni,
Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Kubēra, and Śiva⟩ ; thus, though he
has ⟨eight forms⟩, he has «not eight forms», for he indeed has ⟨eight
qualities⟩¹ and his «form is indestructible» ; as Arjuna had ⟨Su-
bhadrā⟩ and «Bhīmasēna», he has ⟨good fortune⟩ and a «terrible
army» ; as ² Kṛṣṇa had ⟨Satyabhāmā⟩ together with «Bala», he
has ⟨truth, glory, and fortune⟩ together with an «army».
[123] ‘One ³ doth ⟨protect the gods⟩, yet ⟨drinketh wine⟩ ;
The other ⁴ hath a pure and single heart :
One ³ had a ⟨planet ⁵ for his council-lord⟩,
And still ⟨was taken in iniquity⟩⁶ ;
The other ⁴ loveth righteousness alone :
The hand of one ³ doth wield the ⟨thunderbolt⟩,
Yet lusteth after wealth ⟨ten millionfold⟩ ;
The other ⁴ giveth all, and by his side
Great Indra's self doth seem but worthless grass !
[124] ‘In battle dread our king ⁴ doth draw his bow,
Launching his arrows at the hostile host ;
Yea, dealeth doom unto his enemies
And winneth glory on the blood-dyed field.
On haste the foe, deeming his valour fled,
But swift their headless corpses strew the ground ;
And ere our monarch stands amidst the fray,
Death doth abide within the foemen's ranks.⁷
[125] ‘While this king, skilled in kingly conduct, the conductor
of the world with its girdle of four seas,⁸ rules the earth, there is
loosing of a ⟨bull⟩ in sacrifice ⁹ to ancestors (but there is no loos-
ing of ⟨law⟩) ; there is ascent of ⟨Virgo and Libra⟩ by the moon
¹ The eight duties of the king are receiving, giving, sending, stopping, pronouncing,
overseeing, condemning, and acquitting.
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text transfer these characterisations to the previous sentence.
³ Indra. ⁴ Śṛṅgāraśēkhara. ⁵ Bṛhaspati (Jupiter).
⁶ That is, in adultery with Ahalyā, the wife of Bṛhaspati.
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘Unto their doom the foemen's ranks have passed.’
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘girdle of the four oceans.’
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘sacrifices.’

(but there is no ascent of the ‹balance by girls›) ¹ ; there is thought
of ‹śūla and vyāghāta› in yōgas ² (but there is no thought of
‹striking with the impaling stake›) ; there is cessation of ‹ichor›
on elephants' cheeks (but there is no cessation of ‹generosity›) ³ ;
there is ‹employment› of the right and left hands in indicating
direction ⁴ (but there is no ‹amputation› of right and left hands) ;
there is a ‹separation of cream› in the case of curds (but there is
no ‹piercing with arrows›) ; [126] there is a ‹series of connexions›
in sound-composition (but there is no ‹binding in fetters›) ; there
are ‹similes and paraleipses› among the adornments of poetry ⁵
(but there is no ‹reproach because of carelessness›) ; there is a ‹fall-
ing off of bits of targets› of arrows (but there is no ‹cessation in
the joy of giving lacs›) ; there is ‹entire destruction of kvips› ⁶ (but
there is no ‹destruction of all birds›) ; there is ‹closing of buds› in
lotus-pools (but there is no ‹shrinkage of treasure› ⁷) ; there is ‹loss
of caste› among rascals, but there is no ‹lack of Malabar jasmines›
in garlands of flowers ⁸ ; there is cessation of ‹ichor› in aged ele-
phants, but there is no cessation of ‹passion› among men ; [127]
there is ‹silver› in bracelets ⁹ and the like, but there is no ‹bad
caste connexion› among fair women ; there is ‹interruption of the
gāndhāra mode› in the musical scale, but there is no ‹surrender of
minium› among ladies in the city ¹⁰ ; there is ‹absence of roughness›

¹ That is, it is not necessary for any maiden to undergo the ordeal by balance (cf.
Jolly, Recht und Sitte, p. 145, Strassburg, 1896).
² ‘Die Zeit, welche die Summe der Bewegung in Länge von Sonne und Mond
beansprucht, um den Betrag der Ausdehnung eines Mondhauses, d. i. 13° 20′, zu
erreichen, heisst ein yoga’ (Ginzel, Handbuch der mathematischen und technischen
Chronologie, 1. 361, Leipzig, 1906). The yōgas śūla (106° 40′-120° 0′) and vyāghāta
(160° 0′-173° 20′) correspond to the ninth and thirteenth lunar mansions respectively
(ib. p. 362). Tel. ed., ‘in parturitons there is thought of being struck with pangs’;
Srirangam text, ‘yōga-exercises.’
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit.
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘indications of direction.’
⁵ Tel. ed. omits ‘of poetry.’
⁶ On the grammatical term kvip see Pāṇini, 3. 2. 61, 76, 87, 177.
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘among the people.’
⁸ Tel. ed., ‘there is ‹lack of Malabar jasmines› in garlands, but there is no ‹loss of
caste› in a wicked family’; Srirangam text, ‘in families.’
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘earrings.’
¹⁰ That is, none become widows. Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘there is know-
ledge of ‹intonation› in songs, but there is no knowledge of ‹fainting› among the people.
G

82 VĀSAVADATTĀ
among attendants of low rank, but there is no <lack of raiment>
among retainers ¹; there are <dark clouds> in the nights, but there
are no <dirty robes> among men ; [128] there are <quaver notes> in
songs, but there are no <fickle affections> among gallants ; there are
<outpourings of manly vigour> in tremulous delightsomeness, but
there is no <desertion of justice> among citizens ; there are <breaks>
in changing musical modes, but there is no <crookedness> in
thoughts ; there is lack of <limb> in the God of Love, but there
is no lack of <allegiance> in a retainer ; there is an approach of
<Love> at the appearance of youth, but there is no approach of
<Death> among subjects ; there are <wounds by the teeth> in
amorous delights, but there is no <slaughter of birds> among the
people ; there is a <binding of the girdle> in love's disports, but
there is no <tying of the tongue> in assent to generosity ; [129]
there is <redness of the lower lip> among young girls, but there
is no <base inclination> among subjects ; there is <cutting> in the
case of hair, but there is no <spinning> ² among women ; there is
<swordship> of ³ swords, but there is no <cruelty> of men ⁴ ; <death by the sword> is ordained of warriors,⁵ but there is no <loss of taxes or children>.⁶
‘ And set above all the harem is the chief queen,⁷ named Anaṅ-
gavatī, who has a <host of delighted attendants> as the ichorous
streak on the cheek ⁸ of the world-elephant has a <swarm of de- lighted bees> ; [130] who is <tender> like Pārvatī <with the beautiful
Kumāra>.⁹ And in some way, by Heaven's will, there was born
¹ Tel. ed., ‘ there is lack of <toil> among attendants of low rank, but there is no lack of <silk> in undergarments.’
² Cf. Quintus Curtius, 5. 2. 19 ‘ Non aliud magis in contumeliam Persarum feminae accipiunt quam admouere lanae manus.’ Even the modern weaver castes of India rank only as ‘ clean Śūdras ’ (Bhattacharya, Hindu Castes and Sects, pp. 227–236, Calcutta, 1896).
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ in.’ ⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ in minds.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ in battles.’
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘ among subjects.’
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘ of that king thus constituted.’
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘ on the cheek.’
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ who is <tender> and adorned with a «golden diadem» as Pārvatī has the <beautiful Kumāra> and is adorned with a «digit of the moon»; who is lovely with <fresh garlands> and has «her face adorned with a sectarian

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.’
G 2

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.'

as flocks of birds ¹ in a beautiful tank dislike ² the ‹basil›;
[135] that has the beauty of the ‹indrāṇī-plant› as Śakra
delights in ‹Indrāṇī› ³; that ‹surpasses the wormwood-tree› as
a great hero ⁴ ‹subdues his foes›; that has the ‹beauty of globe-
amaranths› as a knave has ‹unimpaired good fortune›.
[136] ‘When spring-tide is far advanced on earth, who is not
transformed,⁵ since even an ‹emancipated ascetic beamed›, for
the ‹mango with its creeper bloomed›? Like a ‹feather-guard› ⁶
the swarm of bees shone as a ‹protection›, nestling on the arrow-
shaft of the fresh mango-buds ⁷ of Him whose arrows are flowers.
Upon the Arabian jasmine-bud ⁸ that had come forth from its
stem the sweetly ⁹ humming bee [137] seemed to sound the
trumpet-call for Kāma’s march ¹⁰ to victory over the threefold
world. By its fresh shoots the ushoka, because of its longing to
be touched by a maiden’s ankleted foot,¹¹ red with the dye of new
lac, seemed to have assumed that colour.¹² The medlar-tree
shone as if, through sprinkling ¹³ with mouthfuls from amorous
girls’ lotus lips completely ¹⁴ filled with sweet wine, it had assumed
its (the wine’s) colour ¹⁵ in its own flowers. The ushoka-cluster,
dotted by multitudes of bees that had fallen within it, inflamed
the hearts ¹⁶ of travellers like the circlet of the half-extinguished
pyre of the Mind-Born God. [138] Like a necklace of pearls
and sapphires,¹⁷ the beauty of the spring-tide was radiant with
rows of blossoming Arabian jasmines and goodly swarms of bees.

¹ Tel. ed. omits ‘of birds.’ ² Tel. ed., ‘displease.’
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘that is ‹radiant with the indrāṇī-plant› as Śakra is
‹delightful to Indrāṇī›.’
⁴ Tel. ed., ‘as one of great wisdom.’
⁵ Tel. ed., ‘who would not be transformed’?
⁶ Tel. ed., ‘like the written series of the letters of a name,’ without attempt at
paronomasia; similarly the Srirangam text.
⁷ Tel. ed., ‘flowers.’
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘in the hollow of the expanded Arabian jasmines.’
⁹ Tel. ed. omits ‘sweetly.’ ¹⁰ Tel. ed. omits ‘march.’
¹¹ Tel. ed., ‘a maiden’s foot charming with the tinkling of an exquisite anklet.’
¹² Tel. ed., ‘that very colour.’
¹³ Tel. ed., ‘contact.’ ¹⁴ Tel. ed. omits ‘completely.’
¹⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘perfume.’ ¹⁶ Tel. ed., ‘minds.’
¹⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘like a necklace with pearls and sapphires.’

86 VĀSAVADATTĀ
The flower of the iron-wood tree was lovely as the wheel ¹ of the
God of Flowery Arrows for agitating the hearts of absentees.
The trumpet-flower seemed to be the hook of the God of the
Flowery Bow to catch the fish which are the hearts of the
travellers.²
[139] ‘The breeze of Malaya blew with odours of great
sweetness from the perfumes commingled by being crushed
by the braids on the sloping foreheads ³ of Lāṭa damsels, eager
for abundance ⁴ of amorous play; bearing the fragrance of the
perfume of saffron-dust on the urn-like bosoms ⁵ of fair Karṇāṭic
beauties, versed in all amorous arts; making the sky re-echo
with the sound of the very sweet ⁶ humming of swarms of bees,
collected because of the fragrance inherent in the splendour ⁷
of the hair of beautiful, artfully expert damsels of Kuntala ⁸;
skilful in gathering perfumes for marks on lovely cheeks of
Kērala girls, tremulous with the passion of young adolescence ⁹;
[140] cunning ¹⁰ to touch the round buttocks of large-buttocked
Mālava ingénues,¹¹ versed in all the four-and-sixty arts; cooled
by ¹² abundant drops of perspiration from the burden of the firm
and swelling breasts of Andhra dames, overcome by amorous
exhaustion.¹³
¹ Tel. ed., ‘round whetstone’; Srirangam text, ‘round whetstone for the arrows.’
² Cf. the quatrain of Bhartṛhari (Böhtlingk, Indische Sprüche, 2 ed., No. 6237,
St. Petersburg, 1870–1873) thus translated by Jackson (in Cosmopolitan Magazine,
26. 276):
‘Angling in life’s river, Men—those silly fishes—
Cupid drops his line; Quick dart up above;
On the hook he fastens Out he pulls and fries them
Some fair maiden fine. In the fire of love.’
³ Tel. ed., ‘perfume of flowers (Srirangam text, ‘association of the perfume of
medlar-flowers’) in the massy braids of hair dishevelled on the sloping brows.’
⁴ Tel. ed. omits ‘abundance.’
⁵ Tel. ed., ‘masses of saffron-dust on the pairs of fair, urn-like bosoms.’
⁶ Tel. ed. omits ‘very sweet.’ ⁷ Srirangam text, ‘swaying.’
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘on account of the delightful fragrance inherent in the
tresses of western beauties filled with love-longing.’
⁹ Tel. ed., ‘lifted up by young adolescence.’ ¹⁰ Tel. ed., ‘fortunate.’
¹¹ Tel. ed., ‘talkative Mālava damsels.’ ¹² Tel. ed., ‘cool from.’
¹³ On the erotic characteristics of women from the several districts of India see
Schmidt, Beiträge zur indischen Erotik, pp. 315–338, Leipzig, 1902, and for the ‘four-
and-sixty arts’ see ib. pp. 136–146.

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 87
'Meanwhile, being informed by Vāsavadattā's maids of honour
of her intention [not to wed],¹ Śr̥ṅgāraśēkhara brought together,
for his daughter's self-choice,² an assembly of the kings³ that
possess the entire earth. Then Vāsavadattā⁴ ascended a dais
noisy⁵ with the loud murmur of swarms of bees drunken with
the fragrance of the perfume⁶ of burning aloes; [141] that was
whitened by the radiance of the lustre of most vehement laughter⁷;
that was thronged with a multitude of suitors skilled in many
stories of ridicule of their rivals; [142] that was thronged with
swarms of bees from the pleasure groves of the city, attracted
by the fragrance of the burning incense⁸; that made the air
re-echo with <delightful music> as Arjuna's battle made the
air re-echo with <Nandighōṣa>.⁹
'And there stood¹⁰ princes: some <conquered courtesans> as
Kalāṅkura <had the adornments of his city conquered by the bird>¹¹; [143] others were <blind, swart, and without teachers> as
the Pāṇḍavas were <associated with Kr̥ṣṇa, Drāupadī, and their
teachers>; others had <hopes of joy>¹² exceeding¹³ full blown as
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'his daughter's intention.'
² On the 'self-choice' (svayaṁvara) of a husband, a special privilege of the warrior
caste, see Schmidt, op. cit. pp. 649-654; Jolly, Recht und Sitte, pp. 50-51, Strassburg,
1896; Post, Grundriss der ethnologischen Jurisprudenz, I. 18-19, Oldenburg, 1894-
1895; Schiefner, Tibetan Tales, tr. Ralston, pp. 282-284, London, 1906; Budhasvāmin,
Bṛhatkathāślōkasaṁgraha, 5. 80-93; 20. 93-121 (ed. Lacôte, Paris, 1908); and, in
modern folk-tales, Knowles, Folk-Tales of Kashmir, 2 ed., p. 494, London, 1893; Steel
and Temple, Wide-Awake Stories, p. 430 (references to further literature), Bombay,
1884; Natesa Sastri, Dravidian Nights, pp. 29-31, 61-67, 143, Madras, 1886;
Swynnerton, Indian Nights' Entertainment, pp. 160-161, 171, 289, London, 1892.
The svayaṁvara also forms one of the main motifs of the entire Kādambarī.
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'princes.'
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'the exquisitely hipped Vāsavadattā.'
⁵ Tel. ed., 'whose atmosphere resounded.' ⁶ Tel. ed., 'perfume of the smoke.'
⁷ Tel. ed., 'perfumed by the fragrance of the abundance of most vehement laughter.'
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'fragrance of the burning perfume materials of
bdellium and the like.'
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add 'with gifts of <parched grain> as a monarch's
audience-hall has gifts of <kings>; beautified with a <canopy> as a hermit's abode is
beautified with <sacrifices>; adorned with <flowers> as Indra's heaven is adorned with
<gods>.' ¹⁰ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'there, for an instant, stood.'
¹¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'some <knew courtesans> as Kalāṅkura <seized the adornments of the city>.' The bird in question is Garuḍa.
¹² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit 'of joy.'
¹³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit 'exceeding.'

88 VĀSAVADATTĀ
autumn days have ⟨cucumbers⟩¹ exceeding² full blown; others
desired the ⟨very beautiful girl⟩ as men eager to repel a foe³
desire ⟨their own army⟩; [144] some listened to ⟨Holi-songs⟩
as fowlers listen for ⟨birds⟩; some were intent on the pursuit
of ⟨(mere) appearance⟩ as hunters are intent on the pursuit of
⟨wild beasts⟩; some destroyed the doctrines of ⟨conventionality⟩
as adherents of the teachings of Jāimini destroy the doctrines of
the ⟨Buddhists⟩; some showed (only) the ⟨returns of the year⟩
as wagtails reveal ⟨gain for astrologers⟩; some uttered ⟨rather
doleful cries⟩ as the borders of Sumēru are ⟨made of gold⟩;
[145] some were ⟨dazzled at the sight of glorious folk⟩ as pools
of expanded⁴ white lotuses are ⟨closed at the sight of the sun⟩;
[146] some trusted in the delusion⁵ produced by the sight of the
⟨beauty of the universe⟩ as Duryōdhana trusted in the delusion⁵
produced by the sight of ⟨Kṛṣṇa⟩; some, though ⟨haughty within
themselves through the consciousness of their elephants⟩, had
goodly «steeds», for they were indeed ⟨powerful in their know-
ledge of self-defence⟩ and had goodly «arms»; some, though
desiring to ⟨seize the hands (of their foes)⟩, thought «to give
life», for indeed, desiring ⟨to wed (Vāsavadattā)⟩, they thought
«of a thing not easy to do»; [147] some, though ⟨subdued⟩,
were «stalwart», for they were indeed ⟨dejected⟩ and «motion-
less»; some had their ⟨peace⟩ taken away on account of their
ignorance of the mysteries of their «senses» as the Pāṇḍava princes
had their ⟨lands⟩ taken away on account of their ignorance of
the mysteries of the «dice»; some were ⟨Guṇāḍhyas⟩, authors
of «Bṛhatkathās», for they were ⟨rich in hunting-nets⟩ (and)
authors of «great stories»⁶; others were ⟨winds⟩ with «sweet
breezes», for ⟨they went in crooked ways⟩ (and) «bore perfumes»⁷;
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘quarters of the sky.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘exceeding.’
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘eager for attack.’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘expanded.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘marvels of the delusion.’
⁶ Tel. ed., ‘some followed after ⟨great stories⟩ as Guṇāḍhyas follow after ⟨Bṛhat-
kathās⟩’; similarly the Srirangam text.
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘others bore ⟨perfumes⟩ as winds bear ⟨sweet breezes⟩.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 89
[148] some manifested hopes on account of ⟨crows⟩ as the troops
of the Kurus manifested hopes on account of ⟨Drōṇa⟩¹; some
were unable to bear the ⟨glory of heroes⟩ as white lotus groups
are unable to bear the ⟨rays of the sun⟩. And² having regarded
them one by one, [149] the princess retired from the dais with
loveless heart.
‘Then in a dream³ that very night she saw a youth adorned
with an ⟨armlet⟩ as Vāli was adorned by ⟨Aṅgada⟩; ⟨with pearls
about his neck⟩ as the koel ⟨has a sweet note⟩; skilful in attracting
the ⟨fair⟩ as the golden gazelle was skilful in attracting ⟨Rāma⟩;
[150] rejoicing ⟨the ears of his elders⟩ by his nectarous words as
Jayanta rejoiced ⟨Indra⟩; ⟨to whom gave he not joy⟩ as Kṛṣṇa
⟨gave no joy to Kaṁsa⟩?; with ⟨swift-moving hands⟩ as a great
cloud has ⟨glittering hail⟩⁴; the elemental root of the tree of
beauty⁵; the hill of ascent for the jewel of passion⁶; the
mountain of origin of streams of delightful stories⁷; the spring-
tide month of the mango of dexterity; the mirror of the face
of nobility⁸; [151] the elemental seed of the tendrils of know-
ledge; the chosen spouse of glory⁹; the rival house to Lakṣmī
and Sarasvatī¹⁰; the original abode of proficiency in virtue; the
¹ Tel. ed., ‘some showed ⟨a knowledge of crows⟩ as the troops of the Kurus showed
⟨the teaching of Drōṇa⟩.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘and immediately.’
³ Tel. ed. omits ‘in a dream.’ For instances in modern folk-tales of the heroine
falling in love with the hero from a dream see Frere, Old Deccan Days, 2 ed., p. 119,
London, 1870; Temple, Legends of the Panjāb, 2. 278–279; 3. 370–371, Bombay,
1884–1900; Swynnerton, Indian Nights’ Entertainment, pp. 248–251, London, 1892
(where, as in the Vāsavadattā, both the hero and the heroine dream of each other).
⁴ Tel. ed. adds ‘with ⟨great truthfulness and glory⟩ as the ocean has ⟨great beasts
and the (Vāḍava) fire⟩; composed, as it were, of pure rivers—his hair the ⟨Mālinī⟩, for
it was ⟨garlanded⟩; his nose the ⟨Tuṅgabhadrā⟩, for it was ⟨aquiline and graceful⟩; his
lip the ⟨Śōṇa⟩, for it was ⟨red⟩; his voice the ⟨Narmadā⟩, for it ⟨gave pleasure⟩; his arm
the ⟨Gōdā⟩, for it ⟨gave the earth⟩; and his fame the ⟨Ganges⟩, for it ⟨sustained the
heavens⟩.’ So also the Srirangam text, except for the omission of ‘⟨with great truth-
fulness⟩’ and ‘⟨great beasts⟩.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘love.’
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘for the multitude of jewels of all the qualities.’
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘streams of stories of delightsome love.’
⁸ Tel. ed., ‘the mirror of beauty.’
⁹ Tel. ed., ‘Sarasvatī.’
¹⁰ Tel. ed., ‘glory and Lakṣmī.’

90 VĀSAVADATTĀ
treasury, as it were, of great loveliness ¹; with a form seductive ²
in the threefold world. And he is named Kandarpakētu, the
son of a king named Cintāmaṇi. And even in sleep she heard
his name and the like.³
‘Straightway (she thought): “O Prajāpati! This I consider
perfection in the creation of beauty! [152] He has been formed
by the Lote-Born God,⁴ who, with his mind eager to behold the
loveliness of his own skill,⁵ took the atoms of beauty inherent
in the threefold world ⁶! Otherwise, how is there possibly such
perfect grace in him? In vain did Damayantī endure the hard-
ship of dwelling in the forest ⁷ for Nala’s sake. [153] Uselessly
did Indumatī, even though a queen, become enamoured of Aja.⁸
Fruitlessly Śakuntalā suffered the curse of Durvāsas for Duṣ-
manta’s sake. To no purpose Madanamañjarī loved Naravāhana-
datta.⁹ [154] In vain was Rambhā, whose thighs surpassed the
plantain,¹⁰ enamoured of Nalakūbara. Fruitlessly did Dhūmōrṇā
long for Yama among the thousands of Gandharvas, Gaṇas, and
many gods ¹¹ who came to her self-choice.” ¹²
[155] ‘Thus meditating in many ways, as if she had ascended
the midst of the fire of separation, as if she were swallowed up
by the flame of the Vāḍava fire,¹³ as if she were devoured by the
awful fire of the flame of the Last Day,¹⁴ as if she had entered
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘the treasury of the wealth of great loveliness.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘delightful.’
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘even in sleep she heard his name and the like, that
“he is Kandarpakētu, the son of a king named Cintāmaṇi.” ’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘formed by the Creator.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘with his mind eager to behold his skill all at once.’
⁶ Tel. ed., ‘beauty of the totality of the threefold world.’
⁷ Tel. ed., ‘endure hardship in the forest.’
⁸ See Raghuvaṁśa, 6. 8. ⁹ This legend is apparently now lost.
¹⁰ See Rāmāyaṇa 7. 26. Tel. ed., ‘who surpassed the plantain on the slopes of
Mount Mēru by the massiness of her thighs.’
¹¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘among the hosts of gods.’ The allusion is apparently
based on Rig-Veda 10. 10.
¹² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘vainly Ṛddhi found Kubēra among the Gan-
dharvas and Yakṣas. Fruitlessly the mind of Pulōman’s daughter clave to the Lord of
the Gods (Indra).’
¹³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘flame of the fire of love.’
¹⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘as if seized by the fire of Spring, as if devoured by
the awful flame of the southern breeze.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 91
into the caverns of hell ¹; thinking of Kandarpakētu as if he
were carven on her heart, which was emptied of all its faculties,²
as if he were engraved there, inlaid, riveted, swallowed up, joined
by strongest cement,³ entered into the frame of her bones, within
her vitals, flecked with her marrow's pith, enveloped in her breath,
placed in her inmost soul, [156] liquefied in her sheltering ⁴ blood,
distributed through her flesh ; as if mad,⁵ as if deaf, as if dumb,
as if listless, as if abandoning all her faculties, as if swooning, as
if blasted by a planet, as if surrounded by a series of the billows ⁶
of the sea of youth, as if enveloped by the bonds of love, as if
pierced by Kāma's flowery arrows, as if reeling from the venom
of the thought of love,⁷ as if shaken ⁸ by the arrows of the con-
templation of beauty, as if bereft of life by the winds of Malaya
(she exclaimed) : " Dear friend Anaṅgalēkhā, put thy lotus hand
upon my heart ! The pain of separation is hard to bear ! Foolish
Madanamañjarī, [157] sprinkle sandal water ⁹! Simple Vasanta-
sēnā, bind my heavy hair ! Fickle Taraṅgavatī, scatter the
screw-pines' pollen ¹⁰! Gauche Madanamālinī, fan me with bits
of śāivala ¹¹! Trivial Citralēkhā,¹² trace in a picture ¹³ the thief of
my thoughts ! Noble ¹⁴ Vilāsavatī, scatter an abundance of pearl-
dust ¹⁵ ! Passionate Rāgalēkhā, cover my bosom with a quantity
of lotus leaves ! Dear ¹⁶ Kāntimatī, gently ¹⁷ wipe away my tear-
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'into the house of the hell of madness.'
² Tel. ed., 'as if emptied of all her faculties ; thinking of Kandarpakētu as if he
were carven on her heart.'
³ Tel. ed., 'adamant.' ⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit 'sheltering.'
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add 'as if blind.'
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'rolling billows.'
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'from the poisonous fluid of the thought of love.'
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'pierced.'
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'sprinkle my limbs with sandal water'!
¹⁰ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'scatter the screw-pines' pollen on my limbs'!
¹¹ Tel. ed., 'with a bunch of śāivāla'; Srirangam text, 'make a bracelet with a bunch
of śāivāla '!
¹² Tel. ed., 'Citrārēkhā.'
¹³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'on a tablet.'
¹⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'beautiful.'
¹⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add 'on my limbs.'
¹⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'most dear.'
¹⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'very gently.'