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

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.'

drops ¹! [158] Come, good Sleep! Be kind to me! Alas!
what is the use of my remaining faculties? Only too truly my
other members were not made an eye by the Creator! Lord
of the Flowery Weapons, this the supplication to thee: ‘Attend
thou upon a man of such a sort’ ²! [159] Breeze of Malaya,
that teacheth to behold the woe ³ of love, blow as thou wilt ; my
life is gone”! Thus speaking in phrases manifold, she ⁴ swooned,
together with her friends.
‘Straightway, having her life revived by the exertions of her
servants, now ⁵ upon the strand of the bank of a river ⁶ of exceed-
ing cool camphor water, now on the shore of a stream of most
chill sandal-wood water, now in the shade of trees ⁷ on the banks
of pools covered with forests of lotuses,⁸ [160] now in plantain
groves whose leaves were swayed by the wind, now on couches
of flowers,⁹ now on beds of lotus-leaves,¹⁰ with her body burned
by the fierce separation-fire of the collection of the rays of the
twelve suns arisen at the time of the world’s destruction, exces-
sively emaciated, and, as it were, lifeless ¹¹ (she cried): “His lotus
mouth with its lote-like lower lip overspread with a smile white
as the lustre of the tremulous waves of the milk-ocean agitated
by mighty, trembling Mandara ¹²! [161] His pair of eyes
enamoured of his ⟨ears⟩ as a company of Brāhmans is enamoured
of ⟨Holy Writ⟩! The beauty of his straight nose which is spread
full ¹³ far abroad, as if eager to breathe the innate perfume of
his fragrant mouth! His row of teeth lovely as a digit of the
¹ Tel. ed. adds ‘Yūthikā, jasmine-adorned, agitate the damp winds with a fan of
bits of plantain’!; Srirangam text, ‘bits of reed.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘be thou obedient to one like me’!
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘great joy.’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘Vāsavadattā.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘led by her attendants.’
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘on the bank of a river filled with.’
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘sandal-wood trees.’
⁸ Tel. ed., ‘with very red dhak-trees, lotuses, and kadambas’; similarly the Sriran-
gam text.
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘shoots of flowers.’
¹⁰ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘now on rocks cooled by masses of camphor.’
¹¹ Tel. ed. adds ‘devoid of strength.’ ¹² Tel. ed., ‘very greatly agitated.’
¹³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘full.’

moon freed from blemish and white as a mass of foamy milk ¹ !
His beauty never seen before, surpassing Kāma ² ! Those
blessèd places and people, the pure letters of his name, [162] and
the righteous things which have been adorned by him ” ³ !
‘ Over and over thinking thus, as if he were painted on the
quarters and sub-quarters ⁴ (of the sky), as if he were engraved
on the cloud, as if he were reflected in her eye, she painted him
in a picture as if he had been seen before, and kept gazing here
and there.⁵ Then her confidante, named Tamālikā, having
regarded her together with her friends, was sent to observe the
feelings of Kandarpakētu ; [163] and she came with me and is
standing right here beneath the tree.’ ⁶
So speaking, he (the parrot) ceased. Then Makaranda, rising
joyfully, told Tamālikā of the affair ; and she, courtesying, pre-
sented an epistle to Makaranda.⁷ Then he ⁸ read it himself :
[164] ‘E’en when her eyes behold her lover true,
A maiden wavereth ’twixt hope and fear ;
But when she only dreameth of his troth,
Ah, then, what fond assurance can she have ’ ⁹ ?
¹ Tel. ed., ‘ white as the foam of delicate nectar from a collection of the digits ’ ;
Srirangam text, ‘ beautiful as a collection of the digits.’
² Tel. ed., ‘ his beauty, surpassing Kāma in visible form ’ !
³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ those blessed places, those pure people, the lucky
letters of his name, the things adorned by him ’ !
⁴ Srirangam text omits ‘ sub-quarters.’
⁵ Tel. ed., ‘ she kept looking for him here and there as if he were painted on the sky,
reflected in her eye, or seen before in a picture ’; similarly the Srirangam text.
⁶ Cf. Gray, ‘ Literary Studies on the Sanskrit Novel,’ in WZKM. 18. 43–45, 48–49,
for paintings of beloved objects ; and for instances of love letters and confidantes as love
messengers in modern Indian tales see Temple, Legends of the Panjāb, 1. 237; 2. 280–283,
295–297 ; 3. 372–375, Bombay, 1884–1900 ; Knowles, Folk-Tales of Kashmir, 2 ed.,
p. 68, London, 1893 ; Swynnerton, Romantic Tales from the Panjāb, p. 389, West-
minster, 1903, and Indian Nights’ Entertainment, pp. 171, 252, London, 1892. Cf.
also Cimmino, L’Uso delle didascalie nel dramma indiano, pp. 35–36, Naples, 1912.
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ then Kandarpakētu, rising joyfully and calling Tamā-
likā, made known the state of affairs. She, courtesying, presented him an epistle.’
⁸ Tel. ed., ‘ then Makaranda, taking it, read it himself ’ ; Srirangam text, ‘ then
Makaranda, taking and untying the epistle, read it himself.’ For the confidant not
only reading the heroine’s love letter to the hero, but also writing one to her for him,
see Swynnerton, Indian Nights’ Entertainment, pp. 171, 252, London, 1892.
⁹ The literal translation of this stanza is given above, Introduction, p. 26.

94 VĀSAVADATTĀ
Hearing this, Kandarpakētu, being above all joy ¹ as if plunged
in the ocean of ambrosia, rising slowly ² with both his arms out-
stretched, embraced Tamālikā. Then, asking her ³ the entire
story of Vāsavadattā,—‘What does she do? What does she
say? How is she’? and the like—Kandarpakētu set forth,
having passed the night there, and likewise the day.⁴
[165] Meanwhile even that Blessed One whose garland is rays
had descended to the middle world as if to tell the ⁵ story.
Then into the water of the western sea sank the jewel of day,
having the form of the disc in the crest of the cock of day;
moving slowly, as if because of the grief brought upon multitudes ⁶
of Brahminy ducks ; charming with clusters of the flowers of the
coral-tree ⁷; possessed of the loveliness of the frontal lobes of
Indra’s elephant, splashed with red lead ⁸; with a circlet like
unto an earring of the jewel in the hood of the monstrous
Vāsuki, undulating beneath the bond of the mass ⁹ of tangled
locks of Śiva, shaken by the impetuous motion of his revel dance;
[166] delightful as a mass ¹⁰ of succulent barley to a bulling cow
at evening ¹¹; with the beauty of a ruddy ¹² jewelled earring of a
courtesan of the west ¹³; formed like the rounded shoulder of the
buffalo of day, cloven by the sword of blackness ¹⁴; [167] the
Black Ascetic’s begging-bowl, as it were, filled with honey ¹⁵;
seeming to be the beauty of the clouds with clusters of unfading
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘deeming himself, as it were, above all joy.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘very slowly.’
³ Srirangam text, ‘and then, sitting with her, he asked her.’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘Kandarpakētu, with her and his friend, set forth
from that place, having passed the day exactly there.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘this.’ ⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘hearts.’
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘coral-tree of the western mount.’
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘coloured with a line of red lead.’
⁹ Tel. ed., ‘in the hood of monstrous undulating Vāsuki, bound in the diadem of
the mass’; similarly the Srirangam text.
¹⁰ Srirangam text, ‘dish.’
¹¹ Tel. ed., ‘delightful as a moist line of lac to a woman at evening.’
¹² Tel. ed. omits ‘ruddy.’
¹³ Srirangam text, ‘earring of Varuṇa’s darling.’
¹⁴ Is there here a covert allusion to the victory of Kālī (Durgā) over the demon Mahiṣa?
¹⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘the skull, filled with sweet honey, of the Celestial
Ascetic.’

flowers ; like unto a cluster ¹ from the ushoka-tree of heaven ; the
golden mirror, so to say, of a wanton of the west ² ; with the
aspect of a branch of a coral-tree shaken by the motion of the
tossing waves.
And ³ gradually, [168] when the trees had their tops melodious
with the soft notes of multitudes of sparrows, free from quarrels
with each other ⁴ and desirous of their nests after having rolled
in the dust and flown up again ; when the crows were eager for
home ; when the inner apartments ⁵ gave forth the fragrance of
the incense of aloes burning constantly ; when the old men were
angered at interruptions ⁶ from the confused murmur of young
folks eager to hear the poetic ⁷ tales begun by the sages seated on
the banks of the Taṭinī, adorned with millet-grass ; when the
children longed for slumber, soothed with very light hands by old
women ⁸ who told them stories ⁹ with tongues tremulous in the
lullaby ; [169] when the courtesans had assumed the insignia of
passion ; when the sages had entered upon their evening devo-
tions, disgusted at hearing manifold obscene words ¹⁰ from harlots
possessed by their paramours ¹¹ ; when the forest regions had the
surfaces of the very soft sites of cow-stalls occupied by herds of
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘clusters of flowers.’
² Tel. ed. adds ‘‹going toward the west› and ‹red› as Bhadra was ‹addicted to
brandy› and was ‹amorous› ; abandoning ‹its rays› and ‹cloudy› as a foolish man
abandons ‹his wealth› and is ‹dejected› ; with red ‹rays› as a Buddhist mendicant has
red ‹garments› ; possessed of ‹understanding› as the sun was possessed of ‹Saṃjñā›’ ;
so also the Srirangam text, except ‘mighty Bhadra’ for ‘Bhadra’ and ‘poor man’ for
‘foolish man.’
³ Tel. ed., ‘then’ ; Srirangam text, ‘and then.’ This entire sentence is translated
and compared with Harṣacarita, Jamnu ed., 1879, pp. 30, 2-36, 4 (tr. Cowell and
Thomas, pp. 67-68, London, 1897), by Cartellieri, ‘Subandhu and Bāṇa,’ in WZKM.
I. 118-124.
⁴ Tel. ed. omits ‘with each other.’
⁵ Tel. ed., ‘interstices in the lattices of the inner apartments.’
⁶ Tel. ed., ‘filled with anger at the sound of’ ; Srirangam text, ‘desirous of the
cessation of the sound of.’
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘poetic.’
⁸ Tel. ed., ‘when the children, longing for slumber, were attended by old women
who were pleased at being patted by very light hands’ ; similarly the Srirangam text.
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘many stories.’
¹⁰ Srirangam text, ‘had their ears disgusted by hundreds of obscene words.’
¹¹ Tel. ed., ‘when fair women were disgusted . . . ; when the sages had entered
upon their evening devotions.’

96 VĀSAVADATTĀ
antelopes slowly ruminating; when the thick woods ¹ had nests
filled with multitudes of sleepy crows ²; [170] when the trees of
the hermitages ³ had ⁴ families of monkeys without their monkey
tricks ⁵; when the flocks of owls that dwelt in huts within the
hollows of aged trees were eager to set out; when the lamplight
flashed forth ⁶ as if the tips ⁷ of the rays of the sun had burst into
a flame, going forth to affright the darkness; when He ⁸ whose
banner is a fish, who steals the mind of all the world,⁹ and who
hath a resonant bow, was unceasingly ¹⁰ raining a shower of
arrows; [171] when the courtesans, lovely in their attire of
passion's task ¹¹ and devoted to bawdy talk, were arranging their
adornment; when women had their hips resonant with girdle-
zones ¹² bound on by their attendants; [172] when the courtyards
had people hurrying to go to the houses of many folk ¹³ who were
continuing their narration of interrupted tales ¹⁴; when the pleasure
gardens ¹⁵ were inhabited by the cocks; when the peacocks had
ascended their perches; when the householders had performed
the duties of eventide; when the swarms of bees were reposing ¹⁶
¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘clumps of village trees.’
² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ravens awakening from sleep.’
³ Srirangam text, ‘trees in the gardens.’
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘were filled with.’ [noisy cries.’
⁵ Tel. ed. adds ‘when the trees in the gardens had flocks of cranes devoid of their
⁶ Tel. ed. omits ‘forth.’ ⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘branches.’
⁸ Kāma. ⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘all things living.’
¹⁰ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘unceasingly.’
¹¹ Tel. ed., ‘charming and lovely in passion’s attire.’ ¹² Tel. ed., ‘girdle-adornments.’
¹³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘houses of tellers of tales.’
¹⁴ On the popularity of telling stories at night in India see Steel and Temple, Wide-
Awake Stories, pp. vii, 2–3, Bombay, 1884; Swynnerton, Rājā Rasālu, p. 152, Calcutta,
1884; Day, Folk-Tales of Bengal, p. 176, London, 1883. According to some Oriental
traditions (Rohde, Griechischer Roman, 2 ed., p. 593, Leipzig, 1900), telling stories at
night was imported from Greece to India by Alexander the Great. But the custom
prevails widely, being found, for instance, among the natives of Guiana (Im Thurn,
Among the Indians of Guiana, p. 216, London, 1883), the North American Indians
(Waitz, Anthropologie der Naturvölker, 3. 234–235, Leipzig, 1862), the Micronesians (ib.
5. 2. 81, Leipzig, 1870), the Africans (Nassau, Fetichism in West Africa, p. 330, London,
1904; Struyf, ‘Aus dem Märchenschatz der Bakongo (Niederkongo),’ in Anthropos, 3.
742), and in Europe generally (MacCulloch, Childhood of Fiction, p. 2, London, 1905).
It should also be noted that the entire story of the parrot in the Kādambarī (pp. 101,
614–615, Bombay ed., 1890 (tr. Ridding, pp. 46, 203, London, 1896)) is told at night.
¹⁵ Tel. ed. adds ‘of the Kirātas’; Srirangam text, ‘of Kirāta houses.’
¹⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘in crooked beds.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 97

in huts within the hollows of lotus-buds, narrow because the tips
of their filaments were bent up and down ¹ in their contraction ² ;
—then, with the thought : ‘ By this path the lordly shining (sun)
must go ’! the lordly twilight was seen, as if with raiment of all
manner of cloth ³; as if a continuous tessellated pavement of
jewels made by Ocean ⁴; [173] as if containing the blood of the
buffalo of day, cloven by blackness ⁵; as if a coral-creeper of
the great ocean of the sky ⁶; as if the red lotus of the pool of the
heavens ; as if the golden bridge ⁷ of the progress ⁸ of Kāma ; as
if the madder-hued, ruddy banner of the palace of the sky; with
a yellow ⟨sky⟩ as at her self-choice Lakṣmī chose Him ⁹ of the
yellow ⟨robes⟩; devoted to the ⟨stars⟩ and with a red ≪atmosphere≫
as a female (Buddhist) ascetic is devoted to ⟨Tārā⟩ and wears red
≪garments≫.¹⁰
And straightway ¹¹—while the courtesans seemed to be pupils ¹²
of the twilight skilled in ⟨arrangements of pleasure-giving
(musical) modes⟩, for they were skilled in ⟨amorous tricks of
night⟩¹³; [174] while the sky seemed to be a street of shops
devoid of ⟨them that hold the balance⟩, for it was devoid of ⟨the
sustainers ¹⁴ of Libra⟩; while the lotuses had the folds of their
buds tightly ¹⁵ closed ; while bees ¹⁶ wandered here and there over
¹ Tel. ed., ‘ bent high up.’ ² Srirangam text, ‘ instantaneous contraction.’
³ Tel. ed., ‘ with raiment of cloth on every side ’ ; similarly the Srirangam text.
⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ made by Ocean for the sun.’
⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ cloven by the sword of blackness.’ Is there here
a covert allusion to the victory of Kālī (Durgā) over the demon Mahiṣa ?
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ creeper of the western ocean.’
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ golden banner.’
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ chariot.’ ⁹ Viṣṇu.
¹⁰ Tel. ed. adds ‘ ⟨reddened with buds⟩ as a courtesan is ⟨addicted to paramours⟩ ;
with ⟨liver-red clouds⟩ as a beautiful woman has ⟨her breasts copper-coloured with
saffron⟩ ; with reddish ⟨stars⟩ as an ichneumon has reddish ⟨eyes⟩ ’ ; so also the
Srirangam text, except ‘ fair-faced dame ’ for ‘ courtesan.’
¹¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ then straightway.’
¹² Srirangam text omits ‘ pupils.’
¹³ Tel. ed., ‘ when the courtesans were skilled, as it were, in nightly amours ; when
the flashing lamplights seemed to be pupils of the twilight ’ ; with no attempt at
paronomasia.
¹⁴ The moon, etc., according to Śivarāma.
¹⁵ Tel. ed. omits ‘ tightly.’
¹⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ swarms of bees.’
H