Part Five: Desiring, Lotus-Eyed Krishna
Krishna told the friend of Rádhá:
here I wait but say these words
to pacify and make her come.
At this the friend to Radha went.
Tenth Song
Malaya breezes speak of swelling passions,
blooms in opening tear at lovers' hearts:
forest-garlanded, he sits apart.
To him the cooling moon-beam seems as fire,
the falling love god's arrows leave him hurt:
forest-garlanded, he sits apart.
As though beset by humming bees at night
he puts the pain of absence out of mind:
forest-garlanded, he sits apart.
He leaves his pleasant house to live in thickets,
and rolls on earth, his bed, and calls your name:
forest-garlanded, he sits apart.
Poet Jayadeva tells of loving's
parting: Hari favours fervent thought:
forest-garlanded, he sits apart.
* * *
As was passion first accomplished, now
is Mádhava inside his river bower,
constantly in thought and chanting prayers
to have the ferment of your spilling breasts.
Eleventh Song
To the love god's sporting house he's gone:
where you must follow him with heavy hips.
Steady breezes sweep the Yamuná
and on its leafy shoreline Krishna lives.
He plays your name and softly on his flute,
adores the air's light pollen you have touched.
Steady breezes sweep the Yamuná
and on its leafy shoreline Krishna lives.
No leaf or feather falls but you are near,
his eyes make incantations on the bed.
Steady breezes sweep the Yamuná
and on its leafy shoreline Krishna lives.
Leave off the anklets that betray your sport,
but in the darkest thicket, friend, delight.
Steady breezes sweep the Yamuná
and on its leafy shoreline Krishna lives.
Be on Krishna's breast as falling cranes,
the flash that lights up thunder clouds.
Steady breezes sweep the Yamuná
and on its leafy shoreline Krishna lives.
Let fall the girdle cloth from your strong hips:
your bliss his treasure in that bed of leaves.
Steady breezes sweep the Yamuná
and on its leafy shoreline Krishna lives.
The night is ending, and in Krishna's pride
fulfill the words I gave to his desire.
Steady breezes sweep the Yamuná
and on its leafy shoreline Krishna lives.
Jayadeva speaks to honour Krishna:
bow to him who is compassionate.
Steady breezes sweep the Yamuná
and on its leafy shoreline Krishna lives.
* * *
Around and round about he sighs and watches,
and fights, as bees in thickets, for his breath,
and makes, remakes the bed, and still he watches:
tired, by love bewildered, still he waits.
Your stubbornness now quenched as setting sun,
and Krishna's passion thickening with night,
the long-lamenting cuckoo bird repeats
delay is useless: let the lovers meet.
How many through the dark on some affair,
impelled by pleasure and in passion keen
to clasp and kiss and claw their bodies, find
then bashfully it is their spouse they greet?
Still fearful, trembling on the gloomy path,
by each tree loitering, and with crossing step,
she comes with promises of fortune in
her face and love god moving through her limbs.