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

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