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

60 VĀSAVADATTĀ increases the pride of passion¹; heavy with the fall of the hearts of all mankind; the fruits of the mighty tree of existence; the product of the great tree of youth; two Brahminy ducks, charm- ing with necklaces of pearl for lotus-filaments²; [58] fruits of the tree of Prayāga, which seemed to stand at the juncture of the line of down with her necklace of pearl³; the solitary dwelling⁴ of the God of Love when overcome by weariness from the con- quest of the triple world. (She was) beauteous with a bud-like lower lip which had the glow of eventide in close proximity⁵ to her moon-like face; which had what seemed to be a minium seal as a guard for the jewels of her teeth; [59] which was coloured, as it were, by the flushing redness of her heart⁶; which was, so to say, a fresh bud⁷ of the coral-tree from Passion’s sea. (She was) adorned by a pair of eyes which were longer than a very tender screw-pine blossom; with languidly tremulous glances; giving rise to a suspicion that they were the windows of wanton Love abiding in the inner chamber of her heart; causing beatitude by their very passion; [60] with redness in their corners as if for anger at her ears, which hindered their further extension⁸; seeming to whiten all the world; making the sky seem filled with a forest of expanded lotuses; pouring forth, so to say, thousands of oceans of milk; seeming to surpass the loveliness of a garland of downy Nepal jasmine and blue lotus.⁹ (She was) beautified by a nose which was the column¹⁰ of the ¹ Tel. ed., ‘dust of the proud nature of passion’; Srirangam text, ‘dust that increases the pride of passion.’ ² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘hidden through their greed of lotus-filaments (which were) pearl necklaces.’ ³ Tel. ed., ‘the shores of Prayāga in the guise of the junction of the Ganges and the Jumna, (which were) her pearl necklace and line of down’; similarly the Sri- rangam text. ⁴ Tel. ed., ‘the solitary rest-house’; Srirangam text, ‘the victory rest-house.’ ⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘continual close proximity.’ ⁶ Tel. ed., ‘inward redness.’ ⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘a bit.’ ⁸ The eyes of an Indian beauty are conventionally supposed to extend to her ears. ⁹ Tel. ed., ‘surpassing a garland of blue lotuses clinging to downy Nepal jasmine- flowers.’ ¹⁰ Tel. ed., ‘trunk.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 61 balance for the jewels of her teeth ¹; [61] the bridge betwixt the oceans of her eyes ²; a wall, as it were, between two elephants mad with youthful passion. (She was) adorned with delicate brows which were clusters of bees about her blue-lotus eyes ³; portals ⁴ of her face that formed the abode of Love; the shores ⁵ of Passion's sea; wantoning in youthful dancing. She possessed, as it were, the loveliness of the sky in the rainy season [62] with ‹clouds› swelling with beauty, for her ‹breasts› swelled with beauty.⁶ Like one ⁷ who has gained the cry of Victory she stood on the tip of a trembling ‹balance›,⁸ for she had trembling ‹anklets›; she was like Suyōdhana's valour while his eyes rested on ‹Karṇa›, for her eyes extended to her ‹ears›; she seemed to have the sportiveness of the Dwarf ⁹ in exhibiting his ‹destruction of Bali›,¹⁰ for she revealed her ‹furrowed folds›; she was like the station of the sun in Scorpio ‹after traversing Virgo and Libra›, for she ‹transcended comparison with other damsels›; [63] she rejoiced in ‹unblemished beauty› as Uṣā rejoiced at the sight of ‹Anirud- dha› ¹¹; she had the ‹beauty of lovely eyes› as Śacī ‹delighted in gazing on Indra's pleasure groves›; she had, as it were, the sportful dancing of Śiva with his ‹quivering serpent›, for she had beautiful ‹eyes and ears›; she had lofty dark ‹nipples› as a forest ¹² has lofty dark ‹bread-fruit trees›; [64] she was adorned with a ¹ Compare the Euphuistic passage in Ben Jonson's Cynthia's Revels, 5. 2 : 'You that tell your mistress, her beauty is all composed of theft; her hair stole from Apollo's goldy-locks; her white and red, lilies and roses stolen out of paradise; her eyes two stars, plucked from the sky; her nose the gnomon of Love's dial, that tells you how the clock of your heart goes; and for her other parts, as you cannot reckon them, they are so many; so you cannot recount them, they are so manifest.' ² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'the bridge, as it were, betwixt the ambrosial oceans of her eyes.' ³ The bees being extremely fond of the lotus. ⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'garlands of the portals.' ⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'currents.' ⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, '‹clouds swelling with rain›' and '‹breasts shining with pearl necklaces›.' ⁷ Tel. ed., 'like a king.' ⁸ This seems to be introduced merely for the sake of the pun on tulākoṭi. ⁹ Viṣṇu. ¹⁰ Cf. Rāmāyaṇa, 1. 29; Bhāgavatapurāṇa, 8. 21–23. ¹¹ Cf. Harivaṁśa, 173–186; Kathāsaritsāgara, 6. 31. ¹² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'the Vindhya forest.'

62 VĀSAVADATTĀ ⟨beautiful throat and with armlets⟩ as the army of monkeys was adorned by ⟨Sugrīva and Aṅgada⟩. She seemed to be made of planets ¹: of the ⟨Sun⟩, for she had a ⟨shining⟩ ornament ; of the ⟨Moon⟩, for she had a ⟨beautiful⟩ round face ² ; of ⟨Mars⟩, for she had a ⟨rosy⟩ bud-like ³ lower lip ; of ⟨Mercury⟩, for she had a ⟨lovely⟩ appearance ; of ⟨Jupiter⟩, for she had ⟨heavy⟩ round hips ; of ⟨Venus⟩, for she had ⟨wide-open⟩ lotus eyès ⁴ ; of ⟨Saturn⟩, for she had ⟨slow-moving⟩ steps ; of ⟨Rāhu⟩, for she had ⟨dark⟩ heavy hair.⁵ She was a picture, as it were, on the wall of life ⁶ ; [65] the place of assembly, so to say, of the loveliness of the triple world ; apparently the perfect elixir for the Great Ascetic ⁷ in his youth ⁸ ; seemingly the place of Passion's fancy ; the repository, so it would seem, of delight ; [66] the flag of conquest over the threefold earth,⁹ as it were, of the God of the Dolphin Banner ¹⁰ ; evidently the manifestation of intellect ¹¹ ; the conqueror, it would seem, of Passion ¹² ; a powder, so to say, to numb the senses ¹³ ; a power, one would think, to bewilder Love ; apparently the joyous abode of beauty ; the sole sanctuary, as it were, of good fortune ¹⁴ ; seem- ingly the place where loveliness had its origin ¹⁵ ; [67] wellnigh a perfect seduction of the mind ¹⁶ ; almost a blind ¹⁷ of the juggler ¹ A similar thought is expressed by Bhartṛhari (Böhtlingk, Indische Sprüche, 2 ed., No. 2169, St. Petersburg, 1870–1873). In like fashion a girl is described as made of flowers in Harṣacarita, p. 38, Bombay ed., 1892 (tr. Cowell and Thomas, p. 263, London, 1897). ² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘for she had a smile of ⟨white beauty⟩.’ ³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘bud-like.’ ⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text insert, transferring this further down, ‘of ⟨Venus⟩, for she had a ⟨white⟩ pearl necklace.’ ⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit. ⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘like a picture on the life-wall of the theatre of the triple world.’ ⁷ Śiva. ⁸ Tel. ed., ‘the perfect elixir of youth.’ ⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘over the threefold earth.’ ¹⁰ Kāma. ¹¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit. ¹² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘the battle-ground, as it were, of Love.’ ¹³ Tel. ed., ‘the confusion, so to say, of all the senses.’ ¹⁴ Tel. ed., ‘good fortune’s birth-hall, as it were, of friends’ disport.’ ¹⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘rendezvous.’ ¹⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘wellnigh a perfect spell for the winning of love’ (Srirangam text, ‘mind’). ¹⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘almost a mighty drug to bind the eyes.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 63 Love ; a production of the Creator, so to say, for the enchantment of the triple world. Then, while he drank her in, as it were, with eyes dilated with joy, sleep, which he had long served, became jealous¹ and de- serted him. [68] But when he awoke, he was unable to sustain himself, being drowned, so to speak, in a sea of poison, and as if submerged in the words of his enemies. Thus then, for an instant, he embraced the sky, and with outstretched arms² cried to his beloved, as if she were painted in the heavens,³ graven on his eye, and carven on his heart: ‘O, dearest one, come! come! where dost thou go’⁴? Then in that very place he passed the day on his bed, with his eyes closed,⁵ with all his attendants barred out, with the doors shut, [69] and refusing all enjoyment of food,⁶ betel, and the like. Thus, too,⁷ he spent the night as well with longings for the coming of the dream. Then his confidential friend, named Makaranda, somehow gained entrance⁸ and thus addressed Kandarpakētu, who was overwhelmed with the wounds of the arrows of Love: ‘My friend, [70] why dost thou take to this unwonted course, which is unbe- coming to a man of honour? When they behold this conduct of thine, the good are swayed by perplexity, while the wicked, on the other hand, make it out to be undesirable and indecorous⁹; for the heart of the evil man finds its highest delight centred in bringing to light what is undesirable. Who, pray, can discern the true character of such an one? ‘Thus, even though a <Bhīma>, he is «no foe of Baka»,¹⁰ for he ¹ In like manner life becomes jealous of Mahāśvētā because of her love for Puṇḍarīka in the Kādambarī, p. 325, Bombay ed., 1890 (tr. Ridding, p. 128, London, 1896). ² Tel. ed., ‘stretching out his arms for an instant to the sky to embrace it’; Srirangam text, ‘blindly stretching out his arms to the sky to embrace it.’ ³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘in the heavens and its subdivisions.’ ⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘O, dearest one, go not! go not’! ⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘clinging to his couch.’ ⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘food.’ ⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘somehow or other.’ ⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘gained entrance and a sight (of Kandarpakētu).’ ⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘pursue thy (Srirangam text, ‘this’) indecorous and undesirable course.’ ¹⁰ See Mahābhārata, I. 159–166.

64 VĀSAVADATTĀ is <horrible> and a «foe of them that praise him» ; though a <fire>, he is a «wind», for he is a <devourer of his own place of refuge> and a «dog in his mother» ¹; [71] though very <pungent>, he is of «fine flavour», for he is very <cruel> and «utterly insipid»; he does not abandon his <bitterness>, though «flattered by clasped hands and prostration at his feet»,² even as mustard-oil abandons not its <sharpness>, though «caressed with both hands and held to the head»; he is <delightful on account of his freedom from faults> (at first), but afterwards is unpleasant and «cruel» even as the fruit of the palmyra-palm tastes <pleasant at first>, but is dis- agreeable and «sharp» at the last ; he, when <deserted>, wrinkles his brow even as the dust of the feet, when <shaken off>, discolours the head. ‘ He <confirms his folly> in proportion as he is «humoured» even as the fruit of the poison-tree <strengthens madness> in pro- portion as it is «honoured»; [72] he has no lack of <enemies> with his «bad conduct» even as there is no dearth of <water> in «low ground»³; he brings distress to the <good> with his «great jealousy» even as a summer day brings distress to the <flowers> with its «swarms of gnats»; he is cunning in binding <sins> together and eager to «destroy the works of all men» even as the darkness is cunning in binding <night> together and eager for «sunset». [73] ‘ Though <Śiva>, he is «Viṣṇu», for he is a <prince> of «unseemly conduct»⁴; he is <deaf> and «praises not his subjects» even as Indra’s horse <cried aloud> and «exulted in his birth from the ocean» ; he agitates the heart of a good man, even though he is <disturbed> and shows «affection», like as the churning-stick agitates the heart of the cream, even though it is <separated> and ¹ A false etymological pun on Mātariśvan, an obscure Vedic deity (on whom see Macdonell, Vedic Mythology, pp. 71-72, Strassburg, 1897; Hillebrandt, Vedische Mythologie, 2. 149-153, Breslau, 1899; and the authorities there cited). The name probably means ‘having water as his mother’ (Fay, JAOS. 16. clxxii-clxxiii), or, less plausibly, ‘materiae puer’ (Fay, KZ. 45. 134-135). ² Literally, ‘sustained by the head (of his suppliant).’ ³ Tel. ed., ‘he has no lack of <enemies> even as a dearth of <water> is not produced by a river in low ground.’ ⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘he has <unseemly conduct> even as Rudra has <abnormal eyes>; he is <deceitful> even as Viṣṇu <holds a disc>.’

shows «butter»¹; [74] he is noisy with ‹self-praise› and «garru- lous of his wanderings in the world» even as an offering to the Yakṣas is noisy with ‹crows› and «bears evidence of wandering dogs»²; his visage is distorted from ‹entire lack of self-control› and his «generosity» is suppressed even as a must elephant ³ fixes his distorted visage on ‹his female› and suppresses his «ichor»; he is ‹not alarmed by fear of God› even as a bull is ‹wearied from union with the cow›. ‘He is ‹miserable through his disgrace of his family› and is devoted to «evil ways»⁴ even as a paramour is ‹distressed by an error in his name› and is devoted to the «way of the fair»; [75] he causes slowness in ‹softly modulated and excellent› speech even as the disease of indigestion ⁵ causes slowness in ‹body› (and) speech; he is devoted to the ‹breaking of agreements› and a friend of the «foes of his lord» even as a jackal is devoted to the ‹flesh of a corpse› and delights in the «night»; [76] ‹the sight of him causes distress to his kindred› even as a corpse is ‹deprived of the use of its eyes›; he destroys ‹good fortune› even as the axe cuts the ‹sandal-wood›; he ‹destroys his family› and cuts down «men gifted with patience» even as the spade ‹cleaves the earth› and cuts down the «creatures that share in the soil»⁶; [77] he engages in ‹low actions› even as a dog engaged in ‹venereal acts› makes good folk ashamed; he, for all his ‹charms of hair and face›, has no pleasure in his «lute, skilful though he is» like as a must elephant ‹delights in the forest›, yet has no pleasure in the «spreading greensward, even though he traverses it».⁷

¹ Tel. ed., not expressing ‘of a good man,’ has ‘shows continually.’ ² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘he ‹wanders about the world› even as an offering to the Yakṣas has ‹flocks of crows›,’ etc. ³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘as an elephant.’ ⁴ If vāmādhvan be synonymous with vāmācāra, this may be an allusion to the infamous ‘left hand’ Tantra-worship (Hopkins, Religions of India, pp. 490-492, Boston, 1895). ⁵ See Jolly, Medicin, p. 77, Strassburg, 1901. ⁶ Trees, according to the commentator Śivarāma. ⁷ Tel. ed., ‘he has no pleasure in his ‹goodly youth›’ (yavasam + san = saṁvayasam); Srirangam text, ‘he rejoices not in ‹his companions of equal age› even as the elephant ‹continually› rejoices not, . . .’ (yavasam + sa = savayasam). F

66 VĀSAVADATTĀ [78] ‘The shoots of evil vices are born without seed and grow without a stock, and hard they are to uproot; if a particle of iniquity enters into the heart of the wicked, it is a terrible thing. But into the heart of the good it enters not; and if at any time it does enter, [79] it is like quicksilver, unstable for an instant; the virtuous, even as deer, are obedient to the voice of one¹ who knows their pleasure; persons like thee easily capture the heart of a friend² as do the wagtails of the autumn-tide; and the wise³ give no unseemly counsel, while the friendship of the foolish is thrown on the side of profit. [80] And likewise,⁴ when milk, fancying⁵ that “water is as milk because of its sweetness, cool- ness, purity, and healing of distress,” enters into friendship (with water), destruction is wrought by water itself, when it reflects that “ruin has come in times gone by through the decoction of me myself, increased by union with that (milk).”⁶ This conduct is, therefore, extraordinary; follow the course, my friend,⁷ which is customary among the upright; [81] the noble themselves go utterly astray by mistaking their direction.’⁸ When he (Makaranda) had said this,⁹ and more to the same effect, Kandarpakētu, dominated by the wounds of many¹⁰ arrows ¹ Tel. ed., ‘take refuge with one’; Srirangam text, ‘the virtuous are not, like deer, obedient to a petty pleasure.’ ² Tel. ed., ‘persons like thee take away pleasure, as do the wagtails’; Srirangam text, ‘persons like thee obtain the weal of a host of friends.’ ³ Tel. ed., ‘the friendly-minded.’ ⁴ Tel. ed. omits ‘and likewise.’ ⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text add ‘from the identity of sound.’ ⁶ Tel. ed., ‘by water, thinking that “ruin has come upon me aforetime in the decoction of milk, which had gained increase from union with myself”’; similarly the Srirangam text. The close union of mingled water and milk becomes, in Sanskrit literature, a type of the truest and most altruistic friendship (cf. Böhtlingk, Indische Sprüche, 2 ed., Nos. 2024, 2026, St. Petersburg, 1870–1873). The passage may, perhaps, be partially elucidated by a stanza from Bhartṛhari (ib. No. 2026), thus rendered by Tawney (Two Centuries of Bhartrihari, pp. 30–31, Calcutta, 1877): ‘Milk to the water with it mixed its native virtues gave, Which, pitying sore its tortured friend, rushed on a flaming grave; The milk, unwilling to be left, must share its fellow's fate,— True friendship envy cannot reach, nor fiery pains abate’! ⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘my friend.’ ⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘the good, though going astray by mistaking their direction, again regain the right path.’ ⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘his dear friend, Makaranda, having said,’ etc. ¹⁰ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘many.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 67 of Love, somehow said slowly: ‘Good friend, my mind¹ is con- fused by a ⟨hundred afflictions⟩ as Diti was confused by ⟨Indra⟩.² This is no time for advice; my limbs seem to be on fire; [82] my faculties are boiling, so to speak; my vitals feel as if burst- ing³; my breath is almost leaving me; my senses are wellnigh eradicated; and my memory is destroyed.⁴ Now, therefore, if thou didst share the sorrows and joys of our playing together in the dust,⁵ then follow me.’ So speaking he went forth from the city with him, unnoticed by his retinue. Straightway, after going a distance of several hundred nalvas,⁶ a great mountain,⁷ called Vindhya, was seen with its thousand peaks bowed down to earth,⁸ restrained by Agastya’s word⁹; [83] with its sides¹⁰ thronged with hundreds of savages eager to slaughter hundreds of female yaks who had been delighted by hearing the songs of pairs of Vidyādharas (then) slumbering peace- fully¹¹ in the bowers within its caves; with its rocky sides cooled by breezes bearing the perfume of trickling yellow sandal-wood¹² broken and dragged down by the trunks of the elephants on its ridges¹³; [84] with the monkeys¹⁴ eager to lick their paws wet with the sap of the palmyra-palm fruit which had been broken by its exceedingly long fall; with its borders fragrant with the

¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘the mind of folk like us.’ ² Cf. Rāmāyaṇa, 1. 46. ³ Tel. ed. omits this clause. ⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘is, as it were, destroyed.’ ⁵ Alluding to their childhood days as playmates. Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘Now this is enough of this talk. If thou didst share the joys and sorrows of our laying in the dust, then let it be come together with me.’ ⁶ A nalva is equivalent to 400 cubits. Tel. ed., ‘then, having gone with him a journey measured by several hundred nalvas’; similarly the Srirangam text. ⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘great.’ With this description of the Vindhya Cartellieri (‘Subandhu and Bāṇa,’ in WZKM. 1. 132) compares that given by the Kādambarī, pp. 38–43, Bombay ed., 1890 (tr. Ridding, pp. 16–18, London, 1896). ⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘to the chasms of the earth.’ ⁹ Cf. Mahābhārata, 3. 103–104. ¹⁰ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘with its sloping sides thronged with hosts of savages eager to slaughter herds of female yaks.’ ¹¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit ‘peacefully,’ the latter having ‘awakened from sleep.’ ¹² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘sandal-wood sap.’ ¹³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘elephants come to its sloping ridges.’ ¹⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘with hosts of monkeys.’ F 2

68 VĀSAVADATTĀ perfume of the juice of various fruits sipped again and again ¹ by pairs of chickores dwelling near its overhanging cascades ; [85] seeming to sustain a host of stars clinging to its summit since its peak was speckled by pearls ² fallen from the temples of must elephants which had been cloven by the edges of the sharp claws of thousands of bold lions. The shadow of its foot was haunted by ⟨bears, gayals, griffins, lions, and lotuses⟩ as Sugrīva [86] had the shadow of his feet honoured by ⟨Ṛkṣa,³ Gavaya, Śarabha, Kēsari, and Kumuda⟩ ⁴ : its ⟨peace was disturbed by the exhalations of elephants⟩ as the Lord of Cattle ⁵ has his ⟨ashes disturbed by the hissing of his serpent⟩ ; it had a ⟨chaplet of beautiful forests⟩ as Janārdana ⁶ wears ⟨beautiful sylvan garlands⟩ ; it had ⟨dita-bark and syandana- trees⟩ as the God of a Thousand Rays ⁷ has a ⟨chariot with seven steeds⟩ ; [87] it was ⟨full of caverns and infested with jackals⟩ as Śiva had ⟨Kartikēya near him and was attended by Pārvatī⟩ ; it was full of ⟨jungles and wastes and was covered with white thorn- apples⟩ as a paramour is filled with ⟨petulance and passion for his mistress and is amorous⟩ ; it had ⟨Arabian jasmine-plants and Arjuna-trees⟩ as Śrīparvata has the ⟨Mallikārjuna⟩ near it ; [88] it had ⟨Italian panic and bind-weed⟩ as Naravāhanadatta was the ⟨husband of Priyaṅguśyāmā⟩ ⁸ ; it ⟨formed a place for emblic myrobalan-trees⟩ as a child is ⟨held by its nurse⟩ ; it had a series of forests ⁹ rosy with the ⟨reddish lustre of ruddle⟩ ¹⁰ as the dawn of day makes the series of forests ⁹ rosy with the ⟨radiance of the mountain-born Aruṇa⟩ ; it was impenetrable on account of ⟨many creeping plants⟩ as the dark lunar fortnight is impene- ¹ Tel. ed. omits 'again and again.' ² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'massy pearls.' ³ Jāmbavat, the king of the bears. ⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, '⟨Kumuda and Panasa⟩ . . . ⟨lotuses and jack-trees⟩.' ⁵ Śiva. ⁶ Viṣṇu. Tel. ed., 'it had a ⟨chaplet of magnificent forests⟩, as Janārdana wears ⟨full-blown sylvan garlands⟩.' ⁷ Sūrya. ⁸ See Lacôte, Essai sur Guṇāḍhya et la Bṛhatkathā, pp. 213, 228, Paris, 1908. ⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, 'leafy forests.' ¹⁰ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text omit '⟨ruddle⟩ . . . ⟨mountain-born⟩.'

trable on account of its ‹blackness› ; it had gifts of a ‹hundred crores› as Karṇa had the gift of ‹Indra's bolt› ; [89] it was covered with ‹tail feathers moulted by peacocks› as Bhīṣma was covered ¹ with ‹crescent-headed arrows› ; it was filled with ‹ele- phants and was fragrant from the perfume of its jungles› as the Kāmasūtra was written by ‹Mallanāga and contains the delight and enjoyment of mistresses› ; it was a refuge for the race of ‹deer› as Hiraṇyakaśipu was a refuge for the race of ‹Śambara›.² Because of the guise of its ruddle it seemed to have been employed by Aruṇa to trace the path of the chariot of the sun ³ ; [90] it watched, as it were, the journey of Agastya with eyes dilated because the sun and moon had come upon its summit ; on account of the old sloughs of snakes it seemed to have a mass of entrails hanging out ⁴ ; as Kumbhakarṇa had a host of monkeys come within his ‹teeth›,⁵ it had a host of monkeys come upon its ‹summit› ; [91] it had bowers of screw- pines for the rendezvous of the assembled nymphs of Śacī's Lord who marked their pathway with a series of footprints dyed with red henna. Though of ‹no family›, it was adorned by a «noble ancestry», for it did ‹not cling to the ground› and it was «adorned with beautiful bamboos» ; though it was ‹evidently safe›, it yielded the «fruit of death», for it had ‹hara-nut trees› and yielded «plantains» ; though ‹measured›, it was «measureless», for it had ‹plateaus› and was «immeasurable» ; [92] though ‹noisy›, it was «silent», for it had a ‹river› and was «still» ; though a ‹Bhīma›, it was a friend of «Kīcaka», for it was ‹terrible› and a friend of «reeds» ; though it hid its ‹garments›, it had brilliant «raiment», for it hid the ‹sky› and had brilliant «sunbeams». [93] It showed, moreover,⁶ a ‹malady of many of its com-

¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ had his body covered.’ Cf. Hopkins, ‘ Position of the Ruling Caste in Ancient India,’ in JAOS. 13. 278. ² Cf. Viṣṇupurāṇa, 1. 19 ; 5. 27. ³ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ the sun on high.’ ⁴ Tel. ed., ‘ tubular entrails hanging out of chasms cleft by thunderbolts ’ ; similarly the Srirangam text. ⁵ Cf. Rāmāyaṇa, 6. 67. ⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ like a sick man.’

70 VĀSAVADATTĀ ponents⟩ as if by a «great abdominal swelling»,¹ for it indicated a ⟨change of many metals⟩ by its «thick bushes»; as a good man shows his ⟨greatness⟩ by «habits of mercy», it showed its ⟨loftiness⟩ by the «course of the planets on its summit». As the Mīmāṃsā and Nyāya philosophies conceal the views of the ⟨Digambara Jains⟩, it concealed the view of the ⟨quarters of heaven and of the sky⟩. It also had its vicinage adorned with pools which were delightful on account of the appearance of the ⟨blue lotus⟩,² as the Harivaṃśa is delightful on account of the appearance of ⟨Puṣkara⟩; [94] that were thronged with ⟨pairs of fishes and with crabs⟩ as the Zodiac has ⟨Pisces, Gemini, and Cancer⟩³; and that had hosts of ⟨birds, elephants, galangal, and young medlar-trees⟩ as the parts of the day have the host of ⟨Śakuni, Nāga, Bhadra, and Vālava⟩.⁴ It also showed manifold ⟨metrical⟩ charms with «kusumavicitrās, vaṃśapatrapatitas, suku- māralalitās, puṣpitāgrās, śikhariṇīs, praharṣiṇīs, and latās»,⁵ since it showed manifold charms ⟨produced⟩ through its «creepers, lovely on account of their flowers, which had fallen on the bamboo leaves, tender in their grace, tipped with blossoms, crested, and charming». [95] As if by a very dear mistress with outstretched wavy arms, it was embraced, furthermore, by the Rēvā, whose waters were perfumed by the abundance of the drops of liquid which had fallen from the fragments⁶ of fullblown lotuses shaken by many monstrous tails of bhāḥkūṭa-fish⁷ that had been terrified by the notes, indistinct for passion, of geese and herons; whose waters ¹ See Jolly, Medicin, pp. 79–80, Strassburg, 1901. ² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘⟨the blue lotus and the bedda-nut tree⟩, as the Harivaṃśa is delightful on account of the appearance of ⟨Viṣṇu⟩.’ ³ Tel. ed and Srirangam text, ‘thronged with pairs of ⟨fishes, dolphins, and crabs⟩, as the Zodiac has ⟨Pisces, Capricorn, Cancer, and Gemini⟩.’ ⁴ See Ginzel, Handbuch der mathematischen und technischen Chronologie, 1. 359– 361, Leipzig, 1906. ⁵ See Weber, Ueber die Metrik der Inder, pp. 380, 394, 366, 361–362, 393, 384, Berlin, 1863; Colebrooke, Miscellaneous Essays, 2. 144, London, 1873. Srirangam text, like Hall’s manuscript D and the commentator, adds ‘like the Chandōviciti.’ ⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘fallen from masses of lotuses.’ ⁷ Tel. ed., ‘by monstrous jaws of utkuṭa-fish’; similarly the Srirangam text, though the latter has ‘bhākūṭa-fish.’

A SANSKRIT ROMANCE 71 had been drunk up by the circling navels of beauties of Pulinda kings at their evening ablutions ¹; [96] whose banks resounded with the din of flamingoes noisy with passion ²; whose waters were curdled with drops of the streams of ichor exuded from the temple lobes of must elephants near its banks ³; with the gardens on its shores witnesses to the trituration of the tremulous sport of pairs of young deities delightfully ensconced on the sand formed by the abundant dust fallen from the forests of screw-pines that grew along its banks; [97] in whose waters dove the nymphs who dwelt in bowers within bits of rose-apple that had fallen near the forests ⁴ on its banks; whose environs ⁵ were lauded by pairs of divinities drawn by curiosity at the sound of the sweet, low notes of the many gallinules that nestled in the creepers of chair-bottom cane growing on its shores ⁶; [98] whose banks were strident with the screams ⁷ of multitudes of wild cocks whose nests thronged the bowers of reeds ⁸ that had sprung up near its shores; whose soft banks were trodden by the water nymphs ⁹; whose tremulous ¹⁰ waves were rippled by the breezes from the gardens; [99] whose demi-carp were watched by female herons ¹¹ which had entered the numerous bowers of reeds; whose reed-forests ¹² were terrible from supporting paddy birds eager for the shoals of small fish; the water near whose bank was coloured by the shoals of exceedingly quick rājilas fleeing from ¹ Tel. ed., ‘concealed in the circles of the deep navels of beauties of Pulinda kings bathing at eventide’; similarly the Srirangam text. ² This clause is omitted by Tel. ed. ³ Tel. ed., ‘abundance of drops . . . falling from the rounded frontal lobes of the huge must elephants standing near its banks’; Srirangam text, ‘must elephants standing near the river-banks.’ ⁴ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘lotuses fallen in the cavities on its banks.’ ⁵ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘delightsomeness.’ ⁶ Tel. ed., ‘sound of the abundant amorous sport of the gallinules that nestled in the forests of chair-bottom cane.’ ⁷ Srirangam text, ‘made by.’ ⁸ Tel. ed., ‘screams of wild cocks thronging the bowers of masses of reeds.’ ⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘whose very soft sands were trodden by water nymphs eager to enjoy the sunshine.’ ¹⁰ Tel. ed., ‘very tremulous.’ ¹¹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘evil female herons.’ ¹² Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘the tendrils of whose reed-forests.’

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.’