Love

I am dying, am dying, I die indeed, my dear

by Vidyapati c. 1352-1448

Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen (1915) · From Bangiya Padabali (trans. 1915)

Love

Rādhā:
I am dying, am dying, I die indeed, my dear:
To whom shall I leave my Kānu, my storehouse of treasure?
As many as may be, dear friends, remain by me,
And when I am dead, write Krishna's name along my limbs.

And Lalita, friend of my life, whisper such spells in my ears
That my body may die to the sound of Krishna's name:
Nor burn nor cast in the waters Rādhā's body,
But hang me high on a tamāl bough, when I am dead.

The tamāl tree is of Krishna's hue,
There let my body ever rest:
If ever again my darling comes to Brindāban,
I shall come to life at the sight of my dear.

If I may not see his moon-fair face again,
I shall cast off my life in the fire of love!
Vidyāpati says: Hearken, fair damsel,
Be patient of heart, you shall meet your Murāri.

✦ ✦ ✦

Reproaches, Lack and Longing, CXV

MLA

Vidyapati. “I am dying, am dying, I die indeed, my dear.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/114/.

Chicago

Vidyapati. “I am dying, am dying, I die indeed, my dear.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/114/.

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