Love

What would you ask of my feelings, my dear,

by Vidyapati c. 1352-1448

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

Love

Rādhā:
What would you ask of my feelings, my dear,--
Can I expound such love and affection
As are moment by moment transformed?

From the day of my birth I have seen His beauty,
And yet are my eyes unsatisfied:
My ears have continually heard His honeyed speech,
But I have not attained the path of audition.

Many a night have I passed in play,
And never have learnt what is dalliance:
Myriad aeons I held Him close to my heart,
And yet no rest has reached that heart.

How many a one tormented and passion-tost
I have seen--without seeing!
Vidyāpati says: For your heart's ease
You have met with One who is nonpareil.

✦ ✦ ✦

Reunion and the Flow of Nectar, CXXXVI

MLA

Vidyapati. “What would you ask of my feelings, my dear.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/135/.

Chicago

Vidyapati. “What would you ask of my feelings, my dear.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/135/.

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