Love
Which of the gods this fair face fashioned?
Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen (1915) · From Bangiya Padabali (trans. 1915)
Krishna:
Which of the gods this fair face fashioned?
Beauty-surpassing, heart's-bliss-granting,
Garland-victress of the Triple Worlds.
The sun-bright eyes of her fair face
Are tricked with sūrm--
Restless wagtails on a golden lotus,
At play with pitch-black snakes.
The vine of down from her navel's well
Is a serpent thirsting for air:
Thinking in terror her nose is Garuḍa's beak
It hides in the valley of her bosoms' hills.
Love with three arrows conquered Three World's,
Still two of the arrows remained:
Very cruel is Nature to slay the love-lorn,
Surrendering those to her two eyes!
Vidyāpati says: Hearken, fair maids
Who haunt the well of Love:
Rājā Shivasimha Rūpanārāyana
And Lakshmī Devī be witness.
Codex Note
The First Passion of Krishna, III
Cite this poem
MLA
Vidyapati. “Which of the gods this fair face fashioned?” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/2/.
Chicago
Vidyapati. “Which of the gods this fair face fashioned?” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/2/.
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