Love

Hearken fair damsel, to good advice

by Vidyapati c. 1352-1448

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

Love

Sakhī:
Hearken fair damsel, to good advice,
For I shall teach you special wisdom:
First you shall sit beside the bed,
With bended neck, but half regarding him.

And when your lover touches you, push out your hand,
Remaining silent, uttering never a word:
And when he takes you forcibly and clasps you to his side,
Passionately you shall exclaim. Nay, nay!

In his embrace, your body you shall wrench aside,
Breaking away in the moment of delight.
Saith Vidyāpati: What can I say?
Yourself the Guru shall teach e'en Love himself.

✦ ✦ ✦

The Counsel of Girl-friends (Sakhīs), XXVIII

MLA

Vidyapati. “Hearken fair damsel, to good advice.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/27/.

Chicago

Vidyapati. “Hearken fair damsel, to good advice.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/27/.

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