Love

Oh Hari, Why do you seek to loose my girdle?

by Vidyapati c. 1352-1448

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

Love

Rādhā:
Oh Hari, Why do you seek to loose my girdle?
You shall not win your will:
I cannot tell what pleasure there can be in seeing me,
But now I know your guile, O Banamāli!

If you will listen to my plea, Murāri,
I shall abuse you only very gently:
Sufficed with dalliance, what need for sight?
My soul may not endure it.

Never has like been heard,
While lamps are lit, to play with me:
The people of the house will hear our very breath!
Deal with me gently, for the people of the house are
very near.

This savour Vidyāpati knoweth well,--
Rājā Shivasimha and Lakshmī Devī be witness!

✦ ✦ ✦

First Meetings, XLIII

MLA

Vidyapati. “Oh Hari, Why do you seek to loose my girdle?” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/42/.

Chicago

Vidyapati. “Oh Hari, Why do you seek to loose my girdle?” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/42/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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