Love

The citizens are waking on the king's highway

by Vidyapati c. 1352-1448

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

Love

Sakhī:
The citizens are waking on the king's highway,
Rays of the moon light up the dome of earth:
No peace in new-born love,--
I am amazed to see you. Loveliness!

How many ways the damsel seeks to hide herself:
She goes a-trysting in a boy's disguise.
And binds her flowing tresses in a knot.
Changing diversely the fashion of her dress.

And since her breasts may not be hidden by their veil,
She clasps an instrument of music to her bosom:
Thus she attains the darkness of the forest,--
The Lord of lovers cannot know her when he sees her!

Perplexed is Mādhava, when he perceives her,
But at a touch the riddle is resolved.
Says Vidyāpati: What happened then,--
What sports of Love ensued?

✦ ✦ ✦

(Rādhā's) Going-forth (to visit Krishna), LV

MLA

Vidyapati. “The citizens are waking on the king's highway.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/54/.

Chicago

Vidyapati. “The citizens are waking on the king's highway.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/54/.

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