Love

Beholding that my love was at her bath

by Vidyapati c. 1352-1448

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

Love

Krishna:
Beholding that my love was at her bath,
She pierced my heart with arrows five,--
The stream of water pouring from her tresses.
Was her moon-face weeping, frighted by their gloom.

The wet cloth clung upon her corse,--
So might Kāma shake a hermit's heart!
Twin breasts were cakravākas sweet.
United by the gods upon the self-same shore,--
Caged in the prison of her arms.
Lest they should fly away in fear.

Vidyāpati, the poet, sings:
The precious maid her lover meets!

✦ ✦ ✦

The First Passion of Krishna, IX

MLA

Vidyapati. “Beholding that my love was at her bath.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/8/.

Chicago

Vidyapati. “Beholding that my love was at her bath.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/8/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Vidyapati