Love

Often, in meditation on the name of Mādhava

by Vidyapati c. 1352-1448

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

Love

Dūtika:
Often, in meditation on the name of Mādhava,
She changes into Mādhava himself:
Forgetful of her own desires and of her own identity,
She is enamoured of her own charms.

O Mādhava, your love is peerless!
The fire of sundering from herself devours her body
in its flames,
I doubt if she may live.

Her friends are filled with grief, so sadly she regards them,
The tears are pouring from their eyes:
The cry of 'Rādhā, Rādhā,' echoing repeatedly,
She murmurs broken words.

When she is with Rādhā, she thinks that she is Mādhava,
And when with Mādhav, Rādhā:
And even so, this bitter love may not be broken asunder.
The pang of separation hurts her more and more.

Just as a tree both sides aflame quite utterly consumes
Some wretched insect's life:
In such a plight, Vallabha, I saw the nectar-face,
Says Vidyāpati.

✦ ✦ ✦

Reproaches, Lack and Longing, XCVIII

MLA

Vidyapati. “Often, in meditation on the name of Mādhava.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/97/.

Chicago

Vidyapati. “Often, in meditation on the name of Mādhava.” Translated by Ananda Coomaraswamy and Arun Sen. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/vidyapati/97/.

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