Meghadutam By Kalidasa ( Translated by Chandra Rajan) (The Cloud Messenger) 1 A certain yaksa unmindful of his appointed duties and cursed by his lord to endure a year's grievous separation from his beloved dwelt exiled, his lustre dimmed, on Rama's hill in hermitages thick with shade-trees and waters hallowed by the touch of Janaka's daughter. 2 The impassioned lover having passed some months on that hill, parted from her unsupported -the golden armlet slipping down to lay bare his wasted fore-arm - saw on Asadha's most auspicious day a cloud embracing the crest of the hill, strikingly-shaped 1 like a sportive elephant bent down to butt a river bank. 3 Gazing on that which stirs the ketaka to bloom the vassal lord of the King of Kings brooded long, with effort restraining his tears. The sight of rain clouds makes even happy hearts stir with restlessness; what then of one far from her who longs to hold him in close embrace. 4 With the month of rains approaching, desiring to sustain his belvoed's life, 2 hoping to send glad tidings of his wellbeing through the life-giving cloud, he made with reverence an offering of fresh blossoms of wild jasmine, prefacing it with words of affection and joyously welcomed the cloud. 5 Blended of mists and light, winds and water can a mere cloud bear messages that only the living with keen senses and intelligence can convey ? Unmindful of this the yaksa entreated it, overwhelmed by unreasoning eagerness; indeed, the love-sick, their minds clouded, confuse the sentient with the insentient. 6 Born in the lofty lineage a swirling diluvial clouds, I know you are the god of thunder's minister assuming what shape you will; so, banished from wife and kinsmen by divine decree, I entreat you; for it is nobler to address barren pleas to the virtuous than fruitful to the vile. 7 You are the refuge, O Rain-Giver for all who burn with anguish;3 so bear a message from me parted from my love by the wrath of the Lord of Treasures; go then to Alaka, abode of the Yaksa Lord, her palaces washed by moonlight streaming from Siva's brow where He is seated in her outer groves. 8 Women whose husbands travel to far lands, pushing back their straggling hair will eagerly look up to see you riding high on the path of the wind, and draw comfort; for when you arrive all clad and girt for action, Who can ignore his lonely wife distraught unless subject like me to an alien will ? 9 While a friendly breeze impels you gently as you loiter along, and here on your left the cataka in its pride 4 sings sweetly, hen-cranes will know the time ripe for mating and rejoice when they note in the sky your eye-delighting presence; rest assured they will attend on you in patterned flight. 10 Arriving there unimpeded you are certain to see that constant lady, your brother's wife still living engrossed only in counting the days; Hope's slender thread serves to hold the flower-hearts of women tender and prone to droop too soon under the burden of separation. 11 And, hearing your thunder-a sound sweet to their ears- that can make Earth unfurl her mushrooms parasols, regal swans longing for Manasa-lake, gathering tender lotus-shoots for the way will be your companions in the sky even up to Mount Kailasa's peak. 12 Embrace and bid farewell to your loving friend, this lofty mountain girdled5 by slopes marked by the holy feet of the Lord of Raghus adored by the world. Time and again, reuniting with you, It displays its affection, breathing out burning sights born of long separation.6 13 Listen first, while I describe the way fitting for your journey which you will follow resting your foot on mountains when weary, refreshed when wasted by the clear water of streams: then you shall hear my message, O Rain-Giver, drinking it in eagerly with your ears. 14 While simple Siddha maidens with upturned faces, watching your impetuous power tremble in alarm and cry: 'Is the wind carrying off the mountain's peak?' soar high up into the sky facing north, far above this thicket of sap-filled nicula, shunning on your path the proud sweep of the heavy trunks of the elephants that guard the sky's quarters. 15 Here to the east, a fragment of Indra's bow springs spectacular from the hill top, gleaming as if blended of the lustres of brilliant gems. Shot through by its sheen, your dark-blue body shines resplendent like Visnu's in his cowherd guise, lit up by irridescent peacock-plumes. 16 While rustic women unversed in eyebrow play drink you in with eyes moist with happiness knowing the harvest to depend on you, ascend the upland plains fragrant from fresh furrowing; then veering slightly to the west, speed on keeping ever to the north. 17 As you approach the noble mountain Citrakuta, he will greet you, O travel-weary Rain-Giver, and bear you on his head held high: you too with sharp showers will quench summer's cruel fires. The tenderness of true feeling in the great bears fruit in no time, returning kindness for kindness. 18 With his forest fires fully quenched by your sharp showers, Amrakuta will bear you gratefully on his crown, travel-weary as you are; even the meanest remembering former favours will not turn his face away from a friend who seeks shelter; what then of one so lofty! 19 Its slopes all aglow with the ripened fruit of wild mangoes, and you on its peak set like a coil of dark glossy hair, the mountain -seeming Earth's breast- dark-blue centre encircled by pale-gold expansive curves- will appear entrancing to celestial lovers. 20 Resting awhile on that mountain In whose bowers the brides of foresters sport, and lightened by your waters' outpouring you'll speedily cross the road beyond and see Reva's streams spreading dishevelled at Vindhya's uneven rocky foothills, inlaying them like ashen streaks decorating an elephant's body. 21 Your rain disgorged, draw up that river's water whose flow impeded by rose-apple brakes is pungent with the scent of wild elephants in rut, and journey on; gaining inner strength the wind cannot make light of you, O Rain-Cloud; for hollowness makes things light; fullness bestows weight. 22 Seeing the green-gold Nipa flowers with their stamens half-emerging and the Kandal is showing their early buds along the edge of every pool, savouring the rich fragrance of the earth in the forests burnt by fire, antelopes will chart your path as you pass shedding fresh rain drops. 23 Siddhas watching catakas skilled catching falling rain drops, and pointing out to egrets in flight, counting them on their fingers, will pay you their grateful respect, suddenly obtaining a flurry of unexpected embraces from their beloved wives clinging to them in alarm trembling at the sound of your thunder. 24 Even though you would wish to proceed with speed for the sake of my happiness, my friend, I foresee delay while you loiter on peak after peak fragrant with wild jasmine; though peacocks, their eyes moist with joy may greet you with welcoming cries, I pray you, try to hasten onward. 25 The Dasarnas will put on a new beauty at your approach: woodlands ringed round by ketakas with needle-pointed buds newly-opened will glow a pale gold: birds starting to nest will throng the sacred peepuls in the village squares: rose-apple groves will darken with the sheen of ripening blue-black fruit and wild geese settle for a few days. 26 When you reach that royal city, Vidisa by name widely renowned, you shall at once obtain the unalloyed fulfilment of a lover's desire, tasting Vetravati's sweet waters as a lover his beloved's lips, with sponsors thunder passing along her banks as she flows with knitted brows of tremulous wavelets. 27 There you shall alight seeking rest on Nicai hill thrilling with delight at your touch as Kadambas burst into sudden bloom; the hill loudly proclaims through grottes exhailing fragrance of pleasure, passions unrestrained of the city's youth dallying there in love-sports with courtesans. 28 Having rested, go on, sprinkling with fresh rain drops clusters of jasmine-buds in gardens by woodland streams, enjoying a fleeting together-ness as your gift of shade touches the faces of flower-gathering maidens, who each time they wipe the sweat off their cheeks, bruise the wilting lotuses hung at their ears. 29 As your course points due north to Alaka, the way to Ujjayini is a detour no doubt, but do not therefore turn away from a visit to her palace-terraces. Indeed you would have lived in vain if you do not dally there with the tremulous eyes of the city's beautiful women that dart in alarm at the branched lightning's flashes. 30 On your path, when you meet Nirvindhya wearing a girdle strung of chiming bells -a row of water-birds plashing on her undulating waves- weaving her sinuous course with charming unsteady gait to reveal eddies forming her navel -such coy gestures are women's first statements of love- be sure to be filled with love's fine flavour. 31 Crossing that river, O fortunate lover, yours will be the happy task to induce Sindhu visibly grieving at your absence, her waters shrunk to a thin braid and pale with the paleness of dry leaves fallen from trees rooted on her banks, to cast off the sorrow withering her. 32 Reaching Avanti whose village-elders are well-versed in the Udayana-tales, go towards that city already spoken of; to Ujjayini glowing in splendour like a brilliant piece of Paradise come down to earth with traces of merits of dwellers in Paradise returning, the fruit of their good deeds almost spent. 33 At day-break in Ujjayini, Sipra's cool breeze scented with the fragrance of lotuses comes prolonging the piercing cries of love-maddened saras-cranes. Refreshing to the tired limbs of women after passion's ecstatic play, it removes their langour like an artful lover plying his love with amorous entreaties. 34 & 35 Smoke drifting through lattice-screens from aromatic gums that perfume women's hair enhances your beautiful form; Palace-peacocks out of fellow-feeling present you their gift-offering of dance; worn out with travel, having passed the night in her flower-fragrant mansions marked with red lac from the feet of lovely ladies, approach the holy shrine of Candesvara, Preceptor of the Triple-World, watched with awe by the Lord's attendants, because your hue is the blue of His throat. Its gardens are stirred by Gandhavati's breezes scented with the pollen of blue-lotuses and fragrances wafted from unguents used by young women sporting in her waters. 36 If by chance you reach Mahakala at a time other than sunset, stay on till the sun disappears from sight; by performing the exalted office of the temple-drum in the evening-rituals offered to the spear-armed Lord you will enjoy the full fruit, O Rain-Bearer, of the deep-throated rumblings of your thunder. 37 With jewelled belts tinkling as they move with measured steps, temple-dancers whose hands tire, gracefully waving chowries with glittering gem-studded handles, will taste from the first rain-drops you shed, pleasure as from a lover's nail-marks and shower on you sidelong glances streaming like a line of honey-bees. 38 Then bathed in evening's glow red as fresh china rose flowers when the Lord of Beings commences His Cosmic Dance, encircling, merging into the forest of His uplifted arms, dispel. His desire to wear the blood-moist elephant-hide, your devotion observed by Bhavani with steady eyes, her terror now calmed. 39 Young women going to their lovers' dwellings at night set out on the royal highway mantled in sight-obscuring darkness you could pierce with a pin; light their path with streaked lightning glittering like gold-rays on a touchstone, but do not startle them with thunder and pelting rain for they are easily alarmed. 40 On the top most terrace of some turreted mansion where ring-doves sleep, pass the night with your lightning-wife much-fatigued by continual play. But pray resume your journey the moment the sun rises; surely, those who undertake to help a friend do not linger over providing that help. 41 Philandering hushands come home at sunrise called on to comfort their anguished wives by drying the welling tears of betrayal; therefore move quickly out of the sun's path; he too returns at dawn to the lotus-pool to dry the dew-tears on her lotus-face; he would be not a little incensed that you obstruct his bright ray-fingers. 42 Your self intrinsically beautiful even in its shadow-form will enter Gambhira's clear waters as into a tranquil pool of consciousness; do not therefore cavalierly dismiss her welcoming glances-those dazzling upward leaps of glittering white fishes bright as water-lilies. 43 Her dark-blue waters like a garment slipping off the sloping bank of her hips, still cling to the reed-branches as if lightly held up by one hand; drawing it away as you bend over her, my friend, will it not be hard for you to depart ? For who can bear to leave a woman, her loins bared, once having tasted her body's sweetness ? 44 Fragrant with the scent of the earth freshened by your showers, a cool wind that ripens the fruit on wild fig-trees is inhaled with delight by elephants through their water-spout-trunks; it will waft you gently to the Lord's hill that you seek to approach. 45 Skanda has made that hill his fixed abode; transform yourself into a flower-cloud and shower him with blossoms moist with Ganga's celestial waters; for he is the blazing energy, sun-surpassing, that the wearer of the crescent-moon placed in the Divine Fire's mouth to protect Indra's hosts. 46 Then, let your thunder magnified by the echoing mountain spur the peacock the fire-born god rides, to dance, its eyes brightened by the radiance of Siva's moon; Bhavani out of affection for her son places its fallen plume gleaming with irridescent circlets on her ear in place of the lotus-petal she wears. 47 Having thus worshipped the god born in a thicket of reeds and travelling some distance as Sidha-couples bearing lutes leave your path free, from fear of water-drops, bend low to honour Rantideva's glory sprung from the sacrifice of Surabhi's daughters and flowing on earth changed into a river. 48 Stealing the colour of the god who draws the horn-bow as you bend down to drink its waters, sky-rangers looking down will indeed see with wonder that river from the far distance as a thin line, broad though she is, as if Earth wore a single strand of pearls set with a large sapphire at the centre. 49 Crossing that river go onwards making yourself the target for the eager eyes of Dasapura's women accomplished in the graceful play of curving eye-brows, their eyes with upturned lashes flashing with the beauty of gazelles leaping up and far surpassing the grace of honey-bees on white jasmines swaying. 50 Ranging with your shadow through the land of Brahmavarta stretching below Kuru's field, do not fail to visit the battleground that marks the great war of the barons, where the wielder of the Gandiva-bow showered hundreds of sharp arrows on princely faces as you shoot driving downpours on lotuses. 51 The Plough-Bearer, turning away from that war out of affection for his kinsmen, renounced the cherished wine reflecting Revati's eyes7 and worshipped Sarasvati's waters; you too, enjoying those waters, O gentle Sir, will become pure within, dark only in form. 52 >From there you should visit Jahnu's daughter near Kanakhala's hill where she comes down the slopes of the Lord of Mountains, making a stairway for Sagara's sons going up to Heaven. She grasped Siva's matted hair clinging with wave-hands to His crest-jewel, the moon, foam-laughter mocking the frown on Gauri's face. 53 If you aim to drink her clear crystal waters slantwise, hanging down by your hind-quarters in the sky like some elephant out of Paradise, as your shadow glides along her stream she would appear beautiful at once as though she and Yamuna flowed together at that spot.8 54 Reaching that river's true birth-place, the mountain white with snows, its rocks scented by musk deer lying there; and reclining on its peak to remove the long journey's weariness, you will wear a beauty comparable to the stain on the horn of the triple-eyed lord's white bull rooting in the mud. 55 If a forest-fire born of cedar branches clashing in the blowing wind should assail the mountain, and its fiery sparks scorch the bushy tails of yaks, pray quench it fully with a thousand sharp showers. The riches of the great are best employed to ease the miseries of the distressed. 56 Unable to bear the thunder hurled down, Sarabhas on the mountain puffed up with pride will suddenly spring up in fury towards you who are beyond reach, only to shatter their own limbs; scatter them with your tumultuous laughter of hail. Who indeed that undertakes vain-glorious acts would not become the butt of ridicule! 57 Bending low in adoration, go round the rock bearing the foot-print of the moon-crested Lord, perpetually worshipped with offerings by Siddhas; looking upon it, the body abandoned and sins shaken off, the faithful gain the Eternal Station of the Lord's attendants. 58 The wind breathing through hollow bamboos makes sweet music; woodland nymphs sing with passion-filled voices of the victory over the triple-city; if your thunder rumbles in the glens like a drum would not the ensemble then be complete for the Dance-Drama of the Lord of Beings ? 59 Passing over many marvels on Himalaya's slopes, you should go north through the narrow Kraunca-pass -gateway for wild geese and path to glory for the Bhrgu Chief-lengthened out cross-wise, beautiful like Visnu's dark-blue foot stretched out to curb Bali's pride. 60 Still climbing higher, be Kailasa's guest -mirror for goddesses-the joints of its ridges cracked by ten-faced Ravana's straining arms. Towering up into the sky with lofty peaks radiant like white water-lilies, it stands as if it were the wild laughter of the Parent of the Triple-World9 piled up through the ages. 61 When, glistening like smooth-ground collyrium, you lean dark on its slopes white as ivory freshly cut, that mountain, I imagine would, like the Plough-Bearer with a dark-blue mantle slung o'er his shoulder attain to a grace so arresting as to hold the gaze entranced. 62 And if Gauri should stroll on that mountain created for play, holding Siva's hand divested of its snake-bracelet, hardening your mass of waters within, form yourself into wave-like steps and go before her as she climbs the jewelled slopes. 63 When struck by swarms of sparks off Indra's thunderbolt10 your water-jets shoot out, celestial maidens there will surely use you for their bath; having found you in summer's heat, my friend, If these girls eager for play will not let you go, you should scare them with harsh-sounding roars. 64 Sipping Manasa waters where golden lotuses grow, joyfully giving Airavata the fleeting pleasure of your veiling shade, fluttering with rain-drenched breezes the fine silk garments of tender leaves the Tree of Paradise wears, amuse yourself on that majestic mountain whose jewelled slopes glitter in chequered light and shade. 65 Once seen, O wanderer-at-will, you cannot but recognize Alaka on its upper slope seated as on her lover's lap -Ganga, her fine garment, falling down- High over her many-storied mansions like a woman with her hair piled up and bound in a net of pearls, she bears masses of clouds shedding water in the rainy season. 66 Where palaces with their cloud-kissing tops equal you in loftiness, and their gem-paved floors rival the glitter of your glistening rain drops; where paintings on the walls vie with your rainbow hues; and graceful movements of lovely women rival the lightning's play; where drums beaten to the sound of music resemble your thunder, mellow, deep-throated: And in each particular more than compare with you. 67 Where women toy with a lotus held in the hand, twine fresh jasmines in their hair; the beauty of their faces glows pale gold dusted with the pollen of Lodhra flowers; fresh amaranth-blooms encircle the hair-knot, a delicate Sirisa nestles at the ear; and on the hair-parting lie Kadamba blossoms born at your coming. 68 Where yaksas accompanied by highborn ladies resort to their palace-terraces paved with precious gems star-flower-mirroring,11 to partake of passion-kindling flower wines pressed from the Tree of Paradise, while drumheads softly struck throb deep-throated tones like yours. 69 Where at sunrise the path followed at night by amorous women hastening to midnight trysts with faltering steps, is marked by telltale signs- Mandara flowers fallen from playful curls and petals of golden lotuses worn at the ears, dislodged, lie strewn on the ground, with pearls scattered loose as the threads snapped of bodices of pearls that closely held their breasts. 70 Where lovers undoing the knot at the waist, hands trembling with passion, toss aside silken garments loosening, yaksa women with lips like Bimba fruit, overcome by shy confusion aim handfuls of aromatic powder at glittering gems serving as lamps. Ah! What fruitless throws even though they hit their mark. 71 Where, led to terraces of lofty mansions by their guide the ever-moving wind, rain clouds like you stain the paintings with droplets of water; then, seeming fearful flee at once fragmented through lattices, assuming with practised skill the shapes of smoke streaming out. 72 Where at midnight moonstones hanging from networks of threads, touched by the moon's feet resplendent as you move away shed clear drops of coolness to dispel the languor born of oft-enjoyed loveplay in women just released from a loved husband's close embrace. 73 Where, knowing the Supreme One to dwell incarnate, friend to the Lord of Treasures, the God of Love out of fear refrains from drawing his bow strung with honeybees, his work accomplished by lovely women displaying their alluring charms, who bend the bow of their eyebrows to shoot bright glances unerringly at Love's targets. 74 There, to the north of the palaces of the Lord of Treasures stands our home recognizable from afar by its arched gateway beautiful as the rainbow. Close by grows a young Mandara tree nurtured by my love like a son and now bending with clusters of blossoms within reach of her hand. 75 A flight of steps, all emerald slabs- a pool patterned over by full-blown lotuses on glossy beryl stems- Wild geese haunt its waters, freed from restless longing, no longer resorting to nearby Manasa-lake even after they see you coming. 76 By its edge is a miniature hill, wondrous, with a sapphire-inlaid crest, exquisitely blue and ringed round by golden plantain-trees. Watching your glitter at the edges with lightning-gleams my heart trembles struck by the memory of that hill, my friend, remembering how dear it was to my beloved wife. 77 On it by a fragrant jasmine bower encircled by a hedge of amaranth stands a red Asoka fluttering its tender leaves, and the dearly-loved Kesara too. One craves the touch of your friend's lovely foot, the other longs for the wine of her mouth, pretending it is blossom-time. 78 And between them a golden rod rising from a pedestal of jade whose sheen rivals that of bamboos newly-sprouted supports a crystal tablet; your blue-throated friend settles on it at close of day after my love clapping her hands has made him dance to the sweet tinkling of her bracelets. 79 By these tokens of recognition treasured in your heart, O wise one! And noting the beautifully-drawn forms of lotus and conch on the sides of the door, you will know the mansion, its lustre dimmed no doubt by my absence: when the sun has set the lotus does not show forth in all its glory. 80 At once becoming small as an elephant cub for a speedy descent, seated on the charming crest of that pleasure-hill I described before, you may easily dart into the mansion faint lightning-glances twinkling like a glittering line of fireflies. 81 There you will see her, in the springtime of youth, slender, her teeth jasmine-buds, her lips ripe bimba-fruit, slim-waisted, with deep navel and the tremulous eyes of a startled doe, moving languidly from the weight of her hips, her body bowed down a little by her breasts -Ah! The Creator's master-work among women. 82 Know her to be my second life, alone, speaking little, mourning like a cakravaki her companion far away. With the passing of these long days, racked by intense longing, the young girl would appear so changed I think, like a lotus-plant struck by the chilling hoar-frost. 83 Weeping passionately, her eyes would be swollen and her lips withered by burning sighs; my beloved's face cupped in the palm of her hand, only glimpsed through loose tresses flowing down would surely appear like the miserable moon stricken pale when shadowed by you. 84 She will come into your view absorbed in the day's rites of worship or drawing my likeness imagined wasted by separation or asking the melodious songster in the cage, 'sweet one, do you remember our Lord? You were a favourite with him.' 85 Or, clad in a drab garment she may place the lute on her lap, wishing to sing a melody set to words signifying my name; succeeding somehow in tuning the strings wet with her tears, O gentle friend, she forgets again and again the sequence of notes even though she composed it herself. 86 Or, beginning with the day of our parting she may count the months remaining, laying out in order on the floor, flowers placed at the threshold; or, savouring imagined pleasures of love treasured in her heart: -such are the only diversions of women sorrowing in the absence of their husbands. 87 Occupied by day, the pangs of loneliness would not distress your friend too keenly, but I fear the nights devoid of diversions would pass heavy with grief; therefore, I pray, meet the faithful girl at midnight with my messages, standing at the window close to where she lies wakeful on the ground, and comfort her. 88 Wasted by anguish she would be lying on her bed of loneliness drawing herself together on one side, seeming like the last silver of the waning moon on the eastern horizon. By my side her nights flew by on winged moments in rapture's fullness; now they drag on, heavy with her burning tears. 89 With a burning sigh that withers her lips tender as leaf-buds, you will see her toss aside those curling tresses rough with frequent ritual-baths, that stray down her cheeks uncared for. Longing for sleep, hoping in dreams at least she would be one with me in love, a sudden torrent of tears might wash away those hopes. 90 On that first day of parting, her tresses with their wreath of flowers stripped off were twisted and plaited into one single braid which I shall unwind when the curse is ended and all my sorrows melted away: you will see her with untrimmed nails pushing that tangled braid, rough and painful to the touch, repeatedly off the curve of her cheek. 91 Remembering past delights her eyes would turn towards the moonbeams, cool, ambrosial, streaming in through the lattices, and turn away at once in sorrow. Veiling her eyes with lashes heavy-laden with tears she will seem to be hovering uncertain between waking and dreaming a day-lily on a cloudy day neither open nor shut. 92 Casting aside all adornments, keeping alive her fragile body in measureless sorrow, desolate, my love would try in vain time and again to throw herself on her bed; the sight I am sure will make you shed some freshwater tears; for tender hearts ever melt in compassion. 93 I know well you friend's heart is filled with love for me, hence I believe her brought to this pitiable state in this our very first parting. It is not vain self-esteem that makes a braggart of me; all I have said, my brother, you will soon see before your very eyes. 94 Lack-lustre without glossy collyrium, the sidelong glance blocked by straying hair, the eyebrow's graceful play forgotten through abstaining from wine, the doe-eyed lady's left eye would throb at your coming, I guess, and match the charm of blue lotuses quivering as fishes dart among them. 95 And her left thigh - bare of my nail marks, unadorned by the network of pearls of the long-worn zone she cast aside struck by the turn of fate, so used to the gentle stroking of my hands after love's enjoyment- pale as a tender plantain's stem will start quivering. 96 If at that time, O Rain-Giver, she has found happiness, pray wait near her, just one watch of the night withholding your thunder; having striven hard to find me, her beloved, in a dream of love, let not her arms twined like tender vines round my neck in close embrace, suddenly fall away from their hold. 97 Awakening her with a breeze cooled by your fine spray, when revived along with the fragrant jasmine's fresh clusters of buds, she gazes intensely at the casement graced by your presence, begin to address the noble lady in vibrant tones courteous, with your lightning-gleams hidden deep within you. 98 O unwidowed lady ! Know me, your husband's dear friend, a rain cloud come to tender to you his messages treasured in my heart. With deep but gentle tones I speed weary travellers yearning to unknot the tangled braids of their grieving wives, on their way home from distant lands. 99 Thus addressed, like Mithila's princess lifting her face up to the Son of the Wind, she will gaze on you, her heart opening like a flower from eager expectation: welcoming you at once, with deep respect she'll listen with rapt attention, gentle friend; for news of husbands brought by a friend are to women the closest thing to reunion. 100 O long-lived one! In response to my plea and to honour yourself, speak to her thus: your consort lives, haunting Ramagiri's hermitages- parted from you he asks if all is well with you, tender lady! Such soothing words should be addressed first to living beings who fall prey to calamity. 101 Far off, his way barred by adverse decree, in his imaginings his body becomes one with your body; thin with thin, anguished with intensely anguished, tear-drowned with tear-drenched yearning with endlessly yearning, your hotly-sighing body with his racked by long drawn-out sighs. 102 Who, before your companions loved to whisper in your ear what could well be said aloud indeed, for he longed to touch your face, he, gone beyond range of your hearing, not seen by your eyes, speaks through my mouth to you, these words shaped by his intense yearning. 103 In the syama-vines I see your body, your glance in the gazelle's startled eye, the cool radiance of your face in the moon, your tresses in the peacock's luxuriant train, your eyebrow's graceful curve in the stream's small waves; but alas! O cruel one, I see not your whole likeness anywhere in any one thing. 104 Scent of warm earth rain-sprinkled, rising fresh, O my darling, as the fragrance of your mouth,and the God of Love, five-arrowed, wastes my frame already wasted, grieving, far from you. For pity's sake, think how my days pass now at summer's close, as massed rain clouds rending the sunshine, scatter the pieces and cling enamoured to the sky in all directions. 105 With bright ores, I draw you on a rock Feigning anger, but when I wish to draw myself fallen at your feet, at once my eyes are dimmed by ever-welling tears. Ha! How cruel is fate that even here It will not suffer our reunion. 106 Striving hard I find you in a waking dream, I stretch my arms out into the empty air to fold you in a passionate embrace. Those large pearl-drops clustering on tender leaf-shoots Are surely - are they not - the tears the tree-goddesses shed watching my grief ? 107 Sudden, Himalayan breezes split open the tightly-shut leaf-buds on deodars, and redolent of their oozing resin blow south; I embrace those breezes fondly imagining they have of late touched your limbs, O perfect one! 108 If only the long-drawn-out night could be squeezed into a single moment, if only the hot summer's day would glow at all times with a gentle warmth; my heart, breathing these unattainable prayers is left a defence-less prey, O lady with bright-glancing eyes! To the fierce pangs of separation from you. 109 But no more of me; reflecting deeply I bear up, drawing on my own inner strength; you too, lady most blessed, should resist falling into utter dejection. Whom does happiness always attend or misery always befall? Man's state on earth like the rim of a wheel Goes down and comes up again. 110 With Visnu risen from His serpent couch my curse shall be ended; closing your eyes make the four remaining months go by; then on autumnal nights bright with moonlight We two shall taste together every desire eagerly imagined when we were apart. 111 And further he said this: once in bed asleep, still clinging to my neck you woke up on a sudden, weeping a little, and when I asked why again and again, laughing to yourself you said, -ah, you cheat, I saw you in my dream playing with another woman. 112 By this token of recognition know that I am well; and do not doubt me O dark-eyed one, believing idle reports that say for no good reason that absence destroys the affections; Ah no, the lack of pleasure makes the craving intense for what is desired, piling it up into love's great hoard. 113 I trust, noble friend, you are resolved to do this kindly service for me? I cannot think your grave look forbodes refusal; without a sound you offer catakas the water they crave; the answer noble ones make is to do the thing wished for. 114 Having granted this wish so dear to my heart, strange as it may seem, for friendship's sake or out of pity for me, desolated, wander, O Cloud, in all the lands you choose, gathering greater glory in the rains; may you never be parted from the lightning even for an instant.