Shakuntala

by Kalidasa

  But changed like winter-blighted lotus-blooms, I ween.

  XXI

  Her eyes are swol'n with tears that stream unchidden;

  Her lips turn pale with sorrow's burning sighs;

  The face that rests upon her hand is hidden

  By hanging curls, as when the glory dies

  Of the suffering moon pursued by thee through nightly skies.

  XXII

  The passion of love passes through ten stages, eight of which are suggested in this stanza and the stanzas which follow. The first stage is not indicated; it is called Exchange of Glances .

  Thou first wilt see her when she seeks relief

  In worship; or, half fancying, half recalling,

  She draws mine image worn by absent grief;

  Or asks the caged, sweetly-singing starling:

  "Do you remember, dear, our lord? You were his darling."

  XXIII

  In this stanza and the preceding one is suggested the second stage: Wistfulness .

  Or holds a lute on her neglected skirt,

  And tries to sing of me, and tries in vain;

  For she dries the tear-wet string with hands inert,

  And e'er begins, and e'er forgets again,

  Though she herself composed it once, the loving strain.

  XXIV

  Here is suggested the third stage: Desire .

  Or counts the months of absence yet remaining

  With flowers laid near the threshold on the floor,

  Or tastes the bliss of hours when love was gaining

  The memories recollected o'er and o'er—

  woman's comforts when her lonely heart is sore.

  XXV

  Here is suggested the fourth stage: Wakefulness .

  Such daytime labours doubtless ease the ache

  Which doubly hurts her in the helpless dark;

  With news from me a keener joy to wake,

  Stand by her window in the night, and mark

  My sleepless darling on her pallet hard and stark.

  XXVI

  Here is suggested the fifth stage: Emaciation .

  Resting one side upon that widowed bed,

  Like the slender moon upon the Eastern height,

  So slender she, now worn with anguish dread,

  Passing with stifling tears the long, sad night

  Which, spent in love with me, seemed but a moment's flight.

  XXVII

  Here is suggested the sixth stage: Loss of Interest in Ordinary Pleasures .

  On the cool, sweet moon that through the lattice flashes

  She looks with the old delight, then turns away

  And veils her eyes with water-weighted lashes,

  Sad as the flower that blooms in sunlight gay,

  But cannot wake nor slumber on a cloudy day.

  XXVIII

  Here is suggested the seventh stage: Loss of Youthful Bashfulness .

  One unanointed curl still frets her cheek

  When tossed by sighs that burn her blossom-lip;

  And still she yearns, and still her yearnings seek

  That we might be united though in sleep—

  Ah! Happy dreams come not to brides that ever weep.

  XXIX

  Here is suggested the eighth stage: Absent-mindedness. For if she were not absent-minded, she would arrange the braid so as not to be annoyed by it .

  Her single tight-bound braid she pushes oft—

  With a hand uncared for in her lonely madness—

  So rough it seems, from the cheek that is so soft:

  That braid ungarlanded since the first day's sadness,

  Which I shall loose again when troubles end in gladness.

  XXX

  Here is suggested the ninth stage: Prostration. The tenth stage, Death, is not suggested .

  The delicate body, weak and suffering,

  Quite unadorned and tossing to and fro

  In oft-renewing wretchedness, will wring

  Even from thee a raindrop-tear, I know—

  Soft breasts like thine are pitiful to others' woe.

  XXXI

  I know her bosom full of love for me,

  And therefore fancy how her soul doth grieve

  In this our first divorce; it cannot be

  Self-flattery that idle boastings weave—

  Soon shalt thou see it all, and seeing, shalt believe.

  XXXII

  Quivering of the eyelids

  Her hanging hair prevents the twinkling shine

  Of fawn-eyes that forget their glances sly,

  Lost to the friendly aid of rouge and wine—

  Yet the eyelids quiver when thou drawest nigh

  As water-lilies do when fish go scurrying by.

  XXXIII

  and trembling of the limbs are omens of speedy union with the beloved .

  And limbs that thrill to thee thy welcome prove,

  Limbs fair as stems in some rich plantain-bower,

  No longer showing marks of my rough love,

  Robbed of their cooling pearls by fatal power,

  The limbs which I was wont to soothe in passion's hour.

  XXXIV

  But if she should be lost in happy sleep,

  Wait, bear with her, grant her but three hours' grace,

  And thunder not, O cloud, but let her keep

  The dreaming vision of her lover's face—

  Loose not too soon the imagined knot of that embrace.

  XXXV

  As thou wouldst wake the jasmine's budding wonder,

  Wake her with breezes blowing mistily;

  Conceal thy lightnings, and with words of thunder

  Speak boldly, though she answer haughtily

  With eyes that fasten on the lattice and on thee.

  XXXVI

  The cloud is instructed how to announce himself

  "Thou art no widow; for thy husband's friend

  Is come to tell thee what himself did say—

  A cloud with low, sweet thunder-tones that send

  All weary wanderers hastening on their way,

  Eager to loose the braids of wives that lonely stay."

  XXXVII

  in such a way as to win the favour of his auditor .

  Say this, and she will welcome thee indeed,

  Sweet friend, with a yearning heart's tumultuous beating

  And joy-uplifted eyes; and she will heed

  The after message: such a friendly greeting

  Is hardly less to woman's heart than lovers' meeting.

  XXXVIII

  The message itself .

  Thus too, my king, I pray of thee to speak,

  Remembering kindness is its own reward;

  "Thy lover lives, and from the holy peak

  Asks if these absent days good health afford—

  Those born to pain must ever use this opening word.

  XXXIX

  With body worn as thine, with pain as deep,

  With tears and ceaseless longings answering thine,

  With sighs more burning than the sighs that keep

  Thy lips ascorch—doomed far from thee to pine,

  He too doth weave the fancies that thy soul entwine.

  XL

  He used to love, when women friends were near,

  To whisper things he might have said aloud

  That he might touch thy face and kiss thine ear;

  Unheard and even unseen, no longer proud,

  He now must send this yearning message by a cloud.

  XLI

  According to the treatise called "Virtues Banner," a lover has four solaces in separation: first, looking at objects that remind him of her he loves ;

  'I see thy limbs in graceful-creeping vines,

  Thy glances in the eyes of gentle deer,

  Thine eyebrows in the ripple's dancing lines,

  Thy locks in plumes, thy face in moonlight clear—

  Ah, jealous! But the whole sweet image is not here.

 
; XLII

  second, painting a picture of her ;

  And when I paint that loving jealousy

  With chalk upon the rock, and my caress

  As at thy feet I lie, I cannot see

  Through tears that to mine eyes unbidden press—

  So stern a fate denies a painted happiness.

  XLIII

  third, dreaming of her ;

  And when I toss mine arms to clasp thee tight,

  Mine own though but in visions of a dream—

  They who behold the oft-repeated sight,

  The kind divinities of wood and stream,

  Let fall great pearly tears that on the blossoms gleam.

  XLIV

  fourth, touching something which she has touched .

  Himalaya's breeze blows gently from the north,

  Unsheathing twigs upon the deodar

  And sweet with sap that it entices forth—

  I embrace it lovingly; it came so far,

  Perhaps it touched thee first, my life's unchanging star!

  XLV

  Oh, might the long, long night seem short to me!

  Oh, might the day his hourly tortures hide!

  Such longings for the things that cannot be,

  Consume my helpless heart, sweet-glancing bride,

  In burning agonies of absence from thy side.

  XLVI

  The bride is besought not to lose heart at hearing of her lover's wretchedness ,

  Yet much reflection, dearest, makes me strong,

  Strong with an inner strength; nor shouldst thou feel

  Despair at what has come to us of wrong;

  Who has unending woe or lasting weal?

  Our fates move up and down upon a circling wheel.

  XLVII

  and to remember that the curse has its appointed end, when the rainy season is over and the year of exile fulfilled. Vishnu spends the rainy months in sleep upon the back of the cosmic serpent Shesha .

  When Vishnu rises from his serpent bed

  The curse is ended; close thine eyelids tight

  And wait till only four months more are sped;

  Then we shall taste each long-desired delight

  Through nights that the full autumn moon illumines bright.

  XLVIII

  Then is added a secret which, as it could not possibly be known to a third person, assures her that the cloud is a true messenger .

  And one thing more: thou layest once asleep,

  Clasping my neck, then wakening with a scream;

  And when I wondered why, thou couldst but weep

  A while, and then a smile began to beam:

  "Rogue! Rogue! I saw thee with another girl in dream."

  XLIX

  This memory shows me cheerful, gentle wife;

  Then let no gossip thy suspicions move:

  They say the affections strangely forfeit life

  In separation, but in truth they prove

  Toward the absent dear, a growing bulk of tenderest love.'"

  L

  The Yaksha then begs the cloud to return with a message of comfort .

  Console her patient heart, to breaking full

  In our first separation; having spoken,

  Fly from the mountain ploughed by Shiva's bull;

  Make strong with message and with tender token

  My life, so easily, like morning jasmines, broken.

  LI

  I hope, sweet friend, thou grantest all my suit,

  Nor read refusal in thy solemn air;

  When thirsty birds complain, thou givest mute

  The rain from heaven: such simple hearts are rare,

  Whose only answer is fulfilment of the prayer.

  LII

  and dismisses him, with a prayer for his welfare .

  Thus, though I pray unworthy, answer me

  For friendship's sake, or pity's, magnified

  By the sight of my distress; then wander free

  In rainy loveliness, and ne'er abide

  One moment's separation from thy lightning bride.

  THE SEASONS

  The Seasons is an unpretentious poem, describing in six short cantos the six seasons into which the Hindus divide the year. The title is perhaps a little misleading, as the description is not objective, but deals with the feelings awakened by each season in a pair of young lovers. Indeed, the poem might be called a Lover's Calendar. Kalidasa's authorship has been doubted, without very cogent argument. The question is not of much interest, as The Seasons would neither add greatly to his reputation nor subtract from it.

  The whole poem contains one hundred and forty-four stanzas, or something less than six hundred lines of verse. There follow a few stanzas selected from each canto.

  SUMMER

  Pitiless heat from heaven pours

  By day, but nights are cool;

  Continual bathing gently lowers

  The water in the pool;

  The evening brings a charming peace:

  For summer-time is here

  When love that never knows surcease,

  Is less imperious, dear.

  Yet love can never fall asleep;

  For he is waked to-day

  By songs that all their sweetness keep

  And lutes that softly play,

  By fans with sandal-water wet

  That bring us drowsy rest,

  By strings of pearls that gently fret

  Full many a lovely breast.

  The sunbeams like the fires are hot

  That on the altar wake;

  The enmity is quite forgot

  Of peacock and of snake;

  The peacock spares his ancient foe,

  For pluck and hunger fail;

  He hides his burning head below

  The shadow of his tail.

  Beneath the garland of the rays

  That leave no corner cool,

  The water vanishes in haze

  And leaves a muddy pool;

  The cobra does not hunt for food

  Nor heed the frog at all

  Who finds beneath the serpent's hood

  A sheltering parasol.

  Dear maiden of the graceful song,

  To you may summer's power

  Bring moonbeams clear and garlands long

  And breath of trumpet-flower,

  Bring lakes that countless lilies dot,

  Refreshing water-sprays,

  Sweet friends at evening, and a spot

  Cool after burning days.

  THE RAINS

  The rain advances like a king

  In awful majesty;

  Hear, dearest, how his thunders ring

  Like royal drums, and see

  His lightning-banners wave; a cloud

  For elephant he rides,

  And finds his welcome from the crowd

  Of lovers and of brides.

  The clouds, a mighty army, march

  With drumlike thundering

  And stretch upon the rainbow's arch

  The lightning's flashing string;

  The cruel arrows of the rain

  Smite them who love, apart

  From whom they love, with stinging pain,

  And pierce them to the heart.

  The forest seems to show its glee

  In flowering nipa plants;

  In waving twigs of many a tree

  Wind-swept, it seems to dance;

  Its ketak-blossom's opening sheath

  Is like a smile put on

  To greet the rain's reviving breath,

  Now pain and heat are gone.

  To you, dear, may the cloudy time

  Bring all that you desire,

  Bring every pleasure, perfect, prime,

  To set a bride on fire;

  May rain whereby life wakes and shines

  Where there is power of life,

  The unchanging friend of clinging vines,

  Shower blessings on my wife.

  AUTUMN

 
The autumn comes, a maiden fair

  In slenderness and grace,

  With nodding rice-stems in her hair

  And lilies in her face.

  In flowers of grasses she is clad;

  And as she moves along,

  Birds greet her with their cooing glad

  Like bracelets' tinkling song.

  A diadem adorns the night

  Of multitudinous stars;

  Her silken robe is white moonlight,

  Set free from cloudy bars;

  And on her face (the radiant moon)

  Bewitching smiles are shown: