Classic Poem

I

Banished by the conquering Titans
Homeless lived the gods of heaven, —
Indra turned to Love for succour,
Wondrous power to Love is given!
Seated next to sovran Indra,
Greeted by his gracious word,
God of Love with due obeisance
Questioned thus his anxious lord:
" Speak thy mandate, Lord of creatures,
Thou canst probe their purpose best,
And thy summons is a favour,
Higher grace, — thy royal hest!
Who by penance long and arduous
Seeks to wrest thy heavenly throne? —
Shaft of Love can conquer penance,
Anchorites may prowess own!
Who renouncing earthly pleasures
Seeks the life of loneliness? —
Woman's glance can vanquish hermits,
Monks their magic power confess!
Who, by Sukra taught in wisdom,
Longs to tread the narrow way? —
As the flood sweeps o'er a kingdom,
Love o'erwhelms poor wisdom's sway!
Hath some dame of rigid virtue
With a passion fired thy heart? —
She shall flame with answering passion,
Women know my conquering dart!
Hath some wronged, disdainful damsel
Turned on thee her wrathful eye? —
She shall pine with longing langour,
On a bed of leaves shall lie!
Rest thy bolt, grim God of thunder,
Wondrous is my softer dart, —
Pouting red lips humble heroes,
Bright eyes tame the Titan's heart!
Mighty Siva, God of bright gods,
Owns my shaft's resistless charms, —
Love and Springtime well may conquer
Trident-wielding Siva's arms! "

II

Rashly thus Kandarpa boasted
Power to quell Kailasa's Lord,
And, well-pleased, the God of thunder
Took him promptly at his word:
" True my friend! The forked lightning
Is my all resistless dart,
Yet on saints my bolt is powerless,
Saint and sinner own thy art!
Well I know thy might resistless,
Ask thee mighty work to share,
Who but world-sustaining Sesa
Weight of solid earth could bear?
Thou hast said, on peerless Siva
Speeds thy unresisted dart,
Thou hast therein told the wishes
Bright gods cherish in their heart;
Born of Him, a conquering leader
Will o'er Titan foes prevail,
But to love and happy wedding
Who but thee can Siva quell?
May he eye with soft affection
Daughter of the mountain king,
She will make a worthy consort
And to gods their fortunes bring;
She, by mountain-monarch's mandate,
Waits on Siva in his rites;
So the heavenly nymphs have told me,
Those who scan the mountain heights;
Speed, then, in this heavenly mission
High success and fame attain,
For the task awaits thy effort
As the seed awaits the rain!
May thy shining dart, Kandarpa
Win us heaven's perennial bliss,
Fame awaits on all achievements,
Highest fame on deed like this;
Gods are suppliants for thy favour,
Weal of worlds awaits thy power,
Bloodless is thy high achievement,
Glory is thy destined dower!
God of Spring will work conjointly,
He is e'er thy helping friend,
When the red flame springs in radiance,
Winds their aid spontaneous lend! "
Indra spake; and gently smiling
Stroked the beaming God of Love,
Proud Kandarpa bowed obeisance,
Left for Himalaya's grove.

III

Where in contemplation
Siva lived alone,
Young Love flew with ardour
To his duty prone.
And the peace-disturber
Merry Spring-time came,
Rousing hearts of hermits
To unwonted flame.
Southern sun untimely
Turned his chariot north,
And the south wind's kisses
Waked to joy the earth!
Asok bloomed spontaneous,
Touched by maid nor wife,
Though 'tis said a woman
Wakes that tree to life!
Mango-flowers, leaf-feathered,
Where like darts of flame,
Bees like graven letters
Marked the Love-God's name!
Scentless Karnikara
Maidens do not prize, —
Nature oft to beauty
Deeper worth denies.
Red Palasa blossomed
In its crimson drest, —
Love's caressing tokens
On the woodland's breast.
And the blushing green wood
Glowed like nymph of sky, —
Mango-shoots her red lips,
Bees her dark bright eye!

IV

Wild deer with new ardour
Ranged among the trees,
By the flower-dust blinded
Sought the southern breeze.
Kokils fed on mangoes
Chanted sweet and clear,
Nymphs forgot their coyness
That wild lay to hear!
And with ruddier beauty
Kim-purushas shone,
Lips of deeper crimson,
Bosoms warmed by sun!
Aye, the pale-faced hermits
Felt an inward strife,
From their silent penance
Woke to surging life.
And all forest creatures
Felt the wondrous power,
And in love's sweet dalliance
Spent the glowing hour!
Bee pursued the female,
Drank from flower she tasted,
Black buck closed his eyelids,
By his partner rested;
Tusker drank the water
Which the female gave,
With his mate the Chukwa
Sported on the wave!
On the lips of wood-nymphs,
Faint with toil of song,
Flushed with wine and langour,
Swains impassioned hung;
And with lips of red-leaf,
And their flower-gemmed breast,
Creepers round the tall trees
In love's dalliance prest!

V

Vainly rose the voice of music,
Vain the breezes breathed of love,
Deep in holy contemplation
Siva sat within his grove.
And outside the hut of creepers
Watchful Nandi held his wand,
Placed upon his lips the finger,
Held in silence all the land!
Bird and bee were hushed and voiceless,
Red deer ranged not in that wood,
By his mandate all the confines
Like a painted landscape stood.
Quelled by Siva's lofty presence,
Even the God of Love withdrew,
In a bush of wild Nameru
Half concealed him from his view!
On a seat of Deva-daru,
Covered by the tiger's skin,
Silent-seated, still and stately,
Siva's ample form was seen;
Frame erect in contemplation,
Shoulders builded deep and broad,
Lotus palms conjoined in worship,
Moveless sat the mighty God!
Serpents twined around his tresses,
Beads depended from his ear,
From his blue throat, deeper-shaded,
Hung the dark skin of the deer;
And beneath the ample eye-brows
Half was seen each radiant eye,
Shaded by the moveless lashes
Fixed in contemplation high;
Like the deep cloud, — dark but silent,
Like the ocean, — vast but still,
Like the flame, — by winds unshaken,
Dreaded God of dauntless will!
And a radiance bright and beaming,
Which his ample forehead flung
Lighted up the lunar crescent
On his God-like locks that hung;
Quelled each outer sense and feeling.
Fixed each sense in lofty thought,
He whom sages call ETERNAL
In his self the Great Self sought!

VI

Him, — inviolate and unconquered, —
God of Love with awe surveyed,
From his trembling, nerveless fingers
Bow and arrow fell in dread;
But his faint heart filled with gladness,
Flame of courage leapt to light,
As, encircled by her maidens,
Beauteous Uma burst on sight!
Bearing wreaths of Karni-kara,
Red Asoka's ruby store,
Garlanded with Sindhu-vara,
Wealth of spring the maiden bore;
Wearing scarf like molten sunlight
On her swelling bosom laid,
Like a blossom-weighted creeper
Softly stepped the mountain-maid!
Holding oft the flowery girdle
Slipping from her narrow zone, —
Brighter bow-string for his arrows
God of Love did never own; —
Waving back with fan of lotus
Timidly the thirsty bee, —
Well her lips might tempt the insect
From the honey of the tree; —
Fresh and fragrant from the forest
Bright and beauteous Uma came,
And a new born hope and ardour
Thrilled Kandarpa's heart to flame!
Softly in the grove she entered,
As the God immersed in thought
Found within his radiant bosom
Holy Light which he had sought;
Slowly then from contemplation
Lord of creatures, Siva woke,
Wore a lighter grace and station
When the holy trance was broke.

VII

Watchful Nandi spake of Uma,
Waiting with her duteous love,
Gracious Siva gave permission,
And she came within the grove.
And her maidens bowed to Siva,
Strewed around his blessed feet
Flower and young leaf they had gathered,
Fresh and fragrant, soft and sweet.
Uma too, in pious reverence,
Bent to do obeisance meet,
And the buds that starred her tresses
Sweetly rained on Siva's feet!
" Live to be a dear-loved consort,
Live to be a loving wife, — "
Thus the bright God blessed the maiden,
For the gods can bless our life.
And as moth unto the bright flame,
God of Love flew to the scene,
Watching this auspicious moment
With his arrow bright and keen!
Garland of the seed of lotus,
Ripened by Mandakni's wave,
Wreathed by her own rosy fingers,
Uma unto Siva gave.
Gently touching hands so tender
Siva took the offered wreath,
God of Love then took his arrow
Keener than the shaft of death!
Silent heaved the heart of Siva
Like the ocean's heaving swell, —
On her face and lips of coral
His impassioned glances fell.
She with woman's inborn instinct
Knew the import of the glance, —
Brow and bosom flushed and crimsoned,
Uma stood as in a trance!
Then with strong and godlike effort
Siva quelled the rising flame,
Sought with cold and cruel glances
Whence the sudden impulse came;
And he marked the young Kandarpa,
Leaning still on bended knee,
Bow of blossoms still encircled,
Right hand drawn unto his eye!
Then arose a mighty anger, —
Bright Gods know his wrath too well,
As from cloud the lurid flashes,
From his eye the red flame fell;
" Spare, O spare! " the bright Gods uttered, —
Ere these accents, winged their way,
Burnt by Siva's flashing glances
Lifeless Love in ashes lay!

VIII

With the young Kandarpa,
Gentle Rati fell,
Grief hath power o'er bright Gods,
Sorrows, who can quell?
As on tree the lightning
On them fell his wrath,
He to unknown regions
Silent sought his path!
Silent wended Uma
To her home again, —
Speaks no maid her sorrows
When she loves, — in vain!
But her father fathomed
Feelings unexprest,
Saw the tears she shed not,
Held her in his breast!