Nishanta Lila

[madanmohandas]

Soon as the night had reached its close
The Sylvan goddess Vrnda rose,
And bade the sweet toned parrots sing
Choice ryhmes to glad the bower king;
And warn him that the morning's ray
Might not his secret love betray,
And his lady-love might safely gain
Her own bed chamber, free from stain.
But still the damsel fain would lie,
E'en though the light of Dawn was nigh,
In Muraripu's warm embrace,
Her face pressed soft against his face.

[madanmohandas]

Fair Radha held the Dawn in slight regard,
And would she might the hast'ning day retard;
Hari by Cupid's darts had been transfixed,
And now his blue with her golden lustre mixed.
And as the Madhavi the Tamala doth entwine,
As Passion's thralls the lovers, languishing, recline.

[madanmohandas]

Then, one by one and in groups two and three
The sakhis thus enter the bower;
Wherewith the couple look now at each other,
And glancing back at the sakhis,
Stray with their hands for their garments to find,
An if naked limbs might be covered.
Unknown to the couple with minds inadvertant,
Each took the raiment of silk
That 'longed to the other, and thus in confussion,
The flower decked cottage departed.
Then the old monkey, she called Kakkhati,
Rose alarm with a clamorous call,
That the wrathful Jatila, who's ever in search
For a flaw in Radhika's virtue,
With stick in her hand and with scorn in her eye,
This way from her chambers doth hasten.
So with hearts all a tremble and eyes dimned with tears,
And yearning still for each other,
Young lovers must part ere the light of the day
Discovers their deeds to the elders.

[Nitaidas]

Good work, madanamohandasji.