Translations Of Shakuntala And Other Works Part 40

Enough of this! Though every word that you Have said, be faithful, yet would Shiva please My eager heart all made of pa.s.sion true For him alone. Love sees no blemishes.

In response to this eloquence, the youth throws off his disguise, appearing as the G.o.d Shiva himself, and declares his love for her.

Parvati immediately discontinues her religious asceticism; for "successful effort regenerates."

_Sixth canto. Parvati is given in marriage_.--While Parvati departs to inform her father of what has happened, Shiva summons the seven sages, who are to make the formal proposal of marriage to the bride's parents. The seven sages appear, flying through the air, and with them Arundhati, the heavenly model of wifely faith and devotion. On seeing her, Shiva feels his eagerness for marriage increase, realising that

All actions of a holy life Are rooted in a virtuous wife.

Shiva then explains his purpose, and sends the seven sages to make the formal request for Parvati's hand. The seven sages fly to the brilliant city of Himalaya, where they are received by the mountain G.o.d. After a rather portentous interchange of compliments, the seven sages announce their errand, requesting Parvati's hand in behalf of Shiva. The father joyfully a.s.sents, and it is agreed that the marriage shall be celebrated after three days. These three days are spent by Shiva in impatient longing.

_Seventh canto. Parvati's wedding_.--The three days are spent in preparations for the wedding. So great is Parvati's unadorned beauty that the waiting-women can hardly take their eyes from her to inspect the wedding-dress. But the preparations are complete at last; and the bride is beautiful indeed.

As when the flowers are budding on a vine, Or white swans rest upon a river's sh.o.r.e, Or when at night the stars in heaven shine, Her lovely beauty grew with gems she wore.

When wide-eyed glances gave her back the same Bright beauty--and the mirror never lies-- She waited with impatience till he came: For women dress to please their lovers' eyes.

Meanwhile Shiva finishes his preparations, and sets out on his wedding journey, accompanied by Brahma, Vishnu, and lesser G.o.ds. At his journey's end, he is received by his bride's father, and led through streets ankle-deep in flowers, where the windows are filled with the faces of eager and excited women, who gossip together thus:

For his sake it was well that Parvati Should mortify her body delicate; Thrice happy might his serving-woman be, And infinitely blest his bosom's mate.

Shiva and his retinue then enter the palace, where he is received with bashful love by Parvati, and the wedding is celebrated with due pomp.

The nymphs of heaven entertain the company with a play, and Shiva restores the body of Love.

_Eighth canto. The honeymoon_.--The first month of marital bliss is spent in Himalaya's palace. After this the happy pair wander for a time among the famous mountain-peaks. One of these they reach at sunset, and Shiva describes the evening glow to his bride. A few stanzas are given here.

See, my beloved, how the sun With beams that o'er the water shake From western skies has now begun A bridge of gold across the lake.

Upon the very tree-tops sway The peac.o.c.ks; even yet they hold And drink the dying light of day, Until their fans are molten gold.

The water-lily closes, but With wonderful reluctancy; As if it troubled her to shut Her door of welcome to the bee.

The steeds that draw the sun's bright car, With bended neck and falling plume And drooping mane, are seen afar To bury day in ocean's gloom.

The sun is down, and heaven sleeps: Thus every path of glory ends; As high as are the scaled steeps, The downward way as low descends.

Shiva then retires for meditation. On his return, he finds that his bride is peevish at being left alone even for a little time, and to soothe her, he describes the night which is now advancing. A few stanzas of this description run as follows.

The twilight glow is fading far And stains the west with blood-red light, As when a reeking scimitar Slants upward on a field of fight.

And vision fails above, below, Around, before us, at our back; The womb of night envelops slow The world with darkness vast and black.

Mute while the world is dazed with light, The smiling moon begins to rise And, being teased by eager night, Betrays the secrets of the skies.

Moon-fingers move the black, black hair Of night into its proper place, Who shuts her eyes, the lilies fair, As he sets kisses on her face.

Shiva and Parvati then drink wine brought them by the guardian G.o.ddess of the grove, and in this lovely spot they dwell happily for many years.

_Ninth canto. The journey to Mount Kailasa_.--One day the G.o.d of fire appears as a messenger from the G.o.ds before Shiva, to remonstrate with him for not begetting the son upon whom heaven's welfare depends.

Shiva deposits his seed in Fire, who departs, bent low with the burden. Shortly afterwards the G.o.ds wait upon Shiva and Parvati, who journey with them to Mount Kailasa, the splendid dwelling-place of the G.o.d of wealth. Here also Shiva and Parvati spend happy days.

_Tenth canto. The birth of k.u.mara_.--To Indra, king of the G.o.ds, Fire betakes himself, tells his story, and begs to be relieved of his burden. Indra advises him to deposit it in the Ganges. Fire therefore travels to the Ganges, leaves Shiva's seed in the river, and departs much relieved. But now it is the turn of Ganges to be distressed, until at dawn the six Pleiades come to bathe in the river. They find Shiva's seed and lay it in a nest of reeds, where it becomes a child, k.u.mara, the future G.o.d of war.

_Eleventh canto. The birth of k.u.mara, continued_.--Ganges suckles the beautiful infant. But there arises a dispute for the possession of the child between Fire, Ganges, and the Pleiades. At this point Shiva and Parvati arrive, and Parvati, wondering at the beauty of the infant and at the strange quarrel, asks Shiva to whom the child belongs. When Shiva tells her that k.u.mara is their own child, her joy is unbounded.

Because her eyes with happy tears were dim, 'Twas but by s.n.a.t.c.hes that she saw the boy; Yet, with her blossom-hand caressing him, She felt a strange, an unimagined joy.

The vision of the infant made her seem A flower unfolding in mysterious bliss; Or, billowy with her joyful tears, a stream; Or pure affection, perfect in a kiss.

Shiva conducts Parvati and the boy back to Mount Kailasa, where G.o.ds and fairies welcome them with music and dancing. Here the divine child spends the days of a happy infancy, not very different from human infancy; for he learns to walk, gets dirty in the courtyard, laughs a good deal, pulls the scanty hair of an old servant, and learns to count: "One, nine, two, ten, five, seven." These evidences of healthy development cause Shiva and Parvati the most exquisite joy.

_Twelfth canto. k.u.mara is made general_.--Indra, with the other G.o.ds, waits upon Shiva, to ask that k.u.mara, now a youth, may be lent to them as their leader in the campaign against Taraka. The G.o.ds are graciously received by Shiva, who asks their errand. Indra prefers their request, whereupon Shiva bids his son a.s.sume command of the G.o.ds, and slay Taraka. Great is the joy of k.u.mara himself, of his mother Parvati, and of Indra.

_Thirteenth canto. k.u.mara is consecrated general_.--k.u.mara takes an affectionate farewell of his parents, and sets out with the G.o.ds. When they come to Indra's paradise, the G.o.ds are afraid to enter, lest they find their enemy there. There is an amusing scene in which each courteously invites the others to precede him, until k.u.mara ends their embarra.s.sment by leading the way. Here for the first time k.u.mara sees with deep respect the heavenly Ganges, Indra's garden and palace, and the heavenly city. But he becomes red-eyed with anger on beholding the devastation wrought by Taraka.

He saw departed glory, saw the state Neglected, ruined, sad, of Indra's city, As of a woman with a cowardly mate: And all his inmost heart dissolved in pity.

He saw how crystal floors were gashed and torn By wanton tusks of elephants, were strewed With skins that sloughing cobras once had worn: And sadness overcame him as he viewed.

He saw beside the bathing-pools the bowers Defiled by elephants grown overbold, Strewn with uprooted golden lotus-flowers, No longer bright with plumage of pure gold,

Rough with great, jewelled columns overthrown, Rank with invasion of the untrimmed gra.s.s: Shame strove with sorrow at the ruin shown, For heaven's foe had brought these things to pa.s.s.

Amid these sorrowful surroundings the G.o.ds gather and anoint k.u.mara, thus consecrating him as their general.

_Fourteenth canto. The march_.--k.u.mara prepares for battle, and marshals his army. He is followed by Indra riding on an elephant, Agni on a ram, Yama on a buffalo, a giant on a ghost, Varuna on a dolphin, and many other lesser G.o.ds. When all is ready, the army sets out on its dusty march.

_Fifteenth canto. The two armies clash_.--The demon Taraka is informed that the hostile army is approaching, but scorns the often-conquered Indra and the boy k.u.mara. Nevertheless, he prepares for battle, marshals his army, and sets forth to meet the G.o.ds. But he is beset by dreadful omens of evil.

For foul birds came, a horrid flock to see, Above the army of the foes of heaven, And dimmed the sun, awaiting ravenously The feast of demon corpses to be given.

And monstrous snakes, as black as powdered soot, Spitting hot poison high into the air, Brought terror to the army underfoot, And crept and coiled and crawled before them there.

The sun a sickly halo round him had; Coiling within it frightened eyes could see Great, writhing serpents, enviously glad Because the demon's death so soon should be.

And in the very circle of the sun Were phantom jackals, snarling to be fed; And with impatient haste they seemed to run To drink the demon's blood in battle shed.

There fell, with darting flame and blinding flash Lighting the farthest heavens, from on high A thunderbolt whose agonising crash Brought fear and shuddering from a cloudless sky.

There came a pelting rain of blazing coals With blood and bones of dead men mingled in; Smoke and weird flashes horrified their souls; The sky was dusty grey like a.s.ses' skin.