Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c11.14

Language: English

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ravishing than the moon, the stirrer of the heart stirred up, as it were, my whole heart.’ Thus did the warden of the earth speak unto her, but she answered not a word to him that was tormented by love in the lonely forest. While the prince was thus confused by speaking, the great-eyed one disappeared where she stood,¹ like the lightning in the cloud. Seeking her, her with the lotus-leaf eyes, the commander of men now ran all over the forest, wandering about like a madman. But when he found her not, the first among princes raised much lament there, and stood a moment without stirring. When she now was no longer to be seen, the smiter of the foeman’s hosts, the love-stupefied ruler of men, fell down to earth. When he was lying on the ground, then the sweet-smiling fair one with the swelling, long hips, showed herself once again to the prince. Then the glorious one spoke with sweet voice to the herdsman of the earth, the heir of the Kurus, whose soul was smitten by love ; with a light laugh Tapati spoke the sweet words : ‘ Rise, rise, I beg ! Thou tamer of foemen, tiger among princes, that standest before all eyes on earth, thou must not come to be thus overcome in bewilderment.’ Thus addressed with sweet speech, the ruler of the earth now saw the wide-hipped one standing before him.

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Then spoke the king to her of the black eyes, his soul ringed by the fire of love, with a voice that uttered only confused sounds : ‘ Come, thou black-eyed one, thou mazed allurer, love me that love thee and am tortured with yearning ; for the spirits of life are leaving me. Because of thee, thou great-eyed one, who shinest like the cup of the lotus-flower, the god of love is ever piercing me with sharp arrows. Therefore, thou of the lovely face, that hast swelling, long hips, take me to thee ; for in helpless plight I am being entwined² by the mighty snake of desire. For on thee my life depends, O thou whose words sound sweet as the song of the Kinnaras, thou, free from fault in every limb, woman with countenance like unto the lotus-flower and the moon. For without thee, O shy one, I cannot go on living. The god of love is wounding me here, lotus-faced one ; therefore take pity on me, thou woman with the all-powerful eyes. Black-eyed one, thou shalt not repulse me, who am thy servant in love, for, glorious one, thou shalt save me through a union in joy. My heart, where love has been awakened through the sight of thee, is deep shaken; now that I have seen thee I have no wish left to see another, thou noble one. Grant me thy favour, I am in thy hands, love me the lover, thou glorious one. For since I have seen thee, thou fair-hipped woman, the stirrer of hearts, O big-eyed one, is piercing me sorely within with his arrows.

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The fire that has been kindled by love, O lotus-eye, slake it for me with the life-giving water that comes with the union in joy. Thou kindly, thou glorious one, bring the god with the flowery dart, him so hard to overcome, armed with cruel arrow and bow, that has awakened at the sight of thee, and is drawing on me with arrows beyond bearing, bring him to rest by giving thyself to me. Come unto me after the wise of the Gandharva wedlock, thou all-excelling woman; for among marriages, O banana-thighed one, the Gandharva marriage is held for the highest.' Tapati spoke: 'I am not mistress of myself, O king, for I am a maiden that has a father. Dost thou harbour liking and love for me, then ask of my father. For as thy life-spirits have been taken and held by me, so by the very sight of thee have my life-spirits been borne headlong¹ away by thee. I am not now mistress of my person; therefore, O best of princes, I go not to thee; for women are not free. For what maiden in all the worlds must not wish for herself the renowned prince of the nobility as shield and tender-loving husband? Therefore, as things are thus, do thou ask of my father, the sun god, through humble showing of honour, through penance, and a vow of mortification. If he will give me to thee, O slayer of foes, then will I ever live, O king, after thy wishes.

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I am, indeed, Tapati, the younger sister of Sāvitrī, I am the daughter of that light of the world, of the awaker of life, O warrior-bull.' After these words the faultless one swiftly rose in the air, while the king fell down on the ground again where he stood.