Vidyapati- Part -III

Vidyapati, a fourteenth century Indian poet, is famous for his love songs, written in Maithili, a regional language of Eastern India. These songs treat Radha and Krishna as ideal lovers whose idyllic romance embodied many vital phases of human experience. The similarity of their theme, coupled with their verbal charm, led Vidyapati to be hailed in his life-time as 'the new Jayadeva'.
These translations are done by Deben Bhattacharya, the modern Bengali poet whose broadcasts and recordings of music have achieved wide recognition.

These translations are taken from the book published by Motilal Banarasi Dass- Love Songs of Vidyapati edited by WG Archer
 

THE LOTUS SMILED

... On all my limbs
Were spells of love.
What strength I needed
To arrest desire.
My quivering breasts
I hid with trembling hands
As all my body glowed.
No longer could I check my passion
And the shut lotus bloomed in smiles.

**

FLASH OF EYES

You have stolen the moon,
o lovely face,
Your honour is at stake.
Restrain your glances.
Let no one see you,
Lest Riihu eat you
Mistaking you for the moon.
Your eyes flash
With black mascara,
Making glances
Sharp as arrows. . . .

You have stolen nectar.
You have stolen the moon. . .
But where will you put it
So brightly does it shine?

***

DARKNESS AND RAIN

Clouds break.
Arrows of water fall
Like the last blows
That end the world.
The night is thick
With lamp-black for the eyes.
Who but you, 0 friend,
Would keep so late a tryst?
The earth is a pool of mud
With dreaded snakes at large.
Darkness is everywhere,
Save where your feet
Flash with lightning.

****

AFTERMATH

Your eyes droop with sleep
Yet still your face
Outshines the lotus.
Who was that fool
Who scarred your breasts,
Marring their god-like charms
With savage nails?
Your brow no longer wears
Its mark of scarlet.
Your lips of coral
Are drained grey.
Who has raided, my love,
Your house of treasure?
 

****

WEALTH OF YOUTH

On this earth
In wavering life
Youth is short-lived.
Enjoy it as you can
Or stab the heart.
O lovely girl,
Where is your wisdom?
The wealth of youth
Is yours
To be offered as a gift.
Give it as you will
It still remains.
Only he is poor
Whom you deny... .

*****

WAXING MOON

Do not abandon
Her delicate limbs
For fear of crushing.
Who has ever seen
A blossom smothered
By the weight of a bee?
Madhava, mark my words:
Do not hold back
If she cries 'No, no',
Or futile comes the dawn.
With your ardent kissing
Give her lips
The hue of dusk
And slowly bring her
To the height of joy.
The play of love,
I ts keen delights,
Should grow and grow
Like the white brilliance
Of a waxing moon.