Today's Beautiful Gem: Part I of the nineteenth ashtapadi from Geetagovinda
by Jayadeva, transcreated by me.

"vadasi yadi kimcit api dantarucikaumudI harati daratimiram atighoram
sphuradadharas'Idhave tava vadanacandramA rocayatu locanacakoram

"When you speak, the flash of your teeth drives away the darkness of fear;
May your moon-face gladden the chakora-eyes that long for the nectar
of your lips!

"priye cArus'Ile priye cArus'Ile mumcamayi mAnamanidAnaM
sapadi madanAnalo dahati mama mAnasaM dehi mukhakamalamadhupAnam

"My dear beautiful love, forsake your silly anger towards me;
My heart is consumed by the fire of Madana, quench it with the honey from
your lotus face.

"satyam eva asi yadi sudati mayi kopinI dehi kharanakharas'araghAtaM
ghaTaya bhujabandhanaM janaya radakhanDanaM yena vA bhavati sukhajAtam

"My darling, if you are really cross with me, scratch me with your sharp
arrow-like nails;
Else, hold me tightly with your arms or even bite me; do whatever
that makes you happy.

"tvam asi mama jIvanaM tvam asi mama bhUSaNaM tvam asi mama bhavajaladhiratnam
bhavatu bhavtI iha mayi satatam anurodhinI tatra mama hRdayam atiyatnam

"You are my life, you are my jewel, you are the gem in the ocean of my life;
Forever be with me and my heart will try its best to attain this goal.

"nIlanalina abham api tanvi tava locanaM dArayati kokanadarUpam
kusumas'arabANabhAvena yadi ranjayasi kRSNaM idaM etat anurUpam

"Your eyes that resemble black lilies, appear now as if they are red lilies;
They have become the arrows of Eros and even make me, Krishna, crimson.

Note: This aSTapadi of Jayadeva is one of the most beautiful of its
kind. Part of it appeared in this series last year. In fact, Tagore seems
to have been mesmerised by it. He quotes the third stanza (tvam asi mama
jIvanaM ...) through Labanya in his fine novel `Farewell my friend'. In the
fourth stanza, as Radha gets angry, her eyes become red and hence the
comparison with red lilies. Krishna (literally the dark-complexioned) was
hurt by the arrows of the Love god and hence he too becomes red. Try to
enjoy the music of the words without even bothering to analyse the meaning.
As one of my friends puts it succinctly:
`Poetry is not for analysis, but is just for unconditional enjoyment.'

om s'aantih: Peace! - J. K. Mohana Rao

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