Meghadoodham Part 3

Hast thou approached DarsSrna ? the hedges will glance white with the Ketakas, opened as it were by a needle. The Sacred trees of the Villages will be dis¬turbed by the cranes beginning to build; the Jambii bushes will become dark through their ripened fruit, and the Hansas will not tarry many days.

When thou hast arrived at the Royal City named Vidisa, famous in the regions, thou wilt soon acquire the complete fruit of thy quality as a lover. You will there drink the water of the VetravatI, the waves of which ripple in joy (indicated by) their murmuring noise noar the shore, like a frowning countenance.

There, light down on the mountains called Nlcha, on which the full blown Kadambas will become erect, like a body in a state of voluptuous horripilation, and whose rocky recesses, reeking with the scent of the unguents of harlot pleasure, reveal the licentious games of the men inhabiting towns.

After having rested, proceed, sprinkling the Jasmin buds of the gardens growing on the banks of the Naga nadl, and (after having) made the acquaintance for a moment with the countenances of the flower-sellers by affording them thy shade, who by their continued efforts to chase the sweat from their cheeks, have caused their ear water-lilies to fade.

Though your way would be circuitous, since you proceed northward, be not averse to make the acquaint¬ance of the palace laps of Ougein. If you are not delighted with the eyes of the women of the city, who are frightened at the flashes of thy lightning, and whose glances are tremulous—you are cheated.

Having arrived at the deep water of the Nirvindya, whose girdle-band of a row of birds, by the agitation of the waves tinkles, and gracefully gliding, flows away, and leaves her whirlpool navel exposed to view: continue on your road, for the first word of love in a woman, is confusion in presence of a lover.

Having left her behind, you must use the means by which the river, Sindhu (whose narrow thread of water is like a lock of hair, of a pale lustre on account of the withered leaves falling from the trees along its banks, and who thus, on account of her state of separation from thee, manifests thy happiness), may depart from her state of leanness.

Having arrived at Avanti, where the old men of the villages are acquainted with the Story of Udayana* proceed to the city previously mentioned, the fortunate Visala, which is like a beautiful portion of Swarga, brought down as it were by the yet remaining good works of the inhabitants of heaven, who returned to earth when more were still left—a small portion of their good deeds.

Where the Sipra wind (like a lover courting (his beloved one) for the sake of gratification of desire), carrying far the shrill, indistinct, love-cooing of the cranes in the early morning, fragrant from its friend¬ship with the odours of the opening lotus, limb- caressing, removes the enjoyment-produced lassitude of women.

If thy body be augmented by the window-exhaled perfume of the hair toilettes, and have the peacocks of the house offered thee the present of a dance, and hast thou, thy soul having become fatigued with the journey, rested on the flower-perfumed palace roofs, marked red with the feet of the beautiful women,

Proceed, reverently beheld by the Ganas who exclaim, because they see in thee the beauty of the throat of their lord, to the pure dwellings of the ruler of the three worlds, the husband of Chanda where the gardens are fanned by the wind fragrant with the pollen of the water-lily, redolent from the perfumes of the young girls, who are continually frolicking in the water of the Gandhavati