SRI AUROBINDO
Translations
from Sanskrit and Other Languages
II. From Bengali
Childhood and youth each other are nearing;
Her two eyes their office yield to the hearing.
Her speech has learned sweet maiden craft
And low not as of old she laughed,
Her laughter murmurs. A moon on earth
Is dawning into perfect birth.
Mirror in hand she apparels her now
And asks of her sweet girl-comrades to show
What love is and what love does
And all shamed delight that sweet love owes.
And often she sits by herself and sees
Smiling with bliss her breasts’ increase,
Her own milk-breasts that, plums at first,
Now into golden oranges burst.
Day by day Love’s vernal dreams
Expand her lovely blossoming limbs.
Madhav, I saw a marvellous flower
Of girls; childhood and youth one power,
One presence grown in one body fair.
Foolish maiden, not thus declare
The oneness of these contraries.
Rather the two were yoked, say the wise.