Book V. Canto Xx. R'avan's Wooing
Canto Xx.: Rvan'S Wooing.
With amorous look and soft address
The fiend began his suit to press:
'Why wouldst thou, lady lotus-eyed,
From my fond glance those beauties hide?
Mine eager suit no more repel:
But love me, for I love thee well.
Dismiss, sweet dame, dismiss thy fear;
No giant and no man is near.
Ours is the right by force to seize
What dames soe'er our fancy please. 1b
But I with rude hands will not touch
A lady whom I love so much.
Fear not, dear queen: no fear is nigh:
Come, on thy lover's love rely.
Some little sign of favor show,
Nor lie enamoured of thy woe.
Those limbs upon that cold earth laid.
Those tresses twined in single braid, 2b
The fast and woe that wear thy frame,
Beseem not thee, O beauteous dame.
For thee the fairest wreaths were meant,
The sandal and the aloe's scent,
Rich ornaments and pearls of price,
And vesture meet for Paradise.
With dainty cates shouldst thou be fed,
And rest upon a sumptuous bed.
And festive joys to thee belong,
The music, and the dance and song.
Rise, pearl of women, rise and deck
With gems and chains thine arms and neck.
Shall not the dame I love be seen
In venture worthy of a queen?
Methinks when thy sweet form was made
His hand the wise Creator stayed;
For never more did he design
A beauty meet to rival thine.
Come, let, us love while we yet may,
For youth will fly and charms decay.
Come cast thy
fear aside
And to my lo*e, my chosen bride.
The gem*s and jewels that my hands
Has reft from every plundered land,--
To thee I give th
this day
And at thy feet my kingdom lay.
p. 407
The broad rich earth will I o'errun,
And leave no town unconquered, none;
Then of the whole an offering make
To Janak, 1 dear, for thy sweet sake.
In all the world no power I see
Of God or man can strive with me.
Of old the Gods and Asurs set
In terrible array I met:
Their scattered hosts to earth I beat,
And trod their flags beneath my feet.
Come, taste of bliss and drink thy fill,
And rule the slave who serves thy will.
Think not of wretched Rma: he
Is less than nothing now to thee.
Stript of his glory, poor, dethroned,
A wanderer by his friends disowned,
On the cold earth he lays his head,
Or is with toil and misery dead.
And if perchance he lingers yet.
His eyes on thee shall ne'er be set.
Could he, that mighty monarch, who
Was named Hiranyakas'ipu.
Could he who wore the garb of gold
Win Glory back from Indra's hold? 2
O lady of the lovely smile,
Whose eyes the sternest heart beguile,
In all thy radiant beauty dressed
My heart and soul thou ravishest.
What though thy robe is soiled and worn,
And no bright gems thy limbs adorn,
Thou unadorned art dearer far
Than all my loveliest consorts are.
My royal home is bright and fair;
A thousand beauties meet me there.
But come, my glorious love, and be
The queen of all those dames and me.'
Footnotes
406:1b Rvan in his magic car carrying off the most beautiful women reminds us of the magician in "Orlando Furioso", possesor of the flying horse.
"Volando talor s'aza ne le stelle, *
E por quasis talor 'a terra rade'; *
Bie porta con tui tutte le belle *
Donna che trova perquelle contrade." *
406:2b Indian women twisted their long hair in a single braid as a sign of mourning for their absent husbands.
With amorous look and soft address
The fiend began his suit to press:
'Why wouldst thou, lady lotus-eyed,
From my fond glance those beauties hide?
Mine eager suit no more repel:
But love me, for I love thee well.
Dismiss, sweet dame, dismiss thy fear;
No giant and no man is near.
Ours is the right by force to seize
What dames soe'er our fancy please. 1b
But I with rude hands will not touch
A lady whom I love so much.
Fear not, dear queen: no fear is nigh:
Come, on thy lover's love rely.
Some little sign of favor show,
Nor lie enamoured of thy woe.
Those limbs upon that cold earth laid.
Those tresses twined in single braid, 2b
The fast and woe that wear thy frame,
Beseem not thee, O beauteous dame.
For thee the fairest wreaths were meant,
The sandal and the aloe's scent,
Rich ornaments and pearls of price,
And vesture meet for Paradise.
With dainty cates shouldst thou be fed,
And rest upon a sumptuous bed.
And festive joys to thee belong,
The music, and the dance and song.
Rise, pearl of women, rise and deck
With gems and chains thine arms and neck.
Shall not the dame I love be seen
In venture worthy of a queen?
Methinks when thy sweet form was made
His hand the wise Creator stayed;
For never more did he design
A beauty meet to rival thine.
Come, let, us love while we yet may,
For youth will fly and charms decay.
Come cast thy
fear aside
And to my lo*e, my chosen bride.
The gem*s and jewels that my hands
Has reft from every plundered land,--
To thee I give th
this day
And at thy feet my kingdom lay.
p. 407
The broad rich earth will I o'errun,
And leave no town unconquered, none;
Then of the whole an offering make
To Janak, 1 dear, for thy sweet sake.
In all the world no power I see
Of God or man can strive with me.
Of old the Gods and Asurs set
In terrible array I met:
Their scattered hosts to earth I beat,
And trod their flags beneath my feet.
Come, taste of bliss and drink thy fill,
And rule the slave who serves thy will.
Think not of wretched Rma: he
Is less than nothing now to thee.
Stript of his glory, poor, dethroned,
A wanderer by his friends disowned,
On the cold earth he lays his head,
Or is with toil and misery dead.
And if perchance he lingers yet.
His eyes on thee shall ne'er be set.
Could he, that mighty monarch, who
Was named Hiranyakas'ipu.
Could he who wore the garb of gold
Win Glory back from Indra's hold? 2
O lady of the lovely smile,
Whose eyes the sternest heart beguile,
In all thy radiant beauty dressed
My heart and soul thou ravishest.
What though thy robe is soiled and worn,
And no bright gems thy limbs adorn,
Thou unadorned art dearer far
Than all my loveliest consorts are.
My royal home is bright and fair;
A thousand beauties meet me there.
But come, my glorious love, and be
The queen of all those dames and me.'
Footnotes
406:1b Rvan in his magic car carrying off the most beautiful women reminds us of the magician in "Orlando Furioso", possesor of the flying horse.
"Volando talor s'aza ne le stelle, *
E por quasis talor 'a terra rade'; *
Bie porta con tui tutte le belle *
Donna che trova perquelle contrade." *
406:2b Indian women twisted their long hair in a single braid as a sign of mourning for their absent husbands.
