SRI AUROBINDO
Translations
from Sanskrit and Other Languages
II. From Bengali
XX
I saw not to the heart’s desire.
Beautiful friend! that sight was fire
Of lightning and like lightning went:
My heart with the bright bolt was rent.
Her dim white robe like the hoar-frost thin
Half from the shoulder had fallen in.
Her beautiful mouth half-smiled and half
A glance from under her lids did laugh.
Half-naked shone her breasts’ sweet globes
And half lay shadowy in her robes.
O then this bitter love and new!
Her breasts, those cups of wondrous gold,
Love like a bodice did enfold.
The bodiless Love with subtle plan
To seize and hold the heart of man
With flowery cords his beauteous net
In the guise of a girl’s breasts had set.
Her teeth, a row of pearls, did meet
Her moving lips and sweet, O sweet
As liquid honey her delicate speech.
Within me burned a pain like fire;
My eyes dwelt with her, yet could not reach
Gazing, the bottom of desire.