Gahakoso Part 2

Author(s): Madhav Vasudev Patvardhan, Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

Page 36

49. Crucial moment of leave-taking:
The wife of a prospective traveller (i. e, a person who is about to start on a journey) wanders from house to house asking other women, who have already endured the agony of separation from their dear consorts, about the secret remedy of sustaining one's life at the (critical) moment of the (consort's) leavetaking (bidding farewell).
50. Strange request :
Oh fate, I pray, make my dear consort attached to other women (also). Surely, men who exclusively enjoy the love of a single woman, cannot understand the merits of that woman and the demerits of other women.
51. Clever invitation :
Look here, oh traveller, at midday the shadow does not move out even slightly, but holds on (or clings) to just below the Sirisa tree, through fear of the (scorching) heat (of the sun). Therefore why do you not rest awhile (in our or my house) ?
52. Kind, obliging fever :
Oh you obliging (good, kind) fever, since you have brought to me, from afar, the person so difficult to meet (or secure), at least in order to inquire about my condition, even if you take away my life, you will not be doing any wrong to me.
53. Jealous refusal :
Surely, whether my fever is slight or not slight, how is that a concern of others (i,e. of you; why should you bother about that)? Oh charming one inquiring about the condition of my health, oh you (still) redolent with the excellent fragrance (of love-making elsewhere), pray, do not touch me, smelling of fever that I am.
54. Judge the exhaustion of men by your own experience :
Oh you whose tresses are dishevelled (and spread out) like the plumage of a peacock, oh you whose thighs are trembling, oh you whose eyes are half closed, oh you who are greatly exhausted after having only slightly played the masculine role (in amorous dalliance), learn to know (by your own experience), the sorrows (exertions) that men have to undergo.
55. Infidelity damages love beyond repair :
Love which is first snapped (estranged) and then patched up, but which has (later on) directly witnessed lapses (on the part of either of the two parties), develops a bad taste (i.e. becomes insipid) like water first heated and then cooled.
56. Certainty of imminent liberation :
As the captive lady heard the twang of the bowstring made by her husband, which sounded more harsh than (even the sound accompanying the fall of a thunder-bolt, she wiped the tears in the eyes of her fellow captive ladies.