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JULY, 1885.)
VIDYAPATI AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES
195
beauty, for both over told the tale of Krishna's sports in ever-varying methods.
Each hearing of the virtues of the other became anxious for an interview; each hearing of the other's power in love, the heart of each woke up.
Each wrote songs and sent them to the other, and thereby increased his pangs; yet, as the songs of each dwelt on the loves of Radha and Krishna, each was plunged into a sea of joy.
Each discussed the matter with his companions who were full of faith and love, and thereby each continually obtained a new happiness; nay, unlimited joy and love.
Rûpa-Nariyaņa, Vijaya-Narayaņa, VaidyaNatha, Siva-Sinha, the bees which haunted their lotus-feet, described the prospects of their meeting.
converse secretly, asking each other, What is - sweet love ?'
Dotb it originate in the one who loveth, or doth he who loveth become so from the influence of love?
'Is it the love of the woman which canseth the man to love her, or is it the love of the man which causeth her to love him?
Doth love spring from intercourse, or intercourse from love? In these two, which is more visible in the human being ?
Chandi-Dass asked these questions of the Kavi-Ranjana, and Rûpa-Narayana heard them. Vidyâpati meditated on the feet of Lakshmi, and said, This is the cause of love."
Chandi-Disa heard of Vidyâpati's virtues, and desired to see him. So also Vidyapati heard of Chandi-Dasa's virtues and desired to see him.
Each became anxious for an interview, and then, accompanied by Rupa-Narayana only, Vidyâpati set out upon his journey.
Then Chandi-Dasa could no longer abide at home, and himself started for the interview, On the way each sang of the other's virtues, and the heart of each woke up.
By chance they met, and the interview took place, nor was anyone able to gaze upon it (80 affecting was it). Rapa-Narayana says that each heard privately with his own ears the name of the other.
3. It was spring time, at about midday, at the foot of a fig tree on the banks of the Ganges, that the two met.
Chandi-Dasa met the Kavi-Rañjana (Vidyspati) and the body and voice of each thrilled with joy.
Neither could check his emotions. With them was Rape-Narayana, and he was the only remedy for their helplessness.
Each checked his emotions, and began to
The man and the woman become filled with love through love itself. Love is not born by close contact of the two.
It is throngh the man that the woman becometh the subject of love, in which are the delights of affection.
In the dull-souled desire scarcely entereth, and the essence of love is itself dull.
When two such souls unite, their love hath no motion.
By their union no happiness is produced, either in the man or woman.
But in the natural (i.e. wise) man, love is produced in this way.
The man himself is powerless, and his nature full of power; and therefore is not the love which filleth him great ?
And at the time of union, great are the delights which fill (his soul).
From the eyes of both issue forth the arrows of male love."
But woman's love (rati) hath no arrow. How then can they issue forth from the womat's) eyes ?
Man's love is like a raging fire, and woman's like ice, and the mutual attachment is the vessel for holding water.
Rank is the wood and straw-fael, and affection is the receptacle in which love is cooked.
By continually cooking dekire is produced, and when the ice (i. e. woman's love) is melted down, but here and elsewhere I give the traditional intorprotation.
# TH means the love of man m distinguished from far the love of woman.
The meaning of the latter portion of this half-line io very doubtful.
* Vidy pati'o reply in given in No. 4. - There are unusual meaning of , and #8.
