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Chapter XX : Alamkārakaustubha
1. For translation vide WS. No. (5.36) supra. 2. For translation vide KPS. No. (3.418) supra.
3. The crescent moon on the first day (of the bright half of the lunar month),
covered by the glow of (evening) twilight, looks, as if it were, a nailmark on
the breast of a young bride glistening translucently through a red silk garment. 4. For translation vide ŚP S. No. (468.139) supra. 5. For translation vide ŚP S. No. (292.103) supra.
6. (They then reached the sea-shore) that was blue with blossoming tamāla trees
and fragrant with groves of cardamom plants in bloom. It (the sea-shore) looked like or seemed to be a streak of ichor of the lordly elephant, the ocean, touched every now and then by its quick-moving or agile or tremulus trunk i.e., the waves.
7. As the ocean remained perfectly unmoved in its profundity (i.e., seemed
unwilling to grant his request to facilitate the crossing), anger took possession of Rāma's face just as an eclipse overtakes the disc of the moon.
8. After his nightlong sojourn the day returned with his face beaming with the
freshness of the morning and stirred the lotus-ponds into blossom just as an .. elephant after having run amuck all through the night returns in the morning
with his face smeared red to disturb the lotus ponds.
9. Having thus restrained Sugrīva Jāmbavat, the son of God Brahmā turned towards
Rāma; just as the dense smoke of the fire of universal destruction, after spreading over the peak of the Meru confronts the sun.
10. Travellers notice a lotus-plant with its stalk torn up (by swans) and are reminded
of their beloved and their arms with loose bangles; they take the lotus-flower, rosy and full of honey for her face flushed with wine, and sweet hum of bees as her babbling words.
11. The Vindhya, darkened by the ashes deposited on it by forest-fire but having
a sprinkling of white clouds around looks beautiful like Madhumathana with the
