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SANDESARĀSAKA fell down (27). Perplexed and abashed, she got up in confusion, her breast-cloth torn in places. With veiling hands over the breasts (as lotuses on golden pitchers ), she at last reached the traveller and uttered with pathetic eyes and a faltering voice these words (29): “O do tarry a while and kindly listen to what I say." These words drew the traveller's attention and he halted ( 30). On beholding her--a treasure-house of beauty, a si creation, a Cupid's weapon, he uttered eight Gāthās. (31): . .
“The ripple-like curly hair of this lady has the blackness of a bee-swarm( 32). The face is but a reflex of the fullmoon : bright, nectarious, spotless (33). The eyes are lotuspetals and the cheeks, two clusters of pomegranate flowers (34). The arms are delicate lotus-stalks and the hands, two halved lotuses at their ends ( 35). The breasts are firm, lofty, soothing (36). The circular navel is deep like an eddy in a highland river and the waist, extremely slender (37). The toes appear like rubies; their nails, like marble pieces; the line of hair on them, like lotus-fibres (39). The Creator has fashioned her limbs after the likeness of or perhaps even surpassing—the limbs of the goddess Pārvati. So who would blame the poets for repeating themselves, seeing that even the creator does the same? (40).”
As that lady of swan's gait heard these Gāthās she felt shy. She asked the traveller: “Whence do you come ? Whither do you go?” (41 ). The traveller said: “O fair dame, there is a city called Sāmora (i. e. Śāmbapura) adorned with white ramparts and triple fortifications and full of well-mannered citizens, all of them learned ( 42). If in the company of clever persons we take a stroll in the city, sweet melodies of Prakrit songs greet our ears. At places the Vedas are expounded by experts; somewhere the Rāsaka is staged by the actors (43). Somewhere the Sudayavatsa story is narrated, in another place the Nala episode; in yet another is recited the Bhārata epic with various diversions. In some quarters selfless Brāhmaṇas are uttering benedictions; in others the Rāmāyaṇa is eulogised ( 44). Some hear flute, lute, drums or tabors; some, the strains of melodies. Somewhere attractive dancing girls are performing rhythmic movements (45). Troupes of actors are giving wonderful dramatic performances and one who enters the courtezan locality would simply swoon in fascination. For there, some
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