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7. YASABTILAKA AN AN ANTHOLOGY OF SANSKRIT VERSE
141
"In the ceremony of thy bath, may the waters of the ocean bring good to thee, the waters whence emerged the moon and the Airāvata elephant and the Kalpa tree and the Kaustubha gem and the goddess of wealth, and the nymphs along with nectar for the pleasure of the gods! The clouds, benefactors of the world, frequent those waters again and again (2. 210). May the waters of the Ganges bring thee joy! Even a single dip in them destroys the mental impurities of the sages living in the celestial world. Those are the waters resorted to by the anchorites living in the hermitages on the Himalayan peaks.” (2. 211).
यमुनानर्मदागोदाचन्द्रभागासरस्वती-। सरयूसिन्धुशोणोत्थैर्जेलैर्देवोऽभिषिच्यताम् । "Let the king be bathed with the water brought from the Yamunā, the Narmadā, the Godāvarī, the Candrabhāgā, the Sarasvati, the Sarayü, the Indus and the Soņa !” (2. 213).
The ceremonial bath is described in the following verse spoken by Yaśodhara:
उल्लोलालकवीचिभिर्विचलितापानोत्पलश्रेणिभिः प्रक्षुभ्यत्कुचचक्रवाकमिथुनैालोलनामीहदैः।
वारचीनिवहैः सत्यं निनदं जाताभिषेकोत्सवः कामं स्फारितकाञ्चिदेशपुलिनैः सिन्धुप्रवाहैरिव ॥ The gay ceremony of my bath was performed by bevies of court. esans resembling river-streams, to the sound of music. The curls of their hair waved like ripples; the corners of the eyes moved like blue lotus beds; the bosoms heaved like pairs of red geese; the navels were agitated like pools of water; and the hips expanded freely like a river's sandy bank.' (2. 214.).
The sacred bath is followed by the nuptial rites, and a bard named Manojakunjara addresses felicitations to Yasodhara and his bride Amộtamati (2. 215-220). There is almost an ironic touch in these verses in view of the tragic sequel to the marriage, which at the moment augured 80 well for the future.
लक्ष्मीरियं त्वमपि माधव एव साक्षादेषा शची सुरपतिस्त्वमपि प्रतीतः । आशास्यते तदिह किं भवतोरिदानी प्रीतिः परं रतिमनोभवयोरिवास्तु ॥ एषा हिमांशुमणिनिर्मितदेहयष्टिस्त्वं चन्द्रचूर्णरचितावयवश्व साक्षात् ।
एवं न चेत् कयमियं तव संगमेन प्रत्यानिर्गतजला सुतनुश्चकास्ति । “She is the goddess of wealth and thou art Vişņu himself; she is Saci and thou art the illustrious Indra. What blessings can now be given to you twain? Yet may mutual love be yours like that of Cupid and Rati! Her frame is verily made of moonstones, and thy limbs seem to be composed of particles of moonbeams. Otherwise how is it that the fair maiden shines in thy company, perspiring all over the body.” (2. 215-216)'.
1 Moonstones are supposed to emit moisture when exposed to the light of the moon.
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