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YASASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
The effect of the summer heat on certain familiar birds and animals is described in the following verse:
160
मध्याह्नाय वाहाश्वटुलतरखुरास्तोत्रमार्ग त्यजन्ति स्थानायानेतुमीशाः पयसि कृतरतीन् हस्तिनी नैव मिष्ठाः । शोषण्डः शिखण्डी विमृशति शिशिरान् कन्दरद्रोणिदेशान् स्वेच्छं कच्छेषु चेमाः कमलदलतलं वारलाः संखयन्ति ॥ At noon the horses quickly leave the channels of water with ever swift hooves. The keepers fail to bring home the elephants playing in the waters. The peacock, raising his beak from heat, seeks cool caves and valleys, and yonder female swans rest as they like under lotus leaves on the borders of streams (1. 61).
The rainy season is brought into special connection with love and described with gusto and enthusiasm:
उन्मार्गाम्भसि मेघमन्दनभसि छन्नांशुमत्तेजसि क्षुभ्यत्स्रोतसि रुपान्तरसि स्फूर्जत्तडिद्भूयसि । कंदपकसि मत्तकेकिमनसि प्रेमोद्यते चेतसि काले यासि कथं च रूढवयसि प्रौढां प्रियां मुञ्चसि ॥ In the season when the waters overflow, the sky is overcast, the rays of the sun are obscured, the streams are in flood, the speed of wayfarers is checked, and flashes of lightning abound: in such a season, the resort of the god of love, when the peacocks' hearts are maddened, and thy own heart is eager for love, how canst thou leave thy youthful wife and go on thy travels, young as thou art ! ( 3. 389 ).
उत्कूजच्छिखिनं नटत्करटिनं प्रादुर्भवच्छाखिनं क्रीडनेककुलं पतद्वहुजलं क्षुभ्यद्धरित्रीतलम् ।
पुष्यकाममदं जयज्जनपदं सोत्सर्गसिन्धुस्यदं दृट्वेमं मिहिरं जगत्प्रियकरं काभ्येति न स्त्री नरम् ॥
What woman doth not approach her lover at the sight of the rainclouds, delightful to the world? Now the peacocks sing, the elephants dance, the trees flourish, the frogs make merry, heavy showers come, and the earth is astir; the frenzy of love grows apace, the countryside thrives in glory, and the current of rivers gains in force (3.390).
The monsoon breezes are described in several verses:
कुर्वाणाः प्रचलाकिनां कलरवैरुत्तालनृत्तक्रियां न्यस्यन्तो निचुलेषु कन्दलदलोला सावकाशश्रियः । एते चातकपोतपेयनिपतत्वाधः कणश्रेणयो नाता वाम्ति निदाघलङ्घनघनोल्लाघाः प्रदीर्घागमाः ॥
Breezes blow, pervasive in their approach, and skilled in overcoming the summer heat. They dance wildly to the sweet notes of peacocks, and exhibit in Kadamba trees the beauty born of the rich array of shoots and leaves, and produce the raindrops the young Cataka birds drink
(3.392).
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