Source page 204

His glossy, glittering, curling locks spilled across his face. Their sight raised poison within the young women, and no herb or antidote could cure it.

Betel-redness spread across both his lips like the radiance of the sun; it seemed a sharpened sword drawn from Kama’s scabbard.

A lovely dark garment lay gracefully over his cloud-dark body, like lightning slowly spreading its splendor across a raincloud.

His gentle smile was a snare for every heart, and the proud curve of his brows enchanted them. Hearing his nectar-filled speech, they forgot awareness of body, food, and clothing.

“I sacrifice myself to the bridegroom’s form—how much of it can I describe? Since beholding that beauty, no other image has entered my eyes.”

Seeing that treasury of beauty, dark and lovely, their minds streamed away in delight; bodices strained, bangles slipped from wrists, and bracelets rang sharply.

Dohā: Enchanted by the beauty they beheld, the tender maidens fell helpless; all remained utterly astonished, forgetting the condition of body and mind.

Any woman who had considered her own form incomparable and remained proud of her beauty saw the loveliness of Rama’s face and sold herself to him without a price.

Any beauty who had proudly thought her own eyes lovelier than a doe’s was pierced by Rama’s sidelong glance and fell wounded, shedding tears.

Women who had always relied upon the Vedas and faithfully guarded their chastity were struck by Kama’s arrows and wandered helpless and distraught.

Whoever was struck by Raghunandana’s singular and playful messages of the eyes retained no awareness of work or home, wandering as though intoxicated.