Chapter Eight: Literature of the Rasika Tradition in Hindi

—the Wondrous Forest, named by the poet, and the kadamba grove;
the Forest of Love’s rasa, supported by rows of bees;
and the lovely new grove of nāgakesara.
Seeing their beauty, even Raghubara is captivated.
The city extends in the four directions, beside the purifying Sarayu,
with innumerable lovely ghats fashioned of gems.
Lotuses bloom; bees, intoxicated with rasa, hover over them;
water creatures call in the waters along both banks.
The surrounding moat holds water sweet as moon-nectar,
where many enchanting lotuses bloom.
Between them rise lines of palaces,
beautiful with gold, jewels, and gems.
Around the moat, ramparts of gold shine in every direction;
gems of many colours glitter at each gate of the city.
No tongue can finish describing the divine crystal walls;
wondrous light shines on every side, filling the beholder with joy.

The splendour of the palace

Within the walls, the exceedingly sacred enclosure
has lovely ground made of wish-fulfilling gems.
Four yojanas wide in every direction,
it is the palace of Awadh’s lord celebrated by revelation.
Five beautiful courtyards shine
within the royal palace of Kaushalya’s son.
In the eastern courtyard stand splendid companions,
staffs in hand to guard and protect.
In the south reign the maidservants,
always near at hand for the palace’s service.
In the western court lie the army’s quarters,
where Rama’s nurses tend all the sons, feeding and delighting them in many ways.
In the northern court every form of service is performed,
and the gods of the royal lineage shine in festive colour.
The family guru, the princes and their brides, the queens’ palace,
joyful relatives and ministers—all worship with delight.

Description of the inner palace

Then sixteen companions, filled with the Beloved’s rasa,
rise and sing to awaken him.
From among them, eight lovely friends
sing the Couple’s beauty, each in her appointed place.
Within the inner palace Sita and her beloved reign;
Shesha and the revealed scriptures are ashamed to attempt its splendour.
A lovely couch set with gems shines,
beautifully inlaid with gold, jewels, and precious stones.
Many wondrous paintings and colours adorn it,
and the companies of companions gaze upon them together.
The scriptures, Saṃhitās, and Puranas sing of its incomparable beauty.
Upon it lies an exquisite cover, soft and fair as the foam of milk;
above that spreads the beauty of flowers—indescribable, captivating the mind.