Chapter Eight: Literature of the Rasika Tradition in Hindi

Let millions upon millions of oceans of beauty be sacrificed before the one who appeared there.
Her eyes held a wonder surpassing champak buds and the quick flash of lightning.
Devise some means by which I may meet that renowned beloved.
Crying “Sita! Sita!” again and again, says Ramsakhe, I forgot awareness, understanding, and everything else.

Rama cast his enchantment upon me, and I staggered as I went.
Within the bower-lined lanes of Pramodavana, he smiled with pearl-like teeth.
My eyes writhe, thirsty and intoxicated by his form; when he gives them no cooling sight, they wither.
Beloved, meet me openly, says Ramsakhe, casting worldly shame away.

Lovely dark son of Dasharatha Ju, reveal your face for just a moment.
Without seeing you, my eyes cannot find peace even for an instant—let them drink your beauty.
Abandon anger, beloved; meet me, fill your embrace, and extinguish the burning in my body.
Hearing Ramsakhe’s plea, beloved of my life, do not make my heart yearn.

May the two moons dwell within my heart:
Dasharatha’s son and Janaka’s daughter, passing their red lotus hands over one another.
Chandravati waves the fly-whisk above their heads while groups of young women surround them.
They sit beneath a dense bower on the Sarayu’s bank, and Chandrakala laughs as she gazes upon their bodies.

Their graceful arms rest upon one another’s shoulders; they bend close, curls brushing their cheeks.
That beauty cannot be described, says Ramsakhe, as they lean toward one another and betel-redness falls from their mouths.

Come and meet me, beloved Rama.
I stand calling within Pramodavana—hear me, radiant form.
Beautiful dark one with lotus-petal eyes, star of my own eyes!
Without you, says Ramsakhe, my life writhes like a fish without water.

Companion, Dasharatha Ju’s Lal has stolen my heart.
Smiling gently and making me drunk, he has lodged his image within my eyes.
Under the pretext of a stray ball and my bodice, companion, his beauty filled my vision.
The exceedingly handsome dark prince acted boldly, carried out his deception, and took the quarrel itself away.

My heart was helplessly submerged within the nectar-ocean of his lips.
The pearl-adorned parrot-like nose and lovely chin pierced my heart.
Feeding me betel with his fingers, companion, he made me his beautiful maid.
With the edge of his yellow garment he fanned my face and left me utterly enchanted.