Chapter Eight: Literature of the Rasika Tradition in Hindi

All the powers of Maya abandon themselves and merge into Sita’s smile;
Even a steadfast hero such as Rama remains enticed by it.
Rama bears bow and arrow, whose image appears in Sita’s eyebrows;
And Sri Sita’s image dwells within his captivating eyes.
Rama remains enchanted by Sita Ji’s ears—her kāna;
People say he returned from the kānana, the forest, driven mad.
Wherever the divine eye sees some defect, let the Lord’s Name prevail;
May good people correct the errors of this fallen servant.

The delighted Couple, filled with ardour, swing upon a colourful swing.
They shine within my heart like the raincloud and lightning joined together.
In Ayodhya’s garden, surpassing even Nandana, stands a lofty sandalwood pavilion;
A golden swing has been installed there, supported by golden poles.
Many kinds of gems glitter upon its golden seat;
It lies within a sphere of nāda and bindu beyond the reach of ordinary sight.

Sita and her bridegroom shine upon it like lightning within a cloud.
Love swings from both directions and adorns the beauty of the beloved Pair.
A circle of melody appropriate to the hour forms around them and showers drops of rasa.
Every hair becomes steeped in that nectar, and the conflict of heat, sorrow, and pain disappears.
The two have become necklaces of nectar around one another’s throats.
An excellent rain of flowers descends—to it I sacrifice even the thundercloud.

Those bracelets, those fine silken sashes, those necklaces of pearls—
Yellow, green, and red compose a circle like Indra’s rainbow.
The square ornaments upon their ears suggest the lunar mansion Punarvasu and make it seem that Sawan is eternal.
Beholding them, the peacock of my heart rejoices at the jewelled setting it has reached.

I sacrifice my body, wealth, and life to this Pair.
The perfect circle of celebration is manifest, and the gods’ drums resound.
Abandon every entanglement with Sankhya, Yoga, and Vedanta;
Take refuge at Sita’s feet and remain there, filling the heart with ardour.