91-93] PADUMAWATI. 45 whose tongue and mouth were pure. A scholar who ne'er said a foolish word, A scholar, who gave me wisdom and who led me on The Way. 'Tis the way of evil that such a scholar loveth not. A scholar wise hath a lovely countenance. It is a murderer whose contenance seemeth red as blood. Either, Nāgamati, bring thou me back the life of my body, or else go thou, and with the parrot immolate thyself.' (Saith Muhammad), Think not that, by committing sin, there will be a reign of bliss within thy palace. When once a husband's command hath been broken, then who hath aught result but misery?' 91. Be a Lady as glorious as the moon, natheless is she eclipsed by her beloved's wrath. She could not carry out perfect happiness (by consoling her Lord), for when she failed in her devotion misery alone was born. So great a fault had she committed that her Beloved was wroth, so that though she call him her own, 'twas false. With such vanity let no one err: she, alone is the greatly beloved one who feareth her husband. The queen approached her maid, her hope in the silk of the cotton tree of the parrot. In the midst of the (molten) gold of my love hath fallen lead. The gold is scattered, and will no more combine. Yea, naught but the dark mark of the lead is visible. Where is there a goldsmith that I may go to him, to apply a flux and unite the gold together.3
- Trusting in my beloved's affection, I showed vanity in my heart. Through
his anger have I obtained but despite; for I, O clever maid, have made my beloved wroth.' 92. Then answered wrathfully the maiden, 'From anger doth one's own wisdom (become an ogress) and eat other unoffending ones. Lady, I said unto thee, "Be not enraged, who hath not been ruined by this anger ? Thou wast full of anger, nor didst thou look before thee. In anger, for whom hath ever wedded bliss been born? Upon anger is born dis-love and discord, but no one beateth him who beateth down his own wrath. She who hath anger, to her, meetly, love cometh not; and without love she becometh yellow as turmeric. Therefore let her not create anger and wrath, from which she dieth; and let her not abandon love, from which she liveth. The love of a husband cannot be gained by a mere wish. She only obtaineth it, who hath fixed her heart upon him. She who obeyeth the behests of her mate, and humbly offereth her service, appeareth like unto a spotless moon, and her life hath no stain.' 93. The queen felt in her heart like unto a gambler who hath gained 19 1 Rata means both red and beautiful hence the allusion. 2 1.e., she was hopeless. The simal or silk cotton tree is the proverbial example of disappointed hope. It is beautiful to look upon, but its fruit is only fluff. 3 A pun on the word sohag, which means both the flax borax, and wedded happiness. 4 This stanza is a series of puns in the words risa "anger,' and rasa, 'love, both of which are written similarly in the Persian character, thus w). 6 The jaundiced gaze of jealousy. 6 Pisa means inward anger, of which krūdha, wrath, is its ontward expression 7 The maid must be presumed to have given the parrot to the Queen.
