Of bold love--grown full-orbed at sight of thee-- May be forgiven with a quick remission; For, thou divine fulfilment of all hope! Thou all-undreamed completion of the vision! I gaze upon thy beauty, and my fear Passes as clouds do, when the moon shines clear.
So if thou'rt angry still, this shall avail, Look straight at me, and let thy bright glance wound me; Fetter me! gyve me! lock me in the gaol Of thy delicious arms; make fast around me The silk-soft manacles of wrists and hands, Then kill me! I shall never break those bands.
The starlight jewels flashing on thy breast Have not my right to hear thy beating heart; The happy jasmine-buds that clasp thy waist Are soft usurpers of my place and part; If that fair girdle only there must shine, Give me the girdle's life--the girdle mine!
Thy brow like smooth Bandhûka-leaves; thy cheek Which the dark-tinted Madhuk's velvet shows; Thy long-lashed Lotus eyes, lustrous and meek; Thy nose a Tila-bud; thy teeth like rows Of Kunda-petals! he who pierceth hearts Points with thy lovelinesses all five darts.
But Radiant, Perfect, Sweet, Supreme, forgive! My heart is wise--my tongue is foolish still: I know where I am come--I know I live-- I know that thou art Radha--that this will Last and be heaven: that I have leave to rise Up from thy feet, and look into thine eyes!
And, nearer coming, I ask for grace Now that the blest eyes turn to mine; Faithful I stand in this sacred place Since first I saw them shine: Dearest glory that stills my voice, Beauty unseen, unknown, unthought! Splendour of love, in whose sweet light Darkness is past and nought; Ah, beyond words that sound on earth, Golden bloom of the garden of heaven! Radha, enchantress! Radha, the queen! Be this trespass forgiven-- In that I dare, with courage too much And a heart afraid,--so bold it is grown-- To hold thy hand with a bridegroom's touch, And take thee for mine, mine own.[4]
_So they met and so they ended Pain and parting, being blended Life with life--made one for ever In high love; and Jayadeva Hasteneth on to close the story Of their bridal grace and glory._
(_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_ MANINIVARNANE CHATURACHATURBHUJO.)
[Footnote 4: Much here also is necessarily paraphrased.]
