Hindoo Tales; Or, the Adventures of Ten PrincesDandin, active 7th century
General
Hindoo Tales; Or, the Adventures of Ten Princes
Dandin, active 7th century
Sanskrit literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
While I was thus reflecting, she, faultless in every limb, touching
the ground with the tips of her stretched-out fingers, having her dark
curled locks shaken, having with agitation saluted the mighty goddess,
took hold of the ball, resembling (in colour) the god without a body
(_i.e._ Kâma) having his eye reddened by no slight passion; and having
dropped it with graceful languor to the ground, having struck it,
gently rising, with her bud-like hand having the delicate fingers
stretched out, the thumb a little bent; having thrown, it up with the
back of the hand, she caught it observed with active grace, in the air
as it fell like a bunch of flowers joined with a circle of bees; and
she discharged it in middling slow and quick musical time, throwing it
very gently; and at that moment she displayed a quick movement with
her feet; and when it stopped, she caused it to rise up with numerous
blows; and, contrarywise, she caused it to rest; and she made it rise
up like a bird, striking it regularly with her left and right hands
when it was come straight to her side, and having caught it fallen
when it had risen to a very great height, she practised a song-step;
and having caused it to go up in various directions, she made it come
back again. Thus sporting sweetly in various ways, accepting the words
of praise loudly spoken at every moment by the people with their
feelings interested come near to the stage, she stands turned towards
me (who was) leaning on the shoulder of Kosadaâsa, having just then
confidence produced in me, with flushed cheek and wide expanded eye.
Then she being caused to have a glancing look like that of Kandarpa
when first descended to earth, corresponding therewith having her
gracefully-curved creeper[12] eyebrows sportively playing; with the
network of the rays of light of her lips oscillated by the waves of
the wind of her breath, like twigs moved in sport, as if beating off
the bees eager to catch the perfume of heir lotus-face. In the
circular whirlings of the ball (caused) by very rapid striking,
entering, as it were, a flowery cage, through bashfulness at sight of
me; in the Panchavindhu movement shaking off, as if through fear, the
five arrows of Kâma simultaneously falling (on her); in the Gomuttrika
steps quivering like the brightness shown in the cloud imitating
forked lightning; in the harmonious movements of her feet, having the
time kept by the sound of the jewelled ornaments; with her lower lip
suffused with the brightness of a furtive smile; with the mass of her
locks put up again when fallen down; with her jewelled girdle-belt
sounding by knocking together; with the brightness of her muslin
dress, agitated as it rested on her gracefully prominent full hips;
with the beautiful ball, struck by the quivering, bent, and extended
arms; with the arms like a loop, turned downwards; with her graceful
hair reaching to the end of the back, rolled round upwards; with the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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