For all so strong in Heaven itself Is Love, that Radha sits drooping there, Her beautiful bosoms panting with thought, And the braids drawn back from her ear.
And--angel albeit--her rich lips breathe Sighs, if sighs were ever so sweet; And--if spirits can tremble--she trembles now From forehead to jewelled feet.
And her voice of music sinks to a sob, And her eyes, like eyes of a mated roe, Are tender with looks of yielded love, With dreams dreamed long ago;
Long--long ago, but soon to grow truth, To end, and be waking and certain and true; Of which dear surety murmur her lips, As the lips of sleepers do:
And, dreaming, she loosens her girdle-pearls, And opens her arms to the empty air, Then starts, if a leaf of the champâk falls, Sighing, "O leaf! Is he there?"
Why dost thou linger in this dull spot, Haunted by serpents and evil for thee? Why not hasten to Nanda's House? It is plain, if thine eyes could see.
_May these words of high endeavour-- Full of grace and gentle favour-- Find out those whose hearts can feel What the message did reveal, Words that Radha's messenger Unto Krishna took from her, Slowly guiding him to come Through the forest to his home, Guiding him to find the road Which led--though long--to Love's abode._
(_Here ends that Sarga of the Gîta Govinda entitled_ DHRISHTAVAIKUNTO.)
Meantime the moon, the rolling moon, clomb high, And over all Vrindávana it shone; The moon which on the front of gentle night Gleams like the chundun-mark on beauty's brow; The conscious moon which hath its silver face Marred with the shame of lighting earthly loves:
And while the round white lamp of earth rose higher, And still he tarried, Radha, petulant, Sang soft impatience and half-earnest fears:
(_What follows is to the Music_ MÂLAVA _and the Mode_ YATI.)
'Tis time!--he comes not!--will he come? Can he leave me thus to pine? _Yami hê kam sharanam!_ Ah! what refuge then is mine?
For his sake I sought the wood, Threaded dark and devious ways; _Yami hê kam sharanam!_ Can it be Krishna betrays?
Let me die then, and forget Anguish, patience, hope, and fear; _Yami hê kam sharanam!_ Ah, why have I held him dear?
Ah, this soft night torments me, Thinking that his faithless arms-- _Yami hê kam sharanam!_-- Clasp some shadow of my charms.