10 (Sakuntala) Visit To The Hermitage

Dushyanta, the strongest king With his men was guarding The place of fire sacrifice With no untoward incidence. One hermit commented, “The King’s bow-sound Kept at a far distance All the fighting demons.” “So, the entire fire sacrifice Resulted in a grand success, With the vigil kept by him Without fail, all the time.” The King on the other side, Was mentally so worried, That all his thoughts were On Sakuntala, his lover. “The penance power is great. A girl is under another’s feet. Yet, I’m like running water That can go back never.” “Oh Cupid, churning the heart Of mankind, for you, is an art. Your arrow, how sharp is? Yes, I recollect; I know this.” “In you, Lord Shiva’s anger Is still remaining as a fire Like the fire below the sea That never ceases to be.” “Or else, how’ll you burn, The lovers under the sun, Like me who have faith In your known path.” “Oh flower, an arrow you’re. Oh moon, cool you’re. They’re not true, We the lovers knew.” “The cool moon spits hot rays. Sharp are those flower-arrows. This way only feels a lover, In his love-life every hour.” “If you attack a charming girl With your flower-arrow still I’ll welcome your action, Despite my sleepless inaction.” “Hundreds of ceremonies, With care I did, more or less, Today, against me, you did try To shoot your arrow, why? ” “Hermits give me leave now As they’ve fulfilled their vow By completing the sacrifice In our protective presence.” “Sakuntala may be resting At the river bank, braving The midday sun patiently. Let me go there silently.” “The bud one, she plucked As flower, just blossomed, And wet milk drips out From a broken twig bit.” “The timely gentle breeze Mixed with smell of lotus And the cool Malini water Will cure her love-fever.” “The white river sand, Her steps on this sand, The front one, the back one, Lead to the bank, one by one.” “I’m seeing the heaven. Also I find she’s the one, Lying in bed of flowers, With her maids serving her.” “Let me closely watch her. Her friends are fanning her With fresh lotus leaves In the cool river breeze.” “Perhaps, she’s feeling hot In this burning summer heat, Or, she’s not well, as I see, What could the reason be? ” “Oil massage o’er her breasts, The pale stem of the lotus As a single bangle in her arm, Causing her hand no harm.” “The lover’s fair body Reveals her real beauty, Though it suffers pain, For some known reason.” “It’s true, the summer heat, Attacks one, as in army front, But her maids’ excellent service Is beyond this summer force.” Pryamvada and Anusuya, Were talking about Sakuntala, That the reason for her sickness Was the King, nothing else.” In the same way, he also felt. “This kind of fever is hot More from the moon’s heat In the body, that spreads out.” Straight Anusuya asked, “What’s in your mind? None can easily guess But it’s under stress.” “We look at it like this. It’s only love sickness. That’s what we feel. Truth you must reveal.” “Any medicine will act Only when the actual fact Is known, which reason, You must now explain.” Sakuntala said, “It’s true I’m not well, but no clue, At this stage, I can give Nor, any reason I’ve.” The king felt once again, “Her cheek is now thin, With her sagging breasts, And staggering waist, ” “Tormented with love she is, Though her beauty never fades, Like the withered Madhavi leaves Shaken by the blowing winds.” “She’s too young to tell Them the cause of her ill But her hungry eyes Look into my eyes.” “My coward heart Doesn’t still react To her inner feeling But it’s just bungling.” Though Sakuntala felt shy, She told the reason why? Each word came out From her deep heart. “The very moment his sight Fell on me, I’m not alright.” “My love with him causes, In my heart deep distress.’ The King was happy to hear This kind of reply from her. All the doubts, once he had, At one stroke, were cleared.