Rūpanārāyana.

XXVIII.

Sakhī:         Hearken fair damsel, to good advice,
For I shall teach you special wisdom:
First you shall sit beside the bed,
With bended neck, but half regarding him.

And when your lover touches you, push out your hand,
Remaining silent, uttering never a word:
And when he takes you forcibly and clasps you to his side,
Passionately you shall exclaim. Nay, nay!

In his embrace, your body you shall wrench aside,
Breaking away in the moment of delight.
Saith Vidyāpati: What can I say?
Yourself the Guru shall teach e'en Love himself.

XXIX.

Sakhī:         Now hear me, daughter of a king,
For I have come to speak with you:
You have destroyed the life of precious Kāna,—
What work is this that you have wrought?

When day declined, I think,
You walked beside the water's edge,
And when you saw him, did embrace
Some maiden's neck, demurely smiling:

And showing him your moon-face,
You put him in a sorry plight.
Then suddenly you came away, before he saw you well
Now he is weeping, Wel-a-way.

Giving him just a glimpse of your breast,
You stole his heart:
Vidyāpati enquires: Beauty,
How shall Kānu live?

XXX.

Sakhī:      Attend my teaching, artless maid,
And I shall give you good advice:
First you shall deck your hair with jewels,
And paint your curving eyes with sūrm.

Then you shall go to him with all your body folded close,
And seeming to be dumb, shall stay apart:
My dear, at first you shall not go anigh him,
But with wanton glances, fair one, shall awaken Love.

Hiding your breasts, your shoulders showing,
Your girdle knotted fast,
You shall appear offended, yet be loving,
You shall refrain desire, that ever springs afresh.

Says Vidyāpati: This is the first degree:
They that be worthy shall taste the fruit.

XXXI.

Rādhā:     I know not the taste of love, nor the colour of desire;
How may I have ado, my dear, with yonder swain,
That I should love him as you ask?
A young thing I, afraid of shame.

What can I tell you, dearest maiden?
I may not dare to have ado with him,
He is a herdsman lover, new-enflamed,
With all five arrows Love awakens his desire.

No sooner seeing me, but he will clip me tight:
Who then will save me, when my life is dying?
Vidyāpati says: Your fears are vain,
Believe me, that his love is not of such a sort.

XXXII.

Rādhā:    Leave me, dear maid, I pray you,—
I will not go whereas he is:
Nought do I know the skill of words,
Or art of signs, nor how to pretend offense.

All of my friends arraying me at once,—
I cannot even bind my own hair!
I never have heard what dalliance means,
How may I mix with Mādhava?

He is learned in love, a passionate swain,
And I a weak girl of scanty wisdom.
Says Vidyāpati: What counsel do I give?
'Tis that there should be union.