Sylvan Beauty (Vana-Lakshmi) Poem by Harekrishna Meher

While glittered Maithili
at the door-way of the pleasure-grove,
Dame Vana-Lakshmi heartily,
adorned with sun-shine,
in her leaf-lips fine,
spreading smile sweet
with Madhuka flowers as nice teeth
attracted mind with love.
As a formality for Sita’s reception
she offered the red Silk cotton
and for washing her feet
gave dews in green grasses therewith.

For Sita, offering a seat of land-lotus
greeted she, rapturous.
in guise of sweet
myna’s tweet.
Just as the pond in autumn
causing the new lotus bloom in water
extends warm welcome
to the female flamingo
in the tone of bee’s humming,
said the Beauty: “O Virtuous Friend Dear!
Dawned the night of my sorrow
by the Sun of your feet oncoming,

By favourable fortune, acquiring you,
I actually learnt
the sky-flower true.
With heartiest ecstasy
in Chitrakuta’s dale,
in Dandaka forest inhabited by Siddhas
and across the sea
in Ashoka grove of Lanka as well,
having enshrined in my front
your good self as ideal,
for fourteen years
I built the love-idol real.

By Pushpaka plane when
you were returning through the sphere,
I standing here
bearing in hands a gift of flowers fine,
with gazelle’s eyes woefully gazing above
was calling you with keen love
in the voice of peahen
from a long way.
Friend Dearest Mine!
Did you come today
remembering this companion
after so many days gone?

Prolonged separation, to a huge measure,
O Friend! I couldn’t endure
and in final thought ahead
took the form of an ascetic-maid.
In the sentiment of affection,
having emerged the reflection
in your heart’s mirror,
I received thy noble self here
with extreme exhilaration.
Thanks immense accept please, for
my long-cherished aspiration
you fulfilled with faith sincere.

In the company of the noble
remains noble feeling ever-unsplit stable,
just as blue colour in the sky.
Nigh the noble companion
never in vain goes aspiration.
Your gracious sight, that’s why
I could obtain
at the time opportune.
Verily attainable is this gain
on favourable fortune.
O My Dear Friend Intimate!
Your feeling made me very fortunate.”

To extinguish the conflagration
of severe separation
in the forest of Sita’s heart, that moment
Sylvan Beauty, sweetly attractive,
seemed in mind’s view
like a cloud-mass appeared anew.
Said Janaki with endearment:
“O Dear Companion!
In your prison
myself became life-long captive.”

(Tapasvini, Canto-IV)

[Translated from Gangadhara Meher’s Oriya epic-poem ‘Tapasvini’, by Dr. Harekrishna Meher.]