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A delightful monsoon night is was. It has ceased raining. Stars like
lustrous lamps began to illumine someone’s way and the moon also shone out
parting the curtain of cloud from behind the yonder mountain ranges like
some handsome shy woman removing the veil from her face.
The forest was absolutely calm. Only the little river, absorbed in
devout ablutions, singing sweetly, passed nereby. The glow-worms loitered
about in the mountainous region playing with the goddess of forest. That
was the outward scene. Inside my hermitage prevailed peace in abundance.
In my lonely room, the night with her darkness had lodged for play.
My heart was shaken by the distant voice of the cuckoo. Oh! That
solitary dark night! A benediction for lovers. I could not make out when
but my consciousness was lost in its stream.
Suddenly there was thunder and my heart began to quiver. Lightning
like some heavenly nymph moved after somebody. Coming out at the door I saw
the outward beauty. And lo! She came instantly and looked lovingly at me.
Filled was her body in a pretty piece of cloth. There was a fresh garland
in her hand also. Was she the goddess of forest?
‘I, the goddess of love, intend to meet my lover,’ she exclaimed
with a captivating, sweet smile and added, ‘having strolled out as usual I
have reached thy temple door today.’
‘Hast thou come for my sake?’ My eyes began to sparkle by the
drinking of her beauty.
‘Yes’, she replied at once, ‘I can’t but approach the door of one
who renouncing everything for me lives for my memory and breathes for me
only. Lonely and forlorn was I till now.
And she sat with me on my bedding. Interlacing her lotus-like,
tender fingers with mine she spoke, ‘This is grace for my love and
concentration for me. I can’t translate anyhow my heart’s gratitude but
this little image of it – an echo of appreciation.’
Garlanding me in a moment and putting the dust of my feet on her
head she exclaimed: ‘Lord, believe me thy maid from time immemorial, until
eternity. My mind and body is thine. I am thy maid from today.’
And with an embrace she said, ‘I have dedicated myself to thee,
entered deep into thy consciousness at ease.’
‘But tell me thy name, please!’ came my words spontaneously.
Rearranging the hair playing on her rosy cheeks she said, ‘Art thou
still ignorant of me, O my poet-laureate? I am born through the very self
of thine.’
Certainly that monsoon’s first month’s night became indelible in my
life: became unforgettable. |
