Part 1
Banished from the abode of gold and allure,
Yaksha – he stayed in exile in that holy land –
Where ancient trees stand against the azure
By wild waters – touched by some pious hand
But the one he loved stayed far far away
And so he spent his days in restless despair
Burning, like the sun that hardens all clay,
Struck by the arrows of unquenched desire
And then on the hills the grey Cloud came,
Carrying rain and love on his tireless shoulders
As longing leapt out like that fearsome flame,
which, till then, was trembling in smoulders
Passion flowed wild like fire on a river
As the Cloud stretched across the skies
Shivering, as if with some unknown fever,
Yaksha stood silent, with tears in his eyes….
He thought: “I’ll send my love on the wings
of this Cloud, for in these months of ceaseless rain
Our longing shall remind us of such sad things
that make our throbbing hearts numb with pain….”
He stared at the Cloud as above the hills it soared,
He spoke in a broken voice as on his knees he did bend,
He clasped his palms and with passion he implored –
“Cloud, I beg to thee, shall you not help a dying friend ?”
In that vast void above the hills the Cloud floated high
But it could hear the words the weeping lover said,
For though his voice was soft, his heart, in pain, did cry
So the Cloud moved down to the place where he stayed
Yaksha said to the Cloud - “Cloud, will you fly
to that palace in Kailasha where she stays
And weeps for me, as she stares at the sky
And thinks of those lovelorn happy days ?
In the garden there, on an enchanted night
Our first love had bloomed like a rose in glory,
I remember, how the moon shone bright
But now it’s just a piece of sad memory…..
On your way you’ll see those many a lonely girl –
Waiting for their loved ones in restless pain,
But seeing your dark chest, sweet hope shall unfurl,
For the men they love will return, fearing rain
Birds shall caress your back when it aches
With their wings, as they sing in glee,
And swans shall make love on splendid lakes;
Alas ! I’m a prisoner, and they’re so free…
You’ll see people nursing their broken heart –
For side by side with joy, dwells sorrow;
So many hopes and so many dreams torn apart,
Yet we live today, and we shall live tomorrow!
With rain you make such lovely flowers bloom,
You give people food and life through the crops,
You adorn hills with moss, lichen and mushroom,
They glow with life – all those little raindrops…
Seasonal birds – they will fly with thee
And they’ll say – ‘we’ll follow the path Cloud takes’
And you’ll be pleased by their company;
Glory be to God, who’s sculpted their slender necks !
Before you leave, bid me farewell, friend,
On these sacred green hills you’ve come to me;
Give to her all these love and tears I send;
Now I shall tell you the route – listen carefully….
Fly north, where the mountains stand in snow,
When you feel tired, take rest on the hills or in the sky
Drink from the rivers, ride on breezes that blow;
Some might look up and wonder – how can the hills fly?
Embark on your voyage from this sacred wood
And see the world that stretches below:
The world loves you, for you give water and food
It shall greet you with joy, wherever you go
From the termite hills the motley rainbow will spring –
Falling on your chest, it shall make you green,
And birds will see this, and in joy they will sing:
For that shall be the happiest thing they’ve ever seen
You’ll resemble that boy, who, beside that holy river,
Wearing a peacocks plume, with a flute in hand,
Made love, as his lady, in passion, did shake and shiver
And their story is sung today in this ancient land
Float by, Cloud, float through the valleys and the hills,
On you the hope and dream of this world builds nest,
Give water to those thirsty lands the tireless farmer tills,
Float northwards, and, after a while, turn to the west
O mighty cloud, people pray to you, and for you:
The earth waits for you when summer burns her throat;
The world loves you for all the noble deeds you do,
You’ll hear all their prayers as towards Kailash you float
You’ll find mango trees, laden with ripe yellow fruit
Beside those roads built by men like ribbons of silk,
The summer sun had tortured them like a cruel brute:
Give them water, which, to them, is like mother’s milk
You’ll see many rocks – rugged, silent and old
And in those forests at night, the eyes of wild beasts glow,
Mighty Vindhya, with all its glory, shall unfold
The torrid Narmada, that ancient river, flows down below
The river needs you, give her water that makes her flow:
But for you, that heartless sun shall let it die;
Sullen storms shall fight you, but you’ll beat them, I know
For fullness knows where its victory does lie
On her white petals the jasmine sees a copper shade
She realizes that you have come, and the hyacinth flower –
She tastes the damp sweetness from the pond’s bed:
They bloom in glory, as they wait for the soothing shower
Blithe flowers of the forest shall seek you with their scent,
Watery eyes of peacocks shall strive to tie you down –
Heed their enchantment and their urge, but do not relent;
Float on by through the village and through the town
In the gardens of those cities, you shall see so many trees
And they shall greet thee, with swaying heads, agile,
You’ll find sweet fruits and flowers that attract honeybees;
Feel the beauty, O mighty Cloud, rest there for a while
Then you will reach Bidisha, that city of lovers, famed –
Give it some rain, for lovers love to drench,
Beside the city flows Betravati – like passion, untamed
Drink her water, your thirst it shall quench
This city dazzles even at night with jewels gold and silver;
Rest a while in those lovely hills below which it lies,
In the city burns in glory, that wild flame of primal desire;
Time flows by, kingdoms fall, but this flame never dies
On the banks of that river, you shall find many a lovely flower:
But sorrows of the summer have made them fade,
Give to them what they seek now, give to them some shower,
And once your rest is over, float above and fly ahead
Your journey’s to the north, but take a westward turn –
For you need to see Ujjain, that wondrous city,
Where, in eyes of the ladies, fuming poison does burn:
If that fails to excite you, blame your depravity
The river seems mad as towards some lover she rushes,
Those whirlpools of her navel make strong hearts weak,
Let some twilight seep to her, and see how she blushes,
Men must be hard yet soft, for that’s what women seek
Sorrows of separation have made her thin and pale;
I know the way it feels, for my heart bleeds too,
Give to her some water, make her sad breasts swell –
Gift some joy to her, something only you can do
You’ll see those villages, where life burns bright
And wise old men tell stories of the great king;
People sit around fire in the cold and dark night,
They talk, as they laugh and clap, and they sing
You’ll find, as you float, the jocund river Shipra flowing:
You can’t help but stop and stare, such are her charms,
On her banks, lush and green, you’ll see farmers sowing –
They have spent the joyous night in their lovers’ arms
The palace shall greet you, with flags fluttering so high,
So shall the peacocks there, with their happy dance
In glory the fort stands, his proud head against the sky,
And you shall find yourself lost in speechless trance
You’ll see that great temple, older than time,
In the evenings, with hopeful faith, people throng there,
Fire burns, lamps are lit, ancient bells chime,
Stop there, O great Cloud, and offer thy heartfelt prayer
The dancing girls, who serve the god, dance there at night
As the rich men of the city watch their charming grace;
In this city of god and glory, life and love does shine bright
Ujjain – that fleeting smile in time’s stark and sullen face
Deep at night, you shall see, the smitten lady goes
To meet her lover in some secret garden of paradise:
Let the full moon peep through, for her path it shows,
Don’t unleash those lightning that take her by surprise
Rest your tired body on the roof of some rich merchant’s house:
There’s peace and silence all around, and those doves – they sleep,
The barn owl, she hoots at times – spotting some ill-fated mouse;
Sleep for the night, dearest friend, you have your promise to keep
When you see a jilted lover crying for her lost love
Move aside for a while and let the sun comfort her,
For a light cures sorrows, and not that gloom above;
Float away, tender Cloud, in the lands away and far
You’ll see your sublime shadow on the waters as you fly;
Give them some tender rain – soothing new and fresh,
and you’ll see those besotted fishes looking up to the sky
Such passions you inflame – though you have no flesh !
The trees beside the agile river, like lewd voyeurs,
They lift the river’s skirts and stare at her thighs,
The river doesn’t mind, she quenches their desires –
That primal call of the flesh binds us in such ties !
Now you reach that ancient place known as Devagiri;
Elephants lift their trunks, the rain they can smell,
Riding on the winds rain shall come, mad in wild glory!
And now those wild flowers – they’ll bloom so well
In those hills stays Kartika, that god of war, so brave!
The Hero and the General – the hills tremble in his might –
Where shall the enemy flee? He can reach every cave;
Bow to his greatness, O Cloud, his eyes are burning bright
The peacocks, as always, shall greet you with their plumes:
They love you like their very own mother,
Some of their plumes have fallen where blue lotus blooms:
Alas, you cannot make one from the other !
During creation, to virgin Nature, Time had made love –
Her virgin blood became rivers which run to this day;
On seeing that red in the river’s bed as you flow above,
Move down, utter your prayers, and then float away
When you see that river Krishna, go down to her, as well,
And fill your thirsty lungs with that wet dampness of her mire;
Embrace her waist, give her rain and see her breasts swell:
The birds shall think ‘tis a necklace adorned with blue sapphire
Those lands beyond Charmanwati, ruled by Drupada once,
The ladies of Dasapura are known for their charm and grace,
On crystal lakes of that city they float – placid white swans,
Pause for a while and gift some rain to this enchanting place
Then cast your shadows on Kurukshetra – that august battlefield
It’s the place where time did stop when mighty heroes were slain;
Some laughed, some cried, some won, and the others were killed –
Those blood and tears, unwashed by years – feel their joy and pain
Balaram, that brave warrior – he loved to drink wine
But during the battle he abstained from wine, only river water he drank:
Drink from that river, O Cloud, take this advice of mine,
It’s the river Saraswati – witness to that divine war on her hallowed bank
Then you will reach Kankhal, where Ganges steps into the plain –
That river that carries all our stories along with her sacred flow:
Bathe on her bosom, for, like mother, she washes away all pain,
She is our mother, she flows forever – a thing we all must know
Move down, Cloud, move down to her from those lofty skies,
Utter your prayers, and drink for her, you’ll attain all your peace:
To those who behold, it shall seem as if, like a pleasant surprise
The confluence of Ganga and Yamuna – that abode of sacred bliss !
And then the Himalayas standing tall in glory and snow,
Glistening with greatness, that king of all kings:
Float along for a while; fight the truant winds that blow,
Then sit on some peak, rest your aching wings
Down in the enchanting valleys covered with peaches and pines
If you see an angry fire, which often, like an elephant in fury, rages
Slide down along the steep slopes, and cover the sun that shines:
Douse those hungry flames with rain and you’ll be blessed by sages
Taking you for an enemy, some wild bears may attack you:
But such foolish anger singes none but itself, with all its infernal hatred
You can kill them by showering hail, that’s quite easy to do,
But avoid them and float ahead, don’t spill blood, for the hills are sacred
Etched on the stones you shall see, as through the hills you flow
The holy footsteps of God, forever they will stay:
Pause and bow with all your faith, and worship those with snow,
You’ll attain Divinity, when your body withers away
The breeze rustles through the trees, whistling like the reeds –
They sing to the glory of Lord Shiva, in these hills he does live;
Drizzle some rain on those leaves, see them shining like beads,
Listen to that voice of the woods – eternal bliss you’ll achieve
Float through the misty peaks and float through the glacial blue,
Flowers do not bloom here and the trees refuse to grow;
The passes seem impenetrable here, but they’ll let you through –
So don’t stop, keep going, flow through the land of snow
Now you’ll reach Kailasha and be the mirror of goddesses;
A piece of paradise dropped on earth by the Creator’s whim:
This is the kingdom of Shiva, the peaks are but his palaces,
Life will seem an illusion now – just an empty fleeting dream
Your beauty, dearest friend, shall spread throughout the skies
Like a piece of silken cloth, your dazzling hue of green,
You’ll seem like the great lord Vishnu, wearing a cloud’s guise –
Words fail to bind such beauty – unheard and unseen
If you see the god and goddess walking through the snow
Bow to them with earnest faith and make yourself the stairs:
They’ll step on you and walk across, blessing you as they go,
If you have faith and belief, they’ll grant you all your prayers
They’ll try to snatch some rain from you, those playful girls of paradise:
And they’ll try to play with you, with little balls of snow –
If all these fun and frolic irk you, rumble out and take them by surprise,
Free yourself from their grasp, and further north you go
On the blue waters of serene Manas, the peaks can see their faces:
Drink the cold waters of that lake and quench all your silent thirst;
Glory be to our Lord in heaven, for creating such enchanting places !
Stand with awe and feel the joy of those cataracts – off they burst !
Like jewels woven by some silver hand, they flow down the slopes;
Lonely, yet so happy, like the dreams of those blue petal lights,
Downhill they go, like time’s timeless flow – all those flitting hopes,
The moon melts down, her wax and crown, on Milky Way nights…..
Part 2
Hypnotic fury, and peace, and glory, and the nameless splendor
And the voices that rumble out from the depths – endless, like the eyes:
Your flashes of light stun the night with all those claps of thunder,
Fear not, mighty Cloud, be strong, be proud – rise up, and rule the skies
Alaka, the celestial abode of the gods, silent through the ages –
The divine paradise of rainbow and ice, ageless, like time !
Himalaya stands with glory and pride, profound, like the sages;
Stop and stare with awe and fear at this greatness, sublime
But the palace there – it’s full of life, there magic flowers bloom,
Butterflies fly with nimble glee, and bees buzz around,
And at night the moon shines bright, against the dark and doom:
An eternal dome of love and hope and of joy, unbound
The stars weave splendid dreams with the lights and shades,
Blue wine flows from crystal jars, the ladies drink in delight:
Behold this place of charm and grace, where life never fades,
Where passions burn with ardent rage like timber set alight !
The soothing breeze rustles the leaves by the sprightly stream,
The trees sway their blissful heads, and birds sing their songs,
The peacocks dance in ecstasy and on grasses dewdrops gleam:
It’s this very place, O dearest friend, where my heart belongs
See those merry lovers there, making love on the riverside:
Hear their cheerful voices ringing, through this Garden of Eden;
All these scare the deer-cubs; they run to the trees to hide:
You have reached paradise, Cloud, here desire is not forbidden
Those playful winds chase hapless clouds inside palace walls:
There they hide, deep inside, some casket adorned with pearls –
In silvers and golds, charm unfolds, the beauty that enthralls
Of that palace, that entranced grace, in all her glory she unfurls !
On nights of love, the moon above – her silver, down she pours:
Those beguiling beams bring us dreams, she sets the night ablaze,
Hold your thunder, behold and wonder, the poison heart stores,
Cover her, Cloud, like a shroud, and get drunk by her haloed haze
Over there you’ll see gardens where many of my friends roam,
With charming ladies they laugh and sing, but they miss me I know:
For, this very place, of glory and grace, was long ago my home…
When pleasure fades, in lights and shades, it leaves its sad shadow
When love withers, sorrow gathers, but in course of time it goes,
But when it’s torn, heart bleeds with thorn, it yearns to be free:
For broken love is like a wounded dove, struck by sudden arrows:
Broken, cursed, dying of thirst – drowning in the fathomless sea…
Now float through Alaka, friend, dearest, hear the music of the wild night,
And see those lovers rushing to meet, their throbbing hearts so agile;
The flames extinguish, with craving and anguish, when the day shines bright;
And from flower to flower butterflies fly, their tender wings so fragile
Kubera, the one who cursed me, to him this glorious kingdom belongs,
And his friend is the great Indra, the one who owns your thunder;
Kubera is the god of wealth, and he can melt the heavens with his songs,
Don’t dare incur his wrath, Cloud, his curse can break you asunder
Kama, the god of desires, he joins hearts and hearts he can break –
He roams here, with arrows is quiver, it’s his cherished hunting ground,
Angry Shiva burnt him once, but gave him life realizing his mistake:
Seeing these wiles Brahma smiles, and gets lost in thoughts – profound
You’ll see many a damsels sitting by the shade of magic trees;
The sweet wine of desire – it makes their eyes burn in blue flames,
And it seems like all these burning passions shall never cease
So many flowers adorn the bowers, alas! I know not all their names…
Far away, the gates of the palace can be seen:
Arched, like a rainbow, standing in solemn pride –
It’s that merry place where I should have been,
Had I not been struck by vanity – had I not lied
Where fishes swim, in peace, on placid waters,
Where the golden lotus blushes like a new-wed bride,
Where happiness is not chained by iron fetters,
Where gaiety gushes out – blazing with unbound pride !
And banana trees – they cover the hill, like a robe of green,
In those lush fields by the hills, you’ll see the lovely dames:
Such beauty, seraphic, mighty friend, you have never seen:
Stand and stare, but don’t go near, don’t spoil their games
Hear the endless sonata of life in this chimera of days;
Trees laden with fruits and flowers, bees buzzing for nectar;
If you feel this symphony once, forever inside it stays –
It makes you wild with yearning, the blue dreamlike specter
You’ll find stairs inside the woods – adorned with ivory jewels:
They lead to little places of rest – where lovers drown in their own fires,
Such maddening ecstasies this passion of beauty and joy fuels !
All these sanguine celebrations of the senses, burning with wild desires…
Friend, now that time has come for you to fulfill your promise:
You will see her room in the palace, the doors are made of gold,
But the sun has set there, and the rose has forgotten her bliss –
As if the times have stopped flowing, the world has become old
Sit on some small hilltop, Cloud, and take an elephant’s shape,
And stare inside the palace with lightning in your eyes,
With sharp eyes, so that nothing, from your vision, can escape;
Do all these, I plead to you, O mighty ruler of the skies
Inside, you’ll see the lady, like a sunflower at twilight, doleful –
Lips prettier than a rose, and eyes sweeter than a doe !
The beauty that reminds of songs forgotten – sad and soulful:
But on that divine angel, alas, grief has cast its shadow…
Waning away, like the moon – mournful and bereaved,
Her still eyes speak of her pain, of that fervent sorrow;
Like I am yearning for her, she too, I know, has grieved
With every moment passing by, sadness – it does grow…
Like a forlorn flower withered in heat,
She lives in mourning, as all the pain lingers on;
Like wounded soldiers beating retreat,
She stares in darkness, waiting for a new dawn…
Maybe she’s shedding tears from her sad dark eyes,
Maybe she’s painting me – to a thousand pieces torn,
Maybe she’s praying now with flowers, as she sighs,
Maybe she lives in hope – for everything to be reborn
On her lap it lies – her only friend, her most treasured lute:
As those tears rolling down her cheeks moisten its strings;
She sings of me, and of destiny – that cruel brute so astute,
She sings of love, she sings of loss, and of other sad things
Putting flowers on the board she plays a game of chess:
Sixteen flowers of various colours – they fail to make her smile,
For those flowers have withered away, like her sad face;
She lies on the floor like a wounded bird that once was so agile
When you cover up the stars at night, their shimmer does fade:
Such are those eyes of her, like a lake – deep, silent and still,
As she looks out of that window at night, lying down in her bed;
When, on wings of hope, love flies away, life loses all its zeal…
She yearns for a drop of faith, in that endless dark of the sky –
The drop of faith that gives us strength – to rise up, and to fight;
But the night so long, drags on and on – as if it won’t pass by;
But when we used to make love, alas, so short seemed the night!
The memories of those nights of love draw her eyes to the skies,
The moon is charred in pain today, burning – like the desert sand…
The stars shed silent tears as the dreary night shivers in her sighs:
For the one she loved has gone away, exiled to some foreign land
Those parched lips, thirsty for my kiss – see them drooping, like autumn leaves:
Dusty and dry, unlike the eyes, her hair dangles down like yellow ropes,
Devoid of care, see her wither, as her heart throbs away with ceaseless grieves;
Spare a sigh for her, O mighty friend, for she has given up all her hopes…
The love of mine, she seeks to sleep, with her tired eyes –
For she yearns to see her love, in some serene and blissful dream:
Flowers will bloom, birds will sing, in that happy paradise,
But sleep eludes her as time flies by carrying her voiceless scream
She has given up all she had – in sacrifice separation’s pride lies;
Everything remains; know this, Cloud, nothing ends forever,
Once the lamp of love is lit, the light remains, as love never dies…
I live in hope, for we shall meet, when my exile will be over
Trembling with unbound pain – her body, so tender and so soft:
Just like those sad and silent eyes – so red and so teary,
That sight will make you cry, Cloud, as in the dark you drift, aloft
Ah, the night’s so cold, so heartless, and so very dreary…
The hair that shone like black pearls, the lush lips that blushed like a rose
Wither away with each passing day, as I’ve told you before;
And that face, of celestial grace, once so spotless, what pain now it shows !
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