Friday, October 30, 2009

Meghdootam - An Attempted Translation

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 !

Oh, how long shall this pain last? She can’t bear it anymore !


O, how I remember our first passion on that fiery full-moon night:

Her breasts held the sweetest wine, from her lips I drank her charms

As her naked body unfurled its glory in that maddening moon light;

Tiny drops of sweats – they gleaned like pearls, I was lost in her arms…


If you see her sleeping, dear Cloud, do not roar out your thunder:

In her dreams she’s holding me tight – she fears to break apart,

Don’t wake her up, I beg to you, don’t shatter her dreams asunder;

If you do that, know this, Cloud, you will break her tender heart


Caress her forehead for me, with a few drops of your soothing rain:

She’ll wake up soon and stare at you – soaring at great height;

Looking at this lonesome beauty, Cloud, your heart will bleed in pain…

Give to her all my love, friend, dearest, bring her some delight


With a voice soft like petals of rose, these words you shall say –

I am friend to the man you love, all his words of love I bring

Sweetest lady, don’t fear me, I have travelled a long long way

Your lover – he dreams and thinks of you, of you he does sing….”


See the glimmer lighting up her eyes as these words you speak –

Hope shall shine and she shall pine for more words from you:

The river that floods her thirsty bloods, more of life it does seek –

Quench that thirst of love that is cursed, that’s what you’ll do


Tell her that my love is strong, distance has not weakened it;

Whisper softly in her ears as you float down from above,

And down below, beside her pillow, dear friend, you can sit,

And say to her, that her lover, has sent to her all his love


My roads to her are closed now; tell her this, O friend,

But all these pain and all these tears shall be over one day

Give her all these faith and hope, which, to her I send:

When the curse lifts I’ll rush to her to where she does stay


Tell her how I yearn for her, with tears in my eyes,

Tell her of my saddened face and of my empty gaze,

Tell her of my throbbing heart, tell her of my sighs,

Tell her how I burn for her and how sad are my days


Sit beside her, Cloud, and tell all these things to her;

Tell her that I think of her every single moment,

That my love for her is eternal, like the morning star;

Tell how I sigh for her and how, for her I lament


I write this story of our love with my blood that flows,

I paint this sad picture with the colours of the evening sky,

I seek to know of you from the falling rains and snows,

I ask them how you are, my love, but they give me no reply


Say to her all these, Cloud, do this favour to me:

Tell her we shall meet again, for such is destiny:

Tell her how I kiss her in those dreams that I see,

Tell her how my heart flutters striving to be free


Often, in those broken dreams, I can feel her warm embrace,

I try to take her to my arms, but my hands grasp the empty air:

For in those dreams I’m with her – I feel her charm and grace,

Then I wake up to the cruel world, and see that she is not there


The cedar trees stand evergreen, robed in velvet leaves,

The breeze that kiss those leaves washes her face as well,

And the wind carries those sighs which she often heaves:

All these little things, O eternal Cloud, to her you must tell


Warm rays caress the skies when the dreary night ends,

After the cruel summer, raindrops soothe the scorched earth;

For all the pains she inflicts on us, destiny makes amends,

For hope burns in eternal flames – in our hearts’ secret hearth


Her eyes fly across the skies where birds and dreams never die,

Where hills kill what we feel as we kneel to the thorn and crown,

As space and time and things that chime rhyme to a sublime lie,

And heaven rests on her breasts and at her behest it melts down


Days pass by in ones and twos, days pass by so slow,

Days pass by like worn out shoes, that’s what the wise man says;

We wait in dark for some light, for the rivers to flow…

The moon will rise on that night; she’ll bring freedom on her rays


All the sadness that comes to her in her pensive hours –

They build nest on her heart, like they do in mine:

Wash them off, dearest Cloud, with your holy showers,

Then move aside for while and let the moon shine


He who thinks that life is blank what he thinks is wrong,

And he who says that hope is dead what he says is a lie:

If love is deep and faith is true, distance makes it strong,

The heart which fends the fangs of truth – it’ll never die


Give her some life, O Cloud, with my love and thy rain;

Protect the love of mine, that tender flower in desert heat;

Days burn in the flames of time and their ashes remain…

With those ashes we build our life – our victory, our defeat…


You are the only friend I had in this desolate hour;

Heed my prayer and go to her, flow through the hills and trees,

Give to her all my love, give to her some shower

And come back to me, and tell me of her – tell me how she is


My worship to you has not been prefect – this, my friend, I know,

But this prayer, like my pain and love, flows true and straight from inside;

Help your lonesome friend and float away wherever you wish to go,

And some day some poet shall write of you – my morning star, my guide