Love

Poem : 1081

Goddess? or peafowl rare? She whose ears rich jewels wear,
Is she a maid of human kind? All wildered is my mind!

Explanation :
Is this jewelled female a celestial, a choice peahen, or a human being ? My mind is perplexed.

Poem : 1082

She of the beaming eyes, To my rash look her glance replies,
As if the matchless goddess' hand Led forth an armed band.

Explanation :
This female beauty returning my looks is like a celestial maiden coming with an army to contend against me.

Poem : 1083

Death's form I formerly Knew not; but now 'tis plain to me;
He comes in lovely maiden's guise, With soul-subduing eyes.

Explanation :
I never knew before what is called Yama; I see it now; it is the eyes that carry on a great fight with (the help of) female qualities.

Poem : 1084

In sweet simplicity, A woman's gracious form hath she;
But yet those eyes, that drink my life, Are with the form at strife!

Explanation :
These eyes that seem to kill those who look at them are as it were in hostilities with this feminine simplicity.

Poem : 1085

The light that on me gleams, Is it death's dart? or eye's bright beams?
Or fawn's shy glance? All three appear In form of maiden here.

Explanation :
Is it Yama, (a pair of) eyes or a hind ?- Are not all these three in the looks of this maid ?

Poem : 1086

If cruel eye-brow's bow, Unbent, would veil those glances now;
The shafts that wound this trembling heart Her eyes no more would dart.

Explanation :
Her eyes will cause (me) no trembling sorrow, if they are properly hidden by her cruel arched eye-brows.

Poem : 1087

As veil o'er angry eyes Of raging elephant that lies,
The silken cincture's folds invest This maiden's panting breast.

Explanation :
The cloth that covers the firm bosom of this maiden is (like) that which covers the eyes of a rutting elephant.

Poem : 1088

Ah! woe is me! my might, That awed my foemen in the fight,
By lustre of that beaming brow Borne down, lies broken now!

Explanation :
On her bright brow alone is destroyed even that power of mine that used to terrify the most fearless foes in the battlefield.

Poem : 1089

Like tender fawn's her eye; Clothed on is she with modesty;
What added beauty can be lent; By alien ornament?

Explanation :
Of what use are other jewels to her who is adorned with modesty, and the meek looks of a hind ?

Poem : 1090

The palm-tree's fragrant wine, To those who taste yields joys divine;
But love hath rare felicity For those that only see!

Explanation :
Unlike boiled honey which yields delight only when it is drunk, love gives pleasure even when looked at.