Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/563

 V.] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 527 and night he took his flute in his hand and sang ‘Radha, Radha.’ | Then comes the meeting. Shestealthily walks The along the forest-path to meet him. A dark colour. ™eéeting. ed sadi hides her in the dark night; like a creeper with fine foliage and gay flowers or like a streak of lightning formed in human shape she goes—caring not for caste—fearing not the slanderous tongues of the wicked or the reprimands of her elderly relations,—offering herself body and soul to his service. She comes to him as a martyr for love, and joins him in the bowers. of the Vrinda groves; and from that time forward every night the maids prepare a bower of flowers and there Krisna and Radha meet. There are many man- ceuvres and devices adopted by the lovers for these meetings and the scandal has by this time spread. Radha said she would mind no consequence. If the world will not look at her face, well and good. She will repeat the name of Krisna day and night and the joy derived from that would make up for all her sufferings. ‘Take my bracelets away, O ‘maids, the service of Krishna will adorn my _ hands, and I want no other ornaments for them ;—take away my necklace of purest pearls, the thought of Krishna is the ornament of my breast ; | want - no other for it; the praise of Krishna will adorn my ears, no need of earringsfor them. The ground trodden by Krisna’s feet is dear to me, cover my body, O, maidens, with the sacred dust of that ground! Oh I shall turn a Yogini for love. My infamy is known,—you fear it,-but I glory in it ; | glory in all that the love of Krisna may bring -to me 1?