Madhurāvijayam of Gaṅgādevī /147

Canto: VII
 

 
Slöōkās 1 to 50: Day and Night described. Gangaā Deēviī's

description of Night to her husband.
 

 
1. Then the sun, as if afraid of the offence he had

given to the queens by making lotuses imitate the

beauty of their faces, sunk into the caverns of the
western mountains.
 

western mountains.
 
2. From there he submerged into the waters of

the Western Ocean as if to replenish his heat from the

submarine fire there--heat which had been spent in the

day in making lotuses blossom.
 

 
3. The ladies of Varunṇa's harem fancied the

globe of the sun to be the golden ear-ring which the

Goddess of Day had dropped down in her haste to

depart.
 

 
4. The cheeks of Varunṇa's ladies reddened with

the rays of the setting sun; and this change of colour

came to them (cheeks) even when no intoxicating wine

had been drunk.
 

 
5. The sun, getting drunk with the honey in the

lotuses, abandoned ambara (meaning 'sky' and 'appa-

rel') and in that state touched the western region

revered as Varunṇa's queen. Who is there that is

immune to the injurious influence of drinking?
 

 
6. The sun at one stage seemed to be afflicted

with the heat of separation from the eastern quarter;

but now he was seen enjoying himself in company with

the opposite quarter, his heat gone, on reaching her.

The minds of lovers are certainly inscrutable!
 
pertania