Today, I will present two verses of unknown authorship connected by a common theme – a theme that many Indic authors have been obsessed with for centuries.
Devanagari text:
आकारेण शशी गिरा परभृतः पारावतश्चुम्बने
हंसश्चङ्क्रमणे समं दयितया रत्या विमर्दे गजः|
इत्थं भर्तरि मे समस्तयुवतिश्लाघ्यैर्गुणैः सेविते
क्षुण्णं नास्ति विवाहितः पतिरिति स्यान्नैष दोषो यदि||
Devanagari text:
आकारेण शशी गिरा परभृतः पारावतश्चुम्बने
हंसश्चङ्क्रमणे समं दयितया रत्या विमर्दे गजः|
इत्थं भर्तरि मे समस्तयुवतिश्लाघ्यैर्गुणैः सेविते
क्षुण्णं नास्ति विवाहितः पतिरिति स्यान्नैष दोषो यदि||
Harvard-Kyoto transliteration:
AkAreNa zazI girA parabhRtaH pArAvatazcumbane
haMsaZcaGkramaNe samaM dayitayA ratyA vimarde gajaH|
itthaM bhartari me samastayuvatizlAghyairguNaiH sevite
kSuNNaM nAsti vivAhitaH patiriti syAnnaiSa doSo yadi||
haMsaZcaGkramaNe samaM dayitayA ratyA vimarde gajaH|
itthaM bhartari me samastayuvatizlAghyairguNaiH sevite
kSuNNaM nAsti vivAhitaH patiriti syAnnaiSa doSo yadi||
– Anonymous
Loose translation: My husband has no dearth of qualities that all young women adore: He has the beauty of the moon and the voice of a koel, kisses like a pigeon, walks like a swan, and humps his beloved like an elephant – his only shortcoming is that he is my lawfully wedded husband (and not an illicit lover)!
Source: Verses 2386 and 2387 of the 10th century anthology Subhaashitaavali.
Notes: Throughout South Asian literary history, a spectacular amount of work has been produced either romanticizing or condemning wifely infidelity. In fact, many an anthologist has devoted an entire chapter in their compendium to the asati (असती) or "adulteress". The parakiyaa (परकीया), "another's (woman)", was a recognized category of the naayikaa (नायिका), "heroine", in Sanskrit dramaturgy and literary theory. Literature, both secular and scriptural, suggests that women were assumed to be innately promiscuous beings who valued affairs and quickies much more than legitimate conjugal intercourse – this assumption was presumably the basis for the numerous measures taken to 'protect' women of respectable families from themselves as well as from others.
The similes used in the first quote perhaps also deserve a comment. The moon has always been seen as the paragon of physical beauty, the (male) koel is often celebrated for its sweet voice, and the swan for its gait, and people of either gender have been likened to each of them. However, I have come across no other instance of the other two comparisons in my (undeniably limited) readings, but they are so apt that I wonder why more authors have not used them!
अनेकैर्नायकगुणैः सहितः सखि मे पतिः|
स एव यदि जारः स्यात्सफलं जीवितं मम||
स एव यदि जारः स्यात्सफलं जीवितं मम||
Harvard-Kyoto transliteration:
anekairnAyakagunaiH sahitaH sakhi me patiH|
sa eva yadi jAraH syAtsaphalaM jIvitaM mama||
sa eva yadi jAraH syAtsaphalaM jIvitaM mama||
– Anonymous
Loose translation: Dear friend! My husband has many qualities of a romantic hero. My life would be perfect if only he were my paramour.
Notes: Throughout South Asian literary history, a spectacular amount of work has been produced either romanticizing or condemning wifely infidelity. In fact, many an anthologist has devoted an entire chapter in their compendium to the asati (असती) or "adulteress". The parakiyaa (परकीया), "another's (woman)", was a recognized category of the naayikaa (नायिका), "heroine", in Sanskrit dramaturgy and literary theory. Literature, both secular and scriptural, suggests that women were assumed to be innately promiscuous beings who valued affairs and quickies much more than legitimate conjugal intercourse – this assumption was presumably the basis for the numerous measures taken to 'protect' women of respectable families from themselves as well as from others.
The similes used in the first quote perhaps also deserve a comment. The moon has always been seen as the paragon of physical beauty, the (male) koel is often celebrated for its sweet voice, and the swan for its gait, and people of either gender have been likened to each of them. However, I have come across no other instance of the other two comparisons in my (undeniably limited) readings, but they are so apt that I wonder why more authors have not used them!
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