Lesser mortals might say that it is just the wind. But the poet knows best :)
बालां कृशाङ्गीं सुरतानभिज्ञां गाढं नवोढामुपगूढवन्तम्|
विलोक्य जामातरमेष दीपो वातायने कम्पमुपैति भीतः||
विलोक्य जामातरमेष दीपो वातायने कम्पमुपैति भीतः||
bAlAM kRzAGgIM suratAnabhijJAM gADhaM navoDhAMupagUDhavantam|
vilokya jAmAtarameSa dIpo vAtAyane kampamupaiti bhItaH||
– Anonymous
Loose translation: (The flame of) this lamp in the window shudders in fright as it witnesses the son-in-law wrapping himself tightly around (his) young and petite new bride inexperienced in the art of lovemaking.
Source: Vidyakara's Subhashita Ratnakosha Verse 757: Verse 4 of Chapter 26 (प्रदीपव्रज्या, "the chapter on the lamp"); Verse 1213 (Verse 3 of Chapter 148, the chapter on the lamp) of Saduktikarnamrita (सदुक्तिकर्णामृत), "good sayings that are ambrosial to the ear", compiled by Shridharadasa (श्रीधरदास) in Bengal in 1205 CE.
(2) The following verses are uncannily similar, and plagiarism cannot be ruled out.
Source: Vidyakara's Subhashita Ratnakosha Verse 757: Verse 4 of Chapter 26 (प्रदीपव्रज्या, "the chapter on the lamp"); Verse 1213 (Verse 3 of Chapter 148, the chapter on the lamp) of Saduktikarnamrita (सदुक्तिकर्णामृत), "good sayings that are ambrosial to the ear", compiled by Shridharadasa (श्रीधरदास) in Bengal in 1205 CE.
(2) The following verses are uncannily similar, and plagiarism cannot be ruled out.
तरुण्या नीयमानोऽसौ दीपोऽञ्चलपटावृतः|
न दत्तौ विधिना हस्तौ धुनोतीति मुहुः शिरः||
न दत्तौ विधिना हस्तौ धुनोतीति मुहुः शिरः||
taruNyA nIyamAno(a)sau dIpo(a)JcalapaTAvRtaH|
na dattau vidhinA hastau dhunotIti muhuH ziraH||
na dattau vidhinA hastau dhunotIti muhuH ziraH||
– Anonymous
Loose translation: As the damsel was carrying this (oil-)lamp, shielded by the loose end of her sari, the lamp started shaking its head again and again (in frustration), as if complaining that it had not been given hands by the Creator.
Source: Vidyakara Sahasraka Verse 612.
Notes: The wordplay works because दीप, the word used for lamp here, has the masculine gender. Why does the lamp want hands so badly? The next verse sheds some light on it.
Source: Vidyakara Sahasraka Verse 612.
Notes: The wordplay works because दीप, the word used for lamp here, has the masculine gender. Why does the lamp want hands so badly? The next verse sheds some light on it.
दीपो वातभयान्नीतः कामिन्या वसनान्तरे|
निरीक्ष्य कुचसौन्दर्यमकरः कम्पते शिरः||
निरीक्ष्य कुचसौन्दर्यमकरः कम्पते शिरः||
dIpo vAtabhayAnnItaH kAminyA vasanAntare|
nirIkSya kucasaundaryamakaraH kampate* ziraH||
*grammatical error; see notes below
nirIkSya kucasaundaryamakaraH kampate* ziraH||
*grammatical error; see notes below
– Anonymous
Loose translation: As the pretty lady shielded the (oil-)lamp with her scarf (or the loose end of her sari) fearing that it might be blown out by the wind, the lamp saw the beauty of her breasts, and started shaking its head (in frustration) for having no hands.
Source: 17th century Anyokti Muktaavali Section (परिच्छेद) 6 Verse 100.
Notes: The early 20th century Subhashita Ratnakara provides a version (Verse 6 of the chapter dedicated to female breasts) in which the second half has its grammar corrected but has no reference to the lack of hands: दृष्ट्वा तु कुचसौन्दर्यं शिरः कम्पयते मुहुः|| (. . . shakes its head repeatedly on seeing the beauty of the breasts). See this post for a less metaphorical snippet in the same vein.
Source: 17th century Anyokti Muktaavali Section (परिच्छेद) 6 Verse 100.
Notes: The early 20th century Subhashita Ratnakara provides a version (Verse 6 of the chapter dedicated to female breasts) in which the second half has its grammar corrected but has no reference to the lack of hands: दृष्ट्वा तु कुचसौन्दर्यं शिरः कम्पयते मुहुः|| (. . . shakes its head repeatedly on seeing the beauty of the breasts). See this post for a less metaphorical snippet in the same vein.
मन्दानिलहतविलोलशिखः प्रदीपः कक्षान्तरे विनिहितः सभयं तरुण्या|
तस्याः समस्तकुचकुम्भयुगं निरीक्ष्य बाहुं विनेव विदधाति शिरःप्रकम्पम्||
तस्याः समस्तकुचकुम्भयुगं निरीक्ष्य बाहुं विनेव विदधाति शिरःप्रकम्पम्||
– भानुकर
mandAnilahatavilolazikhaH pradIpaH kakSAntare vinihitaH sabhayaM taruNyA|
tasyAH samastakucakumbhayugaM nirIkSya bAhuM vineva vidadhAti ziraHprakampam||
tasyAH samastakucakumbhayugaM nirIkSya bAhuM vineva vidadhAti ziraHprakampam||
– bhAnukara
Loose translation: As the lamp, the flame of which was flickering in the gentle breeze, was shielded in the bend of her arm (or taken into another room) by a young lady who was afraid (that it might be blown out), it kept shaking its head as if for being devoid of arms, after it got a full view of her pitcher-like breasts.
Source: Padyaracana (पद्यरचना), "compositions in verse", Chapter (व्यापार) 15 Verse 17. This anthology was compiled by Lakshmana Bhatta Ankolakara (आङ्कोलकरश्रीलक्ष्मणभट्ट) between 1625 and 1650 CE.
Notes: I have quoted the verse just as I found it in the above anthology, but I think the first quarter should read मन्दानिलाहतविलोलशिखः प्रदीपः, assuming that the meter is vasantatilaka (वसन्ततिलक).
The compiler cites this couplet as one of several specimens of Kavya Samasya Purana (काव्यसमस्यापूरण), "solution to a poetic enigma", a recreational exercise in constrained writing that can take on many forms and is one of the sixty-four classically recognized art forms of South Asia; here, I think, the poet was just asked to come up with a fanciful explanation for the quivering of the flame of a lamp, and perhaps versify it in a given meter. I have no information on the author Bhanukara.
Source: Padyaracana (पद्यरचना), "compositions in verse", Chapter (व्यापार) 15 Verse 17. This anthology was compiled by Lakshmana Bhatta Ankolakara (आङ्कोलकरश्रीलक्ष्मणभट्ट) between 1625 and 1650 CE.
Notes: I have quoted the verse just as I found it in the above anthology, but I think the first quarter should read मन्दानिलाहतविलोलशिखः प्रदीपः, assuming that the meter is vasantatilaka (वसन्ततिलक).
The compiler cites this couplet as one of several specimens of Kavya Samasya Purana (काव्यसमस्यापूरण), "solution to a poetic enigma", a recreational exercise in constrained writing that can take on many forms and is one of the sixty-four classically recognized art forms of South Asia; here, I think, the poet was just asked to come up with a fanciful explanation for the quivering of the flame of a lamp, and perhaps versify it in a given meter. I have no information on the author Bhanukara.
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