Essay name: Shringara-manjari Katha (translation and notes)
Author: Kumari Kalpalata K. Munshi
An English translation of the Shringara-manjari Katha by Bhojadeva. This detailed study includes four sections including an introduction the Sanskrit text, an English translation, notes, index of rare words and an index of maxims.
Page 281 of: Shringara-manjari Katha (translation and notes)
281 (of 314)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
72
ŚṚNĀ鴡ѴÑձĀ
feudatories, twelve mandaleśvaras, thirty-six royal houses, seventy-
two forest lords, twenty-four Kārvaṭas, twenty-one Konkaṇas and
people of thirty-six ports. Of that king, who by his valour had
subjected the circles of kings and had conquered all the feudatories,
there was a famous courtesan named ASOKAVATI, who was very
rich and was the one abode of beauty, youth and graces. All the
feudatories gave everything to her
and looked up to her
expectantly. She accepted everything from them and gave it to a
feudatory called CHADDALAKA. He was dearer to her than her
life and was also a favourite in the king's court. She had mastered
the world-famous sword-dancing.
Once in winter when nights were very cold and it was impos-
sible to sit outside . (67) king SAMARASIMHA, seated in the
middle of the pleasure pavilion, giving seats to those desirous of see-
ing the dance-performance, sent for ASOKAVATĪ. (In the winter)
when intolerable autumnal sun became a little bearable; when the
net-work of the beads of perspiration from the cheeks of the protec-
tress of rice-fields is removed; when the wind is laden with particles
of snow; when swarms of bees are attracted towards the buds of the
śyāmā-creepers after giving up the ponds of kuvalayas whose beauty
were destroyed by snow flakes; when the lotus-ponds without the
Autumn looked like the women separated by their lovers, with the
lustre of the lotus-faces faded, with bare stalks as ornaments, bear-
ing paleness in the form of the flakes of snow on the water, and
being free from the sports of love; when the Fish-bannered one, on
seeing his quiver of arrows exhausted after breaking the hearts of
the separated lovers, tied the fresh sugarcanes as bows to conquer
the world, which (sugarcanes) were as charming as the cheeks of
the young Kerala women; when in the pleasure-mansions, the hair
of the doe-eyed women which were fragrant with the fresh maru-
vaka flowers and whose shine was doubled with the fragrant oil
inferred from its perfume, enchanted the minds of all the loverlorn
persons; when the couples desired the warmth of kunkuma having
given up the anointing of the sandal paste which was cherished in
autumn; which brought about the delicious touch of the breasts
of the beloveds which were scented with
were scented with
the constant appli-
cation of the slightly burnt ghanasāāra, and which were fully per-
fumed with the kālāguru; when the lovers constantly resorted to
the fire of pleasures; when the wind was heavy with particles of
thick frost fallen on the borders of the clusters of partially open
kunda-buds appearing to be their smiles of wonder on seeing the
bees leaving the priyaka flowers, whose honey-juice had been
exhausted, and quickly alighting on the flowers of the priyangu
creepers; when in the whole world loving couples had taken to the
vow of Ardhanāriśvara as their limbs were in close embraces.
