Verse for the week – 5th December 2009

एषा विभावरी सितकिरणकलारजतसूचिघटितेन।

सीव्यति सरसिरुहस्य ज्योत्स्नासूत्रेण पत्राणि॥

Eṣā vibhāvarī sita-kiraṇa-kalā-rajata-sūci-ghaṭitena

Sīvyati sarasiruhasya jyotsnā-sūtreṇa patrāṇi

This night sews up the petals of the lotus with the thread of moonlight tied to the silver needle formed by the slither of moon.

Dr Shankar Rajaraman

Bangalore

Verse for the week – 17th November 2009

क्रमेण धारामुसलप्रहारैः

प्रावृण् मयूरध्वनिबद्धगीतिः।

वियोगिहृत्तण्डुलखण्डनाय

प्रवर्तते लोलतडिद्भुजश्रीः॥

Krameṇa dhārā-musala-prahāraiḥ

Prāvṛṇ mayūra-dhvani-baddha-gītiḥ

Viyogi-hṛt-taṇḍula-khaṇḍanāya

Pravartate lola-taḍid-bhuja-śrīḥ

The rainy season begins by degrees to grind the hearts of separated lovers with the blows of the downpours that form her pestle, as though they were grains of rice.  The song she sings is the call of the peacocks and her glistening arms the flickering lightning.

Dr Shankar Rajaraman

Bangalore

Verse for the week – 29th September

यत्रांशुकाक्षेपविलज्जितानां यदृच्छया किंपुरुषाङ्गनानाम्।

दरीगृहद्वारविलम्बिबिम्बास्तिरस्करिण्यो जलदा भवन्ति॥

Yatra ‘ṃśuka-ākṣepa-vilajjitānāṃ yad-ṛcchayā kiṃpuruṣa-añganānām |

Darī-gṛha-dvāra-vilambi-bimbās tiraskariṇyo jaladā bhavanti ||

There on the Himalaya mountain where clouds, by chance hanging in cotton wool balls across the entrances of the cave houses, serve as screens for kinnara women blushing furiously as their clothes are snatched away.

Verse 14, first sarga, Kumārasaṃbhavam – Kālidāsa