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ministers took heed

      To see his bidding done.

      In ships with wondrous art prepared

      Away the lovely women fared,

      And soon beneath the shade they stood

      Of the wild, lonely, dreary wood.

      And there the leafy cot they found

      Where dwelt the devotee,

      And looked with eager eyes around

      The hermit’s son to see.

      Still, of Vibháṇdak sore afraid,

      They hid behind the creepers’ shade.

      But when by careful watch they knew

      The elder saint was far from view,

      With bolder steps they ventured nigh

      To catch the youthful hermit’s eye.

      Then all the damsels, blithe and gay,

      At various games began to play.

      They tossed the flying ball about

      With dance and song and merry shout,

      And moved, their scented tresses bound

      With wreaths, in mazy motion round.

      Some girls as if by love possessed,

      Sank to the earth in feigned unrest,

      Up starting quickly to pursue

      Their intermitted game anew.

      It was a lovely sight to see

      Those fair ones, as they played,

      While fragrant robes were floating free,

      And bracelets clashing in their glee

      A pleasant tinkling made.

The anklet’s chime, the Koïl’s1 cry

      With music filled the place

      As ’twere some city in the sky

      Which heavenly minstrels grace.

      With each voluptuous art they strove

      To win the tenant of the grove,

      And with their graceful forms inspire

      His modest soul with soft desire.

      With arch of brow, with beck and smile,

      With every passion-waking wile

      Of glance and lotus hand,

      With all enticements that excite

      The longing for unknown delight

      Which boys in vain withstand.

      Forth came the hermit’s son to view

      The wondrous sight to him so new,

      And gazed in rapt surprise,

      For from his natal hour till then

      On woman or the sons of men

      He ne’er had cast his eyes.

      He saw them with their waists so slim,

      With fairest shape and faultless limb,

      In variegated robes arrayed,

      And sweetly singing as they played.

      Near and more near the hermit drew,

      And watched them at their game,

      And stronger still the impulse grew

      To question whence they came.

      They marked the young ascetic gaze

      With curious eye and wild amaze,

      And sweet the long-eyed damsels sang,

      And shrill their merry laughter rang.

      Then came they nearer to his side,

      And languishing with passion cried:

      “Whose son, O youth, and who art thou,

      Come suddenly to join us now?

      And why dost thou all lonely dwell

      In the wild wood? We pray thee, tell,

      We wish to know thee, gentle youth;

      Come, tell us, if thou wilt, the truth.”

      He gazed upon that sight he ne’er

      Had seen before, of girls so fair,

      And out of love a longing rose

      His sire and lineage to disclose:

      “My father,” thus he made reply,

      “Is Kaśyap’s son, a saint most high,

      Vibháṇdak styled; from him I came,

      And Rishyaśring he calls my name.

      Our hermit cot is near this place:

      Come thither, O ye fair of face;

      There be it mine, with honour due,

      Ye gentle youths, to welcome you.”

      They heard his speech, and gave consent,

      And gladly to his cottage went.

      Vibháṇdak’s son received them well

      Beneath the shelter of his cell

      With guest-gift, water for their feet,

      And woodland fruit and roots to eat,

      They smiled, and spoke sweet words like these,

      Delighted with his courtesies:

      “We too have goodly fruit in store,

      Grown on the trees that shade our door;

      Come, if thou wilt, kind Hermit, haste

      The produce of our grove to taste;

      And let, O good Ascetic, first

      This holy water quench thy thirst.”

      They spoke, and gave him comfits sweet

      Prepared ripe fruits to counterfeit;

      And many a dainty cate beside

      And luscious mead their stores supplied.

      The seeming fruits, in taste and look,

      The unsuspecting hermit took,

      For, strange to him, their form beguiled

      The dweller in the lonely wild.

      Then round his neck fair arms were flung,

      And there the laughing damsels clung,

      And pressing nearer and more near

      With sweet lips whispered at his ear;

      While rounded limb and swelling breast

      The youthful hermit softly pressed.

      The pleasing charm of that strange bowl,

      The touch of a tender limb,

      Over his yielding spirit stole

      And sweetly vanquished him.

      But vows, they said, must now be paid;

      They bade the boy farewell,

      And, of the aged saint afraid,

      Prepared to leave the dell.

      With ready guile they told him where

      Their hermit dwelling lay:

      Then,

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