Dear friends,
Jay Jinendra
Quite the most romantic proposal I have come across in literature is the one by Dandin in his marvellous novel, Dasakumaracarita. I love this proposal because of its audacity and directness. The situation is such:
The nayaka {hero} Apaharavarman is a swashbuckling adventurer, [an ancient Indian avatara of Indiana Jones]. Stealing into the palace of the beautiful princess Ambalika in order to loot her jewellery, he finds his heart stolen when he comes upon the gorgeous princess lying
supine in deep slumber. He then jots down the following words on a piece of paper that he places beside her and melts away into the night.
त्वाम् अयम् आबद्धाञ्जलि दासजनस तम् इमम् अर्थम् अर्थयते:
स्वपिहि मया सह सुरत व्यतिकरखिन्नै माम् ऐवम्
-द्ण्डी कृत दशकुमारचरित, श्लोक ७.२४३
tvaam ayam aabaddhaanjali daasajanasa tam imam artham arthayate
svapihi mayaa saha surata vyatikarakhinnai maam aivam
-Dandin's "Dasakumaracarita". Shloka 7.243
Here I am - your slave,
hands folded in subservience.
I beg of you this one thing:
that you should sleep with me beside you,
and only exhausted after erotic union, and not,
not tired in the way you are now.
-English translation by Isabelle Onians
English translation extracted from:
DASAKUMARACARITA: WHAT TEN YOUNG MEN DID
By Dandin
Sanskrit Novel
Sanskrit text in Roman + English translation
By Isabelle Onians
Edited by Richard Gombrich
2005 170 x 110 mm 656 pp
Deluxe Hardcover edition Rs. 1000
2 comments:
Dear friend,
I think the last words of the second line of the shlokam should be solved like this:
मा मैवम् > *maa maa eva
and not माम् ऐवम् > *maam aivam
Your translation justify this interpretation.
shAntiH,
Andrea
Dear Andrea,
Jay Jinendra
You are probably right. I do not know enough Sanskrit grammar to have an opinion either way. I used the mula patha given by Isabelle Onians.
Thank you for letting me know.
best wishes,
M
Post a Comment