by Kalidasa (flourished 5th century)
Translation by Arthur William Ryder (1877 - 1938)

वसन्त‑वर्णनम्
Language: Sanskrit (संस्कृतम्) 
प्रफुल्ल-चूताङ्कुर-तीक्ष्ण-सायको
द्विरेफ-माला-विलसद्-धनुर्गुणः ।
मनांसि भेत्तुं सुरत-प्रसङ्गिनां
वसन्त-योद्धा समुपागतः प्रिये ! ॥ [ ६ / १ ]
*
द्रुमाः सपुष्पाः सलिलं सपद्मं
स्त्रियः सकामाः पवनः सुगन्धिः ।
सुखाः प्रदोषा दिवसाश्च रम्याः
सर्वं प्रिये ! चारुतरं वसन्ते ॥ [ ६ / २ ]
*
कुन्दैः सविभ्रम-वधू-हसितावदातै-
रुद्द्योतितान्युपवनानि मनोहराणि ।
चित्तं मुनेरपि हरन्ति निवृत्त-रागं
प्रागेव राग-मलिनानि मनांसि यूनाम् ॥ [ ६ / २५ ]

A transliteration follows. TItle: VASANTA-VARNANAM (Ritu-Samhāra-Kāvyam)

Praphulla-cūtāńkura-tīkshna-sāyako
dvirepha-mālā-vilasad-dhanurgunah /
Manāmsi bhettum surata-prasańginām
vasanta-yoddhā samupāgatah priye //  [ 6 / 1 ]
*
Drumāh sapushpāh salilam sapadmam
striyah sakāmāh pavanah sugandhih /       
Sukhāh pradoshā  divasāśca ramyāh
sarvam priye cārutaram vasante //  [ 6 / 2 ]
* 
Kundaih savibhrama-vadhū-hasitāvadātair
udyotitānyupavanāni manoharāni /
Cittam munerapi haranti nivritta-rāgam
prāgeva rāga-malināni manāmsi yūnām //  [ 6 / 25 ]

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Arthur William Ryder) , "Spring", from Kalidasa: Translations of Shakuntala, and Other Works, first published 1914
  • ORI Oriya (Dr. Harekrishna Meher) , "बसन्त-बर्णना", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Dr. Harekrishna Meher

This text was added to the website: 2008-03-15
Line count: 14
Word count: 59

Spring
Language: English  after the Sanskrit (संस्कृतम्) 
A stalwart soldier comes, the spring,
  Who bears the bow of Love;
And on that bow, the lustrous string
  Is made of bees, that move
With malice as they speed the shaft
  Of blossoming mango-flower
At us, dear, who have never laughed
  At love, nor scorned his power.

Their blossom-burden weights the trees;
  The winds in fragrance move;
The lakes are bright with lotuses,
  The women bright with love;
The days are soft, the evenings clear
  And charming; everything
That moves and lives and blossoms, dear,
  Is sweeter, in the spring.

The groves are beautifully bright
  For many and many a mile
With jasmine-flowers that are as white
  As loving woman's smile:
The resolution of a saint
  Might well be tried by this;
Far more, young hearts that fancies paint
  With dreams of loving bliss.

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

    [ None yet in the database ]


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-03-10
Line count: 24
Word count: 135