KĀLIDĀSA'S STYLE AND METRE 103 'Addressed she could not answer; when he touched her gown she sought to leave him; with head averted she clung to her couch; yet none the less did she delight the lord of the trident.' ātmānam ālokya ca çobhamanam: ādarçabimbe stimitāya- tākṣi Haropayane tvaritā babhuva: strinām priyalokaphalo hi veçaḥ. 'When with her long eyes fixed on her mirror she saw the reflection of her radiant loveliness, swift she hastened to seek Çiva, for the fruit of woman's raiment is the light in the lover's eyes.' Equally complete in its own effectiveness is the descrip- tion of the tragic shock received by Rati: tīvrabhişangaprabhavena vṛttim: mohena samstambhaya- tendriyāṇām ajñātabhartṛvyasanã muhurtam: kṛtopakāreva Ratir ba- bhūva. 'The bitterness of the blow cast Rati into a faint which dulled her senses and for the moment with true kindness robbed her of memory of her husband's ruin.' Aja's tears have their excuse in nature itself: vilalapa sabāṣpagadgadam: sahajām apy apahāya dhīratām abhitaptam ayo'pi mārdavam: bhajate kaiva kathā çaririşu ? 'He wailed aloud, his voice broken by sobs, forgetting the high courage that was his; iron in the fire yieldeth its strength; how much more feeble mortals?' He feels that his wife has doubted his love: dhruvam asmi çathaḥ çucismite: viditaḥ kaitavavatsalas tava paralokam asamnivṛttaye: yad anapṛcchya gatasi mām itaḥ. 'Surely, sweet smiling one, thou hast judged me traitor whose love was feigned that thou hast gone from me to the world whence there is no return and hast not bidden me even a word of fare- well. No woman could desire a more perfect eulogy: grhini sacivah sakhi mithaḥ: priyaçişya lalite kalāvidhau karunāvimukhena mṛtyunā: haratā tvāṁ vada kim na me hṛtam?
