44 G. A. Grierson — Sotne Further Notes on Kalidasa. [No. 1, 



(2.) " What are adornments, if a woman hath not youth ; and what 

 is youth, if she hath not perfect comeliness ; and what is that, if virtue doth 

 not dwell within ; and what is virtue, if her beloved one doth not possess 

 it too ? 



(3.) " My friend, a tender plant hath been planted by fate in the 

 treacherous soil of thy heart. Cherish it jealously, for it beareth many 

 flowers. Sprinkle it daily with the water of remembrance that it may not 

 fade, — for that plant is love. 



(4.) " Like the shadows of the fore and of the afternoon are the 

 loves of the wicked and of the good. The first beginneth great and gra- 

 dually fadeth away ; but the second is delicate at first, and afterwards 

 waxeth mighty." 



One evening Kalidasa was with his mistress, when they were inter- 

 rupted by the sudden arrival of the king. Kalidasa having no time to 

 escape was obliged to hide himself under the bed, she cautioning him, as he 

 valued his life, not to let his presence be known by either word or action. 

 The king after his arrival, fancying himself alone with the courtezan, and 

 wishing to pay a compliment to her beauty, laid his hand upon her bosom 

 and addressed her as follows : 



Having got thus far, and having accomplished half a verse, he tried to 

 finish it, but could not, and hemming and hawing, stuck there. Kalidasa, 

 who would rather have died than have heard an incomplete verse, could no 

 longer contain himself ; and his poetic fury overpowering him, he burst from 

 under the bed, upsetting it and its occupants, crying out — 



The whole couplet, containing a pun on the word 3iT, which means 

 both " tax" and " hand," meaning — 



King. " Verily, my fair one, thy breasts are like two monarchs of 

 the world." 



Kalidasa. " Yes — for doth not His Majesty, who levieth tribute from 

 sea to sea,* lay his hand upon them."t 



The king, in consideration of the neatness of the reply, forgave Kali- 

 dasa's indiscretion. 



The following verses show how poetically Kalidasa used to do his 

 marketing. 



He went up to a, pan seller and said : — 



* A ^ff\, is a tract of country running from sea to sea. 



f Which, may also be translated " pay tribute (^fT) un to them." 



