T839.] 



Essay on Telugu Literature. 



385 



* ing and wailing, " thou art gone," cried the}'— melting, distracted 



* they cried alas alas ; agitated with anguish and beside themselves, 



* wringing their hands, and beating their breasts, Alas cried they, my 



* beauty, ray charmer, my own delight, my sister, O shall the day ever 



* come when I forget thee V 



1 Thus cried they still in their affliction, when the "noble Ahancara 



* (the king's minister) approached them. Why exclaimed he, " why 

 * l this grief when it is too late ! is it possible for mortals to avoid the 

 " doom fixed by the deity ? surely the fair Maia dwelt among us for a 

 41 certain object, and she is now gone; she is no more a daughter of 

 <; yours : surely you have heard this in the last words of Vimala ; then 

 *' why should you grieve any longer. If we do not return to the royal 



dwelling the hearts of men will be filled with uneasiness: all our 

 <* dependants will quit our banners, and will betake themselves to other 

 " princes." . 



* Such were his counsels to Mamacara, lord of men* who lent an ear | 



* he brought him back to the palace, where he continued to rule the 

 ' land prosperously. 



4 Meantime Maia and Vimala stood, " there" in the presence of 



* Sancara's awful Queen : they hung down their heads and drew lines* 



* on the floor. The goddess at once perceived that Allama had not fal- 

 6 len in the hands of Maia: her gay cheer vanished, and she drew a 



* deep sigh : the daughter of Olympus did not approach her lord, but he 



* perceived all the fact : forthwith he proceeded to the dwelling of his 

 ' fair spouse, and with overflowing affection consoled her : then, not de- 

 listing from his first intent, the vanquisher of Pluto thus addressed 

 ' the dame, in words that conveyed a double import. " It is easy 

 i( enough to snare thunderbolts, and roast them like larks ; it is easy to 

 " handle serpents and fiery dragons ; to seize and draw out the fangs 

 u of death; but where shall we find him on earth who will be able to 

 ** tempt and conquer Allama ?t what is woman? and what is woman's 

 <s resolution ? But never mind ; the affair is over, O daughter of hills I 

 " forget the grief that has filled thy heart." 



' Thus he addressed her; but she replied saying— when I sent Maya 

 ' on earth in my stead, surely thou wentest thyself in the guise of 



* that Allama, and thus hast thou succeeded, and I have lost : now pray 



* be quiet.$ He replied, listen Parvati, you had the presumption to 



* concentrate all your (tamasam) powers of delusion, and moulded it 

 i into woman; her you sent to earth, and you have brought this ridicule 



* With the toe : a Hindu expression of regret. 

 + Allama being an emblem of the deity. 



X The Homeric simplicity of phrase gives an odd appearance in a translation, here as 

 elsewhere, 



