204 
BRAMBLES AND BAY LEAVES. 
the sacti or wife of the protector Yishnu, is sometimes 
known by the names of Pedma and Camala, in allusion 
to the holy and increasing lotos. The author of the 
“ Metamorphoses of Sona,” frequently uses it to help out 
his classical allegories; describing the charms of 
jNTerbudda, he says, 
“ See, graceful wave, the lotos stalk her arms ; 
Strive not, vain bracelet, to improve her charms; 
Fair lotos flowers her taper fingers glow, 
Tinged bright by lacsha,* like each slender toe/’ 
This, like many others in the above poem, is borrowed 
from the “ Gitagovinda ”—“ Madhava binds on her arms, 
graceful as the stalks of the water-lily [lotos], adorned 
with hands glowing like the petals of its flowers, a 
bracelet of sapphires.” In the description of Deva, the 
lover of Nerbudda, the image occurs in a more beautiful 
form, in allusion to the powdered appearance of the lotos 
flower— 
“ Light, graceful from his waist the jammah flows, 
Thus on the lotos blue the gold dust shows.” 
And in another passage, where Nerbudda despatches her 
slave, Johilla, to observe if the Deva be coming “ in due 
array,” she commands her to observe if he be 
u Such as becomes Nerbudda’s birth and fame.” 
Commanding her to note, 
“ If, lion-like, his port he bold and brave ; 
If the blue lotus blossom on his face ; 
If his form wear the palm’s aspiring grace.** 
* Another wood-nymph pressed the juice of lacsha, to dye her 
feet exquisitely red.— Sacontola , Act. iv., scene 1. 
