Brough, John (trans.);
Poems from the Sanskrit
Penguin, 1977, 151 pages
ISBN 0140441980, 9780140441987
topics: | poetry | india | ancient | sanskrit | anthology
John Brough (1917-84) was a noted Sanskrit scholar; he has also written on the Sanskrit theories of language and semantics. These translations, taken from there classical anthologies, are mostly rendered in verse, because Brough doesn't trust the English reader of poetry:
I ... have risked using English verse-forms, being persuaded that the English reader might otherwise remain unconvinced that this was anything even faintly related to poetry.
But I suspect the real reason may be less logical - this sentence is a cover for an intuitive liking for, and a desire to demonstrate one's prowess in versification.
Brough is clearly a thorough scholar of Sanskrit, and though he does not seem to have published other poetry, this is a bravura performance.
Many of the selections from subhAShitAvali also appear in A.N.D. Haksar's subhAShitAvali Also the poems from amaru (143, 161, 172) can also be found in Andrew Schelling's Erotic Love Poems from India: Selections from the Amarushataka which in my view fail to hold interest, compared to Brough.
Poems were selected from several anthologies from late medieval period (11th c. on): * subhAShita-ratna-koSha (fine-verse-treasury) - compiled vidyAkara end 11th c. 1738 verses * subhAShitAvali (necklace of fine verse) - ascribed to vallabhadeva prob, 12th c., though with later additions upto the 15th c. 3527 verses * paddhati (manual, or anthology) of shArngadhara, of 14th c. 4620 verses the latter includes pieces selected not for their poetic merit but for their informativeness, e.g. potion for dying grey hair: 6 parts myrobalans, 2 parts fibrous pomegranates, 3 parts turmeric, pound them, mix 6 parts egg, add hair-oil 20 parts. bury in iron vessel packed with horsedung - leave for 1 month. mix with milk until ointment consistency. Massage well into scalp and beard. Wrap with leaves of castor-oil plant, so it is held firm while you sleep. Next morning, rinse off. Repeat 3x at 7-day intervals. With this treatment, hair will stay black and glossy like the bumble bee, until you die.
Sanskrit verses are shapely. They have a very definite and strict metrical form, and often have extremely complex and subtle sound patterns of assonance and alliteration. The qualities of rhythm, of shapeliness, of the music of the words, cannot be directly transferred to another language, and there is no perforect solution. We seek, in fact, the best approximate solution under the limitations... of the receiving language. The attempt often involves what seems to the translator to be a complete dismemberment of the original verse into constituents of sense, and the subsequent creation of a new poem, where these constituents are rebuilt ... into a new pattern of words. 23
Translating verse as verse works well - may be a need - for humourous verse German poem - ants travelling to australia... 25 In Hamburg lebten zwei Ameisen, lived two ants Die wollten nach Australien reisen. wanted to travel to Australia Bei Altona auf der Chausee in Altona, on the street Da taten ihnen die Beine weh, then their feet began to hurt wehtun=to hurt --> weh taten ; Beine=legs verzichteten=renounce Und da verzichteten sie weise renounced wisely Dann auf den letzten Teil der Reise last part of the journey Two ants who lived in London planned To walk to Melbourne overland But, footsore in Southampton Row, When there were still some miles to go, They thought it wise not to extend The journey to the bitter end.
In verse 222 the cat is described by the adjectives A-kubjI-kr.ta-pr.ShTham, 'having-a-somewhat-made-into-a-hump-back', and unnata-valad-vakrAgra-puccham, 'having-a-raised-twisting-crooked-tip-tail', while the dog rejoices in the epithet lAlAkIrNa-vidIrNa-sr.kka-vikacad-daMShTrA-karAlAnanaH, 'having-a-saliva-smeared-split-open-mouth-corners-expanding-teeth- fearsomely-gaping-face'. This gives to the verbal expression of the original a sense of energy and urgency which obviously cannot be imitated by any comparable formal means in a language like English. ... tightly-knit, concise, inflexional structure of Sanskrit - can only be approximated, by diff means, the emotional impact of the original... Another feature of Skt poetry is the great wealth of synonyms or near-synonyms which the poet has at his disposal... It has often been said - or so I am told - that English has an exceptionally rich vocabulary. Indeed, I am in no position to assess the justice of this claim in any general terms, though I have no doubt that most of us who use English find its vocabulary more or less adequate of most prosaic purposes. But, for the purposes of poetry, English, in comparison with Skt, is poor in the extreme. Where, for example, Sanskrit may have some fifty expressions for 'lotus', the English translator has only 'lotus', and he must make the best of it. 31
A frequent feature of Skt literary works is the employment of words and phrases with double meanings: mukhena candrakAntena mahAnIlaiH shiroruhaiH pANibhyAM padmarAgAbhyAm reje ratnamayIva sA - Bhartrihari #131 (shringara-shataka 16 in chowkhamba) Since her face had the beauty of the moon, and her hair was jet black, and her hands were the colour of lotuses, she seemed to be made of all jewels. Nothing can be done to make this into an acceptable verse in another language, since it does not even make sense until we know that candrakAnta, in addition to meaning 'having the beauty of the moon', is also the name of a precious stone; that mahAnIla means 'very black' and also 'sapphire'; and that padmarAga means 'lotus coloured' and also 'ruby'. 34-5
Anandavardhana, writing on the theory of poetry in the ninth century AD, called 'that strange vision of poets which is always new'. As has been said: A poet's purpose is not just to say The moon is like the lady's face But to express it in a different way And with a certain grace. 38
1 Is poetry always worthy when it's old? And is it worthless, then, because it's new? Reader, decide yourself if this be true: Fools suspend judgement, waiting to be told. [Kalidasa, mAlavikAgnimitra, prologue, #2] 2 Of what use is the poet's poem, Of what use is the bowman's dart Unless another's senses reel When it sticks quivering to the heart? [subhAShitAvali 134] 3. Scoundrels without the wit to fit A word or two of verse together Are daunted not a whit to sit In judgment on the abstruse poetry of another. such men will listen with attentive mind, Alert to see how many faults they find. And if they're vexed because they fail to grasp the sense Of works conceived for readers of intelligence, They naturally do not blame their foolishness: A girl who's less than perfect always blames the dress. [subhAShitAvali 140,141,153] 4 A man lives long who lives a hundred years: Yet half is sleep, and half the rest again Old age and childhood. For the rest, a man Lives close companion to disease and tears, Losing his love, working for other men Where can joy find a space in this short span? [Bhartrihari 200] this verse appears as number 200 in kosambi's critical edition, and in Barbara Stoler Miller's Bhartrihari: poems: The span of a man's life is a measured hundred years; Yet half is lost to night And of his waking time, A portion each claim callow youth and hoary age; His prime is spent in servitude, suffering The anguish of estrangement and disease. Where do men find happiness In life less certain and more transient than the waves? - verse 200, p. 147
6 "Do not go," I could say; but this is inauspicious. "All right, go" is a loveless thing to say. "Stay with me" is imperious. "Do as you wish" suggests Cold indifference. And if I say "I'll die when you are gone", you might or might not believe me. Teach me, my husband, what I ought to say When you go away. [subhAShitAvali 1049] 7 Today adds yet another day And still your father is unkind. The darkness closes up the path. Come, little son, let us go to bed. [subhAShitAvali 1106] 10 Although my mind Is sick with love, I find I have acquired the gift of magic sight. Though she is far away, and it is night, I see her in a foreign land From where I stand. [subhAShitAvali 1208]
12 The clear bright flame of a man's discernment dies When a girl clouds it with her lamp-black eyes. [Bhartrihari 77] 13 Her face is not the moon, nor are her eyes Twin lotuses, nor are her arms pure gold She's flesh and bone. What lies the poets told! Ah, but we love her, we believe the lies. [Bhartrihari Kosambi ed. #108] 14 If the forest of her hair Calls you to explore the land, And her breasts, those mountains fair, Tempt that mountaineer, your hand - Stop! Before it is too late: Love, the brigand, lies in wait. [Bhartrihari 104] 24 You are pale, friend moon, and do not sleep at night, And day by day you waste away. Can it be that you also Think only of her, as I do? [subhAShitAvali 1260] 44 The grammar books all say that "mind" is neuter, And so I thought it safe to let my mind Salute her. But now it lingers in embraces tender: For Panini made a mistake, I find, In gender. [dharmakIrti - subhAshitaratnakoSha, compiled vidyAkara #478, Kosambi/Gokhale Harvard Oriental Series 1957 ] [subhAShitAvali 1232; Paddhati 3451] Ingall's translation: 478. Knowing that 'heart' is neuter, I sent her mine; but there it fell in love; so pANini undid me. 45 A hundred times I learnt from my philosophy To think no more of love, this vanity, This dream, this source of all regret, This emptiness. But no philosopy can make my heart forget Her loveliness. [dharmakIrti, ratnakosha 477; paddhati 566] 51 It may be hard enough to do, But if you try, you'll find A way to pin down quicksilver But not a woman's mind. 52 Strong drink may make a man forget His mother or his wife, Mistake a palace for the shack He's lived in all his life. One day a puddle is the sea; The next, he'll try to stand Upon the ocean's surface, which To him appears dry land, To such a drunkard's foolishness There's hardly any end: He'll even think, when he's in drink, A king might be a friend. 161 'Leave me alone', I said, - Only in fun, you understand - and then He simply rose at once, and left my bed. What can one do with men? Oh! he is heartless, pitiless, although I shamelessly desire His love's false-promised fire. Dear sister! What, o what am I to do? [Amaru] 250 When in love's fight they came to grips, 'Neath wounds of teeth and nails she sank; And might have died - save that she drank Ambrosia from her lover's lips.
78 Flaunt your proud head, moon. Nightingale, arise And sing. Wake, lotus, spread your petals wide. My lady who has vanquished all your pride Is gently sleeping, silent, with closed eyes. 87 Dearest, if you will love me true, What use are joys of heaven to me? But if you will not love me true, What use are joys of heaven to me? [IS 2664] 103 A book, a woman, and a money-loan Once they are gone, are gone. And better so. - Sometimes they do return: Piecemeal; or soiled; or torn. [IS 7590] 116 While describing to her friend her adventures with her lover, She realized she was talking to her husband, And added, "And then I woke up." [IS 5920] 132 Moonlight face, Flower-bud hand, Nectar voice, Rose-red lip: Stone-hard heart. [IS #4881] 140 Philosophers are surely wrong to say That attributes in substance must inhere. Her beauty burns my heart; yet I am here, And she is far away. [IS #5076] 178 The impercipient may compare A lady to a leech; But this is wrong: a lady fair - As little thought will teach - Is not the same. A leech takes blood And nothing else at all From wretched men: but she takes food, And mind, and strength, and soul.
143 She neither turned away, nor yet began To speak harsh words, nor did she bar the door; But looked at him who was her love before As if he were an ordinary man. [Amaru-shataka #69]
samasya-puraNA: a class of poetry where the objective is to construct a stanza to contain a given line or phrase. There was of course a temptation to choose for the challenge-phrase rather improbable material, and occasionally even nonsense syllables, success being judged by the extent to which the poet was able to achieve an effect of ease and spontaneity. 146 A certain maid at Rama's coronation Befuddled by the wine of celebration, Dropped a gold jug, which down the staircase rang: Tum-tumty-tum-tum-ta-ta-tumty-tang. [=SP] 147 When Krishna with Chanura fought, Before the latter came to die His head was spinning, and he thought A hundred moons were in the sky. [=SP] 148 Ah, if the moon would cease to shine so fair When we are far apart, my love and I! If he would only come, I should not care Although a hundred moons were in the sky [=SP (last 7 words)] 150 "Well, really, there is nothing I can tell Of what men do in love, no, not a word: He started to undo my dress, and - Well, I swear I can't remember what occurred. [=SP] source: IS = Indische Sprache, Sanskrit und Deutsch, Otto Boehtlingk, 3 vols St Petersburg 1870-73; (renumbered in) Sanskrit Chrestomathie, 3d ed, Leizig 1909 Here John Brough manages to preserve the line while translating the nonsense challenge phrase. The samasya-purANa lines here are marked [=SP] 151 He held her face, and would not let her go; She tried to say, "Oh, no! No, no! Oh, no, No, no! But through the kiss no sound would come Except 'Hmmm-hmm-hmm hm hm hmm hm hmmmm!'
167 In this vain fleeting universe, a man Of wisdom has two courses: first, he can Direct his time to pray, to save his soul, And wallow in religion's nectar-bowl; But if he cannot, it is surely best To touch and hold a lovely woman's breast, And to caress her warm round hips, and thighs And to possess the treasure that between them lies. [Bhartrihari] 171 It is small wonder that my lady's breasts Rise firm and proud - For who would not be proud to be Close to her heart? 172 Close in tight embrace her breasts were pressed, Her skin thrilled; and between her pretty thighs The oil-smooth sap of love has overflowed. 'No, not again, my darling. Let me rest: Don't make me ... ', whispering, pleading soft, she sighs. Is she asleep? or dying? or else melted Into my heart? Or is she but a dream? [Amaru] 175 To her waist This is sheer recklessness! How can she make you Go for a walk? Can she not see that the weight of her breasts Is enough to break you? 184 They are firm, and you are tender, Full and round, though you are slender: Bold your breasts, while you are shy - Since so near your heart they lie. 210 Your breasts are like two kings at war, dear Each striving to invade the other's sphere. 248 Her hand upon her hip she placed, And swayed seductively her waist With chin upon her shoulder pressed, She stretched herself to show her breast: With sapphire pupils burning bright Within the pearly orbs of white, Her eyes with eagerness did dance, And threw me a come-hither glance. 260 Her breasts are high, Her waist lies low; And next, an upthrust hip: If on uneven ground you go - Why, any man might trip.
If a professor thinks what matters most Is to have gained an academic post Where he can earn a livelihood, and then Neglect research, let controversy rest, He's but a pretty tradesman at best, Selling retail the work of other men. [Kalidasa mAlavikAgnimitra, i.#17]
226 I rolled them in turmeric, cummin and spice, With masses of pepper to make them taste nice: In lashings of sesamum oil I then fried 'em - The pungency curled up my tongue when I tried 'em: I neglected to wash, and got down to the dish, And I swallowed that curry of nice little fish.
52 Strong drink may make a man forget His mother or his wife, Mistake a palace for the shack He's lived in all his life. One day a puddle is the sea; The next, he'll try to stand Upon the ocean's surface, which To him appears dry land, To such a drunkard's foolishness There's hardly any end: He'll even think, when he's in drink, A king might be a friend. 120 A use can be found For rotten wood And infertile ground May produce some good Kings when they fall Have no uses at all. [IS #6497] Except 'Hmmm-hmm-hmm hm hm hmm hm hmmmm!' [=SP?]
56 My lord, since you have banished Poverty From this fair land, I feel it is my duty To lay an information that the outlaw Has taken refuge in my humble home. 114 My best respects to Poverty, The master who has set me free; For I can look at all the world, And no-one looks at me. [Bhartrihari 104; S 754] 67 Peaceful, the gentle deer untroubled graze: All that they need, their forest home supplies. No greed for wealth nor envy cloud their days, But they are only beasts, and we are wise. 68 The summer sun, who robbed the pleasant nights, And plundered all the water of the rivers, And burned the earth, and scorched the forest-trees, Is now in hiding; and the autumn clouds, Spread thick across the sky to track him down, Hunt for the criminal with lightning flashes. 86 I know, sweet honey-throat, cuckoo, Your voice is mere hypocrisy: As soon as you have wings to fly You leave the birds that fostered you. [Boehtling, Skt Chrestomathie, 187] 244 Hand in clasped hand and side pressed close to side, Silently stand some children of the poor, And shyly, hungry eyes half-turned aside, Observe the eater through the open door
Untimely, cut by Fate: But in the hearts of friends Memories, Like a great bell, reverberate.
See, the arched back, the tail erected, stiff, Bent at the tip and twisting, and the ear Flat to the head, and the eye quick with fear Darting a single glance, debating if The way to get inside the house is clear: And on the other side, its gullet fat With panting, growling, hoarse with its own breath, With sneering lips that lift to show his teeth, And slavering jaws, the dog attacks the cat. [Yogeshvara] [the cat is described by the adjectives A-kubjI-kr.ta-pr.ShTham, 'having-a-somewhat-made-into-a-hump-back', and 'unnata-valad-vakrAgra-puccham', 'having-a-raised-twisting-crooked-tip-tail', while the dog rejoices in the epithet lAlAkIrNa-vidIrNa-sr.kka-vikacad-daMShTrA-karAlAnanaH, 'having-a-saliva-smeared-split-open-mouth-corners-expanding- teeth-fearsomely-gaping-face'. This gives to the verbal expression of the original a sense of energy and urgency which obviously cannot be imitated by any comparable formal means in a language like English. ... tightly-knit, concise, inflexional structure of [Skt] - can only be approximated by diff means, the emotional impact of the original...] --- When his mouth faced my mouth, I turned aside And steadfastly gazed only at the ground; I stopped my ears, when at each coaxing word They tingled more; I used both hands to hide My blushing, sweating cheeks. Indeed I tried. But oh, what could I do, then, when I found My bodice splitting of its own accord? - Amaru -- On sunny days there in the shade Beneath the trees reclined a maid Who lifted up her dress (she said) To keep the moonbeams off her head. - Bhartrihari -- No! don't! she says at first, while she despises The very thought of love; then she revals A small desire; and passion soon arises,