to that of
the nightingale,

67 _The peacock on the lawn Ceases its dance_,

The Indian peacock is very restless, especially at the approach
of rain, in which it is thought to take delight. Its circular
movements are a frequent subject of allusion with Hindu poets,
and are often by them compared to dancing.

68. _The moonlight of the grove_.

The name of [S']akoontala's favourite jasmine, spoken of in the 1st
Act. See page 15 of this volume.

69. _Fig-tree_.

Not the Banyan-tree (_Ficus Indica_), nor the Pippala (_Ficus
religiosa_), but the Glomerous Fig-tree (_Ficus glomerata_),
which yields a resinous milky juice from its bark, and is large
enough to afford abundant shade.

70. _The poor female Chakravaka_.

Compare note 56.

71. _Like a young tendril of the sandal-tree torn from its home
in the western mountains_.

The sandal is a kind of large myrtle with pointed leaves (_Sirium
myrtifolium_). The wood affords many highly esteemed perfumes,
unguents, etc., and is celebrated for its delicious scent. It is
chiefly found on the slopes of the Malaya mountain or Western
Ghauts on the Malabar coast. The roots of the tree are said to be
infested with snakes. Indeed it seems to pay dearly for the
fragrance of its wood: 'The root is infested by serpents, the
blossoms by bees, the branches by monkeys, the summit by bears.
In short there is not a part of the sandal-tree that is not
occupied by the vilest impurities.' Hitopade[s']a, verse 162.

72. _The calm seclusion of thy former home_.

'When the father of a family perceives his own wrinkles and grey
hair, committing the care of his wife to his sons, or accompanied
by her, let him repair to the woods and become a hermit.'--Manu,
vi. 2. It was usual for kings, at a certain time of life, to
abdicate the throne in favour of the heir-apparent, and pass the
remainder of their days in seclusion.

73. _A frequent offering to our household gods_.

This was an offering (_bali_) in honour of those spiritual
beings called 'household deities,' which were supposed to hover
round and protect houses. It was made by throwing up into the air
in some part of the house (generally at the door) the remains of
the morning and evening meal of rice or grain, uttering at the
same time a _mantra_, or prayer.

74. _In other states of being_.

Dim recollections of occurrences in former states of existence
are supposed occasionally to cross the mind. Compare note 37.

75. _The