earthly ills to end;--
Me thou heard in this song now
Thou, the great Enchantment, thou!_

(_Here ends that Sarga of the Gita Govinda entitled_
KALAHANTARITAVARNANE MUGDHAMUKUNDO.)

_SARGA THE TENTH._

MANINIVARNANE CHATURACHATURBHUJO.

KRISHNA IN PARADISE.

But she, abasing still her glorious eyes,
And still not yielding all her face to him,
Relented; till with softer upturned look
She smiled, while the Maid pleaded; so thereat
Came Krishna nearer, and his eager lips
Mixed sighs with words in this fond song he sang:

(_What follows is to the Music_ DESHIYAVARADI _and the Mode_
ASHTATALI.)

O angel of my hope! O my heart's home!
My fear is lost in love, my love in fear;
This bids me trust my burning wish, and come,
That checks me with its memories, drawing near:
Lift up thy look, and let the thing it saith
End fear with grace, or darken love to death.

Or only speak once more, for though thou slay me,
Thy heavenly mouth must move, and I shall hear
Dulcet delights of perfect music sway me
Again--again that voice so blest and dear;
Sweet Judge! the prisoner prayeth for his doom
That he may hear his fate divinely come.

Speak once more! then thou canst not choose but show
Thy mouth's unparalleled and honeyed wonder
Where, like pearls hid in red-lipped shells, the row
Of pearly teeth thy rose-red lips lie under;
Ah me! I am that bird that woos the moon,
And pipes--poor fool! to make it glitter soon.

Yet hear me on--because I cannot stay
The passion of my soul, because my gladness
Will pour forth from my heart;--since that far day
When through the mist of all my sin and sadness
Thou didst vouchsafe--Surpassing One!--to break,
All else I slighted for thy noblest sake.

Thou, thou hast been my blood, my breath, my being;
The pearl to plunge for in the sea of life;
The sight to strain for, past the bounds of seeing;
The victory to win through longest strife;
My Queen! my crowned Mistress! my sphered bride!
Take this for truth, that what I say beside.

Of bold love--grown full-orbed at sight of thee--
May be forgiven with a quick remission;
For, thou divine fulfilment of all hope!
Thou all-undreamed completion of the vision!
I gaze upon thy beauty, and my fear
Passes as clouds do,