INTRODUCTION. 51 on your leaves, are they not your tears of joy that ye have met him? Alas my maids, my sufferings they see, yet it excites no pity in their hearts! Let us go to the Kadamvatrees bedecked with flowers. Charmingly they look. Perchance there we may have some tidings of him. The maids—(aside) Her brain is frenzied. See how she talks with creepers and trees as though they were animate beings. Is this the reward of love for Krisna? Rādhā—Here are we at last, in this Kadamva-bower. Here Krisna was wont to play on his flute. Then would the cows, hearing the sound, playfully gather round him. Here I used to come as often as he sang my name on his flute. Oh I how happy was I then l Upon a friend he lovingly would lean and stand in that half-bent favourite attitude of his. His comrades—the cow-herds—would decorate him with flowers and leaves, and then Krisna would play on his flute calling Rādhā–Rādhā– Rādhā ' Whenever I heard that sound, sense left me, and all in haste I came, and if in the darkness a snake coiled round my feet, fain would I take it for an anklet of gold scorning to look at it. One day the sight of a champaka flower full-blown reminded him of my complexion. Then like a man insane he cried, “O where is my Rādhā P and fainted in the height of emotion. Then Suvala came to his aid. But when with all his care, the faint continued, in all haste did Suvala come to tell me of it. And when I heard of it, I knew not what to do. Then I devised a way. My jewels I made over to Suvala who looked so much like me,” and took his dress and in his guise came quickly to the spot. There saw I Krisna lying unconscious on the naked earth, and covered him with my embrace wipping away the dust. At my touch his sense came back to him, and looking at me he said, “Tell me, Suvala, where is Radha—my soul's joy". Whereat I–Am I not she whom you seek, obedient to your wish, my love?' And then he smiled and looked me in his arms for joy. The bower, whither so often we wended, shines yonder. He is gone but the lovely spot
- Suvala was a young lad and had a girlish appearance.
