ESHA, THOU ART NOT AT ALL INFERIOR TO SHAKUNTALA.

ESHA, THOU ART NOT AT ALL INFERIOR TO SHAKUNTALA.

Why Esha? In what nature, to Shakuntala, art thou inferior?

Lo! Thy presence anon changes even the darkest night 's interior,

Thy beauty outshines even the brightest lotus, the envy of all the flowers,

At thy soothing smiles, the heaven wilfully empties all its nectar showers!

Why Esha? In what measure, to Shakuntala, art thou inferior?

Lo! Thy astounding aura dims the luminosity of the solar system entire,

Thy sweet tongue supersedes the spells of the cuckoo and the nightingale's

To extol thy eminence Angels are rehearsing unmindful even to chaotic gales!

Why Esha? In what virtue, to Shakuntala, art thou inferior?

Lo! Thy Dusyanta can camouflage himself inside thee

That he can suck the ambrosia of thy charms Elysian sans thy glance in glee

And, with unblinking eyes and an indebted heart, eulogize thy unique Creator!

N. B. Shakuntala and Dusyanta are respectively the heroine and hero in the drama "ABHIGYANAMSHAKUNTALA" written by Kalidas.

Copyright: Dr. Shankar D Mishra, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India 05.01.2023