n sight in this Kanduka
(ball) festival. May the eye of you going to see her be successful; I
must be keeping near her." So saying, she went away, and we two
followed her.

I first saw the red-lipped (lady) standing on the floor of a jewelled
stage; and she, seen by me a stranger and at a distance, immediately
settled in my heart. And I, having my mind occupied by astonishment,
thought: "Is this Lakshmi? for the lotus is not placed in her hand;
but in her (Lakshmi's) hand there is a lotus, and she (the goddess)
has been all enjoyed by Vishnu, and by former kings; but in this
(lady) there is unimpaired faultless youth."

While I was thus reflecting, she, faultless in every limb, touching
the ground with the tips of her stretched-out fingers, having her dark
curled locks shaken, having with agitation saluted the mighty goddess,
took hold of the ball, resembling (in colour) the god without a body
(_i.e._ Kama) having his eye reddened by no slight passion; and having
dropped it with graceful languor to the ground, having struck it,
gently rising, with her bud-like hand having the delicate fingers
stretched out, the thumb a little bent; having thrown, it up with the
back of the hand, she caught it observed with active grace, in the air
as it fell like a bunch of flowers joined with a circle of bees; and
she discharged it in middling slow and quick musical time, throwing it
very gently; and at that moment she displayed a quick movement with
her feet; and when it stopped, she caused it to rise up with numerous
blows; and, contrarywise, she caused it to rest; and she made it rise
up like a bird, striking it regularly with her left and right hands
when it was come straight to her side, and having caught it fallen
when it had risen to a very great height, she practised a song-step;
and having caused it to go up in various directions, she made it come
back again. Thus sporting sweetly in various ways, accepting the words
of praise loudly spoken at every moment by the people with their
feelings interested come near to the stage, she stands turned towards
me (who was) leaning on the shoulder of Kosadaasa, having just then
confidence produced in me, with flushed cheek and wide expanded eye.
Then she being caused to have a glancing look like that of Kandarpa
when first descended to earth, corresponding therewith having her
gracefully-curved creeper[12] eyebrows sportively playing; with the
network of the rays of light of her lips os