when the moon shines clear.

So if thou'rt angry still, this shall avail,
Look straight at me, and let thy bright glance wound me;
Fetter me! gyve me! lock me in the gaol
Of thy delicious arms; make fast around me
The silk-soft manacles of wrists and hands,
Then kill me! I shall never break those bands.

The starlight jewels flashing on thy breast
Have not my right to hear thy beating heart;
The happy jasmine-buds that clasp thy waist
Are soft usurpers of my place and part;
If that fair girdle only there must shine,
Give me the girdle's life--the girdle mine!

Thy brow like smooth Bandhuka-leaves; thy cheek
Which the dark-tinted Madhuk's velvet shows;
Thy long-lashed Lotus eyes, lustrous and meek;
Thy nose a Tila-bud; thy teeth like rows
Of Kunda-petals! he who pierceth hearts
Points with thy lovelinesses all five darts.

But Radiant, Perfect, Sweet, Supreme, forgive!
My heart is wise--my tongue is foolish still:
I know where I am come--I know I live--
I know that thou art Radha--that this will
Last and be heaven: that I have leave to rise
Up from thy feet, and look into thine eyes!

And, nearer coming, I ask for grace
Now that the blest eyes turn to mine;
Faithful I stand in this sacred place
Since first I saw them shine:
Dearest glory that stills my voice,
Beauty unseen, unknown, unthought!
Splendour of love, in whose sweet light
Darkness is past and nought;
Ah, beyond words that sound on earth,
Golden bloom of the garden of heaven!
Radha, enchantress! Radha, the queen!
Be this trespass forgiven--
In that I dare, with courage too much
And a heart afraid,--so bold it is grown--
To hold thy hand with a bridegroom's touch,
And take thee for mine, mine own.[4]

_So they met and so they ended
Pain and parting, being blended
Life with life--made one for ever
In high love; and Jayadeva
Hasteneth on to close the story
Of their bridal grace and glory._

(_Here ends that Sarga of the Gita Govinda entitled_
MANINIVARNANE CHATURACHATURBHUJO.)

[Footnote 4: Much here also is necessarily paraphrased.]

_SARGA THE ELEVENTH._

RADHIKAMILANE SANANDADAMODARO.

THE UNION OF RADHA AND KRISHNA.

Thus followed soft and lasting peace, and grie