PART II. WEALTH - The Post-marital love
Chapter. 121. Sad Memories
Kural - 1201
From thought of her unfailing gladness springs,
Sweeter than palm-rice wine the joy love brings.
Sexuality is sweeter than liquor, because when remembered, it creates a most rapturous delight.
Kural - 1202
How great is love! Behold its sweetness past belief!
Think on the lover, and the spirit knows no grief.
Even to think of one's beloved gives one no pain. Sexuality, in any degree, is always delightful.
Kural - 1203
A fit of sneezing threatened, but it passed away;
He seemed to think of me, but do his fancies stray?
I feel as if I am going to sneeze but do not, and (therefore) my beloved is about to think (of me) but does not.
Kural - 1204
Have I a place within his heart!
From mine, alas! he never doth depart.
He continues to abide in my soul, do I likewise abide in his ?
Kural - 1205
Me from his heart he jealously excludes:
Hath he no shame who ceaseless on my heart intrudes?
He who has imprisoned me in his soul, is he ashamed to enter incessantly into mine.
Kural - 1206
How live I yet? I live to ponder o'er
The days of bliss with him that are no more.
I live by remembering my (former) intercourse with him; if it were not so, how could I live ?
Kural - 1207
If I remembered not what were I then? And yet,
The fiery smart of what my spirit knows not to forget!
I have never forgotten (the pleasure); even to think of it burns my soul; could I live, if I should ever forget it ?
Kural - 1208
My frequent thought no wrath excites. It is not so?
This honour doth my love on me bestow.
He will not be angry however much I may think of him; is it not so much the delight my beloved affords me ?
Kural - 1209
Dear life departs, when his ungracious deeds I ponder o'er,
Who said erewhile, 'We're one for evermore'.
My precious life is wasting away by thinking too much on the cruelty of him who said we were not different.
Kural - 1210
Set not; so may'st thou prosper, moon! that eyes may see
My love who went away, but ever bides with me.
May you live, O Moon! Do not set, that I mine see him who has departed without quitting my soul.