Chapter XCV

6, Moving her heart to love, though love be hopeless.

7. Beauty-spots, _kuca-kuṅkuma_, patterns drawn on her breasts with sandal-paste: cf. _Gītā Govinda_ XII, 18, 'Draw leafy patterns on my breasts.'

XCVII

This conceit is the subject of beautiful songs by many poets, including Jāyadeva and Rāmbasu.

The Bodiless (Anaṅga) is Kāmadeva, Love: on behalf of Umā he endeavoured to rouse Shiva from his rapt meditation, and Shiva in wrath destroyed his body with a glance from his third eye.

Rādhā feigns to think that Love has mistaken her for Shiva, and explains in detail that she is but a human maiden. Amongst the attributes of Shiva are the Ganges in his matted locks, and crescent moon, a third eye, the stain of poison in his throat (see No. II, 11), and a serpent coiling about it, a tiger-skin, a skull, and ashes smeared on his body; in place of these Rādhā has flowing tresses, a pearl ornament, a brow-spot, a touch of musk, a pearl necklace, a dark silk sari, a lotus, and her body is dusted with sandal paste. The lotus of dalliance (_kelika kamala_) is a real or artificial lotus flower held in the hand as a plaything: for an illustration see _Indian Drawings_ II, PL IX, 1.