THE KURAL
1086. It is only when her eyebrows will cease to bend and will veil her looks that her eyes will cease to cause me the pangs that make me tremble.
1087. The vestment that covereth the beauteous breasts of this fair one are even as the eye-cover on the eyes of the infuriate elephant.[1]
1088. Is it by her fair forehead that my manhood is overcome, the manhood that causeth to tremble even those that have not faced me on the battle-field ?
1089. To what end are these trinkets that merely mar her beauty, when she hath the guileless look of the fawn and modesty as her especial ornaments ?
1090. Wine giveth joy, but only to him that tasteth it: it can never delight at the mere seeing as doth love.
- ↑ i.e., but for the vestment men would be smitten by their beauty and die. It is usual for mahouts to cover with a metal plate the eyes of elephants which are expected to become rabid.
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