Poetry at Sangam
Poetry at Sangam showcases poetry in English and translations as well as essays on poetics and news of new releases.
kvaṇatkāñcīdāmā karikalabhakumbhastananatā
parikṣīṇā madhye pariṇataśaraccandravadanā
dhanurbāṇān pāśaṃ sṛṇimapi dadhānā karatalaiḥ
purastādāstāṃ naḥ puramathiturāhopuruṣikā
—
Jingle girdle askew
Slim waist sashay
She stoops, for
bosom’s heavy
like the swollen lobes
of an elephant’s forehead
Face like the radiant
autumn full moon
holding a bow, noose, goad
and arrows in her hands
Oh the pride of
Śiva, crusher of cities
may she be
before us
Crusher of cities: These cities belonged to the demons, and were on/in earth, sky and heaven. Brahmā had granted a boon to some demonic devotees that these three cities could only be destroyed by a single arrow. All the three cities are aligned during a particular astrological moment, and the gods are all ready with grand weaponry (earth as chariot, sun and moon as its wheels, Mt Meru as a bow, and the serpent Vāsuki as the bowstring). But Śiva demonstrates his calibre by destroying the cities without any weapons.
← Mani Rao