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About this book
Himálaya rises as a divine mountain king in the opening of Kālidāsa's poem, where snowy peaks, shining minerals, forest animals and heavenly music share the landscape. Ralph T. H. Griffith's English verse translation gives this Sanskrit work a rhyming form. The first canto introduces Umá's birth, while the descriptions make the mountain a living presence rather than a distant backdrop.
A later passage follows Umá through severe vows, solitude and prayer. She endures harsh weather, cares for plants and animals, and receives a visiting hermit who asks what purpose drives her discipline. These scenes bring bodily frailty and spiritual determination into close relation. Readers interested in Indian mythological poetry can follow its elaborate nature imagery and formal speeches. Griffith's preface also explains his approach to translation, and a preliminary pronunciation note helps with the names and sounds of the Sanskrit words.
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- Author
- Kālidāsa
- Genre
- World Classics
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- PDF, EPUB, Read online