Aranya Kaanda
122 - Grace on Sabari; a discourse on the nine forms of Devotion and departure for the Pampa lake
Chaupais
Description
Creepers have entwined themselves round gigantic trees, spreading as it were a variety of canopies in the sky. The plantains and stately palms are standing like beautiful pennons and standards; he alone who is stout of heart could help being fascinated by their sight. Trees of every description are adorned with flowers of various kinds, like warriors arrayed in all their different kinds of panoply. Other beautiful trees standing here and there look charming like champions separately encamped. The murmuring cuckoos are his excited elephants; herons and rooks, his camels and mules; peacocks, Cakoras and parrots, his noble war-horses; the pigeons and swans, his Arab steeds; the partridges and quails, his foot soldiers. But there is no describing the whole host of Cupid. Mountain rocks are his chariots; the rills, his kettledrums; the Catakas, the bards that utter his praises; the garrulous bees are his trumpets and clarionets and the soft, cool and fragrant breezes have come in the capacity of his ambassadors. Accompanied by an army complete in all its four limbs (viz., the horse, the foot, the chariots and the elephants), he goes about challenging all to a combat. Laksmana, they who remain firm even at the sight of Cupid's battle-array are men that count in this world. His greatest strength lies in woman; he alone who can escape her is a mighty champion.