Triveni Journal
1927 | 11,233,916 words
Triveni is a journal dedicated to ancient Indian culture, history, philosophy, art, spirituality, music and all sorts of literature. Triveni was founded at Madras in 1927 and since that time various authors have donated their creativity in the form of articles, covering many aspects of public life....
BEAUTY-CONTEST
Translated from Hindi of Nagarjuna
A fish from Ganges...
A fish from Jamuna…
Both were friends
Lived together, went beyond the holy confluence.
Once so happened
That jealousy grew in both:
–Who is more beautiful? I or you?
So the day was up
And on the sands they saw a tortoise
Basking in winter-sun.
Fish came closer
Bowed and asked
Tell the truth, O Holy man,
Whose claim to beauty is more tenable?
Aged, learned, Baba Tortoise
Nodded, watched the fish
With steadfast vision, he said–
O fish of Ganges, you are beautiful
O fish of Jamuna, you are also beautiful
Both are claiming rightly…
Shouted the fish–So we fought
Unnecessarily so long
Why don’t you give your frank opinion?
‘Shall I tell the truth?–
O fish of Ganges, you are beautiful
O fish of Jamuna, you are also beautiful
But, more beautiful than both of you
Is myself
Look at my crystal-neck
My like the spotted shade of banyan tree
These tiny eyes like beads
Such beauty you couldn’t have seen
Come, come closer
Don’t be nervous
Both the fish ran away, disappeared
In the deep waters of the holy confluence
The sermon of the Sage
Remains incomplete.