The Goddess of Beauty

C. SUBRAMANIA BHARATI
(Translated from Tamil by K. C. KAMALIAH)

With moonlight shining dim
I witnessed this in dream.
Of age she was twice eight
A youthful maiden bright.
Bubbling full of moonlight rays
Radiant was her face.
She, a figure dazzling
Like a diamond sparkling,
Came nigh and said, “Arise,
Wake, get of me a glimpse.”
I woke up from slumber
And lo! Wonder’s wonder!
Goddess of Beauty, Yes,
I came to know she was.
“Yoga or” I enquired,
“Penance? Which is preferred?” 
“Yoga is but penance
And penance is Yoga,”
Replied she. “The Divine
Is one or two?” Define.
“It is one, it is two,
It is verily all too.”
“Does the heavenly rain fall
Conscious of thirst’s call?
To pain of thirst”–I said,
“Has rain attention paid?”
“Rain reveals not in haste
Its love in bounty though,
Showers flowing profuse–
It that anything averse?”
“Would the rule of Time
Surpass Intellect?” quipped I.
Said she: “For intellect
Time is an instrument.”
“Would one be able to get
What is aspired?”
“Of the four, one or two,”
She uttered. “May come true.”
“Can thought be set in flight?”
“Firm in resolve,” she told
“What is thought will be got.”
“Shall I spell out the Source?”
Queried I. From her face
She radiated grace.
And I quenched my passion.