These Merrymaking Young Ladies

Ritu Samhaaram of Kalidasa
Winter Season
Chapter [Sarga] 5
Verse 5-10

These merrymaking
Young ladies
Reaching adulthood,
Are ready
For lovemaking,
With their lovers
in the evenings.

They fill their glasses
With liquorish drinks,
Exotic and stimulating.
Petals of
Lotus flowers float,
In their glasses,
Fragrance, oozing.

When they take
Their sips,
Enjoying, expecting
Love making,
They let out
Sighs of pleasure,
Petals, undulating.


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Original in Sanskrit

sugandhi nishvaasa vikampita utpalam manoharam kaama rati prabodhakam |

nishaasu hR^iSTaaH saha kaamibhiH striyaH pibanti madyam madaniiyam uttamam || 10

Literal translation by Desirajhu Rao:

In nights the gladdened women of age, desirous of lovemaking are consuming best, heart-stealing, excitant, and stimulant hard drinks along with their lovers, in which drinks lotus petal are placed for fragrance, and which lotus petals are undulated by the richly scented lusty suspirations of those women... [5-10]