তোমায় ছেড়ে দূরে চলার
      নানা ছলে
তোমার মাঝে পড়ি এসে
     দ্বিগুণ বলে।
নানান পথে আনাগোনা
মিলনেরই জাল সে বোনা,
যতই চলি ধরা পড়ি
     পলে পলে।
শুধু যখন আপন কোণে
     পড়ে থাকি
তখনি সেই স্বপন-ঘোরে
     কেবল ফাঁকি।
বিশ্ব তখন কয় না বাণী,
মুখেতে দেয় বসন টানি,
আপন ছায়া দেখি, আপন
     নয়ন-জলে।

AT YOUTH'S coronation, Kalidasa,
You took your seat, your beloved by your side,
in Love's primal paradise.
Earth spread its emerald-green carpet beneath your feet,
the sky held over your heads
its canopy gold-embroidered;
the seasons danced round you
carrying their wine cups of varied allurements,
the whole universe yielded itself to your loneliness of delight,
leaving no trace of human sorrows and sufferings
in the immense solitude of your bridal chamber.
Suddenly God's curse descended from on high
hurling its thunderbolt of separation
upon the boundless detachment of youth's egotism.
The seasons' ministry in a moment was ended
When the veil was wrenched from love's isolation,
and on the tear-misted sky appeared the pageantry
of the rainy world of June
across which journeyed the sad notes of your bereaved heart
towards a distant dream.

I HAVE PLAYED my flute along the path,
I have sung at thy gate.
I have offered my tunes before thy temple's outer screen
decorated with endless forms and colours.
Today have come to me from everywhere
the words that speak of the End.
They ask me to break the bond of the road,
to come to the farther shore of the pilgrimage
by crossing the endless refrain
of meetings and partings.