XVIII

The ocean her father:
To Brāhma a mother,
The sun and the moon to her,
Each a full brother:
For sisters, fair Lakshmi
And Rambha, who gave her
For brothers, great Indra,
And Vishnu the saviour,
All friends of the lotus,
In her day of pride.
But frost’s finger touched her,
She shrivelled and died.
No help from the water
O’er which she bore sway!
The friends of good fortune
All pass with its day!*