Sri Vasista

1. -4. O Rāma, the tree on which Dāsura wanted to stay was located in the middle of the forest.  It was tall, touching the sky.  It was as if being served by the tired horses of midday sun.  The branches were like long moon-beams.  They were spread as if they were searching for a place which was not filled by moon-breams.  It was washed clean of dust by the air blowing through it.  It appeared smiling with red tinged lips with its dew drenched tender leaves and white teeth like creepers winding around the branches.

5. -8. The ‘Chakora’ birds were cooing hiding in the creepers.  Dense with thick creepers covering the branches, it looked like a universe within itself.  The peacock plumes looked like rainbows across the branches.  White ‘Chamara’ animals were appearing and disappearing into their nest hideouts among the branches.

9. -12. The sound of the cooing of the ‘kapinjāla’, ‘koyal’, ‘chakora’ birds were heard through out the thick foliage of the tree. It was like a universe within itself.

13. -16. It was like a dancing Vishnu with the innumerable branches as shoulders, with sun and moon as earrings and with its crown covering the entire sky.  At the bottom of trunks, plenty of serpents and many elephants were taking shelter.  The tree-top was full with stars.  The middle part was spread with  creepers and flowers.  With this, the tree resembled the sky.  It was like an ancient father of all trees in the forest.

17. -20. Many birds made their nests in the thick foliage and branches.  With this, the tree was  like a set of habitations on the earth.  Its shade gave refuge to many people who needed rest.  That tree was like an inner chamber of a sylvan deity.

21. -24. The creepers were dancing to the waves of air passing over them.  In the process the tender leaves were quivering.  This quivering looked like the way women accost their beloveds.  The whole tree was dancing in tune with the winds.  It looked as though the tree was very happy that all its branches were providing shelter to all those who were seeking such shelter.  The birds rested and rested on the tree were coming and singing.  The music sounded like a welcome son to the celestial beings flying across the sky.
    

25. -34. The beautiful, well blossomed flower looked like a row of teeth with which the tree was carrying on a smiling conversation.  The host of birds flying out with the sky appeared like an army going out to conquer the gardens of heaven.  Sometimes the whole panorama appeared like Adisesha emerging out of the earth.  Sometimes the tree assumed a shape like Sankara smeared with ash of flower pollen.  Like Sankara, the giver of all things to the seekers, it was providing fruits and flowers to those who come to it.  Dāsura looked at such a tree