Continuing my Krishna Verses:
कविरुवाच - “परिहासविजल्पितं सखे परमार्थेन न गृह्यतां वच: ।”
The Poet said: “O friend, these are just jokes. Don’t take them seriously.”
“अयि मे [मा > मे] मे चित्तं त्वयि संलग्नं मा गम: सकाशान्मे ।”
इति मे मे कुर्वाणो मेशो [मा+ईश:] मे मानसं हरति।। ४८९।।
O Mā [= Lakshmi], my mind is attached to you. Don’t go away from my vicinity. The Lord of Mā, who constantly says “O Mā O Mā [मे मे], steals away my heart.”
उमया सहितो नित्यं हर: शेते हिमालये ।
मयापि सहितो नित्यं हरि: शेते महार्णवे ।।४९०।।
Shiva resides with Uma always on the Himalaya mountain, and Vishnu too with Mā [= Lakshmi] always resides on the great ocean.
चित्रमाचरणे तेषामन्यज्जानामि कारणम् ।
सर्वेषामेव देवानां मत्कुणेभ्यो महद् भयम् ।।४९११।।
I know the strange reason for their behavior. All the gods are terrified of the bed bugs.
Madhav M. Deshpande
Professor Emeritus
Sanskrit and Linguistics
University of Michigan
[Residence: Campbell, California]