1. Mahishasuramardini, Mamallapuram
Behold the princess on her lion-mount
Slender like a lotus-stalk her arching torso,
Like its bud her jewelled head. In the hurtling rush
And tangled confusion of battling bodies, clear
She stands, still in swiftest motion, her arms
Taking deadly aim: Partnering her
Expertly in the dizzying moves of the dance
The buffallo-masked club-bearing self-made man,
Libido scaling Goddess heights: She will
Impale intent with arrow between the eyes,
Decapitate with sword and plunge her trident
Deep in the triple folds of writhing darkness,
Lion claws tear out the demon heart.
Thus undisguised, undone, dismembered, dying
He will glimpse the flashing worlds like beads for her neck,
Bear the unthinkable grace of her extreme attraction.
2. Durga at the Rameshwara Cave, Ellora
It is the hour preceeding Victory, she is poised
Her world-shaking force restrained, her lion dismissed,
Her blur of multiple hands reduced to four,
Her calm beatific face identified
With her blissful trance-drunk Lord, the buffallo readied,
One foot forcing it down, a hand drawing back
Firmly the agonized neck, the sword hand lifted.
This moment of perfect dominance she savors
For eternity. Then in a flash like lightning
The neck will snap, there will be dying spasms,
A fountain of poison blood from severed head
And thunder drums of Victory and showering of flowers
And drenching rain of Grace: Gods, sages, humans
Will prostrate themselves and feel Her live in them.
