SAUNDARANANDA 4.18: Suing for Peace

sa mukta-puShp'-onmiShitena muurdhnaa
tataH priyaayaaH priya-kRd babhaase
suvarNa-vedyaam anil'-aavabhagnaH
puShp'-aatibhaaraad iva naaga-vRkShaH

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4.18
With head emerging from beneath the discarded flower

As he moved to gain his lover's affections,

He looked like an ornamental naga tree
that, overburdened with blossoms,

Had toppled in the wind onto its golden pedestal.

COMMENT:
With reference to suvarNa-vedi (golden pedestal) in line 3, EHJ notes that according to the Kaama Sutra (KS i.4, 7) there should be at the side of the lovers' bed a narrow platform called a vedikaa which was used as a table.

The Wikipedia entry on the Kama Sutra places its compilation at around the 2nd century CE, i.e. roughly around the time of Ashvaghosha.


EH Johnston:
With his head peeping over the fallen flower by the golden table he then appeared, as he conciliated his mistress, like a naga tree broken down by the wind from its excessive burden of flowers on to its golden rail.

Linda Covill:
His head blossoming with loosened flowers as he begged his lover's pardon, he resembled a naga plant overburdened with flowers, bending over its golden pedestal in the breeze.

VOCABULARY:
sa (nom. sg. m.): he
mukta-puShp'-onmiShitena: emerging from the fallen flower
mukta: mfn. loosened , let loose , set free ; fallen or dropped down (as fruit)
puShpa: flower
unmiShita: mfn. opened (as an eye) ; blown , expanded (as a flower)
un- √ miSh: to open the eyes , draw up the eyelids ; to open (as eyes or buds) ; to come forth , rise , originate ; to shine forth , become brilliant
muurdhnaa = inst. sg. muurdhan: m. head

tataH: ind. then
priyaayaaH gen. sg. priyaa: f. mistress, wife
priya-kRt (nom. sg. m.): mfn. doing a kindness
priyaM- √kR: either " to gain the affection of , win as a friend " or " to feel affection for , love more and more "
priyaM-kara: mfn. acting kindly towards , showing kindness to (gen.); causing pleasure , agreeable
babhaase = 3rd pers. sg. bhaas: to shine, to appear (" as " or " like " nom. or instr. of an abstract noun)

suvarNa-vedyaam (loc. sg.): onto a golden pedestal
suvarNa: gold
vedyaam = loc. sg. vedi: f. an elevated (or according to some excavated) piece of ground serving for a sacrificial altar (usually narrow in the middle , on which account the female waist is often compared to it) ; a kind of covered verandah or balcony in a court-yard (shaped like a vedi and prepared for weddings etc.; a stand , basis , pedestal , bench
anil'-aavabhagnaH (nom. sg. m.): toppled by the wind
anila: m. air or wind
avabhagna: mfn. broken off , bent down
ava- √ bhaNjn: to break off, smash
ava: (ind. prefix) off, down
√ bhaNjn: to break , shatter , split ; to bend

puShp'-aatibhaaraat (abl. sg.): because of an excessive burden of flowers
puShpa: flower
atibhaara: m. an excessive burden
iva: like
naaga-vRkShaH (nom. sg.): a naga tree
naaga: m. snake, serpent-demon ; name of several plants (Mesua Roxburghii , Rottlera Tinctoria &c )
vRkSha: m. a tree , (esp.) any tree bearing visible flowers and fruit, but also applied to any tree and other plants