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THE SŪRYAŚATAKA OF MAYŪRA
And their delight is the dawn. May these rays of the Hot-rayed
(Sürya) protect you from sin!
123
Notes. 1. Lit. 'streams of wealth in the calamity of avarice'; the com-
mentary glosses dhanayapadi by dravyārthakayapīḍāyām (-kaya- is doubt-
less a typographical error for -käma-), '[streams of wealth] in the pain
of love of objects of wealth.' 2. The commentary glosses prapäte, 'on
a precipice,' by narake durgatau, in Naraka, in Hell.' 3. Lit. 'sole
lamps for the discerning of real truth.' Again, in stanza 18, the rays are
compared to a lamp, and in stanza 23, the splendor of Sürya is called 'a
lamp-wick,' and Surya 'the lamp of all the dvipas'; cf. also Märkandeya
Purana, 107. 10 (Pargiter, p. 574), where Sürya is called 'the lamp of all
the worlds.' 4. The city of Indra was Amaravatī, as pointed out in the
commentary, and as related in Mahabharata, 3. 42-43, where a description
of the town and its delights is given. We are told that no one could enter
its gates without having practised rigid austerities. 5. The epithet tri-
dafa, 'thirty,' signifying the gods,' is probably reminiscent of the 'thrice
eleven' gods referred to in Rig Veda, 9. 92. 4, and probably comprising the
twelve Adityas, eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, Indra and Prajapati; cf.
Brhad-Aranyaka Upanişad, 3. 9. 2. 6. The term vetrayamanaḥ, 'ap-
pearing as doorkeepers,' appears to be a denominative middle participle
derived from vetra, 'staff'; cf. W. D. Whitney, Sanskrit Grammar, 1059,
c, 3d edition, Boston, 1896. The gloss of vetrayamanaḥ is prathāraḥ,
'doorkeepers.' For similar forms, cf. sutradharayamāṇaḥ in stanza 50,
and padmaragayamaṇaḥ in stanza 56. 7. The commentary glosses pra-
gama by apunaravṛttiḥ, 'a not-turning-back-again,' and also by panthaḥ,
'a path.' In explanation of the latter interpretation, it says: 'pragama is
"path," with the idea that on it they go forward (pragacchanti).' I have
adopted the second definition. The ordinary lexicons interpret pragama
as meaning the first advance in courtship.' 8. For the idea that eman-
cipation, or nirvana, may be attained through the sun, cf. stanza 9, note 7.
9. The commentary glosses divasamukhasukhaḥ, 'whose delight is the
dawn,' by divasārambhe sukhakāriṇaḥ, 'causing happiness at dawn.'
6
V.L. (a) HB rayo 'dhanayapadi. (b) H tatvalokaika-; VJHB tridi-
vapati-; J puraḥprasthitau. (c) J-yogipraśamanija-. (d) K tivrabhasaḥ;
K kaśmalad vaḥ.
12
prāci prāg ācarantyo 'naticiram acale cărucūḍāmaṇitvam
muñcantyo rocanãmbhaḥ pracuram iva diśām uccakāiś car-
canāya
cāṭūtkäiś cakranāmnām caturam avicalāir locanair arcya-
mānāś
ceṣṭantām cintitānām ucitam acaramāś caṇḍarociruco vaḥ
And their delight is the dawn. May these rays of the Hot-rayed
(Sürya) protect you from sin!
123
Notes. 1. Lit. 'streams of wealth in the calamity of avarice'; the com-
mentary glosses dhanayapadi by dravyārthakayapīḍāyām (-kaya- is doubt-
less a typographical error for -käma-), '[streams of wealth] in the pain
of love of objects of wealth.' 2. The commentary glosses prapäte, 'on
a precipice,' by narake durgatau, in Naraka, in Hell.' 3. Lit. 'sole
lamps for the discerning of real truth.' Again, in stanza 18, the rays are
compared to a lamp, and in stanza 23, the splendor of Sürya is called 'a
lamp-wick,' and Surya 'the lamp of all the dvipas'; cf. also Märkandeya
Purana, 107. 10 (Pargiter, p. 574), where Sürya is called 'the lamp of all
the worlds.' 4. The city of Indra was Amaravatī, as pointed out in the
commentary, and as related in Mahabharata, 3. 42-43, where a description
of the town and its delights is given. We are told that no one could enter
its gates without having practised rigid austerities. 5. The epithet tri-
dafa, 'thirty,' signifying the gods,' is probably reminiscent of the 'thrice
eleven' gods referred to in Rig Veda, 9. 92. 4, and probably comprising the
twelve Adityas, eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, Indra and Prajapati; cf.
Brhad-Aranyaka Upanişad, 3. 9. 2. 6. The term vetrayamanaḥ, 'ap-
pearing as doorkeepers,' appears to be a denominative middle participle
derived from vetra, 'staff'; cf. W. D. Whitney, Sanskrit Grammar, 1059,
c, 3d edition, Boston, 1896. The gloss of vetrayamanaḥ is prathāraḥ,
'doorkeepers.' For similar forms, cf. sutradharayamāṇaḥ in stanza 50,
and padmaragayamaṇaḥ in stanza 56. 7. The commentary glosses pra-
gama by apunaravṛttiḥ, 'a not-turning-back-again,' and also by panthaḥ,
'a path.' In explanation of the latter interpretation, it says: 'pragama is
"path," with the idea that on it they go forward (pragacchanti).' I have
adopted the second definition. The ordinary lexicons interpret pragama
as meaning the first advance in courtship.' 8. For the idea that eman-
cipation, or nirvana, may be attained through the sun, cf. stanza 9, note 7.
9. The commentary glosses divasamukhasukhaḥ, 'whose delight is the
dawn,' by divasārambhe sukhakāriṇaḥ, 'causing happiness at dawn.'
6
V.L. (a) HB rayo 'dhanayapadi. (b) H tatvalokaika-; VJHB tridi-
vapati-; J puraḥprasthitau. (c) J-yogipraśamanija-. (d) K tivrabhasaḥ;
K kaśmalad vaḥ.
12
prāci prāg ācarantyo 'naticiram acale cărucūḍāmaṇitvam
muñcantyo rocanãmbhaḥ pracuram iva diśām uccakāiś car-
canāya
cāṭūtkäiś cakranāmnām caturam avicalāir locanair arcya-
mānāś
ceṣṭantām cintitānām ucitam acaramāś caṇḍarociruco vaḥ