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138
THE SŪRYASATAKA OF MAYŪRA
was as long as one of his days. Then Brahmã awoke from his sleep-he
reposed as Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu) on the serpent Seșa (stanza 35, note 8) at
the bottom of the ocean-and began anew the work of creation; cf. Vişnu
Purana, 1.2-3 (Wilson, vol. 1, p. 41-54, and notes). 7. Lit. 'having
mountains bursting through its merciless force'; the commentary glosses
dalat by firyamana, 'crushed.' The sense of this pada seems to be that
the flame of Surya cannot be blown out even by the strongest of winds,
but any puff of air will put out a flaming wick. With the sentiment ex-
pressed here, compare stanza 16 of the Bhaktamarastotra (cf. Introd., p.
24) gamyo na jatu marutam calitacalanam dipo 'paras tvam asi natha
jagatprakaśaḥ, 'Thou, O Lord Jina, art not ever assailable by the winds
that move the mountains; thou art a second lamp (Sürya) illuminating the
world.' 8. In the full glare of sunlight the light of an ordinary lamp is
scarcely discernible. 9. The double negative of course makes an affirma-
tive; I have rendered na rahita no, 'not undeprived,' as 'free from.' For
other instances of the use of the double negative in the Saryaśataka, see
stanzas 38 (note 3), 59 (note 6), and 87 (note 3). 10. Sürya is free
from the ink (kajjala) of darkness, but a lamp-wick is not free from
lamp-black (kajjala). 11. A lamp-wick is not descended from Patanga
(Sürya), and is subject to extinction by a moth. The meaning appears to
be that a moth, fluttering at a light, may extinguish it; cf. Mṛcchakatika,
3. 18+ (in the prose), where the burglar Sarvilaka, embarrassed in his
movements by a lighted candle, releases a moth, which he carries for the
very purpose, to flutter against and extinguish the flame. See the edition
of the Mrcchakatika by Parab, Bombay, 1900, and the translation in the
Harvard Oriental Series by A. W. Ryder, Cambridge, Mass., 1905.
V.L. (a) HB -dalakṣmadharasya; K and the Dhvanyaloka (see note
1) read 'pi famya. (b) B rahita ne tamaḥ-. (c) V usnatviso va.
24
niḥśeṣāśāvapūrapravaṇaguruguṇaślāghanīyasvarūpā
paryāptam nodayādāu dinagamasamayopaplave 'py unnataiva
atyantam ya 'nabhijñā kṣaṇam api tamasā sākam ekatra
vastum
bradhnasyeddhā rucir vo rucir iva rucitasyä "ptaye vastuno
'stu
The bright splendor of Bradhna¹ (Sürya) is like desire:
For the very nature [of the splendor] is praiseworthy for its good
qualities, and is intent on filling [with light] all <the quarters
[of the sky]>,
Whereas the very nature [of desire] is praiseworthy for its good
qualities, and is inclined to fulfil all <wishes> ;
THE SŪRYASATAKA OF MAYŪRA
was as long as one of his days. Then Brahmã awoke from his sleep-he
reposed as Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu) on the serpent Seșa (stanza 35, note 8) at
the bottom of the ocean-and began anew the work of creation; cf. Vişnu
Purana, 1.2-3 (Wilson, vol. 1, p. 41-54, and notes). 7. Lit. 'having
mountains bursting through its merciless force'; the commentary glosses
dalat by firyamana, 'crushed.' The sense of this pada seems to be that
the flame of Surya cannot be blown out even by the strongest of winds,
but any puff of air will put out a flaming wick. With the sentiment ex-
pressed here, compare stanza 16 of the Bhaktamarastotra (cf. Introd., p.
24) gamyo na jatu marutam calitacalanam dipo 'paras tvam asi natha
jagatprakaśaḥ, 'Thou, O Lord Jina, art not ever assailable by the winds
that move the mountains; thou art a second lamp (Sürya) illuminating the
world.' 8. In the full glare of sunlight the light of an ordinary lamp is
scarcely discernible. 9. The double negative of course makes an affirma-
tive; I have rendered na rahita no, 'not undeprived,' as 'free from.' For
other instances of the use of the double negative in the Saryaśataka, see
stanzas 38 (note 3), 59 (note 6), and 87 (note 3). 10. Sürya is free
from the ink (kajjala) of darkness, but a lamp-wick is not free from
lamp-black (kajjala). 11. A lamp-wick is not descended from Patanga
(Sürya), and is subject to extinction by a moth. The meaning appears to
be that a moth, fluttering at a light, may extinguish it; cf. Mṛcchakatika,
3. 18+ (in the prose), where the burglar Sarvilaka, embarrassed in his
movements by a lighted candle, releases a moth, which he carries for the
very purpose, to flutter against and extinguish the flame. See the edition
of the Mrcchakatika by Parab, Bombay, 1900, and the translation in the
Harvard Oriental Series by A. W. Ryder, Cambridge, Mass., 1905.
V.L. (a) HB -dalakṣmadharasya; K and the Dhvanyaloka (see note
1) read 'pi famya. (b) B rahita ne tamaḥ-. (c) V usnatviso va.
24
niḥśeṣāśāvapūrapravaṇaguruguṇaślāghanīyasvarūpā
paryāptam nodayādāu dinagamasamayopaplave 'py unnataiva
atyantam ya 'nabhijñā kṣaṇam api tamasā sākam ekatra
vastum
bradhnasyeddhā rucir vo rucir iva rucitasyä "ptaye vastuno
'stu
The bright splendor of Bradhna¹ (Sürya) is like desire:
For the very nature [of the splendor] is praiseworthy for its good
qualities, and is intent on filling [with light] all <the quarters
[of the sky]>,
Whereas the very nature [of desire] is praiseworthy for its good
qualities, and is inclined to fulfil all <wishes> ;