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156
THE SURYASATAKA OF MAYURA
5. The epi-
means 'by copiousness'; I have rendered as 'by volumes.'
thet Vacaspati, 'Lord of Speech,' is commonly applied to Brhaspati, the
preceptor of the gods; cf. e.g. Bhagavata Purana, 6.7.8-9 (Dutt, vol. 1,
book 6, p. 30), where it is related that Indra once failed to arise and salute
the preceptor Vācaspati upon the entrance of the sage into the throne-
room of the god, whereupon Vacaspati, offended, vanished for a time from
the presence of the celestial world. 6. Lit. 'words whose instruction is
suited to the Cleaver of Mountains.' 7. In the Rig Veda (5.32. 1-2;
10.89.7), it is related that Indra cleft the mountains and released the
pent-up waters. We have already (stanza 5, note 7) referred to the legend
that records how Indra cut off the wings of the mountains. 8. The
epithet Virañca is probably to be derived from vi and the root rac, mean-
ing to produce' or 'to fashion'; cf. Monier-Williams, Skt.-Engl. Dict.
s.v. This would be apposite, since Brahmã was the creator and fashioner
of the universe. 9. For the four heads of Brahmã, see stanza 13, note
3. IO. The commentary glosses catura, 'clever,' by aghavighatapatu,
'clever in the prevention of sin.' The combination of vowels seen in
caturaṛcam is what is commonly found in Vedic texts, the ordinary classical
form being caturarcam; cf. Whitney, Skt. Grammar, 127, a. It may be
noted that the meter requires caturarcam. 11. For the sentiment, ex-
pressed in this stanza, that words are sometimes inadequate to convey the
thoughts and feelings, Iliad, 2. 488-490: 'For I could not describe nor
name the multitude, even if I had ten tongues, ten mouths, a never failing
voice, and a brazen heart within me.' This has been imitated by Vergil
in Georgics, 2. 42-44. 12. The alliteration of c in this stanza (27 times)
is perhaps worthy of note.
V.L. (b) JH vairiñcyānām, VB vairimcyanam; VJHBK tathoccaritaruci-
rarcam; VHB anandanam (for ca "nananam). (c) K arcasv avdcyacyuti-.
(d) H vakasac ciram, K cakasac chriyam.
41
mūrdhny adrer dhāturāgas taruşu kisalayo vidrumāughaḥ
samudre
dinmātangottamāńgeṣv abhinavanihitaḥ sāndrasindūrareṇuḥ
simni vyomnaś ca hemnaḥ suraśikharibhuvo jāyate yaḥ
prakāśaḥ
śoṇimnā 'sāu kharāmśor uṣasi diśatu vaḥ śarma śobhāikadeśaḥ
The <light of the Hot-rayed (Sürya), the sole abode of splendor,
appears, because of its redness at dawn, to be
Like¹ the red of mineral-ore on the top of a mountain, the young
sprouts on trees, a mass of coral in the ocean,
A thick vermilion powder newly placed on the heads of the
elephant-[guardians] of the directions,
THE SURYASATAKA OF MAYURA
5. The epi-
means 'by copiousness'; I have rendered as 'by volumes.'
thet Vacaspati, 'Lord of Speech,' is commonly applied to Brhaspati, the
preceptor of the gods; cf. e.g. Bhagavata Purana, 6.7.8-9 (Dutt, vol. 1,
book 6, p. 30), where it is related that Indra once failed to arise and salute
the preceptor Vācaspati upon the entrance of the sage into the throne-
room of the god, whereupon Vacaspati, offended, vanished for a time from
the presence of the celestial world. 6. Lit. 'words whose instruction is
suited to the Cleaver of Mountains.' 7. In the Rig Veda (5.32. 1-2;
10.89.7), it is related that Indra cleft the mountains and released the
pent-up waters. We have already (stanza 5, note 7) referred to the legend
that records how Indra cut off the wings of the mountains. 8. The
epithet Virañca is probably to be derived from vi and the root rac, mean-
ing to produce' or 'to fashion'; cf. Monier-Williams, Skt.-Engl. Dict.
s.v. This would be apposite, since Brahmã was the creator and fashioner
of the universe. 9. For the four heads of Brahmã, see stanza 13, note
3. IO. The commentary glosses catura, 'clever,' by aghavighatapatu,
'clever in the prevention of sin.' The combination of vowels seen in
caturaṛcam is what is commonly found in Vedic texts, the ordinary classical
form being caturarcam; cf. Whitney, Skt. Grammar, 127, a. It may be
noted that the meter requires caturarcam. 11. For the sentiment, ex-
pressed in this stanza, that words are sometimes inadequate to convey the
thoughts and feelings, Iliad, 2. 488-490: 'For I could not describe nor
name the multitude, even if I had ten tongues, ten mouths, a never failing
voice, and a brazen heart within me.' This has been imitated by Vergil
in Georgics, 2. 42-44. 12. The alliteration of c in this stanza (27 times)
is perhaps worthy of note.
V.L. (b) JH vairiñcyānām, VB vairimcyanam; VJHBK tathoccaritaruci-
rarcam; VHB anandanam (for ca "nananam). (c) K arcasv avdcyacyuti-.
(d) H vakasac ciram, K cakasac chriyam.
41
mūrdhny adrer dhāturāgas taruşu kisalayo vidrumāughaḥ
samudre
dinmātangottamāńgeṣv abhinavanihitaḥ sāndrasindūrareṇuḥ
simni vyomnaś ca hemnaḥ suraśikharibhuvo jāyate yaḥ
prakāśaḥ
śoṇimnā 'sāu kharāmśor uṣasi diśatu vaḥ śarma śobhāikadeśaḥ
The <light of the Hot-rayed (Sürya), the sole abode of splendor,
appears, because of its redness at dawn, to be
Like¹ the red of mineral-ore on the top of a mountain, the young
sprouts on trees, a mass of coral in the ocean,
A thick vermilion powder newly placed on the heads of the
elephant-[guardians] of the directions,