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161
THE SŪRYASATAKA OF MAYŪRA
hoofs], as they mount upward, the mass of gold and jewels
[on Meru's surface],
And their pathway, as they move on Meru, although its upward
course' has no other sign-posts,
Is indicated by the sun-stones,¹0 whose unrestrained splendor
mounts up like fire¹¹ on the altar.¹2
May these horses of Patanga (Sürya) protect the worlds!
Notes. 1. Stanzas 44-49 are devoted especially to the praise and descrip-
tion of the horses that draw Sürya's chariot; cf. stanza 8, note 2, and
stanza 45, note I. 2. The term Patanga, from the acc. of the noun pata
and the root gam, means 'the one who goes flying'; cf. Monier-Williams,
Skt.-Engl. Dict. s.v. 3. The 'Lame One' means Väyu (Wind); cf. the
commentary, which says: 'There is contempt with the thought: "Vāyu, to
be sure, is deprived of his feet; what sort of speed will he have? (väyuḥ
kila caranarahitas tasya kiyan vego bhavisyati 'ty avajñā)."' I have been
unable to find any anecdote that would account for Väyu's legless condition,
and the commentary of Sastri, quoted in the Kävyamālā edition, footnote,
suggests that the epithet 'Lame One' may refer to Aruna. 4. Or, alam
laghavad may mean 'because of their extreme speed.' 5. In the com-
mentary, the compound akşunna patalam is regarded as an adverb of
manner, being there made to answer the query katham, 'how.' 6. The
commentary explains that the surface of Meru is meant; for its compo-
sition of gold and jewels, cf. stanza 1, note 4; and especially stanza 46.
7. Lit. unnaya means 'act of leading up'; I have rendered as 'upward
course.' 8. Lit. 'whose act of leading up has other signs absent.' 9.
Lit. akhyati means 'signifies'; its gloss is sûcayati, 'points out'; although
märgam, 'pathway,' is grammatically the object of akhyati, I have rendered
in the passive voice as 'pathway is indicated.' 10. Lit. dyumanimaṇitilā
means 'jewel-stone of (Sürya), the Jewel of the Sky,' but the gloss is
süryakanta, 'sun-stone'; on the sun-stone, cf. stanza 5, note 5.
Mahabharata, 2. 31. 42, the etymology of Jatavedas, 'Fire,' is given as fol-
lows: vedas tvadartham jata vai jätavedas tato hy asi, 'the Vedas were
created thy sake; therefore ind thou art " for whom the Vedas
were created." Apte, Skt.-Engl. Dict. s.v., gives several other etymologies.
12. Lit. 'the fire on the altars of the jewel-stones of the Jewel of the Sky,
[a fire] mounting up as unrestrained splendor, signifies the pathway-
though its [i.e. the pathway's] leading up has other signs absent-of these
[horses] as they move on Meru.'
II. In
V.L. (a) JHB rakşannakṣuṇnahemopala-. (b) JH patangapangavajñā,
B patangapangvavajña-. (c) JHB -cihnonvayam api, V -cihnoccayam api;
B merav. (d) VJHB uddamadiptidyumani-. The commentary quotes a
reading jätaka jätavedaḥ, and explains by saying jätakaśabdo vedika-
paryayaḥ, 'the word jätaka is a synonym of vedika.'
12
THE SŪRYASATAKA OF MAYŪRA
hoofs], as they mount upward, the mass of gold and jewels
[on Meru's surface],
And their pathway, as they move on Meru, although its upward
course' has no other sign-posts,
Is indicated by the sun-stones,¹0 whose unrestrained splendor
mounts up like fire¹¹ on the altar.¹2
May these horses of Patanga (Sürya) protect the worlds!
Notes. 1. Stanzas 44-49 are devoted especially to the praise and descrip-
tion of the horses that draw Sürya's chariot; cf. stanza 8, note 2, and
stanza 45, note I. 2. The term Patanga, from the acc. of the noun pata
and the root gam, means 'the one who goes flying'; cf. Monier-Williams,
Skt.-Engl. Dict. s.v. 3. The 'Lame One' means Väyu (Wind); cf. the
commentary, which says: 'There is contempt with the thought: "Vāyu, to
be sure, is deprived of his feet; what sort of speed will he have? (väyuḥ
kila caranarahitas tasya kiyan vego bhavisyati 'ty avajñā)."' I have been
unable to find any anecdote that would account for Väyu's legless condition,
and the commentary of Sastri, quoted in the Kävyamālā edition, footnote,
suggests that the epithet 'Lame One' may refer to Aruna. 4. Or, alam
laghavad may mean 'because of their extreme speed.' 5. In the com-
mentary, the compound akşunna patalam is regarded as an adverb of
manner, being there made to answer the query katham, 'how.' 6. The
commentary explains that the surface of Meru is meant; for its compo-
sition of gold and jewels, cf. stanza 1, note 4; and especially stanza 46.
7. Lit. unnaya means 'act of leading up'; I have rendered as 'upward
course.' 8. Lit. 'whose act of leading up has other signs absent.' 9.
Lit. akhyati means 'signifies'; its gloss is sûcayati, 'points out'; although
märgam, 'pathway,' is grammatically the object of akhyati, I have rendered
in the passive voice as 'pathway is indicated.' 10. Lit. dyumanimaṇitilā
means 'jewel-stone of (Sürya), the Jewel of the Sky,' but the gloss is
süryakanta, 'sun-stone'; on the sun-stone, cf. stanza 5, note 5.
Mahabharata, 2. 31. 42, the etymology of Jatavedas, 'Fire,' is given as fol-
lows: vedas tvadartham jata vai jätavedas tato hy asi, 'the Vedas were
created thy sake; therefore ind thou art " for whom the Vedas
were created." Apte, Skt.-Engl. Dict. s.v., gives several other etymologies.
12. Lit. 'the fire on the altars of the jewel-stones of the Jewel of the Sky,
[a fire] mounting up as unrestrained splendor, signifies the pathway-
though its [i.e. the pathway's] leading up has other signs absent-of these
[horses] as they move on Meru.'
II. In
V.L. (a) JHB rakşannakṣuṇnahemopala-. (b) JH patangapangavajñā,
B patangapangvavajña-. (c) JHB -cihnonvayam api, V -cihnoccayam api;
B merav. (d) VJHB uddamadiptidyumani-. The commentary quotes a
reading jätaka jätavedaḥ, and explains by saying jätakaśabdo vedika-
paryayaḥ, 'the word jätaka is a synonym of vedika.'
12