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174
THE SŪRYASATAKA OF MAYŪRA
55
pāurastyas toyadartoḥ pavana iva patatpävakasyeva dhūmo
viśvasyevā "disargaḥ praṇava iva param pāvano vedarāśeḥ
samdhyānṛtyotsavecchor iva madanaripor nandināndīninādaḥ
sāurasyā 'gre sukham vo vitaratu vinatānandanaḥ syandanasya
(Aruna), who rejoices Vinată,¹ [standing] the forepart of
Surya's chariot,
Is like the east wind of the rainy season, like the smoke of the
fire that has descended* [from heaven],
Like the original creation of the universe, like Om, the supreme
purifier of the compilation of the Vedas,
And like the sound of the drum' of Nandi, preceding (Siva), Foe
of Madana, [when he is] desirous of the twilight dance.¹⁰
9
May [Aruņa] bestow happiness upon you!
Notes. 1. Vinata was the mother of Aruņa; cf. stanza 8, note I. 2.
Aruna and the east wind are said to be alike for the following reason.
Aruna (Dawn) is the herald of the sun, and his coming is the signal for
mankind to begin their daily round of the ordinary duties of life, whereas
the east wind is the herald of the rainy season, and its coming is the
signal for mankind to begin plowing and other agricultural tasks. This
seems to be the meaning of the commentary, from which I quote as fol-
lows: 'Just as verily the east wind, perceived in the beginning of the rainy
season, and indicating the rains, causes mortals to busy themselves with
their plowing and the other duties incident to that time, even so this
(Aruņa) also, when perceived in the forepart of [Sürya's] car, indicating
[i. e. heralding] Sürya's car, causes mortals to busy themselves with the
duties, in city or village, that occur at that time.' 3. Aruna and the
smoke are alike, because both precede the kindling of the sacrificial fire.
When the sacrificial fire is kindled by attrition with the twirling-stick
(arant), smoke comes before the flame or spark appears; and Aruņa
(Dawn) must come before the sacrificial fire may rightfully be kindled.
This is the explanation of the commentary, which says: 'Just as, when
the twirling-stick (arant) is twirled, the smoke, perceived first, indicates
the descent of Väiśvānara (Agni, or Fire), even so this (Aruņa), causing
the sacrificer to busy himself with the sacrifices of the new moon and the
full moon, is like smoke, with the idea (iti) that there is non-performance
of these [sacrifices] while Sürya is [yet] unrisen.' 4 The god Agni
(Fire) descends from heaven to the sacrifice. 5. The commentary, in
explaining why Aruna is like the original creation, says: 'Like the original
creation of the three worlds, composed of the five elements, and charac-
terized by the following [development]: From the primal element
THE SŪRYASATAKA OF MAYŪRA
55
pāurastyas toyadartoḥ pavana iva patatpävakasyeva dhūmo
viśvasyevā "disargaḥ praṇava iva param pāvano vedarāśeḥ
samdhyānṛtyotsavecchor iva madanaripor nandināndīninādaḥ
sāurasyā 'gre sukham vo vitaratu vinatānandanaḥ syandanasya
(Aruna), who rejoices Vinată,¹ [standing] the forepart of
Surya's chariot,
Is like the east wind of the rainy season, like the smoke of the
fire that has descended* [from heaven],
Like the original creation of the universe, like Om, the supreme
purifier of the compilation of the Vedas,
And like the sound of the drum' of Nandi, preceding (Siva), Foe
of Madana, [when he is] desirous of the twilight dance.¹⁰
9
May [Aruņa] bestow happiness upon you!
Notes. 1. Vinata was the mother of Aruņa; cf. stanza 8, note I. 2.
Aruna and the east wind are said to be alike for the following reason.
Aruna (Dawn) is the herald of the sun, and his coming is the signal for
mankind to begin their daily round of the ordinary duties of life, whereas
the east wind is the herald of the rainy season, and its coming is the
signal for mankind to begin plowing and other agricultural tasks. This
seems to be the meaning of the commentary, from which I quote as fol-
lows: 'Just as verily the east wind, perceived in the beginning of the rainy
season, and indicating the rains, causes mortals to busy themselves with
their plowing and the other duties incident to that time, even so this
(Aruņa) also, when perceived in the forepart of [Sürya's] car, indicating
[i. e. heralding] Sürya's car, causes mortals to busy themselves with the
duties, in city or village, that occur at that time.' 3. Aruna and the
smoke are alike, because both precede the kindling of the sacrificial fire.
When the sacrificial fire is kindled by attrition with the twirling-stick
(arant), smoke comes before the flame or spark appears; and Aruņa
(Dawn) must come before the sacrificial fire may rightfully be kindled.
This is the explanation of the commentary, which says: 'Just as, when
the twirling-stick (arant) is twirled, the smoke, perceived first, indicates
the descent of Väiśvānara (Agni, or Fire), even so this (Aruņa), causing
the sacrificer to busy himself with the sacrifices of the new moon and the
full moon, is like smoke, with the idea (iti) that there is non-performance
of these [sacrifices] while Sürya is [yet] unrisen.' 4 The god Agni
(Fire) descends from heaven to the sacrifice. 5. The commentary, in
explaining why Aruna is like the original creation, says: 'Like the original
creation of the three worlds, composed of the five elements, and charac-
terized by the following [development]: From the primal element