2023-02-23 18:49:13 by ambuda-bot
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THE SŪRYAŚATAKA OF MAYŪRA
sadyaḥ siddhyāi prasannadyutiśubhacaturāśāmukhaḥ stād vi-
bhakto
dvedhā vedhā ivā 'viṣkṛtakamalaruciḥ so 'rciṣām ākaro vaḥ
(Sürya), the Mine of Rays, is like (Brahmä), the Creator, who
was divided into two parts¹;
216
[For Brahmä] <revealed the splendor of the lotus [from which
he was born]>,³ [and Surya] <lays bare the splendor of
[ordinary] lotuses>³;
[Brahmä] <in the beginning was the creator of waters, and the
sole cause of the elevation of the Principal Mountains>,"
[And Surya] <is a creator of waters, and the sole cause of the
rise [to fame] of (Meru), the Best Mountain, in the east> ;
[Brahmä] <is superior to the three worlds' by reason of his posi-
tion, to which it is very difficult to ascend>,
[And Surya] <is situated above the three worlds with a splendor
that is very hard to excel>;
<The faces [of Brahma], four [in number], like the quarters
[of the sky], are radiant with bright splendor>,
[And Sürya, as he rises], <causes the faces of the four quarters
to be radiant with bright splendor>.
May that (Sürya), Mine of Rays, speedily bring you prosperity!
Notes. 1. The golden egg, created by Brahmã, regarded as identical
with Brahma, and from which Brahma and the universe were evolved, was
divided into two parts by the power of that god's meditation as the Self-
existent One, one part becoming heaven, the other, earth; cf. Manu, 1. 9-13.
Hence Brahmã is here said to be 'twofold' or 'divided into two parts."
For Sürya's superiority over Brahmã, as attested in the Süryaśataka, see
stanza 91, note 5. 2. According to some accounts, Brahmã was pro-
duced from a lotus that grew out of Vișnu's navel; cf. stanza 13, note 4.
3. The meaning is that the light of the sun causes lotuses to open. 4.
The Principal Mountains' were the kulaśailas, or kulakşmabhṛtas, which
have been discussed above; cf. stanza 56, note 3. 5. The commentary
quotes for the third time: adityāj jayate vṛṣṭiḥ, 'from Aditya (Sürya)
rain is produced'; cf. stanza 30, note 4, and stanza 77, note 1. For the
conception of Sūrya as a reservoir from which the earth is supplied with
water, cf. stanza 9, note 2. 6. According to the commentary, the 'Best
Mountain' is Meru. The commentary explains: 'For Meru is brought
to fame (gauravam) as the "Sunrise Mountain" through the rising of the
Blessed (Sürya)'; cf. stanza I, note 4. 7. Lit. 'stands above the three
sadyaḥ siddhyāi prasannadyutiśubhacaturāśāmukhaḥ stād vi-
bhakto
dvedhā vedhā ivā 'viṣkṛtakamalaruciḥ so 'rciṣām ākaro vaḥ
(Sürya), the Mine of Rays, is like (Brahmä), the Creator, who
was divided into two parts¹;
216
[For Brahmä] <revealed the splendor of the lotus [from which
he was born]>,³ [and Surya] <lays bare the splendor of
[ordinary] lotuses>³;
[Brahmä] <in the beginning was the creator of waters, and the
sole cause of the elevation of the Principal Mountains>,"
[And Surya] <is a creator of waters, and the sole cause of the
rise [to fame] of (Meru), the Best Mountain, in the east> ;
[Brahmä] <is superior to the three worlds' by reason of his posi-
tion, to which it is very difficult to ascend>,
[And Surya] <is situated above the three worlds with a splendor
that is very hard to excel>;
<The faces [of Brahma], four [in number], like the quarters
[of the sky], are radiant with bright splendor>,
[And Sürya, as he rises], <causes the faces of the four quarters
to be radiant with bright splendor>.
May that (Sürya), Mine of Rays, speedily bring you prosperity!
Notes. 1. The golden egg, created by Brahmã, regarded as identical
with Brahma, and from which Brahma and the universe were evolved, was
divided into two parts by the power of that god's meditation as the Self-
existent One, one part becoming heaven, the other, earth; cf. Manu, 1. 9-13.
Hence Brahmã is here said to be 'twofold' or 'divided into two parts."
For Sürya's superiority over Brahmã, as attested in the Süryaśataka, see
stanza 91, note 5. 2. According to some accounts, Brahmã was pro-
duced from a lotus that grew out of Vișnu's navel; cf. stanza 13, note 4.
3. The meaning is that the light of the sun causes lotuses to open. 4.
The Principal Mountains' were the kulaśailas, or kulakşmabhṛtas, which
have been discussed above; cf. stanza 56, note 3. 5. The commentary
quotes for the third time: adityāj jayate vṛṣṭiḥ, 'from Aditya (Sürya)
rain is produced'; cf. stanza 30, note 4, and stanza 77, note 1. For the
conception of Sūrya as a reservoir from which the earth is supplied with
water, cf. stanza 9, note 2. 6. According to the commentary, the 'Best
Mountain' is Meru. The commentary explains: 'For Meru is brought
to fame (gauravam) as the "Sunrise Mountain" through the rising of the
Blessed (Sürya)'; cf. stanza I, note 4. 7. Lit. 'stands above the three