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274
 
THE CANDIŚATAKA OF BĀŅA
 
garbhe is glossed by padamadhye], was not taken into account.' Candi
was not hurt by stepping on or kicking Mahișa, any more than anyone
would be hurt by stepping on a sharp spear of grass. It will be remem-
bered (cf. stanza 2) that she received a scratch on the foot from the tip
of Mahişa's horn. See also stanza 51, where again Mahişa is compared
to a spear of grass. 3. Lit. 'by her, having by a blow of her foot made
his face, into which a change of appearance had entered, in his navel, he
was put to death.' The commentary regards praviştakṛtivikṛti as an ad-
verb (may it not better be neuter, modifying vaktram?)—and connects
pravişta with nabhau. It reads: 'In the first place, his face was caused
to enter his navel by a blow of her foot; then afterwards, he was put to
death; or, in what [face] there was an alteration of its own appearance-
the appearance that had entered [into it]-such a [face], the face of
Mahişa, she caused to enter his own navel by a blow of her foot.' I sug-
gest the following as another possible rendering of this third pada:
'Having, by a blow of her foot on his navel, made his face to assume an
alteration of appearance.'
 
V.L. (a) pārşninişnātasaraḥ. (c) pratişthakṛtivikṛti. (d) sa 'stu śān-
tyai siva vaḥ.
 
8
 
grastāśvaḥ śaspalobhād iva haritaharer aprasodhānaloṣmā
sthāṇāu kaṇḍūm vinīya pratimahiṣaruṣevā 'ntakopāntavarti
kṛṣṇam pańkam yathecchan varuņam upagato majjanāyeva
yasyāḥ
 
svastho 'bhūt pādam āptvā hradam iva mahiṣaḥ sā 'stu durgā
śriye vaḥ
 
Mahisa¹ devoured the horses of Sürya² as if through his longing
for young grass, and would not brook the fiery pride of
Anala (Agni);
 
On Sthāņu (Siva) he removed his itch, and came near to Antaka
(Yama) as if in anger at a rival buffalo*;
 
He sought out Kṛṣṇa (Viṣṇu) as if he were mud," and ap-
proached Varuna (Ocean) as if for the purpose of plunging
[into him];
 
But when he came in contact with the foot [of Durga (Candi)],
as with a sacred pool, he became emancipated.
May that Durga (Candi) bring you prosperity'!
 
Notes. 1. The meaning of this stanza seems to be that Mahișa treated
the gods with indifference and contempt, till he was brought to himself