2023-02-23 18:49:29 by ambuda-bot
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THE CANDIŚATAKA OF BĀŅA
brought to Pätāla as a punishment for the loss of merit engendered by
yielding to anger, but it may be that the idea involved is simply that, in
killing Mahişa, the foot struck so hard a blow in its anger, that it crashed
through the earth's surface, and momentarily entered the lower world.
Seşa, the serpent king of Pätāla, mistaking the circular anklet on this foot
for a serpent, and being desirous of treating his visitor with proper hos-
pitality, circumambulated the anklet-and so the foot of Candi at the same
time by entwining his body about it. Thus the mighty Seşa became but
the foot-ornament of the goddess. On Seșa, see Süryaśataka, stanza 35,
note 8, and stanza 75, note 5. 2. On the moon-stones, see Saryafataka,
stanza 37, note 5. 3. Respectful circumambulation required that the
object honored should be kept to the right of the circumambulator.
The fanciful picture portrayed in this stanza is an instance of utpreksa,
'Poetic Fancy.'
4.
V.L. (a) -doşānuşangan. (b) kṛtaparamabhayo bhadrakālyāḥ.
288
23
śūlam tūlam nu gāḍham prahara hara hṛṣīkeśa keśo 'pi vakraś
cakreṇā kāri kim me pavir avati na hi tvāṣṭraśatro dyurāṣṭram
pāśāḥ keśā 'bjanālāny anala na labhase bhātum ity ättadarpam
jalpan devān divāukoripur avadhi yayā sā 'stu śāntyāi śivā vaḥ
'O Hara (Siva), is thy trident nothing but cotton? [therefore]
strike hard¹; <O (Viṣṇu), Lord of the Senses>, <whose hair
is thy joy>,
Is my hair also made twisted by thy discus? O (Indra), Foe
of Tvaştar's Son, thy thunderbolt does not indeed protect
thy quarter of the sky;
O (Varuṇa), Lord of Waters, thy nooses are but lotus-stalks ;
O Anala (Agni), thou canst not [longer] shine." As with
these words
(Mahişa), the Foe of the Gods, was proudly addressing the
gods, he was put to death by Siva (Candi).
May that Siva (Candi) bring you prosperity!
Notes. 1. Siva's trident made no more impression on Mahişa than
would a flock of cotton. 2. The compound hrşikeśa may be resolved
into hṛşika-isa, 'Lord of the Senses,' and hrşi-keśa, 'whose hair is his
joy.' In the latter sense, it probably contains an allusion to the frivatsa,
a curl of hair, the result of Siva's spear-thrust in Vișņu's breast, and worn
by the latter as a treasured possession over the wounded spot; cf.
brought to Pätāla as a punishment for the loss of merit engendered by
yielding to anger, but it may be that the idea involved is simply that, in
killing Mahişa, the foot struck so hard a blow in its anger, that it crashed
through the earth's surface, and momentarily entered the lower world.
Seşa, the serpent king of Pätāla, mistaking the circular anklet on this foot
for a serpent, and being desirous of treating his visitor with proper hos-
pitality, circumambulated the anklet-and so the foot of Candi at the same
time by entwining his body about it. Thus the mighty Seşa became but
the foot-ornament of the goddess. On Seșa, see Süryaśataka, stanza 35,
note 8, and stanza 75, note 5. 2. On the moon-stones, see Saryafataka,
stanza 37, note 5. 3. Respectful circumambulation required that the
object honored should be kept to the right of the circumambulator.
The fanciful picture portrayed in this stanza is an instance of utpreksa,
'Poetic Fancy.'
4.
V.L. (a) -doşānuşangan. (b) kṛtaparamabhayo bhadrakālyāḥ.
288
23
śūlam tūlam nu gāḍham prahara hara hṛṣīkeśa keśo 'pi vakraś
cakreṇā kāri kim me pavir avati na hi tvāṣṭraśatro dyurāṣṭram
pāśāḥ keśā 'bjanālāny anala na labhase bhātum ity ättadarpam
jalpan devān divāukoripur avadhi yayā sā 'stu śāntyāi śivā vaḥ
'O Hara (Siva), is thy trident nothing but cotton? [therefore]
strike hard¹; <O (Viṣṇu), Lord of the Senses>, <whose hair
is thy joy>,
Is my hair also made twisted by thy discus? O (Indra), Foe
of Tvaştar's Son, thy thunderbolt does not indeed protect
thy quarter of the sky;
O (Varuṇa), Lord of Waters, thy nooses are but lotus-stalks ;
O Anala (Agni), thou canst not [longer] shine." As with
these words
(Mahişa), the Foe of the Gods, was proudly addressing the
gods, he was put to death by Siva (Candi).
May that Siva (Candi) bring you prosperity!
Notes. 1. Siva's trident made no more impression on Mahişa than
would a flock of cotton. 2. The compound hrşikeśa may be resolved
into hṛşika-isa, 'Lord of the Senses,' and hrşi-keśa, 'whose hair is his
joy.' In the latter sense, it probably contains an allusion to the frivatsa,
a curl of hair, the result of Siva's spear-thrust in Vișņu's breast, and worn
by the latter as a treasured possession over the wounded spot; cf.