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290
THE CANDIŚATAKA OF BĀŅA
Having in these words first derided [the gods], Umā (Caṇḍī)
then crushed the body of the Dänava" (Mahișa).
May Uma (Candi) protect you!
Notes. 1. The commentary supplies iti. 2. This pada may also be
read as follows: 'O Vişņu, let Bāņa go; thou art mistaken [in supposing
that] this [thy captive] is Bali; why is Bāṇa held in captivity?' The
demon Bāṇa, who was Bali's son (cf. Mahabharata, 1. 65. 20), was, like his
father, an enemy of Vişnu. The struggle in which Bāna was worsted by
Kṛṣṇa (Vişņu) is described in the Vişnu Puraṇa, 5. 32-33 (Wilson, vol. 5,
p. 107-120). The commentary says: 'Thou art the cause of the confining
of Bali, therefore the setting free of Bāṇa is [a] suitable [act] for thee.'
For Bali, and his relations with Vişņu, see Süryaśataka, stanza 7, note 4.
3. Indra is called Gotrari, 'Foe of the Mountains,' because, as is told in
familiar legends, he cut off their wings and cleft the hills with his thunder-
bolt (cf. Süryaśataka, stanza 5, note 7, and stanza 40, note 7), but in the
epithet gotrasya fatruḥ, as applied to Mahişa, gotra must be taken to mean
family,' the explanation, as given by the commentary, being as follows:
'This foe of the gods, Mahişa, is a foe of the gotra, that is, of his own
family, since both gods and demons are descendants of Kaśyapa; there-
fore he also is a gotrari, and I therefore, thinking it not suitable that there
should be two gotrāris, am putting to death this one, thy foe.'
4. The
commentary says: 'At the festival of Devi (Candi), a he-goat is slain.'
To-day, at the Durgā festival, held in Bengal and other parts of India, buf-
faloes, as well as goats, are sacrificed as victims; cf. Introd., p. 257. Blood
sacrifices to Caṇḍī are authorized by the Kalika Purāṇa; cf. the Rudhi-
radhyaya, 'Blood-chapter,' of that Purana, translated by W. C. Blaquière
in Asiatic Researches, vol. 5, p. 371-391, London, 1799. 5. The Dänavas
were sprung from Danu, wife of Kaśyapa and daughter of Dakşa.
V.L. (b) ripum asuraripuḥ.
25
spardhāvardhitavindhyadurbharabharavyastād vihāyastalam
hastād utpatitā prasādayatu vaḥ kṛtyāni kātyāyani
yām śūlām iva devadārughaṭitām skandhena mohandhadhir
vadhyoddeśam aśeṣabāndhavakuladhvamsāya kamso 'nayat
From¹ [Kamsa's] hand, crushed by her weight that was as hard
to supports as the Vindhya,
Which expanded itself in emulation [of Himalaya], up to the
sky rose Katyayani (Candi),
Whom Kamsa, with mind blinded by error, had carried on his
shoulder, like a spear" made of devadāru wood,
THE CANDIŚATAKA OF BĀŅA
Having in these words first derided [the gods], Umā (Caṇḍī)
then crushed the body of the Dänava" (Mahișa).
May Uma (Candi) protect you!
Notes. 1. The commentary supplies iti. 2. This pada may also be
read as follows: 'O Vişņu, let Bāņa go; thou art mistaken [in supposing
that] this [thy captive] is Bali; why is Bāṇa held in captivity?' The
demon Bāṇa, who was Bali's son (cf. Mahabharata, 1. 65. 20), was, like his
father, an enemy of Vişnu. The struggle in which Bāna was worsted by
Kṛṣṇa (Vişņu) is described in the Vişnu Puraṇa, 5. 32-33 (Wilson, vol. 5,
p. 107-120). The commentary says: 'Thou art the cause of the confining
of Bali, therefore the setting free of Bāṇa is [a] suitable [act] for thee.'
For Bali, and his relations with Vişņu, see Süryaśataka, stanza 7, note 4.
3. Indra is called Gotrari, 'Foe of the Mountains,' because, as is told in
familiar legends, he cut off their wings and cleft the hills with his thunder-
bolt (cf. Süryaśataka, stanza 5, note 7, and stanza 40, note 7), but in the
epithet gotrasya fatruḥ, as applied to Mahişa, gotra must be taken to mean
family,' the explanation, as given by the commentary, being as follows:
'This foe of the gods, Mahişa, is a foe of the gotra, that is, of his own
family, since both gods and demons are descendants of Kaśyapa; there-
fore he also is a gotrari, and I therefore, thinking it not suitable that there
should be two gotrāris, am putting to death this one, thy foe.'
4. The
commentary says: 'At the festival of Devi (Candi), a he-goat is slain.'
To-day, at the Durgā festival, held in Bengal and other parts of India, buf-
faloes, as well as goats, are sacrificed as victims; cf. Introd., p. 257. Blood
sacrifices to Caṇḍī are authorized by the Kalika Purāṇa; cf. the Rudhi-
radhyaya, 'Blood-chapter,' of that Purana, translated by W. C. Blaquière
in Asiatic Researches, vol. 5, p. 371-391, London, 1799. 5. The Dänavas
were sprung from Danu, wife of Kaśyapa and daughter of Dakşa.
V.L. (b) ripum asuraripuḥ.
25
spardhāvardhitavindhyadurbharabharavyastād vihāyastalam
hastād utpatitā prasādayatu vaḥ kṛtyāni kātyāyani
yām śūlām iva devadārughaṭitām skandhena mohandhadhir
vadhyoddeśam aśeṣabāndhavakuladhvamsāya kamso 'nayat
From¹ [Kamsa's] hand, crushed by her weight that was as hard
to supports as the Vindhya,
Which expanded itself in emulation [of Himalaya], up to the
sky rose Katyayani (Candi),
Whom Kamsa, with mind blinded by error, had carried on his
shoulder, like a spear" made of devadāru wood,