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xxxviii
Bhaktimandākinī
Bhū, the earth
The creative power of Visnu, Bhū (the earth), creates all kinds of beings by
the presence of the primordial man, and she bears all of these animate and
inanimate beings by pervading them for prosperity. She is the protector,
ever stable; she is the cause and the effect. She is the inertia of the Universe
and its progenitor. I salute her, the spouse of Vișņu, the mistress of life,
who forms the consummate with all the qualities 53 when He assumes the
cosmic form. [9]54
2.2 The description of the image of Vișnu as visu-
alised by the poet
2.2.1 The body
The legs
The particles of dust on the lotus-like feet The demons are made to
fall down, even from their highest positions, who used to hate the particles
of dust resting on the lotus feet of the lotus-eyed Vișnu. And the group
comprising of all the gods ever wish to carry the particles of dust on their
heads. Let these particles ever remove the deep-rooted dirt of sins in us,
whose souls are always full of devotion.[10]55
53 This term guna is interpretable as denoting the basic three qualities, sattva, rajas and
tamas, forming the basis of mulaparakrti, which evolves into all the five fundamental ele-
ments with the necessary combinations in proportion to each element. The commentator
explains this process and interprets it as the earth, even though it is the first element.
Hence, vipula is translated as consummate instead of rich and immense.
54 The earth is conceived as representing the māyā or pradhāna phenomenon, comprised
of three guņas, sattva, rajas and tamas, as the cause of creation (according to the Samkhya
philosophy). The commentator sees the contradiction of this statement with the theory
of pañcīkaraṇa accepted by the Vedānta philosophy and defends the statement with the
testimony of Vedic literature and with Kalidasa's words. An elaborate exposition on
this point is offered on metaphysical grounds. All the adjectives are full of metaphysical
contents applicable to the pradhāna phenomenon of the Samkhya philosophy. Hence,
parikara is the figure of speech.
55 In Indian literature, bowing at someone's feet is a way of submitting to one whom one
venerates, so that even the dust of his feet is considered as holy as the object of reverence
to be carried on their heads. Here, it is in conformity with the pollen dust when the feet
are metaphorically conceived as the lotuses. As such, they are part of the lotus of the feet.
The particles of dust are described, even before the description of the feet themselves, as
being capable of destroying sins and bestowing prosperity.
Bhaktimandākinī
Bhū, the earth
The creative power of Visnu, Bhū (the earth), creates all kinds of beings by
the presence of the primordial man, and she bears all of these animate and
inanimate beings by pervading them for prosperity. She is the protector,
ever stable; she is the cause and the effect. She is the inertia of the Universe
and its progenitor. I salute her, the spouse of Vișņu, the mistress of life,
who forms the consummate with all the qualities 53 when He assumes the
cosmic form. [9]54
2.2 The description of the image of Vișnu as visu-
alised by the poet
2.2.1 The body
The legs
The particles of dust on the lotus-like feet The demons are made to
fall down, even from their highest positions, who used to hate the particles
of dust resting on the lotus feet of the lotus-eyed Vișnu. And the group
comprising of all the gods ever wish to carry the particles of dust on their
heads. Let these particles ever remove the deep-rooted dirt of sins in us,
whose souls are always full of devotion.[10]55
53 This term guna is interpretable as denoting the basic three qualities, sattva, rajas and
tamas, forming the basis of mulaparakrti, which evolves into all the five fundamental ele-
ments with the necessary combinations in proportion to each element. The commentator
explains this process and interprets it as the earth, even though it is the first element.
Hence, vipula is translated as consummate instead of rich and immense.
54 The earth is conceived as representing the māyā or pradhāna phenomenon, comprised
of three guņas, sattva, rajas and tamas, as the cause of creation (according to the Samkhya
philosophy). The commentator sees the contradiction of this statement with the theory
of pañcīkaraṇa accepted by the Vedānta philosophy and defends the statement with the
testimony of Vedic literature and with Kalidasa's words. An elaborate exposition on
this point is offered on metaphysical grounds. All the adjectives are full of metaphysical
contents applicable to the pradhāna phenomenon of the Samkhya philosophy. Hence,
parikara is the figure of speech.
55 In Indian literature, bowing at someone's feet is a way of submitting to one whom one
venerates, so that even the dust of his feet is considered as holy as the object of reverence
to be carried on their heads. Here, it is in conformity with the pollen dust when the feet
are metaphorically conceived as the lotuses. As such, they are part of the lotus of the feet.
The particles of dust are described, even before the description of the feet themselves, as
being capable of destroying sins and bestowing prosperity.