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Bhagavai 3:1:54-60 The Topic of Sakra and Išāna
Are the space-abodes of Išāna, the chief and the king of the gods, O Lord, slightly higher and slightly more exalted' than those of Sakra, the chief and the king of the gods? Or, are the space abodes of Sakra, the chief and the king of the gods, slightly lower and slightly less exalted than those of Iśāna, the chief and the king of the gods? Yes, O Gautama, all about Sakra is to be thus described.
Bhāsya
1. Higher and more exalted
Usually 'high' and 'exalted' are used to denote height. Here both the words are used together. The Vrtti has explained 'higher' as 'higher in respect of measure' and exalted' as 'exalted in reference to quality. Alternately, the meaning of 'higher? is in reference to the palace and 'exalted' is in reference to 'foundation of the palace.
1. Bha. Vp. 3754 - 'uccatarā ceva'tti uccatvam pramānatah 'unnatatarā ceva'tti unnatatvam gunataḥ
athavā uccatvam prāsādāpekşam, unnatatvam tu prāsādapīthäpeksamiti.
Text
3.55 se kenatthenam bhamte! evam vuccai?
goyamā! se jahānāme karayale siyā dese ucce dese unnae. dese nie, dese ninne. se tenatthenam goyamā! sakkassa devimdassa devaranne jāva isim ninnatarā ceva.
In what sense, O Lord, has it been so said? Gautama, even as the palm of the hand is high at some place, and low in some other place, low at some place, high at another; exactly so, Gautama, it is said so: the space-abodes of Sakra, the chief and the king of gods .......
up to slightly lower and slightly less exalted. 3.56 pabhū nam bhamte! sake devimde devaräyä isänassa devimdassa devaranno
amtiyam pāubbhavittae? hamtā pabhū. Is' Sakra, the chief and the king of the gods, 'O Lord', qualified enough to appear before Iśāna, the chief and the king of the gods?
Yes, he is. 3.57 se bhamte! kim ādhāmāne pabhū? anadhāmāne pabhū?
goyamā! ādhāmāne pabhū, no aņādhāmāne pabhū. Is he, O Lord, so qualified to appear before Isāna) with due respect, or without it? Gautama, he is qualified to appear) with due respect, not without it.
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