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Notes
177
तेजःपुञ्जरूपं निधाय गगनमुत्पतिता । सा च विद्युद्रूपा सजलजलधरस्था सती एवमुत्प्रेक्षिता । वध्यशिलयेव सह सोत्पतितेति - जलपूर्णानां मेघानां वध्यशिलासादृश्यात् । Com.
309. Siva bows down at the feet of the goddess. The touch of the bowed head of god Siva gives her a thrill and produces perspiration. The same is mixed with the red lac-dye and the pink lustre of her toe-nails. It appears, says the Poet, that not only Siva but the other three viz., the crescent moon, the divine Twilight or Sandhyā, personified and the river Gangā, closely associated with His head, have combined in the act of this homage. Cf. चन्द्र रेखासदृशी स्वेदरेखा । यावकरागः संध्याप्रभाप्रायः । नखप्रभाप्रवाहो गङगासदृशः । एतास्तिस्रः सपत्न्यः सौभाग्यातिशयेन वशीकृताः सत्यश्वरणनिपतिता G Factfco TITT Traifa arstuff: 1 Com.
310. The reflection of red buntings in the floor, made of crystal stone-slabs, gives to the female jackals an illusive impression of the offerings of blood which they start licking! A fine illustration of the figure of speech called भ्रान्तिमत्.
311. Many living creatures stand collected in front of the goddess and their images are seen reflected in the floor near the goddess. The reflection of these creatures gives an idea that they
re drinking, as it were, the coloured saffron-water flowing down from the body of the idol, as the ablution ceremony is being done in the course of the rites of worship and the creatures get the satisfaction that it is real blood they are drinking and not water.
312. The moment when the gods first saw her in her blazing glory when she was fully awake, their eyes were dazzled and their vision was affected greatly, so much so that they could not bring themselves to view her, even when she was asleep.
313. Siva offended her by calling her a 'Blackie'. She then went away to practise penance by which she could change her complexion from black to white. “When, therefore, siva called you a black goddess and turned away (fate) from you, you became angry and started heaving out long sighs. That very moment you resolved to practise penance and as a first step you took to the learning of Prānāyāma or breath-control, for which you probably developed a high regard.
G. 12
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