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Notes
179
320. People, bowing at the feet of the goddess, get reflected in her shining jewel-like toe-nails, of course, very much reduced in size, almost thumb-sized. Hence the Poet's imagination that the Vālakhilyas are, as it were, at her feet. 'arofami's are pigmy sages no bigger than a joint of the thumb, chaste, pious, resplendent as the rays of the sun.” So described by the facut to which says that they were brought forth by Samnati (humility), wife of Kratu and were 60,000 in number. They are able to fly swifter than birds. The Rgveda says that they sprang from the hairs of Prajāpati. They are the guards of the chariot of the sun. They are also called Kharwas (as). Wilson says they are not improbably connected with the character of Däumling, Thaumlin, Tamlane, Tom-a-lyn or Tom Thumb' ( Hindu classical Dictionary - Dowson. )
321. The only hand of the goddess that counts is the one raised by her to grant boons and favour. The other 999 hands are just an external appendage (9624) and superfluous. Cf. वरदानोद्यतेनैकेनैव करकमलेन सर्व साध्यते । एकोनसहस्त्रं तु परिच्छदमात्रमित्यर्थः ।
323. The goddess also, like siva, has a third eye from the fire of which a cloud-like ( 31) column of smoke issues forth. Nearby, the other half of her body is god Siva, with the great serpent Vāsuki encircling His dark neck. The coils of smoke, mingled with the fire-flames of the third eye of the goddess, thus resemble the split tongues frequently thrown out by Vāsuki and looking very much like the graceful play of lightning streaks. Cf. TicETAT QUITAT I Com.
325. A beautiful idea. While a young unmarried girl, she fell in love with god Siva. To propitiate Him she did a sacrifice, as it were, a sacrifice of the small Bilva (1 ) fruit, corresponding with her tiny, bud-like breasts (2037), in the fire of her heart in flames (95517537) or inflamed by Madana, the god of Love. The fancy, in terms of a sacrifice, could be explained thus - Propitiation (347) = Performance of
sacrifice (34AT) Heart inflamed with = Sacrificial altar with kindled love (347)
fire (39HTT) Budlike breasts (3491) = ( offerings of) Bilva fruit.
(34417).
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