Kurmastakadvyam

Author(s): Bhojdev Maharaj
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 73

52
Kurmaśatakadvayam
लहुई करेसु ध [रणि पिट्टसु दंडेण] कुणसु अनं पि ।
que means 1. a stick, staff, rod 2. punishment, one of the four expedients
Trans. You reduce in weight-lighten-the earth (also you treat the earth with contempt, you insult her.) You inflict on her punishment (danda) (also, you beat her with a stick or rod.) You do (similar) other things (i.e., you harass her in other ways too.) Even then, she is enamoured of you - (deeply) attached to you. Everything about you she considers as beautiful.
B75 The first half-verse shows loss of some letters at its very beginning. In the light of 356 tentatively we may restore the half-verse as follows :
[पसूहि अइ] गोरविअं, लहुअं विउउं महिं धरतेण |
Tran. Possessing (ruling over) the earth which was first reduced in weight (lahua-Sk. laghuka) and then expanded-widened-extended by you [by your supernatural power)--the earth which was highly respected by the animals [like the Tortoise, the Boar, and the like)
[-And in continuation the second half verse] how is it that you have conferred on her (the earth) a different kind of, an extraordinary greatness (gaurava) which causes a great surprise and wonder !
B77 The second half-verse shows loss of many letters. In the light of the second half of the preceding verse-stanza-it may be restored as follows:
तुह गरुअत्तं खु धरणि, जं भोएणं तुमं धरिआ || Now we may translate the whole stanza as follows:
You consider, O earth, whatever greatness is given you here by the animals (say, the Tortoise, the Boar, and the like) is your real greatness ! Your greatness, however, O earth, lies in the fact that King Bhoja [himself] has carried (or supported) you.
B80-81 : Note : the first half-verse shows loss of some letters. Again, the expression [7] #6 97 Top (946 ! H1 Tof) 'O turtle, or Tortoise, don't roar' is extremely quaint-odd. For with reference to this animal the verb is never used. It is used with reference to a lion or, say, cloud. Further, the verb 30064, which stands at the very beginning of the second half-verse remains 'hanging'. This clearly shows that (FT) Tog is a wrong reading for (FT) Tod, and that we must construe Tool with 30964-standing at the very beginning of the second half-verse. The stanza may now be reconstructed as follows: