MIA Miscellany

Author(s): H C Bhayani
Publisher: Z_Nirgrantha_1_022701.pdf and Nirgrantha_2_022702.pdf and Nirgrantha_3_022703.pdf

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MIA. Miscellany
H. C. Bhayani 1. INTERPRETATION OF SOME PASSAGES OF THE GAUDAVAHO* N.G. Suru has rendered a great service to the students of Prakrit literature by giving a careful English translation alongwith explanatory notes, of the highly important but equally difficult Mahākāvya, the Gaudavaho of Vākpatirāja, written about 730 A. C. Below I discuss interpretation of some of its verses and offer alternative renderings. (1) V. I. ER-HOT-foruyfe-UCT-TT fua i Suru's translation : "a white sacred thread) which was, as if, a fibre of lotus-stalk extracted while coming out through the belly of Vişnu." His notes : The white sacred thread is imagined by the poet as the lotus-fibre extracted and suspended over the body of Brahmā, as he came out of the belly of Visnu.' But that is rather the umbilical cord which is attached to the new-born child. (2) V. 7. t-the-f31-THSTI Suru's translation : " He had seized in his clutches a mass of clouds in His roaring fury." Rather it should be rendered as 'He had seized in his clutches a mass of clouds, being angry at their thunder.' The lion is conventionally described as roaring on hearing the thunder. (3) V.175. isfazi. The verse describes the condition of the snakes burning in the fire of Pralaya. islast in the expression isfa37-401-ESM-fufc37-4 4t is rendered by Suru with Sk. alustan, and translated as 'dancing'. But here islah is a variant spelling of 75fa3t, which is past passive participle of gq = Sk. 7 to spread' (PSM. s.v.; Prakrit Grammar, 8,4,137; DN. 5, 5). Fumes of smoke become pent up under the spread out hoods, not under dancing hoods. (4) V. 260. ZIRTE
मग्गेसु गुरु बला वेअ-गाढ-णिवडंत कोडि-टंकेहि ।
उच्चरिऊर्ण व लिहंति जे टआरे खुर-उडेहि ॥ The marching horses produce clapping sounds with their hooves, which also leave their imprints on the dusty road. This is described by means of an original Utpreksā. The horses as it were utter and write the letter ta with their hooves as they gallop along. The image is that of a learner of alphabets who writes a letter first pronouncing it loudly. In his Notes, Suru explains that the hooves left imprints' shaped like the Devanăgari . Gaudavaho, ed. N. G. Suru, Prakrit Text Series, no. 18. Ahmedabad 1975.