Proceedings of the Seminar on Prakrit Studies 1973

Author(s): K R Chandra, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 164

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Dr. Upadhye renders the fourth line of the verse as follows :
"Lakṣmi with tremulous eyes spcrts with Hari, without any sense of shame of the presence of Brahman". He adds a comment that this effect 'is somewhat obscure's and that the other effects described in the verse are natural and conventional! As against this, Prof. Patawardhan remarks, "The sense of the fourth line is not clear." He asks a question : "The moon-light of the king's fame pervades the world, but how is it, and why is it, that Lakṣmı does not feel any bashfulness in sporting with Hart even in the presence of Brahmadeva ?"
To me, it seems that the moon-like fame of the king is shining continuously throughout the day and night. Had it not been so, the poet would not have said that the night-blooming lotuses would not have lost sleep in the day-time That is to say, they retained their bloom all the while. It suggests that the king's moon-like fame has upset the normal course of the Nature, and there is thus a continuous night-like effect-the sun does not appear to come up the horizon. Under the spell of this illu. sion, Brahma who is seated on the lotus growing out of Visņu's navel, would ever remain in a state of sleep. Hence Lakṣmi eontinues to indulge in sporting with Visnu without auy sense of shame in the presence of Brahmā.
For this interpretation I take the support of a verse from Vajjalaggam which reads as follows:
विवरीयरया लच्छी बंभं दट्ठूण नाहिकमलत्थं ।
हरिणो दाहिणणयणं रसाउला कीस झपेइ ||
(Vajjalaggam, Section of Riddles,'- Verse 611; 64.1) Prof. Patawardhan has himself rendered the verse as follows:
"Laksmi, practising inverted coitus (on Visņu) and overpowered by emotional excitement on seeing Brahmadeva poised on the lotus growing of Viṣṇu's navel, closes the right eye of Hari (Vişņu)- but say, why ?"
A relevant passage from Ratnadeva's commentary on this verse may be found useful in explaining my idea. The passages runs thus:
" इदमुत्तरमत्र कथयन्ति पूर्वविदः । लक्ष्मीः किल कामार्ता ब्रह्माणमपि नाभिकमलस्थित दृष्ट्वा सुरतसुखं त्यक्तुमपारयन्ती लज्जामज्जद्वदनकमला कथमसौ परमेष्ठी मामेवं कुर्वाणां द्रक्ष्यतीति चिन्ताचान्तचित्ता, “हुँ ज्ञातम्, अस्य भगवतो नयनद्वयी किल सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ । तहिं यत्र सूर्यस्तत्र कमलं विकसति, तस्मिंश्चास्तमयमाने पयोजमपि संकुचति । अतो नाभिपाथोरुहं नारायणदक्षिणनयन सूर्याच्छादनेन संकुचेदिति (दक्षिण) नयनं पिदधे भगवत्युदधिजेति । ”