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VAJJĀLAGGAM
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er's ears, becomes famous (conspicuous), just as a pearl (stainlessly) bright by nature and woven upon (a thread of) gold; when displayed on the cavity of the ear (i.e. on the ear ), becomes famous (cor spicuous ) ( i.e. attracts the attention of every body).
2. The Section on the Gāthās 9) The utterances (of fair women), full of half-pronounced (indistinctly uttered) letters, (their) charming and coquettish: smiles and (oblique) glances shot through half-closed and halfopened eyes — these to be sure cannot be understood without: acquaintance with the gāthās.
10) In the absence of the gathās adorned with figures of speech, characterised by literary excellences (or adherence to the rules of grammer - lakşaņa), and enchanting with diverse emo. tions, and also in the absence of loving sweet-hearts, adorned with ornaments, characterised by auspicious physical qualities (laksaņa) and fascinating with the diverse display of emotions, the mind is very much ill at ease (or is deeply distressed).
11) This is only too obvious that the hidden meaning of the gathās and the heart of women cannot be grasped (conquered) by men devoid of literary appreciation (devoid of emotional excitement), just as riches cannot be obtained by persons devoid of virtue (practised in a previous life).
12) The gāthā clad in metre, possessed of attractive form, adorned with figures of speech and full of charming utterances, yields pleasure (only) when it is recited, just as a beautiful woman, self-willed, possessed of attractive form, adorned with ornaments and full of pleasing utterances, yields a fund of delight (only) when she is (properly)approached (for amorous dalliance).
13) Whose hearts are not fascinated (ravished) by the emotional appeal of the gathās, by the coquettish gestures of women, by the utterances of poets and by the lisping words (indistinct babble) of children?
14) All people confidently recite the gathās in all the literary me etings (or assemblies). But their real (hidden) sense
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