Sri Vadiraja Yati Prokta Dashavatara Stuti – V

Sri Vadiraja continues the prayer to the Mohini form of Narayana.

शिक्षादियुङ् निगमदीक्षासुलक्षण परीक्षाक्षमाविधिसती ।
दाक्षायणीक्षमति साक्षाद्रमापि न यदाक्षेपवीक्षणविधौ ।
प्रेक्षाक्षिलोभकरलाक्षारसोक्षित पदाक्षेपलक्षितधरा ।
साक्षारितात्मतनु भूक्षारिकारिनिटिलाक्षाक्षमानवतु नः ॥ ६ ॥

SikShAdiyu~g nigamadIkShAsulakShaNa parIkShAkShamAvidhisatI |
dAkShAyaNIkShamati sAkShAdramApi na yadAkShepavIkShaNavidhau |
prekShAkShiloBakaralAkShArasokShita padAkShepalakShitadharA |
sAkShAritAtmatanu BUkShArikAriniTilAkShAkShamAnavatu naH || 6 ||

Padachcheda:

shixa Adi yu~N nigama dIxA sulaxaNa parIxA xama vidhisatI
dAxAyaNI xamati sAxAt ramApi na yat Axepa vIxaNavidhau
prexa axilobhakara lAxArasa uxita padAxepa laxitadharA
AxArita Atma tanu bhUxa arikAri niTilAxa sA axamAn avatu naH || 6||

Anvaya:

shixa Adi yunnigama dIxA sulaxaNa parIxA xama
vidhisatI dAxAyaNI sAxAdramApi yat Axepa vIxaNavidhau na xamati
prexa axilobhakara lAxArasa uxita padAxepa laxitadharA
AxArita Atma tanu bhUxa arikAri niTilAxa sA axamAn naH avatu || 6||

Word-by-word meaning:

shixAdiyuk = shiksha and related parts of, nigama = vedas, dIxA = decision or meaning, sulaxaNa = good characteristics, parIxA = examination, xamA = accomplished, vidhisatI = saraswathi, dAxAyaNI = sati devi (pArvati), sAxAdramApi = even Sri Lakshmi devi Herself, yat = that (female form that Sri Hari exhibited), AxepavIxaNavidhau = in the ability to distract people through provocative body movements (Axepa = distracting or disturbing, vIxaNa vidhau = in the business of viewing), na xamati = unable to match, A prexA = having special and exquisite gyAna, axilobhakara = inducing greed in the eyes (attracting attention), lAxArasa = juice or gum of sealing wax, uxita = sprinkled or moistened (in the olden days women used to wax their feet to make them soft and smooth, this made their feet red and attractive), padAxepa = footsteps, laxita = well adorned, dharA = earth, AxArita = to feel guilty or embarassed, Atmatanu = own son, bhUxArakAri = one who burnt and reduced to ashes, niTilAxA = one with fiery eyes (Rudra), sa = that woman (the female form of Narayana), axamAn = inept or incapable (one who is not expert), nah = us, avatu = protect.

Translation:

Despite possessing expertise in shiksha (phonetics) and other parts of veda and being accomplished in laxana shAstra (the science or art of determining what constitutes beauty or grace), Saraswathi, Dakshayani and even Lakshmi Herself could not match nArayani’s (mohini’s) ability to distract people through provocative body movements. In addition, you are the personification of knowledge. You waxed your feet with gumlac (aragu or sealing-wax) making them so beautiful that they caused greed in the eyes of viewers (i.e, they wanted to see them again and again). The earth was beautified by your foot steps. Rudra, the one with fiery eyes, who burnt and reduced your son to ashes, was initially enamoured by you, and later after realizing the truth, felt embarassed. May that woman (Mohini) protect us who are inept and pitiable.

Notes: The Vedas are supposed to be shadanga (consisting of 6 parts) – Shiksha (proper pronounciation), Chandas (grammatical or poetic metre), VyAkaraNa (grammar), Nirukta (etmylogy or study of word origins), Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology), Kalpa (rituals).

It is said that Rudra did not see Mohini when she first made her appearance (he was perhaps recuperating after drinking the poison that came from the ocean). Having heard about Her beauty, he begged the Lord to show him that form again. Since he had vanquished Manmatha he must have felt confident that he would be able to withstand the attractive wiles of Mohini. However, when he did see her, he became totally enamored and lost his self-control. Later when the Lord reassumed His normal form and Rudra realized his mistake, he was totally embarassed.

In Lakshmi Shobhane, Vadirajaru says that when Lakshmi saw the bewitching beauty of Mohini she was bewildered and thought “When He has a female form that is so captivating why does He need me or anybody else?”.

Mohini Image : Courtesy : https://postcard.news/

• To be continued

Sriprasad Hunasur