NaaraayaNiiyam

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OM Namo Vasudevaaya

 

DASHAKAM 100

Shlokam 2

 

niilaabham kuncitaagram ghanam-amalataram sanyatam caaru-bhangyaa

ratnottamsa-abhiraamam valayitam-udayac-candrakaiH pinjcha-jaalaiH |

mandaara-srang-niviitam tava pR^thu-kabarii-bhaaram-aalokaye-'ham

snigdha-shveta-uurdhva-puNDraam-api ca su-lalitam

phaala-baalendu-viithiim ||

 

 

I see (aalokaye aham) your (tava) luxuriant locks of hair

(pR^thu-kabarii-bharam).

The hair is dark and shining (niila-aabham). The ends are curled

(kuncita-agram).

The thick (ghanam) and perfectly clean (amala-taram) hair has been

gathered

into a bunch (sanyatam) with attractive undulations (caru-bhangya).

This (artistically done tuft on the top of your head) is beautifully

decorated

with the best of jewels (ratnottamsaabhiraamam). It is ringed

(valayitam) by

a plume of peacock feathers (pinjcha-jaalaiH), with glistening

(udayat)

"eyes " (candrakaiH).

[This refers to the eye-like patterns naturally formed on peacock

feathers]

A string of mandaara flowers is tied around the tuft

(mandaara-srag-niviitam).

 

In the first shlokam the poet gave a long distance shot, as it were, of

what he saw.

In this shloka he is zooming-in to provide a more detailed picture.

He starts

with the hair-do (keshaadi paadaanta varNanam). Now he slowly lowers

his

gaze and proceeds to describe the forehead :

 

He adds, I also notice (api ca aalokaye) the forehead (phaala) which is

 

very handsome (sulalitaam) and resembles the crescent moon of the fifth

day

of the waxing fortnight (baala-indu-viithiim).

On the forehead is a handsome (snigdha) white (shveta) line of sandal

paste

which is drawn upwards (uurdhva-puNDram).

 

xxxxx

 

This is the second shlokam in the 100th dashakam of Sriman

NaraayaNiiyam.

I shall (d.v.) present the third shlokam in my next posting.

I am generally following the interpretation given in the book by

Shri S.N.Sastri, published by the Central Chinmaya Misson Trust, Bombay.

 

Sarve bhadraaNi pashyantu.

 

V.M.Sundaram.