Gangalahari (46-48)

गङ्गालहरी (४६-४८)

पयः पीत्वा मातस्तव सपदि यातः सहचरैः

विमूढैः संरन्तुं क्वचिदपि न विश्रान्तिमगमम् ।

इदानीमुत्सङ्गे मृदुपवनसञ्चारशिशिरे

चिरादुन्निद्रं मां सदयहृदये स्थापय चिरम् ॥ ४६ ॥

Mother, having drunk your milk (water) I quickly went away with dull headed friends and I did not get rest anywhere. Kind-hearted mother, please take me for ever who has woken up after a long time on to your lap which is cool due to the movement of soft wind.

बधान द्रागेव द्रढिमरमणीयं परिकरम्

किरीटे बालेन्दुं नियमय पुनः पन्नगगणैः ।

न कुर्यास्त्वं हेलामितरजनसाधारणधिया

जगन्नाथस्यायं सुरधुनि समुद्धारसमयः ॥ ४७ ॥

Divine river, forthwith gird up your loins made beautiful by their firmness. Restrain the crescent moon on your crown with the help of snakes. Do not take it easy thinking of ordinary persons. Time has come now to rescue this Jagannatha. (As Ganga resides in the locks of Siva, the crescent moon adores her crown too. So are the snakes around neck of Siva available to her to do her bidding. So imagines Jagannatha. Perhaps as Ganga girds up her loins to rescue Jagannatha, the crescent moon is disturbed and he requests her to restrain the moon by binding him with snakes. The poet is no ordinary sinner and Ganga has to take special efforts to raise him up!)

शरच्चन्द्रश्वेतां शशिशकलशोभालमुकुटाम्

करैः कुम्भाम्भोजे वरभयनिरासौ विदधतीम् ।

सुधासाराकाराभरणवसनां शुभ्रमकर-

स्थितां त्वां ध्यायन्त्युदयति न तेषां परिभवः ॥ ४८ ॥

You are as white as the moon in autumn. Your crown is resplendent with the crescent moon. You carry two pot-like lotuses and two abhayamudras in your hands. Your garments and ornaments are as white as the essence of ambrosia. You are on a white makara. One who contemplates on your form does not face defeat. (The poet visualizes Ganga in a human form. She has four hands [करैः is plural]. Two hands convey abhayamudra [वर-भयनिरासौ]. Two hands carry two large lotuses [कुम्भाम्भोजे].Note: It is possible that I have not grasped the purport of the poet, although I have tried my best to decipher what he wants to convey. Is there any specific human form traditionally given to Ganga? Why is Ganga on a मकर? The Sanskrit commentary has not been of much help. Help from readers is welcome. What exactly is मकर is not clear, although it is a fairly common word. Is it crocodile or shark or some other animal? )
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