Invocatory Verses-2

मङ्गलश्लोकाः-२

या सृष्टिः स्रष्टुराद्या वहति विधिहुतं या हविर्या च होत्री

ये द्वे कालं विधत्तः श्रुतिविषयगुणा या स्थिता व्याप्य विश्वम् ।

यामाहुः सर्वबीजप्रकृतिरिति यया प्राणिनः प्राणवन्तः

प्रत्यक्षाभिः प्रपन्नः तनुभिरवतु  वः ताभिरष्टाभिरीशः ॥ २ ॥

अ : या स्रष्टुः आद्या सृष्टिः, या विधि-हुतम् हविः वहति, या होत्री च, ये द्वे कालं विधत्तः , या श्रुति-विषय-गुणा विश्वं व्याप्य स्थिता, यां सर्व-बीज-प्रकृतिः इति आहुः, यया प्राणिनः प्राणवन्तः, ताभिः अष्टाभिः प्रत्यक्षाभिः तनुभिः प्रपन्नः ईशः वः अवतु ।

The Almighty endowed with these eight perceptible forms protect  all of you. The form which was created by the creator as the first (among all) (Water); the form which carries the duly offered oblation (Fire); the form which offers the oblation (Offerer of the oblation); the two forms which support the Time (the Sun and the Moon); the form which pervades the universe and which is perceived by the ear ( Space or Ether); the form which is considered as the originator of all seeds (Earth); the form by which all beings breath ( Wind). [Kalidasa; Abhijnanashakuntalam]

Notes: This invocatory verse is sung by the Stage Manager as he enters the stage at the start of the play, Abhijnanashakuntalam. Water is considered to have been created by the Lord at first before everything else. The person who offers the oblation and the fire which carries the oblation are both considered as divine forms. The Sun and the Moon provide a reference for the concept of Time. As per Hindu Philosophy, the space or ether is considered to be characterized by sound perceived by the ear. The poet refers to the forms indirectly by describing their main characteristic. 

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