हिमं वैराग्यवल्लीनां विकारोलूकयामिनी । राहुदंष्ट्रा विवेकेन्दोः सौजन्याम्भोजचन्द्रिका ॥ १५ ॥
himaṁ vairāgyavallīnāṁ vikārōlūkayāminī | rāhudaṁṣṭrā vivēkēndōḥ saujanyāmbhōjacandrikā || 15 ||
Translation
She is frost to the creepers of dispassion, night for the owls of passion, the fang of Rāhu for the moon of discrimination, moonlight to the lotus of goodness.
Word by word
- himaṁ
- frost
- vairāgya
- of dispassion
- vallīnāṁ
- to the creepers
- vikāra
- of passion
- ulūka
- for the owls
- yāminī
- night
- rāhu
- of Rāhu
- daṁṣṭrā
- the fang
- vivēka
- of discrimination
- indōḥ
- for the moon
- saujanya
- of goodness
- ambhōja
- to the lotus
- candrikā
- moonlight
Meaning
Four images, each a small reversal. Dispassion (vairāgya) is a tender creeper, and frost withers it: wealth makes renunciation feel unnecessary. The passions (vikāra, the disturbances of the mind such as desire) are owls, and in fortune's darkness they fly freely. Viveka, discrimination, is the moon, and fortune is Rāhu, the demon who swallows the moon at the eclipse. Saujanya, kindness and courtesy, is a lotus, and lotuses close in moonlight. The commentary sums up: with fortune, dispassion does not arise, discrimination is lost, and goodness shrinks. For one who has begun to turn from the world, this is a warning: a sudden gain can undo in a day the dispassion of years.