संसारसंसृतेरस्या गन्धकुट्यां शिरोगता । देहयष्ट्यां जरानाम्नी चामरश्रीर्विराजते ॥ ३४ ॥
saṁsārasaṁsṛtērasyā gandhakuṭyāṁ śirōgatā | dēhayaṣṭyāṁ jarānāmnī cāmaraśrīrvirājatē || 34 ||
Translation
On the staff of the body in the perfumed chamber of this flowing world, set on the head, the splendour of the chowrie called old age shines.
Word by word
- saṁsāra
- of the world
- saṁsṛtēr
- (saṃsṛteḥ) of this flowing
- asyā
- (asyāḥ) this
- gandha
- perfumed
- kuṭyāṁ
- in the chamber
- śirō
- (śiraḥ) on the head
- gatā
- set
- dēha
- of the body
- yaṣṭyāṁ
- on the staff
- jarā
- old age
- nāmnī
- called
- cāmara
- of the chowrie
- śrīr
- (śrīḥ) the splendour
- virājatē
- shines
Meaning
A king's fan of yak-tail stands on a staff in the perfumed hall. The body is the staff; the white hair on its top, the commentary says, is the chowrie. The world is a scented chamber, full of the perfume of enjoyments. The image is ironic: the white hair is honoured like a royal fan, when it is the herald of death (verse 30).