दिनहंसानुसृतया निशेन्दीवरमालया । तारकेसरयाऽजस्रं चपलो वलयत्यलम् ॥ ४० ॥
dinahaṁsānusṛtayā niśēndīvaramālayā | tārakēsarayā’jasraṁ capalō valayatyalam || 40 ||
Translation
Restless, it turns without pause the garland of the blue lotuses of night, followed by the swans of day, with the stars for its stamens.
Word by word
- dina
- of day
- haṁsa
- by the swans
- anusṛtayā
- followed
- niśā
- of night
- indīvara
- of the blue lotuses
- mālayā
- the garland
- tārā
- the stars
- kēsarayā
- for its stamens
- ajasraṁ
- without pause
- capalō
- (capalaḥ) restless
- valayati
- it turns
- alam
- fully
Meaning
Time wears a garland of blue night-lotuses, with stars for their pollen, and white swans, the days, follow them. And it turns the garland round and round, endlessly, as one turns a bracelet on the wrist, another commentary says. The turning of night and day is the turning of a bracelet on Time's arm.