Shriiman NaaraayaNiiyam - Dashaka 100 - Shlokam 2

Shlokam 2

OM Namo Vasudevaaya

niilaabham kuncitaagram ghanam-amalataram sanyatam caaru-bhangyaa ratnottamsa-abhiraamam valayitam-udayac-candrakaiH pinjcha-jaalaiH | mandaara-srang-niviitam tava pR^thu-kabarii-bhaaram-aalokaye-'ham snigdha-shveta-uurdhva-puNDraam-api ca su-lalitam phaala-baalendu-viithiim ||

I see (aalokaye aham) your (tava) luxuriant locks of hair (pR^thu-kabarii-bharam). The hair is dark and shining (niila-aabham). The ends are curled (kuncita-agram). The thick (ghanam) and perfectly clean (amala-taram) hair has been gathered into a bunch (sanyatam) with attractive undulations (caru-bhangya). This (artistically done tuft on the top of your head) is beautifully decorated with the best of jewels (ratnottamsaabhiraamam). It is ringed (valayitam) by a plume of peacock feathers (pinjcha-jaalaiH), with glistening (udayat) "eyes " (candrakaiH). [This refers to the eye-like patterns naturally formed on peacock feathers] A string of mandaara flowers is tied around the tuft (mandaara-srag-niviitam).

In the first shlokam the poet gave a long distance shot, as it were, of what he saw. In this shloka he is zooming-in to provide a more detailed picture. He starts with the hair-do (keshaadi paadaanta varNanam). Now he slowly lowers his gaze and proceeds to describe the forehead :

He adds, I also notice (api ca aalokaye) the forehead (phaala) which is

very handsome (sulalitaam) and resembles the crescent moon of the fifth day of the waxing fortnight (baala-indu-viithiim). On the forehead is a handsome (snigdha) white (shveta) line of sandal paste which is drawn upwards (uurdhva-puNDram).

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I am generally following the interpretation given in the book by Shri S.N.Sastri, published by the Central Chinmaya Misson Trust, Bombay.