Shriiman NaaraayaNiiyam - Dashaka 100 - Shlokam 4

Shlokam 4

OM namo Vaasudevaaya

Uttungollasi-naasam hari-maNi-mukura-prollasad-gaNDapaalii- vyaalolat-karNa-paasha-ancita-makara-maNii-kuNDala-dvandva-diipram | unmiilad-danta-pangkti-spurad-aruNatara-cchaya-bimba-adharaantaH- priiti-prasyandi-smita-madhurataram vaktram-udbhaasataam me ||

[ ASIDE : Do not be discouraged by the long , compound words which are formidable sounding . Once you get the hang of it all by patient word by word analysis , you will feel the joy of poetry mingling with bhakti. Please continue reading.]

The poet ends the stanza with the prayer: vaktram udbhaasataam me (may your face always shine before me) !

What are the attractive features of the face which he seeks to capture for ever in his mind's eye ?

1. The prominent and attractive nose ( Uttunga- ullasi- naasam).

2. hari-maNi-mukura-prollasad-gaNDapaalii- The cheeks (gaNDapaalii) shine (prollasat) like mirrors (mukura) made of sapphire (hari-maNi).

3. vyaalolat-karNa-paasha-ancita-makara-maNii-kuNDala-dvandva-diipram |

A pair of bejewelled ear ornaments (maNii- kuNDala-dvandvam) shaped like fish (makara) dangling (vyaalolat) from the earlobes (karNa-paasha-ancita) make the face radiant (diipram).

4. unmiilad-danta-pangkti-spurad-aruNatara-cchaya-bimba-adharaantaH- priiti-prasyandi-smita-madhurataram vaktram-udbhaasataam me ||

The lips (adhara) are deep red (aruNa-tara-cchaaya) like *bimba* fruits [akin to cherries ?]. Your mild smile (manda-smita) is like a stream of Love (priiti-prasyandi) flowing between your lips. It reveals (unmiilat) between the parted cherrylike lips (bimbaadhara-antaH) shining (sphurat) rows (pangkti) of teeth (danta). This makes your face extremely charming (madhura-taram).

May this charming face (madhura-taram vaktram) shine for ever (udbhaasataam) in my mind (me).