20 Conference between Krishna and Ndrada. [Jan. 



19. The golden throne on which the hero, whose body was 

 black like a fresh cloud, sat down at the bidding of the saint, surpassed 

 the beauty of the cliff of Sumeru, embellished as it is by the fruit 

 of the Eugenia. 



20. Resplendent like the orb of the Moon, and clad in apparel that 

 equalled the lustre of tried gold, he resembled the ocean embraced by 

 the flames of submarine fire. 



Annotations — Book I. 



V. 1. Brahma, was bom in an egg bright as gold (Menu, c. i. v. 9.) and from his hip 

 sprang Narada. Krishna being an incarnation of Vishnu bears the titles of that 

 deity; the name Hari, and the attribute of pervading and containing the universe are 

 therefore given to him, at the same time that he is mentioned as the son of Vasudeva. 

 His wife Rukmini is in like manner considered as an incarnation of Sri or Lukshmi. 

 In the original, Sri is the first word of the couplet, purposely introduced there as an 

 auspicious beginning of the Poem. 



V. 2. The first part of this triplet is an interpolation. The Scholiast leaves it unno- 

 ticed. Aruna is the dawn, or the Charioteer of the Sun, and is figured without lower 

 extremities. 



V. 3. The sagacity of Krishna is here meant to be contrasted with the stupid 

 wonder of the people. 



V. 4. On certain festive days Siva dances before his wife Parvati. 



V. 5. The minei*al anjana that used for collyrium is here meant. 



V. 6. Balarama, brother of Krishna, derives several of his titles from the black 

 apparel constantly worn by him. 



V. 7. Vishnu's bird named Garuda, is surnamed King of Birds. The down on his 

 body is figured as much larger than that which is observed in his kindred of royal 

 vultures. 



The King of Vultures, if the bird usually so named were meant by Sir William Jones, 

 (As. Res. vol. vi. p. 128), has been described as a native of America and the West In- 

 dies. The Pandits of Behar suppose the gigantic crane to be the Garuda. 



V. 8. The spotted Axis is the species of deer alluded to in this place. Airavata, 

 surnamed King of Elephants, bears Indra, the sovereign of demi-gods. He is figured 

 white like the royal elephants of Ava. 



V. 9. Narada being an ascetic is painted as here described, with a rosary in one 

 hand, and his Indian lute in the other, his hair braided like an anchorite, his com- 

 plexion fair, and his body covered with ashes, a sacerdotal string by way of scarf, a 

 yellow cord round his waist, and the skin of an antelope on his shoulders. 



V. 10. Nauada's lute, surnamed Mahati or " the large," Saraswati's is called 

 " KachJiapi" (testudo), as Viswavasa's Vrihati or "the best," and Tumburu's 

 " Kalavati." 



