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Sarvilaka's speech, which is entirely made up of aspersions on the character of women generally. Cf. Euripides

Δῆλον ὡς γυνὴ κακον μέγα.—Hippol. 627.

Also . . . χρῆν γὰρ ἄλλοθέν ποθεν βροτοὺς

Πᾶιδας τεκνᾶυσθαι, θῆλν δ' οὐκ εἶναι γένος·

Χοὕτως ἂν οὐκ ἦν οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποις κακόν.—Med. 573.
Γένος γὰρ οὔτε πόντος οὔτε γῆ τρέφει

Τοίονδε.—Hec. 1181.

II. This stanza is one containing a play upon words throughout. The epithets which are used in a complimentary sense referring to a woman's external form may also, together with the substantives which they qualify, be used in a bad sense as applied to mental characteristics. From this point of view the stanza might mean-"Hardness of heart, eyes not looking straightforward, a deceitful face, a stupid look, sluggishness, cowardice, crafty behaviour;—such qualities may be subjects of boasting, but are really evil, and wise men avoid women of this kind." The wise man does not judge women merely by their external appearance; such want of discrimination is only worthy of the beasts; he looks within.

Cf. Vairagya Śataka, śloka 62.

13. Prahasana, translated "comedy," is one of the ten Rûpakas or forms of dramatic representation.

"Hair grey with age." Palita-kamaka-bhajam, lit. "having grey ears," i.e., grey hairs round your ears.

Cf. Raghuv., xii. 2

"Tam karnamûlamâgatya .

palitachchhadmanâ jarâ."

"Old age under the guise of grey hairs
Creeping to the bottom of his ear."

18. Jatah, "born indeed," i.e., born to some good purpose. Cf. Vairagya Sataka, śloka 29. Dhruva, "the pole-star," that which is fixed or permanent. The tortoise below the earth and the pole-star above it are probably chosen as examples of two things at the extreme limits of the universe. "Neither above nor below" may be explained as referring to men who are no

profit to others, either from a high position, as the pole-star, or from a low one, as the tortoise: they have no share in any useful work. They are like gnats, aimlessly buzzing about. For the fig-tree as symbolising the world of sense and passion, cf. Bhagavad., xv.

23. Men find no pleasure in hunting, in war, or in love, because their minds are always set on some extraneous object. Cf. Vairagya Sataka, ślokas 5 and 48.

26. Bali was a virtuous Daitya king, who by means of devotion and penance gained the mastery over the three worlds. Vishnu, on being appealed to by the deities, became manifest in his Avatâra of the Dwarf for the purpose of overthrowing Bali's power. In this form he begged from Bali as much ground as he could cover in three steps, and his boon being granted, stepped over heaven and earth in two strides. Out of respect, however, for Bali's virtues, he left him the lower region or Pâtâla.

29. Cf. Vairagya Śataka, śloka 74, and also Bhaghavad.,

vi. 8

"Jnâna vijnâna tṛiptâtmâ kûṭastho vijitendriyaḥ

yukta ity uchyate yogi samaloshțâśmakânchanaḥ."

"The man whose soul is satiated with spiritual knowledge and discernment, who is unchangeable, who looks upon a stone, a clod of earth, or gold as having exactly the same value-he indeed is called a devotee."

34. What penance, it is asked, has the deer practised that he is able to pass his life in peace and contentment.

38. The well used by Chandâlas, a tribe of outcasts, is distinguished by a piece of bone suspended over it.

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