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Soundarya Lahari
सौन्दर्यलहरी
Saundaryalaharī
Chant
तवापर्णे कर्णेजपनयनपैशुन्यचकिता निलीयन्ते तोये नियतमनिमेषाः शफरिकाः । इयं च श्रीर्बद्धच्छदपुटकवाटं कुवलयम् जहाति प्रत्यूषे निशि च विघटय्य प्रविशति ॥५६॥
Study note
Word breakdown
- अपर्णे कर्णे
- in your leaf-like ear
- पैशुन्यचकिता
- frightened by tale-bearing
- शफरिकाः
- small fish
- छदपुटकवाटम्
- the closed petals
Frightened by the tale-bearing eyes that might report to your ear, small fish hide motionlessly in water. Meanwhile, Lakshmi abandons the lotus when its petals close at dawn and re-enters it when they open at night, suggesting that divine beauty creates such reverence that even aquatic creatures and goddesses adjust their behavior out of respect.
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