[Advaita-l] Incorrect comparisons?

[Br. Pranipata Chaitanya]

>In Swami Vidyaranaya's Sankara Digvijayam introduction, he says "those who
are proud due to the wealth that is attained by the dancer of unsteady
mindlakshmi, who appeared in the milk ocean". Lakshmi devi cannot be said
to be of unsteady mind because when the milk ocean was churned and the
svayamvara was conducted she naturally chose Vishnu as her husband ignoring
other forms including Indra and Siva. In her incarnation as Sita, she was
always fixed on Lord Rama even when Ravana kidnapped her and tortured her
with rakshashis who were expert in creating illusions in the mind. So how
is this correct?


> Rajaram: My question is based on the tamil translation by Shri N.S.
Anantha Krishna Sastry and this work has Shrimukham by Sringeri Periyava.
The author has used the tamil term sanchala subhavamulla (unsteady nature)
but do not know which word in the original he translates in to this. I
think he rightly takes abdhi-kanya as a compound that refers lakshmi
because she appeared when the milk ocean was churned. The full translation
of the clause is parkadalil thondriya lakshmiyagiya sanjalasubhavamulla
naattiyapen narthana seivadhinaalundana selvathinaal migavum
serukkadaindhavargalum. It does not seem to be a literal translation but
perhaps based on commentaries.

> 
> I agree with you on poetic license. The question that remains is on the
> correctness of the tamil translation.There is no word in Swami Vidyaranya's
> verse that I saw which matches "sanchala subhavamulla" (of flickering
> nature). There can be no poetic license in translation unless the argument
> is that it is supported by commentaries and sub-commentaries, if any.
> 


Hari Om! Pranaams!

Your assumption of the tamil-word as ca~ncalA in place of saMchhalA has confused you and you tried to pass it on to others. 

Please read vyAkhyAnas for the word 'chhalam' in the phrase 'chhalam illA anilum polen' in Tamil verse 27 'kurangukal malai nUkka..' - thirumAlai by tondaradipozhiyAlwar.

You will understand the translation saMchhalA pertains to the word natI. 

In Shri Guru Smriti,
Br. Pranipata Chaitanya