"kaumudii"

[Richard Salomon]

While we're on kumuda/kaumudii, etc., I wonder if anyone can help with 
the following problem, which has me and some of my colleagues stumped:

Verse 11.35 of the Hammira-mahaakaavya of Nayacandrasuuri contains the 
following description of the lakes as part of a kulaka describing the 
city of Ra.nastambhapura (Ranthambhor; here referred to by yat-):

anaarata.m kaumudam aadadhaanaa.h sa.msevyamaanaa dvijaraajibhis' ca /
mi.s.tai.h payobhi.h pratibhaasamaanaa vibhaanti yaagaa iva 
							yat-ta.daagaa.h //

The problem is what exactly is the sense, or rather senses, of kaumuda- 
here.  Presumably it is meant to have a double sense, like dvija- 
'birds/brahmans' and payas- 'water/milk', referring to both the lakes 
(ta.daaga-) and 
to sacrifices (yaaga-) to which they are being punningly compared.  The 
primary sense of kaumuda- is obviously 'water lily'; but what does it mean with 
reference to something characteristic of a sacrifice?

Any thoughts?

Rich Salomon
University of Washington



On Tue, 21 Feb 1995, L.S.Cousins wrote:

> Dominik Wujastyk writes:
> 
> >Also, does the lotus, kumuda, *really* blossom in the moonlight, as is
> >implied by the common term "kaumudii"?
> 
> In Pali komudii is also taken as 'the full moon day in the month kattikaa'
> (PED). On this Buddhaghosa comments (Sv I 139):
> tadaa kira kumudaani supupphitaani  honti.
> 
> Lance Cousins.
> 
> MANCHESTER, UK
> Telephone (UK): 0161 434 3646
> 
> 
>  
>