Temples and shoes

[Richard Salomon]

> 
> Through my nocturnal wanderings, I also managed to get the authentic
> version of the much-talked-about inscription at Khajuraho. It goes as
> follows (refer to our resident expert Richard Salomon for translation): 

Ashok and others,

For some reason I haven't been able to locate this inscription in my 
nocturnal wanderings through Epigraphia Indica.  What a pity that we 
cannot identify the ancient kavi who composed this little gem!  I'm sure 
that only he himself could do it justice in translation, so I 
must decline.

Rich



> 
> tvan-netra-sukha-kaariidam asmacchilpa.m, na sa.m;saya.h /
> bhavya.m divya.m ;siva.m kaavya.m paa.saa.ne.su prasaaritam //1//
> yathaa sajiivataa.m yaayaan nirjiivapi ;silaa tathaa /
> ta:nita.m ;silpibhi.h ;sre.s.thair viga.nayya nija-;sramam //2//
> bhartra ca ;silpinaa.m te.saa.m ga.nito na dhana-vyavya.h /
> cintita.m naiva  kaalasya kiyaan syaad vyaya ity api //3//
> kim etat prek.sakaa.naa.m syaan muhuurtam anura;njanam /
> ity etayaa k.rta.m buddhyaa sa.mbhogaade.h sucitra.nam //4//
> ti.s.tha, he pathikaatra tva.m nipu.na.m cintayasva ca /
> ki.m kalaa dharmato bhinnaa, ki.m kaamo dharmato 'pi vaa //5//
> naaya.m devaalayo vaastu kevala.m graava-nirmitam /
> ;sivo 'ya.m muurtimaan nyasta.h puras te tattva-cintakai.h //6//
> yathaa 'siva-caritre.su dharma.h kaama;s ca sa.mgatau /
> sa.myama.h sa.myamaabhaavo, yatitva.m patitaa, tathaa //7//
> asmin mi;sriik.rta.m dvandvam asmaabhir a;sma-ve;smani /
> sundare mahadaakaare mahaa-deva-nibhe 'dbhute //8//
> tavaapi jiivana.m. paantha, ;silpaad asmaan na bhidyate /
> ;silpa.m ca ;sivto 'bhinna.m. tasmadd asi ;sivaatmaka.h //9//
> maitad vismara, he dra.s.tar. maavamanyasva kaamitaam /
> d.r.s.tim aa;sritya paa;scaatyaa.m vik.toriiya-yugotthitaam //10//
> yathaa d.r.s.tis tathaa s.r.s.tir. dr.s.tyaa te mok.sa-bandhanau /
> d.r.s.tyaa s.r.s.ti.m vyatikramya bhukti.m muktyaa vi;sodhaya //11//
> raajaa vaa raaja-gopaalo gopaalo vavi;se.sa.na.h /
> ima.m lekha.m pa.thed ya.h sa bhaved buddha.h sva-jiivane //12//
> 
> Good wishes.
> 
> Ashok Aklujkar, Professor, Department of Asian Studies, University of B.C.,
> Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1Z2. Tel: O: (604) 822-5185, R: (604) 274-5353.
>  Fax O:
> 822-8937. E-mail: aklujkar at unixg.ubc.ca
> 
> 
>