Query

[Mitra Ara]

"Mähpäreh" literally means: a piece (päreh) of the moon (mäh).   It is a
Persian expression meaning the beauty, belle.



In Persian literature mäh (moon) is not only a symbol of beauty but also of
time and cycle, "the ocean of time."



Perhaps, Chandra-kalä (a digit of the moon) often personified as a beautiful
female divinity.



Mitra Ara




> Friends:
>
> A colleague of my in Persian literature has a question regarding a
> Persian translation of a Sanskrit work -- actually the 16th section
> of a work. The Persian is named "Mahpareh", and it was translated not
> directly from Sanskrit but from an English translation done one Bean
> [the spelling is uncertain] in 1898. The Persian translates something
> like "the essence of the ocean of time." Here is a brief synopsis
> given by my colleague:
>
> Here is a sort of the synopsis of this "love" story with all of my
> misspellings of names:  Suryakanta is a king who after seeing a
> portrait of Rasakusha decides to find her and finally arrives at her
> court.  As a part of some sort of ceremony, he sends her some story
> every day and receives an answer.  After the seventh day, the king
> realizes that he can no longer console himself with the portrait, and
> that he has a long way to go to attain his true love which is
> manifested in the princess. On the 19th day, the king throws the
> portrait away and does not look at it until next day.  On the same
> day Rasakusha tells him the story of "Krita-Krita."
>
> Any guesses? Thanks.
>
> Patrick
>