Re: Re: stock phrase about men?

[Somadeva Vasudeva]

> > So here we are back in the realm of the overtly sexual.
>

This seems to me all very unlikely. On closer inspection it appears that
striivra.na occurs in only one verse in all of the Sanskrit literature I have
available, sometimes (dubiously) claimed to be part of the "Satakatraya of
Bhrat.rhari and discussed by some Ala"nkaarikas and found in some anthologies. The
verse is quoted by Mamma.ta as an example of the defect of "obscenity"
(a"sliila) becoming a poetic virtue because of context (a renunciatory theme):
uttaanocchuunama.n.duukapaa.titodarasa.mnibhe/
kledini striivra.ne saktir ak.rme.h kasya jaayate?

This hardly qualifies it as a well-known expression in Sanskrit, it is a
metphor (ruupaka) invented by one poet and not used by anyone else as far as I can
see.

The -bha"nga could be preceded by a word meaning "voice" as I already
suggested. Or we could have a synonym for pattrabha"nga, the ornamental patterns
ladies paint on their faces and chests. This would not conflict with aakalpa for
those are ornaments put on. Or, if the Pali commentators are considered
reliable vanabha"ngamight be taken as a synonym for pattracchedya, the art of making
leaf-figures.

An interesting discussion of such leaf-figures, under the name pattracchedya
is given in B.rhatkathaa"slokasa.mgraha 9.2--7.   Here "chedya" might indeed
be a synonym for "bha"nga". This requires vana/vra.na to be derived from a Pkt.
word meaning "leaf".

S.D.Vasudeva