[104] p. 50. l. 12. Neither Brahmin fear, nor Sages. In Indian poetry four classes of holy men, or Rishis, are distinguished, and rise, one above the other, in the following rank: Rajarshis, royal Rishis; Maharshis, great Rishis; Brahmarshis, Brahminical Rishis; and Dewarshis, divine Rishis. Kosegarten. Another enumeration specifies seven grades. Wilson, in voce.
[105] p. 50. l. 26. Saying thus, of vests celestial—gave he to the king a pair. The dress of a Hindu consists of two pieces of cloth, one, the lower garment fastened round his waist, and one the upper garment thrown loosely and gracefully over the shoulders. Wilson.
[106] p. 51. l. 6. In the art of dressing viands. This, it will be remembered, was one of the gifts bestowed by the gods on Nala at his marriage.
[107] p. 51. l. 12. —hundred hundreds is thy pay. Suvarnas, a certain measure of gold. Wilson, Dict. in voce.
[108] p. 52. l. 2. There is in the text a second line, repeating the same sentiment. Bopp proposes to reject the first, I have omitted the second.
[109] p. 53. l. 7. And a royal grant for maintenance. See Bopp's note. I have adopted the second sense of the word Agrahārah. Such grants were not uncommon in India, as throughout the east. See the grants on copper-plates found near Bombay, Asiatic Researches, i. 362. So the well-known gifts of the king of Persia to Themistocles.
[110] p. 53. l. 15. —on a royal holiday. A day proclaimed as fortunate by the king.
[111] p. 54. l. 1. —like Manmatha's queen divine. The bride of Kámadeva is Rati, pleasure.
[112] p. 54. ls. 4—10. This long train of similes, in which the images of the lotus flower and the moon so perpetually occur, is too characteristic to be omitted or compressed. I have here and there used the license of a paraphrase.
[113] p. 54. l. 5. Like the pallid night, when Rahu. This is a favourite simile of the Indian poets.