Page:The Vedanta-sutras, with the Sri-bhashya of Ramanujacharya.djvu/94



CHAPTER. I.

PART I.

May my understanding assume the form of loving devotion to that Highest Brahman who is the Home of Lakshmi,1 and to whom the creation, preservation, destruction, &C., of all the worlds is (mere) play, whose main resolve consists in the protection of hosts of multiform subordinate beings, and who is specially seen to shine forth in what constitutes the head2 of the Vedas.

May the fair-minded god-like ones of the earth drink in daily the speech-nectar of the son of Parasara <the nectar) which has been churned out of the heart of the milky ocean of the Upanishads, and quickens such souls as have lost hold of their life in God through the excessive flaming forth of the fire of sawsara* (may they drink in that nectar) which has been carefully preserved by ancient teachers and has (hitherto ) been held at a distance (from us all ) on account of the mutual conflict of many schools of thought, and which is now brought within the reach (of all ) by means of (our) appropriate words.

i. Lakshml is the name of the god- wives of Vishnu. dess of fortune, mercy and beauty. She J. The Cpaxisiiiiiis are looked is otherwise known as Sri, and is re- upon as forming the head of the I'f- garded in Hindu Mythology as the Jos, and are also known as the IV- wife of Vishnu or Narayana. In dJnia. the Taitt. Tlr. in the passage :. Samsarx mean? the circuit of " Hrisrfa tf Lakshni'sctia patnyau,"' mundane existence consisting of fre- l>oth Lakshml, and HrT or modesty quent births and frequent deaths ami j>er?onified. are spoken of a< tho all their consequences.