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मध्ये स्फुरन्मकरतोरणमण्डलस्य चामीकराभरणभूषितसर्वगात्रः ।
आदित्यबिम्बगतमाप्रपदात् सुवर्णं भासा भवाननुकरोति भवन्तमेव ॥
T: Oh, Lord Śrī Varadarāja, You are installed in the middle of the golden Makara Toraṇa of the Kāncī temple, adorned as You are with golden ornaments all over Your body. You resemble Yourself (as Mahā Viṣṇu) who are described as enshrined in the centre of the golden orb of the sun, and You shine from head to foot in gold!
Explanation: The special decoration surrounding the sanctum at Kāncī is called the Makara Toraṇa. In its centre stands the Lord Śrī Varadarāja adorned with splendid golden ornaments. The Vedic scriptures declare Lord Mahā Viṣṇu as the Supreme Being occupying the centre of the golden orb of the sun.
"य एषोऽन्तरादित्ये हिरण्मयः पुरुषो दृश्यते हिरण्यश्मश्रुः हिरण्यकेशः आ प्रणखात् सर्व एव सुवर्णः" "Lo behold the Supreme Being in the centre of the sun, with golden mane, golden locks and from toe to head golden in form." - the Upaniṣads. testify. Thus, the Lord in Kāncī is emulating Himself as the central Deity in the sun! This clever turn of phrase by the poet harks to अनन्वय अलङ्कार Ananvaya Alaṅkāra or, by saying we are comparing two different states or forms of the Lord, it becomes a simile (Upamālaṅkāra).
