Click on the image to open:
पक्षद्वयक्रशिमपोषविभाव्यमानचान्द्रायणव्रतनिषेवण एव नित्यम् ।
कुर्वन्प्रदक्षिणमुपेन्द्र सुरालयं ते लिप्सुर्मुखाब्जरुचिमेष तपस्यतीन्दुः ॥८५॥
T: Oh Lord Śrī Varadarāja, also called Upendra, the moon in his Cāndrāyaṇa is seen to pass through waning and waxing during the resepctive Kṛṣṇa Śukla fortnights, as he undertakes the severe austerity (Tapas/Vrata) constantly circumambulating the heavens (Meru) in the hope of gaining the lustre to compete with the luminosity of Your face.
Explanation: Chandra or moon undertakes the severe austerity (Tapas/Vrata) during the dark fortnight by reducing by one morsel his food night after night , and thus loses weight/size. He increases his food intake by a morsel daily during the bright fortnight. This type of Vrata is called Cāndrāyaṇa. The poet decides that the moon waxes and wanes as he observes this Cāndrāyaṇa Vrata. The moon is also seen circumambulating the Meru peak at the centre of heavens. The motivation for this penance is the moon's desire to acquire lustre to compete with the radiance of Śrī Varadarāja's face. This is the figurative interpretation of the poet using Utprekṣā. Since Meru is also described as the abode of the gods or a temple, the moon's going round it is circumambulation in prayer as a part of this Vrata, surmises the poet.
