Part 6

[5] When the Gods churned the Ocean, to recover the lost nectar of immortality, Urvasi first appeared, one of many good and bad things that came to light. With the nectar came out poison, which threatened the life of all creatures, till Siva drank it to save the worlds. Tagore has invented Urvasi’s responsibility for the nectar and poison being brought forth; at any rate, I know of no other authority for line 4 of this stanza.

[6] A jasmine.

[7] In Sanskrit mythology, heaven, the atmosphere, and earth; in later mythology, generally heaven, earth, and the underworld.

[8] In Indian mythology, there are Mounts of Sunrise and Sunsetting.

[9] From the _Mādhabī_.

[10] Sanskrit Urvasī.

[11] _I.e._ the _vīnā_, the lute.

[12] From the _Kanyādhūp_.

[13] From the _Patralekha_.

[14] From the _Patralekha_.

[15] “Spring fifth” is the fifth day of the light fortnight of the month of Māgh, when Sarasvati, the goddess of letters and wisdom, who loves the _vīnā_, lute, is worshipped. The month of Māgh corresponds to January-February.

[16] I.e. the goddess who carries the _vīnā_, or lute, in her hand.

[17] The thousand-headed snake of Heaven.

[18] _Seli_, or the small round string made of black wool that Guru Nanak used to wear at times.

[19] _Samādhi_ is the mystic’s “ecstasy,” in which all consciousness of the material world is lost and the soul is face to face with the Real.