English (machine translation) 305

305

there is no ascertainment of its validity; or, even if it is ascertained to be valid, there is no certainty of its intrinsic validity whereby all people would accept it. To this, [the author] says: "sāvadyam" ('flawed'). 'Avadya' means a fault, that is, invalidity; 'accompanied by that' is 'sāvadyam'. Or else, let this be flawless ('niravadyam'). What is the use of this worry? The meaning is: this worry need not be entertained. Why? To this, he says: "nūnam" ('surely'). A person who has devotion to you, who belongs to the party of the faithful, will recite this hymn. For him, surely, this is intrinsically valid alone—this is the meaning. He explains that very point: thinking of the lightness that was arising in myself, that this purpose is impossible for us to accomplish, and thus having turned away from the undertaking of composing it, even by me of little knowledge—rendered vocal through devotion to you, with the essence of my intellect awakened by you who manifested as my very self through service to you, and for that very reason with a flow of speech manifested effortlessly and without strain—this [hymn] has surely been composed, that is, revealed, as an eternal reality; it is not produced merely by the play of our intellect in the present time. Therefore, it is to be understood by the learned as intrinsically valid alone—this is the meaning. Because the author used the word 'laghu' ('light' or 'humble') in reference to himself, it should be known that this work became renowned in the world as the 'Laghustuti'. Or it is called the Laghustuti because of its swift execution; or, though vast in meaning, because it measures twenty [one] verses; or the Laghustuti is the praise of the light, straightforward goddess who does not deceive her devotees. || 21