Tuesday, March 29, 2011

SAUNDARANANDA 8.62: No Buttered Parsnips

tad vijNaaya manaH-shariira-niyataan naariiShu doShaan imaan
matvaa kaama-sukhaM nadii-jala-calaM kleshaaya shokaaya ca
dRShTvaa durbalam aama-paatra-sadRshaM mRty'-uupasRShTaM jagan
nirmokShaaya kuruShva buddhim atulaam utkaNThituM n' aarhasi

= = = - - = - = - - - = = = - = = - =
= = = - - = - = - - - = = = - = = - -
= = = - - = - = - - - = = = - = = - =
= = = - - = - = - - - = = = - = = - -

saundaranande mahaa-kaavye strii-vighaato naam'-aaShTamaH sargaH

= - - = = - = = = = - = = = = - = = =

8.62
So know these faults to be tied,
mentally and physically, to women;

Understand how sensual pleasure,
as it flows away like river water,
makes for affliction and for sorrow;

See the world, in Death's shadow,
to be fragile as an unbaked pot;

And make the peerless decision that leads to release
-- instead of stiffening up your neck through yearning."


The 8th canto in the epic poem Handsome Nanda,
titled "A Tirade against Women."


COMMENT:
The striver's words in "tasting the excellent pleasure of cessation while learning a better way" [8.60] are truly excellent words, but not as excellent as "make the peerless decision that leads to release -- instead of stiffening up your neck through yearning."

Even if the striver himself didn't understand the excellence of his own words, the words with he concludes this Canto are -- at least in my book -- very excellent words.

Sadly, fine words butter no parsnips.

"That's for damn sure," a Zen master chimed in.


(Reacher said nothing.)


EH Johnston:
Recognising then these faults to be inherent in the minds and bodies of women, understanding the pleasures of love to pass away as the water of a river and to lead to sin and grief, and seeing the world to be devoid of strength like an unbaked pot and delivering over to death, form an unequalled determination for the attainment of salvation and desist from yearning.'

Linda Covill:
So be cognizant of these defects that pertain to women's minds and bodies; understand that pleasure from passion flows away like the waters of a river and makes for defilement and sadness; observe that the world, flimsy as an unfired pot, is in the grip of death -- make the peerless decision for freedom, and yearn no more!"

The End of Canto 8: The Attack on Women



VOCABULARY:
tad: ind. therefore, so
vijNaaya = abs. vi- √ jNaa: to distinguish , discern , observe , investigate , recognize , ascertain , know , understand
manaH-shariira-niyataan
manas: mind
shariira: body
niyata: mfn. tied to ; connected with , dependent on (loc.)
ni- √ yam: to hold back; to fasten , tie to (loc.)
naariiShu (loc. pl.): f. women
doShaan (acc. pl.): m. fault
imaan (acc. pl. m.): these

matvaa = abs. man: to think ; to perceive , observe , learn , know , understand , comprehend
kaama-sukham (acc. sg.): sensual pleasure
kaama: m. desire, love, sensuality
sukha: n. ease, comfort, pleasure, happiness
nadii-jala-calam (acc. sg.): passing like river water
nadii: river
jala: water
cala: mfn. moving, passing, transient
kleshaaya (dat. sg.): m. pain , affliction , distress , pain from disease , anguish
shokaaya (dat. sg.): m. sorrow , affliction , anguish , pain , trouble , grief
ca: and

dRShTvaa = abs. dRsh: to see , behold , look at , regard , consider ; examine
durbalam (acc. sg. n.): mfn. of little strength , weak , feeble; scanty , small , little
aama-paatra-sadRsham (acc. sg. n.): like an unbaked pot
aama: mfn. raw , uncooked
paatra: n. a drinking-vessel , goblet , bowl , cup , dish , pot , plate , utensil &c , any vessel or receptacle
sadRsha: mfn. like , resembling , similar to
mRty'-uupasRShTam (acc. sg. n.): eclipsed by death ; Death-plagued
mRtyu: m. death, dying ; Death personified , the god of disease (sometimes identified with yama or with viShNu
upasRShTa: mfn. let loose towards; furnished with ; visited , afflicted , burdened with , plagued ; obscured (by raahu , as the sun) , eclipsed ; possessed (by a god or demon)
upa- √ sRj: to let loose upon or towards ; to let stream upon , pour on , shed forth ; to visit , afflict , plague , trouble
jagat (acc. sg.): n. that which moves or is alive ; n. the world , esp. this world , earth

nirmokShaaya (dat. sg.): m. liberation , deliverance
nir- √ muc: to loosen , free from (abl.) , liberate
kuruShva = 2nd pers. sg. imperative kR: to do, make
buddhim (acc. sg.): f. the power of forming and retaining conceptions and general notions , intelligence , reason , intellect , mind , discernment , judgement
buddhim- √kR: to make up one's mind , resolve , decide (with loc. dat.)
atulaam (acc. sg. f.): mfn. unequalled
utkaNThitum = infinitive ut-kaNTha: to raise the neck; to long for , regret , sorrow for
ud: up, upwards
kaNTha: m. ( √kaN, to sound, cry) the throat , the neck
na: not
arhasi = 2nd pers. sg. arh: to deserve, ought

saundara-nande mahaa-kaavye (loc.): in the epic poem Handsome Nanda
strii-vighaataH (nom. sg. m.): striking a blow against women
strii: a woman, female, wife
vighaata: m. a stroke ; breaking off or in pieces ; driving back , warding off; removal , prohibition , prevention , interruption , impediment , obstacle
naama: ind. by name
aaShTamaH sargaH (nom. sg. m.): 8th canto

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