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Book 1 - Vairagya Prakaranam
Chapter 17 — Rama on Greed
1. श्रीराम उवाच ।
हार्दान्धकारशर्वर्या तृष्णयेह दुरन्तया ।
स्फुरन्ति चेतनाकाशे दोषकौशिकपङ्कतयः ॥ १ ॥
Sri Rama Said (to Vasishtha):-
I see our vices like a flock of owls flying about in the region of our minds, under the darkness of our affections, and in the longsome night of our avarice.
2. अन्तर्दाहप्रदायिन्या समूढरसमार्दवः ।
पङ्क आदित्यदीप्त्येव शोषं नीतोऽस्मि चिन्तया ॥ २ ॥
I am parched by my anxieties like the wet clay under solar rays, infusing an inward heat in it by extraction of its soft moisture.
3. मम चित्तमहारण्येव्यामोहतिमिराकुले ।
शून्ये ताण्डविनी जाता भृशमाशापिशाचिका ॥ ३ ॥
My mind is like a vast and lonesome wilderness, covered under the mist of errors, and infested by the terrible fiend of desire is continually floundering about it.
4. वचोरचितनीहारा काञ्चनोपवनोज्ज्वला ।
नूनं विकासमायाति चिन्ताचणकमञ्जरी ॥ ४ ॥
My wailings and tears serve only to expand and mature my anxiety, as the dews of night open and ripen the blossoms of beans and give them a bright golden hue.
5. अलमन्तर्भ्रमायैव तृष्णातरलिताशया ।
आयाता विषमोल्लासमूर्मिरम्बुनिधाविव ॥ ५ ॥
Avarice by raising expectations in men, serves only to whirl them about, as the vortex of the sea wallows the marine animals in it.
6. उद्दामकल्लोलरवा देहाद्रौ वहतीह मे ।
तरङ्गतरलाकारा तरत्तृष्णातरङ्गिणी ॥ ६ ॥
The stream of worldly avarice flows like a rapid current within the rock of my body, with precipitate force (in my actions), and loud resounding waves (of my speech).
7. वेगं सरोद्धुमुदितो वात्ययेव जरत्तृणम् ।
नीतः कलुषया क्वापि तृष्णया चित्तचातकः ॥ ७ ॥
Our minds are driven by foul avarice from one place to another, as the dusty dry hays are borne away by the winds, and as the Chatakas are impelled by thirst to fly about (for drink).
8. यां यामहमतीवास्थां संश्रयामि गुणश्रियाम् ।
तां तां कृन्तति मे तृष्णा तन्त्रीमिव कुमूषिका ॥ ८ ॥
It is avarice which destroys all the good qualities and grace which we adopted to ourselves in good faith, just as the mischievous mouse severs the wires (of a musical instrument).
9. पयसीव जरत्पर्णं वायाविव जरत्तृणम् ।
नभसीव शरन्मेघश्चिन्ताचक्रे भ्रमाम्यहम् ॥ ९ ॥
We turn about upon the wheel of our cares, like withered leaves (floating) upon the water, and like dry grass uplifted by the wind, and as autumnal clouds (moving) in the sky.
10. गन्तुमास्पदमात्मीयमसमर्थधियो वयम् ।
चिन्ताजाले विमुह्यामो जाले शकुनयो यथा ॥ १० ॥
Being overpowered by avarice, we are disabled to reach the goal (of perfection), as a bird entangled in the snare, is kept from its flight.
11. तृष्णाभिधानया तात दग्धोऽस्मि ज्वालया तथा ।
यथा दाहोपशमनमाशंके नामृतैरपि ॥ ११ ॥
I am so greatly burnt by the flame of avarice, that I doubt whether this inflammation may be assuaged even by administration of nectar itself.
12. दूरं दूरमितो गत्वा समेत्य च पुनःपुनः ।
भ्रमत्याशु दिगन्तेषु तृष्णोन्मत्ता तुरङ्गमी ॥ १२ ॥
Avarice like a heated-mare takes me far and farther still from my place, and brings me back to it again and again. Thus it hurries me up and down and to and fro in all directions for ever.
13. जडसंसर्गिणी तृष्णा कृतोर्ध्वाधोगमागमा ।
क्षुब्धा ग्रन्थिमती नित्यमारघट्टाग्ररज्जुवत् ॥ १३ ॥
We are pulled up and cast down again like a bucket in the well, by the string of avarice (tied about our necks).
14. अन्तर्ग्रथितया देहे सर्वदुश्छेदयाऽनया ।
रज्ज्वेवाशु बलीवर्दस्तृष्णया वाह्यते जनः ॥ १४ ॥
Man is led about like a bullock of burden by his avarice, which bends his heart as fast as the string does the beast, and which it is hard for him to break.
15. पुत्रमित्रकलत्रादितृष्णया नित्यकृष्टया ।
खगेष्विव किरात्येदं जालं लोकेषु रच्यते ॥ १५ ॥
As the huntress spreads her net to catch birds in it, so does our affection for our friends, wives and children stretch these snares to entrap us every day.
16. भीषयत्यपि धीरं मामन्धयत्यपि सेक्षणम् ।
खेदयत्यपि सानन्दं तृष्णाकृष्णेव शर्वरी ॥ १६ ॥
Avarice like a dark night terrifies even the wise, blindfolds the keen-sighted, and depresses the spirit of the happiest of men.
17. कुटिला कोमलस्पर्शा विषवैषम्यशंसिनी ।
दशत्यपि मनाक्स्पृष्टा तृष्णा कृष्णेव भोगिनी ॥ १७ ॥
Our appetite is as heinous as a serpent, soft to feel, but full of deadly poison, and bites us as soon as it is felt.
18. भिन्दती हृदयं पुंसां मायामयविधायिनी ।
दौर्भाग्यदायिनी दीना तृष्णा कृष्णेव राक्षसी ॥ १८ ॥
It is also like a black sorceress that deludes men by her magic, but pierces him in his heart, and exposes him to danger afterwards.
19. तन्द्रीतन्त्रीगणैः कोशं दधाना परिवेष्टितम् ।
नानन्दे राजते ब्रह्मंस्तृष्णा जर्जरवल्लकी ॥ १९ ॥
This body of ours shattered by our avarice is like a worn out lute, fastened by arteries resembling the wires, but emitting no pleasing sound.
20. नित्यमेवातिमलिना कटुकोन्माददायिनी ।
दीर्घतन्त्री घनस्नेहा तृष्णा गह्वरवल्लरी ॥ २० ॥
Our avarice is like the long fibered, dark and juicy poisonous creeper called Kaduka, that grows in the caverns of mountains, and maddens men by its flavour.
21. अनानन्दकरी शून्या निष्फला व्यर्थमुन्नता ।
अमङ्गलकरी क्रूरा तृष्णा क्षीणेव मञ्जरी ॥ २१ ॥
Avarice is as vain and inane, fruitless and aspiring, unpleasant and perilous, as the dry twig of a tree, which (bears no fruit or flower) but is hurtful with its prickly point.
22. अनावर्जितचित्तापि सर्वमेवानुधावति ।
न चाप्नोति फलं किंचित्तृष्णा जीर्णेव कामिनी ॥ २२ ॥
Venality is like a churlish old woman, who from the incontinence of her heart, courts the company of every man, without gaining the object of her desire.
23. संसारवृन्दे महति नानारससमाकुले ।
भुवनाभोगरङ्गेषु तृष्णा जरठनर्तकी ॥ २३ ॥
Greediness as an old actress plays her various parts in the vast theatre of world, in order to please the different tastes of her audience.
24. जराकुसुमितारूढा पातोत्पातफलावलिः ।
संसारजंगले दीर्घे तृष्णा विषलता तता ॥ २४ ॥
Parsimony is as a poisonous plant growing in the wide wilderness of the world, bearing old age and infirmity as its flowers, and producing our troubles as its fruits.
25. यन्न शक्रोति तत्रापि धत्ते ताण्डवितां गतिम् ।
नृत्यत्यानन्दरहितं तृष्णा जीर्णेव नर्तकी ॥ २५ ॥
Our churlishnesss resembles an aged actress, attempting a manly feat she has not the strength to perform, yet keeping up the dance without pleasing (herself or any body).
26. भृशं स्फुरति नीहारे शाम्यत्यालोक आगते ।
दुर्लङ्घयेषु पदं धत्ते चिन्ता चपलबर्हिणी ॥ २६ ॥
Our fleeting thoughts are as fickle as pea-hens, soaring over inaccessible heights under the clouds (of ignorance); but ceasing to fly in the day light (of reason).
27. जडकल्लोलबहुला चिरं शून्यान्तरान्तरा ।
क्षणमुल्लासमायाति तृष्णा प्रावृट्तरङ्गिणी ॥ २७ ॥
Avarice is like a river in the rains, rising for a time with its rolling waves, and afterwards lying low in its empty bed. (Such are the avaricious by the flux and reflux of their fortunes).
28. नष्टमुत्सृज्य तिष्ठन्तं तृष्णा वृक्षमिवापरम् ।
पुरुषात्पुरुषं याति तृष्णा लोलेव पक्षिणी ॥ २८ ॥
Avarice is as inconstant as a female bird, which changes her mates at times, and quits the arbor that no longer bears any fruit.
29. पदं करोत्यलङ्घ्येऽपि तृप्तापि फलमीहते ।
चिरं तिष्ठति नैकत्र तृष्णा चपलमर्कटी ॥ २९ ॥
The greedy are as unsteady as the flouncing monkey, which is never restive at any place, but moves to places impassable by others, and craving for fruits even when satiate.
30. इदं कृत्वेदमायाति सर्वमेवासमञ्जसम् ।
अनारतं च यतते तृष्णा चेष्टेव दैविकी ॥ ३० ॥
The acts of avarice are as inconstant as those of chance, both of which are ever on the alert, but never attended with their sequence.
31. क्षणमायाति पातालं क्षणं याति नभस्थलम् ।
क्षणं भ्रमति दिक्कुञ्जे तृष्णा हृत्पद्मषट्पदी ॥ ३१ ॥
Our venality is like a black-bee sitting upon the lotus of our hearts, and thereby making its rambles above, below and all about us in a moment.
32. सर्वसंसारदोषाणां तृष्णैका दीर्घदुःखदा ।
अन्तःपुरस्थमपि या योजयत्यतिसंकटे ॥ ३२ ॥
Of all worldly evils, avarice is the source of the longest woe. She exposes to peril even the most secluded man.
33. प्रयच्छति परं जाड्यं परमालोकरोधिनी ।
मोहनीहारगहना तृष्णा जलदमालिका ॥ ३३ ॥
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