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Book 1 - Vairagya Prakaranam

Chapter 26 — The Acts of Destiny

1. श्रीराम उवाच ।
वृत्तेऽस्मिन्नेवमेतेषां कालादीनां महामुने ।
संसारनाम्नि कैवास्था मादृशानां वदत्विह ॥ १ ॥
Rama said:—
Such being the all destructive conduct of time and others (as already described), what confidence, O great sage, can men like me, have upon them?
2. विक्रीता इव तिष्ठाम एतैर्दैवादिभिर्वयम् ।
मुने प्रपञ्चरचनैर्मुग्धा वनमृगा इव ॥ २ ॥
We all remain here, O sage! as slaves sold to Fate and Destiny, and are deceived by their allurements as beasts of the forest.
3. एषोऽनार्यसमाम्नायः कालः कवलनोन्मुखः ।
जगत्यविरतं लोकं पातयत्यापदर्णवे ॥ ३ ॥
This Fate whose conduct is so very inhuman, is always up to devour all beings, and is incessantly throwing men into the sea of troubles.
4. दहत्यन्तर्दुराशाभिर्देवो दारुणचेष्टया ।
लोकमुष्णप्रकाशाभिज्वालाभिर्दहनो यथा ॥ ४ ॥
He is led by his malicious attempts to inflame the mind with inordinary desires, as the fire raises its flames to burn down a habitation.
5. धृतिं विधुरयत्येषा मर्यादारूपवल्लभा ।
स्त्रीत्वात्स्वभावचपला नियतिर्नियतोन्मुखी ॥ ५ ॥
Destiny the faithful and obedient wife of Fate, is naturally fickle on account of her being a female, and is always bent on mischief and disturbing the patience (even of the wisest of men).
6. ग्रसतेऽविरतं भूतजालं सर्प इवानिलम् ।
कृतान्तः कर्कशाचारो जरां नीत्वाऽजरं वपुः ॥ ६ ॥
As the heinous serpent feeds upon the air, so does cruel Death ever swallow the living. He ripens the body with old age to create his zest, and then devours all animals warm with life.
7. यमो निर्घृणराजेन्द्रो नार्तं नामानुकम्पते ।
सर्वभूतदयोदारो जनो दुर्लभतां गतः ॥ ७ ॥
Death is called a relentless tyrant, having no pity even for the sick and weak; nor any regard for any one in any state of life.
8. सर्वा एव मुने फल्गुविभवा भूतजातयः ।
दुःखायैव दुरन्ताय दारुणा भोगभूमयः ॥ ८ ॥
Every one in this world is fond of affluence and pleasures, not knowing that these are only calculated to lead him to his ruin.
9. आयुरत्यन्तचपलं मृत्युरेकान्तनिष्ठुरः ।
तारुण्यं चातितरलं बाल्यं जडतया हृतम् ॥ ९ ॥
Life is very unsteady, wavering. Death is very cruel. Youth is very frail and fickle, and boyhood is full of dullness and insensibility.
10. कलाकलङ्कितो लोको बन्धवो भवबन्धनम् ।
भोगा भवमहारोगास्तृष्णाश्च मृगतृष्णिकाः ॥ १० ॥
Man is defiled by his worldliness, his friends are ties to the world, his enjoyments are the greatest of his diseases in life, and his avarice and ambition are the mirage that always allures him (to ruin).
11. शत्रवश्चेन्द्रियाण्येव सत्यं यातमसत्यताम् ।
प्रहरत्यात्मनैवात्मा मनसैव मनो रिपुः ॥ ११ ॥
Our very senses are our enemies, before which even truth appears as falsehood; the mind is the enemy of the mind and self is the enemy of self. (i. e. they are all deceptive).
12. अहंकारः कलङ्काय बुद्धयः परिपेलवाः ।
क्रिया दुष्फलदायिन्यो लीलाः स्त्रीनिष्ठतां गताः ॥ १२ ॥
Self-esteem is stained (with the name of selfishness), intelligence is blamed for its fallaciousness, our actions are attended with bad results, and our pleasures tend only to effeminacy.
13. वाञ्छाविषयशालिन्यः सच्चमत्कृतयः क्षताः ।
नार्यो दोषपताकिन्यो रसा नीरसतां गताः ॥ १३ ॥
All our desires are directed to enjoyments; our love of truth is lost; our women are the ensigns of vice, and all that were once so sweet, have become tasteless and vapid.
14. वस्त्ववस्तुतया ज्ञातं दत्तं चित्तमहंकृतौ ।
अभाववेधिता भावा भावान्तो नाधिगम्यते ॥ १४ ॥
Things that are not real, are believed as real, and have become the cause of our pride, by hardening us in untruth, and keeping us from the light of truth.
15. तप्यते केवलं साधो मतिराकुलितान्तरा ।
रागरोगो विलसति विरागो नोपगच्छति ॥ १५ ॥
My mind is at a loss to think what to do; it regrets at its increased appetite for pleasure, and for want of that self-denial (which I require).
16. रजोगुणहता दृष्टिस्तमः संपरिवर्धते ।
न चाधिगम्यते सत्त्वं तत्त्वमत्यन्तदूरतः ॥ १६ ॥
My sight is dimmed by the dust of sensuality: the darkness of self-esteem prevails upon me: the purity of mind is never reached to, and truth is far off from me.
17. स्थितिरस्थिरतां याता मृतिरागमनोन्मुखी ।
धृतिर्वैधुर्यमायाता रतिर्नित्यमवस्तुनि ॥ १७ ॥
Life is become uncertain and death is always advancing nigh; my patience is disturbed, and there is an increased appetite for whatever is false.
18. मतिर्मान्द्येन मलिना पातैकपरमं वपुः ।
ज्वलतीव जरा देहे प्रतिस्फुरति दुष्कृतम् ॥ १८ ॥
The mind is soiled by dullness, and the body is cloyed with surfeit and ready to fall; old age exults over the body, and sins are conspicuous at every step.
19. यत्नेन याति युवता दूरे सज्जनसंगतिः ।
गतिर्न विद्यते काचित्क्वचिन्नोदेति सत्यता ॥ १९ ॥
Youth flies fast away with all our care to preserve it; the company of the good is at a distance; the light of truth shines from no where;and I can have recourse to nothing in this world.
20. मनो विमुह्यतीवान्तर्मुदिता दूरतां गता ।
नोज्ज्वला करुणोदेति दूरादायाति नीचता ॥ २० ॥
The mind is stupified within itself, and its contentment has fled from it: there is no rise of enlightened sentiments in it, and meanness makes its advance to it from a distance.
21. धीरताऽधीरतामेति पातोत्पातपरो जनः ।
सुलभो दुर्जनाश्लेषो दुर्लभः सत्समागमः ॥ २१ ॥
Patience is converted into impatience; man is liable to the states of birth and death; good company is rare, but bad company is ever within the reach of every body.
22. आगमापायिनो भावा भावना भवबन्धनी ।
नीयते केवलं क्वापि नित्यं भूतपरम्परा ॥ २२ ॥
All individual existences are liable to appear and disappear; all desires are chains to the world, and all worldly beings are ever seen to be led away per force where no body can tell.
23. दिशोऽपि हि न दृश्यन्ते देशोऽप्यन्यापदेशभाक् ।
शैला अपि विशीर्यन्ते कैवास्था मादृशे जने ॥ २३ ॥
What reliance can there be on human life, when the points of the compass become indistinct and undiscernible; when the countries and places change their positions and names, and when mountains even are liable to be dilapidated?
24. अद्यते सत्तयापि द्यौर्भुऽवन चापि ऊयते ।
धरापि याति वैधुर्यं केवास्था मादृशे जने ॥ २४ ॥
What reliance can there be on man, when the heavens are swallowed in infinity, when this world is absorbed in nothingness, and the very earth loses her stability?
25. शुष्यन्त्यपि समुद्राश्च शीर्यन्ते तारका अपि ।
सिद्धा अपि विनश्यन्ति कैवास्था मादृशे जने ॥ २५ ॥
What reliance can there be on men like ourselves, when the very seas are liable to be dried up, when the stars are doomed to fade away and disappear, and when the most perfect of beings are liable to dissolution?
26. दानवा अपि दीर्यन्ते ध्रुवोऽप्यध्रुवजीवितः ।
अमरा अपि मार्यन्ते कैवास्था मादृशे जने ॥ २६ ॥
What reliance can there be on men like us, when even the demigods are liable to destruction, when the polar star is known to change its place, and when the immortal gods are doomed to mortality?
27. शक्रोऽप्याक्रम्यते वक्रैर्यमोऽपि हि नियम्यते ।
वायुरप्येत्यवायुत्वं कैवास्था मादृशे जने ॥ २७ ॥
What reliance can there be on men like us, when Indra is doomed to be defeated by demons; when even death is hindered from his aim, and when the current air ceases to breathe?
28. सोमोऽपि व्योमतां याति मार्तण्डोऽप्येति खण्डताम् ।
मग्नतामग्निरप्येति कैवास्था मादृशे जने ॥ २८ ॥
What reliance can there be on men like us, when the very moon is to vanish with the sky, when the very sun is to be split into pieces, and when fire itself is to become frigid and cold?
29. परमेष्ठ्यपि निष्ठावान्ह्रियते हीररप्यजः ।
भवोऽप्यभावमायाति कैवास्था मादृशे जने ॥ २९ ॥
What reliance can there be on men like us, when the very Hari and Brahma are to be absorbed into the Great One, and when Siva himself is to be no more.
30. कालः संकाल्यते येन नियतिश्चापि नीयते ।
खमप्यालीयतेऽनन्तं कैवास्था मादृशे जने ॥ ३० ॥
What reliance can there be on men like us, when the duration of time comes to be counted, when Destiny is destined to her final destiny, and when all vacuity loses itself in infinity?
31. अश्राव्यावाच्यदुर्दर्शतत्त्वेनाज्ञातमूर्तिना ।
भुवनानि विडम्ब्यन्ते केनचिद्भ्रमदायिना ॥ ३१ ॥
That which is inaudible, unspeakable, invisible, and unknowable in his real form, displays to us these wondrous worlds by some fallacy (in our conceptions).
32. अहंकारकलामेत्य सर्वत्रान्तरवासिना ।
न सोऽस्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु यस्तेनेह न बाध्यते ॥ ३२ ॥
No one conscious of himself (his egoism), can disown his subjection to that Being, that dwells in the hearts of every one.
33. शिलाशैलकवप्रेषु साश्वभूतो दिवाकरः ।
वनपाषाणवन्नित्यमवशः परिचोद्यते ॥ ३३ ॥
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