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Aśvaghoṣa: Saundarananda

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ā ī ū ṛ ṝ ḷ
ḹ ’ ṃ ḥ ṅ ñ
ṭ ḍ ṇ ṣ ś ź
š č ǰ γ    
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Aśvaghoṣa: Saundarananda
    Click to Expand/Collapse Option Complete text
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO I: Kapilavāstuvarṇana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO II: Rājavarṇana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO III: Tathāgatavarṇana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO IV: Bhāryāyācitaka
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO V: Nandapravrājana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO VI: Bhāryāvilāpa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO VII: Nandivilāpa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO VIII: Strīvighāta
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO IX: Madāpavāda
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO X: Svarganidarśana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO XI: Svargāpavāda
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO XII: Paryavamarśa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO XIII: Śīlendriyajaya
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO XIV: Ādiprasthāno
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO XV: Vitarkaprahāṇa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO XVI: Āryasatyavyākhyāna
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO XVII: Amṛtādhigama
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCANTO XVIII: Ājñāvyākaraṇa
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tatas tā yoṣito dṛṣṭvā nando nandanacāriṇīḥ |
babandha niyamastambhe durdamaṃ capalaṃ manaḥ || 
11.1 And so, having gazed upon those women who wander in the Gladdening Gardens of Nandana,
Nanda tethered the fickle and unruly mind to a tethering post of restraint. 
so ’niśṭaniaiṣkramyaraso mlānatāmarasopamaḥ |
cacāra viraso dharmaṃ niveśyāpsaraso hṛdi || 
11.2 Failing to relish the taste of freedom from care, sapless as a wilting lotus,
He went through the motions of dharma-practice, having installed the apsarases already in his heart. 
tathā lolendriyo bhūtvā dayitendriyagocaraḥ |
indriyārthavaśād eva babhūva niyatendriyaḥ || 
11.3 Thus did one whose sense-power had been restless, whose senses had grazed on the pasture of his wife,
Come, by the very power of sense-objects, to have his sense-power reined in.  
kāmacaryāsu kuśalo bhikṣucaryāsu viklavaḥ |
paramācāryaviṣṭabdho brahmacaryaṃ cacāra saḥ || 
11.4 Adept in the practices of love, confused about the practices of a beggar,
Set firm by the best of practice guides, Nanda did the devout practice of abstinence. 
saṃvṛtena ca śāntena tīvreṇa madanena ca |
jalāgner iva saṃsargāc chaśāma ca śuśoṣa ca || 
11.5 Stifling restraint and ardent love,
Like water and fire in tandem, smothered him and burned him dry.  
svabhāvadarśanīyo ’pi vairūpyam agamat param |
cintayāpsarasāṃ caiva niyamenāyatena ca || 
11.6 Though naturally good-looking, he became extremely ugly,
Both from agonizing about the apsarases and from protracted restraint. 
prastaveṣv api bhāryāyāṃ priyabhāryas tathāpi saḥ |
vītarāga ivottasthau na jaharṣa na cukṣubhe || 
11.7 Even when mention was made of his wife, he who had been so devoted to his wife
Stood by, seemingly bereft of passion; he neither bristled nor quavered. 
taṃ vyavasthitam ājñāya bhāryārāgāt parāṅmukham |
abhigamyābhravīn nandam ānandaḥ praṇayād idam || 
11.8 Knowing him to be adamant, turned away from passion for his wife,
Ānanda, having come that way, said to Nanda with affection:  
aho sadṛśam ārabdhaṃ śrutasyābhijanasya ca |
nigṛhītendriyaḥ svastho niyame yadi saṃsthitaḥ || 
11.9 “Ah! This is a beginning that befits an educated and well-born man –
Since you are holding back the power of your senses and, abiding in yourself, you are set on restraint! 
abhiṣvaktasya kāmeṣu rāgiṇo viṣayātmanaḥ |
yad iyaṃ saṃvid utpannā neyam alpena hetunā || 
11.10 In one entangled in desires, in a man of passion, a sensualist,
That such consciousness has arisen – this is by no small cause!  
vyādhir alpena yatnena mṛduḥ pratinivāryate |
prabalaḥ prabalair eva yatnair naśyatti vā na vā || 
11.11 A mild illness is warded off with little effort;
A serious illness is cured with serious efforts, or else it is not. 
durharo mānaso vyādhir balavāṃś ca tavābhavat |
vinivṛtto yadi sa te sarvathā dhṛtimānasi || 
11.12 An illness of the mind is hard to remove, and yours was a powerful one.
If you are rid of it, you are in every way steadfast. 
duṣkaraṃ sādhv anāryeṇa māninā caiva mārdavam |
atisargaś ca lubdhena bramacaryaṃ ca rāgiṇā || 
11.13 For an ignoble man good is hard to do; for an arrogant man it is hard to be meek;
For a greedy man giving is hard, and hard for a man of passion is the practice of devout abstinence.  
ekas tu mama saṃdehas tavāsyāṃ niyame dhṛtau |
atrānunayam icchāmi vaktavyaṃ yadi manase || 
11.14 But I have one doubt concerning this steadfastness of yours in restraint.
I would like assurance on this matter, if you think fit to tell me.  
ārjavābhihitaṃ vākyaṃ na ca gantavyam anyathā |
rūkṣam apy āśaye śuddhe rūkṣato naiti sajjanaḥ || 
11.15 Straight talk should not be taken amiss:
However harsh it is, so long as its intention is pure, a good man will not retain it as harsh. 
spriyaṃ hi hitaṃ snigdham asnigdham ahitaṃ priyaṃ |
durlabhaṃ tu priyahitaṃ svādu pathyam ivauṣadham || 
11.16 For there is disagreeable good advice, which is kind; and there is agreeable bad advice, which is not kind;
But advice that is both agreeable and good is as hard to come by as medicine that is both sweet and salutary.  
viśvāsaś cārthacaryā ca sāmānyaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ |
marṣaṇaṃ praṇayaś caiva mitravṛttir iyaṃ satām || 
11.17 Trust, acting in the other’s interest, sharing of joy and sorrow,
And tolerance, as well as affection: such, between good men, is the conduct of a friend. 
tad idaṃ tvā vivakṣāmi praṇayān na jīghāṃsayā |
tvacchreyo hi vivakṣā me yato nārhāmy upekṣitum || 
11.18 So now I am going to speak to you out of affection, with no wish to hurt.
For my intention is to speak of that better way for you in regard to which I ought not to be indifferent. 
apsarobhṛtako dharmaṃ carasīty abhidīyase |
kim idaṃ bhūtam āhosvit prarihāso ’yam īdṛśaḥ || 
11.19 You are practising dharma, so they say, for celestial nymphs as wages.
Is that so? Is it true? such a thing would be a joke!  
yadi tāvad idaṃ satyaṃ vakṣyāmy atra yudaṣadham |
auddhatyam atha vaktṝmā, abhidāsyāmi tad rajaḥ || 
11.20 If this really is true, I will tell you a medicine for it;
Or if it is the impertinence of chatterers, then that dust I shall expose.” 
ślakṣṇapūrvam atho tena hṛdi so ’bhihatas tadā |
dhyātvā dīrghaṃ niśaśvāsa kiṃ cic cāvāñmukho ’bhavat || 
11.21 Then – though it was tenderly done – [Nanda] was stricken in his heart.
After reflecting, he drew in a long breath, and his face inclined slightly downward. 
tatas tasyeṅgitaṃ jñātvā manaḥsaṃkalpasūcakam |
babhāṣe vākyam ānando madhurodarkam apriyam || 
11.22 And so, knowing the signs that betrayed the set of Nanda’s mind,
Ānanda spoke words which were disagreeable but sweet in consequence: 
ākāreṇāvagacchāmi tava dharmaprayojanam |
yaj jñātvā tvayi jātaṃ me hāsyaṃ kāuṇyam eva ca || 
11.23 “I know from the look on your face what your motive is in practising dharma.
And knowing that, there arises in me towards you laughter and at the same time pity. 
yathāsanārthaṃ skandhena kaś cid gurvīṃ śilāṃ vahet |
tadvat tvam api kāmārthaṃ niyamaṃ voḍhum udyataḥ || 
11.24 Like somebody who, with a view to sitting on it, carried around on his shoulder a heavy rock;
That is how you, with a view to sensuality, are labouring to bear restraint. 
titāḍayiṣayāsṛpto yathā meṣo ’pasarpati |
tadvad abrahmacaryāya brahmacaryam idaṃ tava || 
11.25 Just as, in its desire to charge, a wild ram draws back,
So, for the sake of non-abstinence, is this devout abstinence of yours! 
cikrīṣanti yathā paṇyaṃ vaṇijo lābhalipsayā |
dharmacaryā tava tathā paṇyabhūtā na śāntaye || 
11.26 Just as merchants buy merchandise moved by a desire to make profit,
That is how you are practising dharma, as if it were a tradable commodity, not for the sake of peace. 
yathā phalaviśeṣārthaṃ bījaṃ vapati kārṣakaḥ |
tadvad viṣayakārpaṇyād viṣayāṃs tyaktavān asi || 
11.27 Just as, with a particular crop in view, a ploughman scatters seed,
That is how, because of being desperate for an object, you have renounced objects. 
ākāṅkṣec ca yathā rogaṃ pratīkārasukhepsayā |
duḥkham anvicchati bhavāṃs tathā viṣayatṛśṇayā || 
11.28 Just as a man who craves some pleasurable remedy might want to be ill,
That is how in your thirst for an object you are seeking out suffering.  
yathā paśyati madhv eva na prapātam avekṣate |
paśyasy apsarasas tadvad bhraṃśam ante na paśyasi || 
11.29 Just as a man sees honey and fails to notice a precipice,
That is how you are seeing the heavenly nymphs and not seeing the fall that will come in the end.  
hṛdi kāmāgninā dīpte kāyena vahato vratam |
kim idaṃ brahmacaryaṃ te manasābrahmacāriṇaḥ || 
11.30 Blazing with a fire of desire in your heart, you carry out observances with your body:
What is this devout abstinence of yours, who does not practise abstinence with his mind? 
saṃsāre vartamānena yadā cāpsarasas tvayā |
prāptās tyaktāś ca śataśas tābhyaḥ kim iti te spṛhā || 
11.31 Again, since in spiralling through saṁsāra you have gained celestial nymphs and left them
A hundred times over, what is this yearning of yours for those women?  
tṛptir nāstīndhanair agner nāmbhasā lavaṇāmbhasaḥ |
nāpi kāmaiḥ satṛṣṇasya tasmāt kāmā na tṛptaye || 
11.32 A fire is not satisfied by dry brushwood, nor the salty ocean by water,
Nor a man of thirst by his desires. Desires, therefore, do not make for satisfaction. 
atṛptau ca kutaḥ śāntir aśāntau ca kutaḥ sukham |
asukhe ca kutaḥ pṛtir aprītau ca kuto ratiḥ || 
11.33 Without satisfaction, whence peace? Without peace, whence ease?
Without ease, whence joy? Without joy, whence enjoyment? 
riraṃsā yadi te tasmād adhyātme dhīyatāṃ manaḥ |
praśānta cānavadyā ca nāsty adhyātmasamā ratiḥ || 
11.34 Therefore if you want enjoyment, let your mind be directed within.
Tranquil and impeccable is enjoyment of the inner self and there is no enjoyment to equal it.  
na tatra kāryaṃ tūryais te na strībhir na vibhūṣanaiḥ |
ekas tvaṃ yatratrasthas tayā ratyābhiraṃsyase || 
11.35 In it, you have no need of musical instruments, or women, or ornaments;
On your own, wherever you are, you can indulge in that enjoyment. 
mānasaṃ balavad duḥkhaṃ tarṣe tiṣṭhati tiṣṭhati |
taṃ tarṣaṃ chindhi duḥkhaṃ hi tṛṣṇā cāsti ca nāsti ca || 
11.36 The mind suffers mightily as long as thirst persists.
Eradicate that thirst; for suffering co-exists with thirst, or else does not exist.  
saṃpattau vā vipattau vā divā vā naktam eva vā |
kāmeṣu hi saṭṛṣñasya na śāntir upadadyate || 
11.37 In prosperity or in adversity, by day or by night,
For the man who thirsts after desires, peace is not possible. 
kāmānāṃ prārthanā duḥkhā prāptau tṛptir na vidyate |
viyogān niyataḥ śoko viyogaś ca dhruvo divi || 
11.38 The pursuit of desires is full of suffering, and attainment of them is not where satisfaction lies;
The separation from them is inevitably sorrowful; but the celestial constant is separation. 
kṛtvāpi duṣkaraṃ karma svargaṃ labdhvāpi durlabham |
nṛlokaṃ punar evaiti pravāsāt svagṛhaṃ yathā || 
11.39 Even having done action that is hard to do, and reached a heaven that is hard to reach,
[A man] comes right back to the world of men, as if to his own house after a spell away.  
yadā bhraṣṭasya kuśalaṃ śiṣṭaṃ kiṃ cin na vidyate |
triyakṣu pitṛloke vā narake vopapadyate || 
11.40 The backslider when his residual good has run out
Finds himself among the animals or in the world of the departed, or else he goes to hell. 
tasya bhuktavataḥ svarge viṣayān uttamān api |
bhraṣṭasyārtasya duḥkhena kim āsvādaḥ karoti saḥ || 
11.41 Having enjoyed in heaven the utmost sensual objects,
He falls back, beset by suffering: what has that enjoyment done for him? 
śyenāya prāṇivātsalyāt svamāṃsāny api dattavān |
śibhiḥ svargāt paribhraṣṭas tādṛk kṛtvāpi duṣkaram || 
11.42 Through tender love for living creatures Śibi gave his own flesh to a hawk.
He fell back from heaven, even after doing such a difficult deed. 
śakrasyārdhāsanaṃ gatvā pūrvapārthiva eva yaḥ |
sadevataṃ gate kāle māndhātādhaḥ punar yayau || 
11.43 Having attained half of Indra’s throne as a veritable earth-lord of the old school,
Māndhātṛ when his time with the gods elapsed came back down again. 
rājyaṃ kṛtvāpi devānāṃ papāta nahuṣo bhuvi |
prāptaḥ kila bjuaṅgatvaṃ nādyāpi parimucyate || 
11.44 Though he ruled the gods, Nahuṣa fell to earth;
He turned into a snake, so they say, and even today has not wriggled free. 
tathaivelivilo rāja rājavṛttena saṃskṛtaḥ |
svargaṃ gatvā punar bhraṣṭaḥ kūrmībhūtaḥ kilārṇave || 
11.45 Likewise King Ilivila being perfect in kingly conduct,
Went to heaven and fell back down, becoming, so they say, a turtle in the ocean.  
bhūrdiyumno yayātiś ca te cānye ca nṛparṣabhāḥ |
karmabhir dyām abhikrīya tatkṣayāt punar atyajan || 
11.46 Bhūri-dyumna and Yayāti and other excellent kings,
Having bought heaven by their actions, gave it up again, after that karma ran out – 
asurāḥ pūrvadvās tu surair apahṛtaśriyaḥ |
śriyaṃ samanuśocantaḥ pātālaṃ śarañaṃ yayuḥ || 
11.47 Whereas the asuras, who had been gods in heaven when the suras robbed them of their rank,
Went bemoaning their lost glory down to their Pātāla lair. 
kiṃ ca rājarṣibhis tāvad asurair vā surādibhiḥ |
mahendrāḥ śataśaḥ petur māhātmyam api na sthiram || 
11.48 But why such citing of royal seers, or of asuras, suras, and the like?
Mighty Indras have fallen in their hundreds! Even the most exalted position is not secure. 
saṃsadaṃ śobhayitvaindrīm upendraś ca trivikramaḥ |
kṣīṇakarmā papātovriṃ madhyād apsarasāṃ rasan || 
11.49 Again, Indra’s luminous sidekick, he of the three strides, lit up Indra’s court,
And yet when his karma waned he fell to earth from the apsarases’ midst, screaming. 
hā caitraratha hā vāpi hā mandākini hā priye |
ity ārtā vilapanto ’pi gāṃ patanti divaukasaḥ || 
11.50 ‘Oh, the grove of Citra-ratha! Oh, the pond! Oh, the heavenly Ganges! Oh, my beloved!’ –
Thus lament the distressed denizens of heaven as they fall to earth.  
tīvraṃ hy uptadyate duḥkham iha tāvan mumūrṣatām |
kiṃ punaḥ patatāṃ svargād evānte sukhasevinām || 
11.51 For intense already is the pain that arises in those facing death in this world
And how much worse is it for the pleasure-addicts when they finally fall from heaven?  
rajo gṛhṇanti vāsāṃsi mlāyanti paramāḥ srajaḥ |
gātrebhyo jāyate svedo ratir bhavati nāsane || 
11.52 Their clothes gather dust; their glorious garlands wither;
Sweat appears on their limbs; and in their sitting there is no enjoyment. 
etāny ādau nimittāni cyutau svargād divaukasām |
aniṣṭāniva martyānām ariṣṭāni mumūrṣatām || 
11.53 These are the first signs of the imminent fall from heaven of sky-dwellers,
Like the unwelcome but sure signs of the approaching death of those subject to dying. 
sukham utpadyate yac ca divi kāmān upāśnatām |
yac ca duḥkhaṃ nipatatāṃ duḥkham eva viṣiṣyate || 
11.54 When the pleasure that arises from enjoyment of desires in heaven
Is compared with the pain of falling, the pain, assuredly, is greater. 
tasmād asvantam atrāṇam aviśvāsyam atarpakam |
vijñāya kṣayiṇaṃ svargam apavarge matiṃ kuru || 
11.55 Knowing heaven, therefore, to be ill-fated, precarious, unreliable, unsatisfactory, and transitory, set your heart upon immunity from that circuit. 
aśarīraṃ bhavāgraṃ hi gatvāpi munir udrakaḥ |
karmaṇo ’nte cyutas tasmāt tiryagyoniṃ prapatsyate || 
11.56 For though he attained a peak experience of bodiless being, Sage Uḍraka,
At the expiration of his karma, will fall from that state into the womb of an animal.  
maitrayā sptavārṣikyā brahmalokam ito gataḥ |
sunetraḥ punar āvṛtto garbhavāsam upeyivān || 
11.57 Through seven years of loving kindness, Sunetra went from here to Brahma’s world,
But he span around again and came back to live in a womb. 
yada caiśvcaryavanto ’pi kṣayiñaḥ svargavāsinaḥ |
ko nāma svargavāsāya kṣeṣṇave spṛhayed budhaḥ || 
11.58 Since heaven-dwellers, even when all-powerful, are subject to decay,
What wise man would aspire to a decadent sojourn in heaven?  
sūtreṇa baddho hi yathā vihaṅgo vyāvartate dūragato ’pi bhūyaḥ |
ajñānasūtreṇa tathāvabaddho gato ’pi dūraṃ punar eti lokaḥ || 
11.59 For just as a bird tied to a string, though it has flown far, comes back again;
So too do people return who are tied to the string of ignorance, however far they have travelled. 
kṛtvā kālavilakṣañaṃ pratibhuvā mukto yathā bandhanād bhuktvā veśmasukhāny atītya samayaṃ bhūyo viśed bandhanam |
tadvad dyāṃ pratibhūvad ātmaniyamair dhyānādibhiḥ prāptavān kāle karmasu teṣu bhuktaviṣayeṣv ākṛṣyate gāṃ punaḥ || 
11.60 A man temporarily released from prison on bail
Enjoys home comforts and then, when his time is up, he must go back to prison;
In the same way, through restrictive practices beginning with meditation, a man gets to heaven, as if on bail,
And after enjoying those objects which were his karmic reward, he eventually is dragged back down to earth. 
antarjālagatāḥ pramattamanaso minās taḍāge yathā jānantī vyasanaṃ na rodhajanitaṃ svasthāś caranty ambhasi |
antarlokagatāḥ kṛtārthamatayas tadvad divi dhyāyino manyante śivam acyutaṃ dhruvam iti svaṃ sthānam āvartakam || 
11.61 Fish in a pond who have swum into a net, unwarily,
Do not know the misfortune that results from capture, but contentedly move around in the water;
In the same way, meditators in heaven (who are really of this world of men), think that they have achieved their end;
And so they assume their own position to be favourable, secure and settled – as they continue to whirl around. 
tajjanmavyādhimṛtyuvyasanaparigataṃ matvā jagad idaṃ saṃsāre bhrāmyamāṇaṃ divi nṛṣu narake tiryakpitṛṣu ca |
yat trāṇaṃ nirbhayaṃ yac chivam amarajaraṃ niḥṣokam amṛtaṃ taddhetor brahmacaryaṃ cara jahihi calaṃ svargaṃ prati rucim || 
11.62 Therefore, see this world to be shot through with the calamities of birth, sickness, and death;
See it – whether in heaven, among men, in hell, or among animals or the departed – to be reeling through saṁsāra.
Seeing the world to be thus, for the sake of that fearless refuge, for that sorrowless nectar of immortality, which is benign, and beyond death and decay,
Devoutly practise abstinence, and abandon your fancy for a precarious heaven.” 
saundaranande mahākāvye svargāpavādo nāmaikadaśaḥ sargaḥ || 
The 11th canto in the epic poem Handsome Nanda, titled “Negation of Heaven.” 
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