Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

SR No.: 001609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 566
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Story, Literature, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

Page 82

4. YASASTILAKA AS A PROSE ROMANCE
63
देव, खभावजा हि दुस्त्यजा खलु प्रकृतिः। न खलु पोषितोऽप्यहिपोतो जहाति हिंसाध्यवसायम्, न खलु प्रतशीलोऽपि बिडालस्त्यजति क्रौर्यम् , न खलु प्रायोपवेशनवासिन्यपि कुट्टनी मुञ्चति परवञ्चनोचितां चिन्ताम् , न खलु कालकवलनिकटोऽपि किराटो रहति शाठ्यस्थितिम् । यतः
यः स्वभावो भवेद्यस्य स तेन खलु दुस्त्यजः । न हि शिक्षाशतेनापि कपिर्मुञ्चति चापलम् ॥
“Sire, verily it is diffioult to renounce one's natural propensities. A young snako, though nourished with food, does not renounce the effort to do harm. A cat, though he may practise religious observances, dose not give up his ferocity. A bawd, though she observes religious fasts, does not abandon the design of cheating others. A merchant' does not give up his art of deception even when he is on the verge of death. Because, verily, of whaterer nature a person may be, it is hard for him to discard it. A monkey never forsakes his fickle habits even if he is given a hundred kinds of training." 3. 175.
The tirade against the ministers of kings in verse, forming part of the spy's report, has been summarized elsewhere; and there is also a satirical description of them in prose (Chap. III, p. 439): ।
देव, सरलखभावस्य देवस्यामात्यदैत्यानामाकल्पोदञ्चः प्रतिक्रियाप्रपञ्चश्च साधुतायोगेऽनुरागे च कारणम् । तत्र चामीषामेतत्तात्पर्यम् । तथा हि सत्पुरुषपृषतवधाय व्याधस्याखिलाङ्गसंवरणं यत्रावरणमिवामात्यजनस्य लम्बाञ्चलकं चोलकम् . मुग्धमीनबन्धनानायमिव महाकायः कूर्चकेशनिकायः, कपटबकोटपेटकघटनाय सर इवोदारमुदरम्, परव्यसनान्वेषणाय मृगधूर्तस्येव मन्दमन्दाचारः पादप्रचारः, कथमेते खलु पातालस्थाः करस्था मम भविष्यन्ति शेषशिखामणय इति लुण्टाकतयेव मुहर्मुहुर्जलेषु निमज्जनम् , कदा ह्यमी गगनचराः कदनकन्दुकविनोदकरा मम भविष्यन्ति रविरथतुरङ्गा इत्यपजिहीर्षयेवादितिसुतोपासनम्, अरे हताश हुताश मयि सत्याश्रयाशे सवोशे च कथं नाम तन्नामवान् भवानितीर्ण्ययेवाहुतिमिलेग विषमरीचिताडनम, सुप्रयुक्तस्य दम्भस्य ब्रह्माप्यन्तं न गच्छतीति मनीषया साधुजनशकुनिहननाय द्वीपिद्विजोद्दीपनमिव देवतार्चनम्, कियन्तो मया महान्तः प्रतारिताः कियन्तो नाद्यापि इति संभालनायेव जपव्यवसायः, कुशलशकुलाशनाय बकस्येव ध्यानपरता, चतुरवञ्चनाय ठकस्यव धर्मागमपाठः, परलोकगतिभङ्गाय निगलजालस्येव गुरुचरणोपचारः, शाकिनीजनस्व सेवकेषु जीवित. विनाशाय प्रियंवदता, अविज्ञातान्तस्तत्त्वस्य शुष्कसरःसेतोरिव क्लेशाय प्रियालोकता।
“Sire, the pomp of dress and flurry of remedial measures of those devils, the ministers of Your Majesty, straightforward as you are to give an impression of honesty and loyalty. Their real purpose is as follows: The flowing robes of ministers are like a hunter's cloak enveloping all his limbs, and designed to kill honest people, like deer. The huge mass of their beard and hair seems to be a drag-net for capturing ignorant fools, like fish. Their big bellies are like a pool for amassing tricks, like a flock of cranes. They walk slowly and slowly like jackals to look for
weak points of others. A minister makes very frequent ceremonial dips into waters, as if with a thievish purpose : How will indeed the crest-jewels of the serpent Ananta abiding in the nether regions come into my possession ?' He worships the Sun, as if with motives of robbery: "When will those
1
Ms. A explains किराट as वणिक