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Sāra, A-sära, Sam-sāra
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(1) asāre saṁsāre...
In addition to the three passages quoted above, we have the following examples.
(1-1) The essencelessness of the world of transmigration is often compared to the interior of a plantain tree (kadalī) :
Asāraḥ saṁsāraḥ sārāsa-kadalī-sāra-sadrśo3 lasad-vidyul-lekhā-cakita-capalam jīvatam idam | Yad etat tārunyam naga-gata-nadī-vega-sadrśam aho dhārstyaṁ puṁsāṁ tad api visayān dhāvati manah ||
(MSS. 3734) "Essenceless is the world of transmigration as a juicy stem of a plantain tree. Human life is shaky and unsteady like a momentary lightning flash. Youthfulness is similar to the rapids of a mountain-stream. Oh, men's impudence, that their mind still runs after (the enjoyment of) sense-objects."
(1-2) An expression asāra ghora-samsāra is found in an address to Visnu by Garuda :
Bhagavan devadeveśa śaraņā-gata-vatsala | asāre ghora-saṁsare sarva-duḥkha-malīmase ||
(Pretakalpa 16.2) "O Lord, the master god among gods, compassionate to those who seek refuge in this essenceless, terrible world of transmigration, stained by all sorts of suffering."
(1-3) In this ephemeral world, meeting ends in separation.
Asāre bata saṁsāre karma-tantraḥ śarīriņām jāyante priya-samyogā viyoge hrdaya-chidah ||
(MSS. 3743) "In this essenceless world of transmigration, the thread of karma is interwoven through human beings. Union with one's beloved becomes heartrendering at separation."
