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150
Minoru Hara
Makaranda
intention of showing the poetical skill of alliteration.
rājan, asăre samsare sära-dvayam aham manye, śrīḥ strī ca (Vikramacarita 30th story Jainistic recension, p. 216, lines 12-13)
"O, king, in this essenceless world of transmigration, I think the following two are its essence; success and women."
(5-3) The essential two are expresed in a different way, philosophical insight (tattva-jñāna) and women:
Samsare'sminn asăreparinṇati-tarale dve gati paṇḍitānāṁ tattvajñānāmṛtāmbhaḥpla-valulita-dhiyām yātu kālāḥ kadācit no cet stanajaghanaghanābhoga-sambhoginīnām
mugdhānganānāṁ
sthulopasthasthalīṣu sthagita-karatalasparśalolodyamānām ||
(IS. 6642)
"In this essenceless world of transmigration, transient after all, two (things) are the resort of the wise. Time should pass for those wise ones, whose minds are shaken on the raft on the water of ambrosia styled as knowledge of truth."
Otherwise one should enjoy women." (too erotic to translate)
(5-4) Four things 22 are considered as sāra in a more religious context.
Asāre khalu samsāre sāram etac catustayam | Kāśyām vāsaḥ satām sango Gangāmbhaḥ Sambhu-sevanam ||
(IS.778)
"The essence of the essenceless world of transmigration is the four things residence in Kaśi, association with the good, the water of the Ganges and the serving of Śiva."
VI
The contrast of sära and asăra is not limited to the world of transmigration (saṁsāra), but is further extended to the body (śarira), which is also ephemeral.23 The wise man seeks to find something contributive (sāra) by means of this unprofitable (asara) body. This construction is met particularly frequently in the context of self-sacrifice for the sake of others.
