Gaudavaho

Author(s): Vakpatiraj, Narhari Govind Suru, P L Vaidya, A N Upadhye, H C Bhayani
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 407

110
Gaüdavaho
984. The miser-masters, I think, build up a devotional offering of lotuses (in worship) before the lotus-loving Goddess Lakşmi, in the guise of their hands folded in homage.
985. Is it not really just an act of suicide (maam ) for those mountains, who entered the ocean (to drown themselves, when they found ) that their trees had been despoiled of all their flowers and fruit and their favourite birds had fled away ?
986. When remedies (exist) for securing happiness and avoiding unhappiness, those alone who exert get the reward, ( which is not obtained ) by scratching (to coax and cajole ) Fate, with nails in the form of mere sallies of ambitious thoughts (without action ).
987. Why should not (mā) abundance and prosperity, which once came unsolicited (ūgamtuā), go away from them, though they may be searching Laksmī, who has long passed them by (ciravolina) because of their overpowering delusion ?
988. In the same way ( emea), even the withdrawals (from public life ) of men of fair behaviour through the ordainment of Fate, turn out to be, I think, total ( samahila ) disasters.
989. Fate plays the villain; refusing to lift (anuppemto) a difficult ( disastrous ) situation from great men, although they rise ( valaggamti) to great glory, while facing it with hearts undejected.
990. We would believe (saddihimo) in the reward being offered in this very ( life on the ) earth, provided the heart has secured peace and tranquility ( viņiyyavana ). We may not believe in the seed (of piety and penance fertilising) in a retired life in the forest and later yielding its rich fruit in the next world ( heaven ).
991. A man of plenty and affluence ( vihavi ) revels in special forms (of enjoyment ), while a man of very limited extention (and addition to his property ) desires only stability; the (poor ) man with no money seeks a (sound) body and a man with diseases is satisfied if only he can live (and breathe ).
992. Conversational sessions ( dialogues ) with great men, hard and difficult to follow.) at the beginning and vaguely expressive and revealing during the stages (of discussion ), come to a close after a time.