Gaudavaho

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

Page 539

.242
Gaüdavaho
903. But then these great men, who have become fearless ( V AT), having given up all ambition after a good deal of thought (विवेअ), care a fig for kings (किं व नरिंदेहिं). In their fortitude (धीर) they have girded up their loins (c4f73reT) to fight against their fate or destiny (faft) even !
904. This is how great men act. On the other hand, look at these mean men (vitat) who are absolutely spineless. At the slightest hostile action (TTTT) of fate against them, they get cut into pieces (खंडण) by their own frenzied movements (सपरिफंदणेण) like a piece of wood (
a t ) kept whirling (f) on the sharp edge of an iron wheel (349 ). Cf. Faltout fahraifa Frilufarfetfrava I BET Thçxit Toet garante y al quoted by Com.
905. The light of knowledge (fauoriutostar) reveals the shallowness (fahrest-fachtcai) of low minds. The bright lustre ( of the sun ), when it flashes (atsevi) is white (ft3r), but it shows that the gems on which it flashes, are black (AUT).
906. Great men, having broad hearts (fa3737fa35a) or minds, are not prone to publicise their ideas or thoughts, but would rather keep them to themselves. The Poet gives an illustration of oil-lamps which give mild lustre (HafPVT). Their light, however, is confined within the halls of big mansions, in which their fiames roll and reel (घोलंति). Cf. प्रदीपोऽयं निद्रावशमुपगतो घूर्णत इव ।सुमा०
907. Even with the greatest of lustre (fagar), which great men possess and shine with, we find they cannot succeed in life to realise their ambitions and aspirations (#). People perhaps shy away and they are afraid to approach and deal with them. The illustration is of a lightning flash (farului137) which, by its powerful lustre, dazzles the eyes and forces people to close them in the face of the lightning.
908. Those who succeed in life in grabbing or amassing wealth by their own effort (azi f37), unaided, are of course deserving of respect (tran). But then we will have greater respect for those by whom poverty has been embraced of their own accord (HT 1938), as a matter of choice.
909. Ordinary people with practically no merit in them can never hope to attain the high mark of respectability and eulogy