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68
UTTARADHYAYANA.
sir, they struggle; we shall be like them, if we are attached to pleasures. (45)
As an unbaited (bird)' sees a baited one caught in the snare, even so shall we avoid every bait and walk about, not baited by anything. (46)
Being aware that pleasures are causes for the continuance of worldly existence, as illustrated in (the above) similes of the greedy man, one should be cautious and stir as little as possible, like a snake in the presence of Suparna. (47)
‘Like an elephant who has broken his fetters, go to your proper destination. O great king Ishukâri; this is the wholesome truth I have learned. (48)
'Leave your large kingdom and the pleasures which are so dear to all; abandon what pleases the senses, and what attracts; be without attachment and property; learn thoroughly the Law and give up all amusements; then practise famous and severe penance, being of firm energy?' (49, 50) The commentators labour to interpret them as 'pleasures,' but that will not make good sense.
1 Kulala in the original. Kulâla in Sanskrit denotes the wild cock, Phasianus Gallus. The word seems to be derived from kulâya by assimilation of the y to the preceding consonant, compare salilâ for saliyâ = saritâ = sarit. In the sense of bird the word kulala seems to be used in the well-known stanza of Bhartrihari: brahmâ yena kulâlavan niyamito brahmândabhandodare, unless here kulala is an early corruption for kulâyin.
2 The commentators assign these verses to the two sons of Bhrigu; but then the verses do not construe. Besides the mention of the large kingdom' in the first line seems to prove that the king, and not the Brahmans, is to be understood as the person addressed. In the last line I separate pagigghaha k khayam (scil. tavam), instead of pagiggh sahakkhayam. It is, however, just possible that the next verse is to be connected with the preceding ones; in that case, we must read pagigghs and interpret it in conformity with the scholiast as a gerund.
