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whose necklace snares the mind.” (Miller 1967:99 - 1990:78)
Similar in vein is the following poem which finds itself on the outskirts of the 200 having the best chance to be BH's genuine compositions but which has a vary strong chance of being authentic in terms of the versions in which it is attested as well as the way it expresses a disturbingly poignant thought:
eko rāgisu rājate priyatama-dehārdha-hari haro nirāgeșu jino vimukta-lalanā-sango na yasmāt paraḥ / durvāra-smara-bāna-pannaga-visa-vyāsanga-mugdho janaḥ śesaḥ kāma-vidambito hi vişayan bhoktuń na moktum
kşamaḥ 112241/ Here, the poet in effect tells us this: If it is to be love or śộngāra, it should be so absolute as in the Ardha-nāriśvara Śiva, leaving no room for the duality of the lover and the loved. It it is to be detachment, it should be so firm as to rival that of Siva. Unfortunately, neither seems to be within the reach of human beings. They seem to be condemned to an in between state of poison-filled delirium."
$ 3.3 The varied and forceful expression of the dilemma, regarding which I just gave evidence, is accompnied by a very straightforward, no-holds-barred, expression of personal frustrations and failures in overcoming desire or craving (stanza nos. 102, 147, 149, 155, 158, 160, 176, 185), on the one hand, and an honest expression of (at least moments or degrees of) success (stanza nos. 6, 187, and possibl stanza nos. 291, 301, 308, 344), on the other. Thus, for example:
bhogā na bhuktā, vayum era bhuktas. tapo . na taptam, vavam eva taptāḥ /
kālo na vāto, vuyam eva vārās. Jain Education International
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