Madhuvidya

Author(s): S D Laddu, T N Dharmadhikari, Madhvi Kolhatkar, Pratibha Pingle
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 348

130
SEMINAR IN PRAKRIT STUDIES
Wesen verstehen (die Dinge ) besonders, ein jeder für sich. Wessen Verständnis soll ich mich unter diesen Umständen anschliessen ?” This may be translated into English as : "Everyone is without understanding to him who understands (the things ) in a different way; everyone is with understanding to him, (everyone) who accommodates himself to his (i. e. latter's ) understanding. 11 All beings understand (the things ) separately, everyone for himself. Whose mind, in these circumstances, shall I follow ?”
Lüders notes in footnote 2 that this Gatha and the commentary on it have been much corrupt. He is certain that in the first line we should read paracittel? corresponding to cittavasamhi of the second line. As regards the last line, Lüders suggests that we should read either kass' idha cillassa vasena ratte or kass' idha cittassa rase nu vatte.
But it appears that it should be possible to understand the Gåthå even as it is and translate it as: "Everyone who follows the mind of some onc clse, (and not his own) is (10 bc considered as) having no mind; (but) everyone who is under the control of his own ) mind, is (to be considered as) having mind. All beings are different, cach one having a mind for himself. (Hence ) nor e, here, should be under the control of anybody else's mind".
The Kinnara couple had not sung or danced immediately when the king had ordered them to do so. They spoke only when they found that otherwise they would micct with death. In this Gåthå and in the one which precedes it, the Kinnara is justifying their silence. He says that he and his wife were silent for a whilc because men have different dispositions and it is not casy to avoid criticism (G. 11). If thcy had said somcthing, it was quite likely that the king might have thought it to be wrong. In that casc he would have judged them as beings without any intelligence. But since they were really beings possessed of intelligence they wished to follow their own inclination and not act according to the will of some one else.
11. I am not sure whether this translation of the second line comes out of the German. But this I feel is what Lüders meant,
12. This reading is found in one manuscript.
Madhu Vidyā/323