Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 3

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 40

GREYĀNSANĀTHACARITRA
II
Viśvabhūti thought, “At that time I was enticed away from the garden by a trick, like a forest-elephant from a forest. What shall I do?” Thus angered, the prince struck a wood-apple tree, which was laden with fruit, with his fist, like an elephant striking it with a tusk. Pointing to the ground beneath which was completely covered with woodapples shaken down, Viśvabhūti said to the door-keeper:
"In the same way I would make fall the heads of you all, if devotion to my father's elder brother did not prevent. Enough for me of these delights terrifying as the coils of a serpent, for the sake of which such a deceitful trick is used, alas !"
With these words Visvabhūti abandoned power like straw, went and took the vow under Muni Sambhūta.
When he heard about it, Viśvanandin went there himself with the women of his household and his attendants, accompanied by the crown prince. After bowing to the sűri and approaching Visvabhūti, Visvanandin, joyless, said with sobs: "Son, you have always done everything after obtaining our consent. Have you done this impulsively because of our loss of good fortune? Dear boy, we have always had hope in you as the support of the kingdom. Why have you, a protector in calamity, suddenly destroyed our hope? Today give up the vow, son. Enjoy pleasures at will. Play in Puspakarandaka as you like, as before."
Then Visvabhūti said: "Enough for me of the wealth of pleasures. This pleasure of the senses is in reality only pain. Threads of affection for one's own people act as bonds in the prison of existence; people verily are bewildered by them, like spiders by spider-webs.22 Henceforth, in order not to be censured for anything I shall
of the ocean stopped by the shore, I think maryādā has a double meaning here. The editor of the text interprets it as maryādā and sthāman.
2 144. Cf. II, p. 5 and a. 14. “Spiders other than geometrical spiders become entangled in the circular snare." Hingston, A Naturalist in Himalaya, p. 143.