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306
VAJJĀL AGGAM
[253
27. The Section on the Celestial Tree (Pārijāta)
253) Oh bee, having lived in the heavenly world and having inhaled the fragrance of the Pārijāta tree, are you not ashamed of kissing other inferior flowers ?
254) How possibly can the Lavanga (clove).bud satisfy the desire of the clever (fastidious) bee, whose heart (mind) was formerly delighted with the juice (honey) in the blossoms of the divine tree, Pārijāta ?
255) Oh bee, have you anywhere seen or heard of a tree comparable to the Pārijāta tree, in the course of your wanderings through the regions of several forests and thickets of trees i
256) When the cluster of the blossoms of the divine tree (Pārijāta), disturbed (ruffled) by a gentle breeze, was tasted by the bee and when the bee derived (the utmost) satisfaction from that (cluster of blossoms), the bee imposed (upon himself) a restriction in regard to (the enjoyment or tasting of) other (ordinary) flowers.
28. The Section on the Swan 257) Oh pure (white) one ! You are a (royal) swan, you are an ornament of the great lake and you are spotless bright. What has happened to you (or what is the use of your spotless purity) ? Tell me then, how is it that you have fallen (i. e. come to dwell) among the wicked crows (you have fallen in the company of the wicked crows)?
258) Even if a swan resides in a cemetery and even if a crow dwells in a bed of lotuses, still a swan is a swan and a crow is a poor (wretched) crow for all that !
259) Even if a small river (rivulet) is in spate (swollen with floods), on account of fresh clouds (i.e. due to the recently started rains) and even if it grows in its expanse because of the rainy season, still will it be (ever) resorted to by the royal swans? (i.e. the royal swans will never be ready to resort to a river).
260) Both of them are possessed of wings, both are spotless white, both have their residence in the great lake, still a vast difference is noticed between the swan and the crane.
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