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7. YASASTILAKA AS AN ANTHOLOGY OF SANSKRIT VERSE
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VI. DIDACTIC VERSES As in other Kavya works, didactic verses are interspersed in Yasastilaka, and occasionally contain balanced expression of the wisdom of life and bring into relief human traits with remarkable fidelity and insi The specimens cited here are classified according to the subject dealt with by them.
THE GODDESS OF WEALTH तातस्तावजडनिधिरभूत् सोदरः कालकूटः कृष्णे यस्याः प्रणयपरता पङ्कजाते रतिश्च । लक्ष्म्यास्तस्याः सकलनृपतिस्वैरिणीवृत्तिभाजः कः प्रेमान्धो भवतु कृतधीलॊकविप्लाविकायाः॥
What wise man will blindly fall in love with the subversive goddess of wealth, a harlot kept by all the kings? The Ocean (“the abode of waters', also the abode of folly') is her father, and the Kālakūta poison her brother. She loves Krşņa, the Black, and is fond of the mud-born lotus (2. 160)."
असल्लोकानुरोधेन सल्लोकोपेक्षणेन च । व्यालशैलान्तरालाङ्गी कुरङ्गीवाक्षमा रमा ॥ The goddess of wealth is helpless, like a hind placed between a wild elephant on one side and a mountain on the other, because she favours the wicked and neglects the good (3. 177).
TRANSIENT CHARACTER OF LIFE AND ITS JOYS मायासाम्राज्यवर्याः कविजनवचनस्पर्धिमाधुर्यधुर्याः स्वमाप्तैश्वर्यशोभाः कुहकनयमयारामरम्योत्तराभाः। पर्जन्यागारसारास्त्रिदिवपतिधनुबन्धुराश्च स्वभावादायुलावण्यलक्ष्म्यस्तदपि जगदिदं चित्रमत्रैव सक्तम् ॥
It is strange that the world is attached to life, beauty and wealth. They are but magnificent as a phantom empire, supremely sweet as the words of poets, beautiful as treasure obtained in dreams, charmingly resplendent like a magic garden, lovely as a mansion of clouds, and, by nature, delightful only as a rainbow (1. 124).
मायारामसमा रमा सुखमिदं दुःखावलेखोन्मुखं स्वमालोकनयः सुहृत्परिचयः कान्तः कृतान्ते हिता।
उत्साहोऽपि च देहगेहविषयो यः सोऽप्यनित्योदयस्तत्वालोकविलुप्तचित्ततमसा पुंसां भघेदुत्सवः ॥ Prosperity is like a magic garden, and pleasure is liable to be marred by pain, Friendship is like the vision of a dream, and a beloved woman is but an aid to Death. Even the zeal for the mansion of the body has merely transient results. Joy is for those who have destroyed the darkness of their minds with the light of the Truth (Book V).
PROPER USE OF WEALTH लब्धा अपि श्रियो यान्ति पुंसां भोक्तमजानताम् । अबद्धाः कुञ्जरेन्द्राणां पुलाका इव हस्तगाः॥
Riches, even though acquired by men who know not how to enjoy them, are lost for ever, like the loose grains of boiled rice seized by mighty elephants with their trunks (3.78 ).
1 The reference is to the legend of Lakşmi emerging during the churning of the ocean.
Jadanidhi is purposely used for jalanidhi. Kişņa stands for Vişnu, the consort of Lakşmi. Somadeva rarely uses such devices in his verse.
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