Subhashita kaustubha (51-55)

सुभाषितकौस्तुभः (५१-५५)

प्रायः खलाः क्व नु न सन्ति परस्थितिघ्नाः

प्राज्ञो जनस्तु विरलोऽत्र परोपकारी ।

सर्वत्र सन्ति दृषदः चरणक्षतार्थाः

चिन्तामणिश्चिरतरं विचितोऽप्यलभ्यः ॥ ५१ ॥

Where can you not find the wicked who destroy others’ living? It is only the wise men that help others who are rare. Stones that hurt the feet are everywhere. It is only chintaamani, the wish-fulfilling stone that cannot be obtained even if searched for.  [ चिन्तामणि is a mythical wish-fulfilling stone.]

परमंहोमयजनैः यं परार्थपरं विदुः ।

नाभिज्ञः परदाराणां स महानास्तिको जनः ॥ ५२ ॥

He indeed is a great believer [आस्तिक] who is considered as being devoted to the cause of others through offering oblations and sacrifices [होमयजनैः] and who has no knowledge [न अभिज्ञः] of others’ women. He indeed is a non-believer [नास्तिक] who is known to be engaged in coveting others’ wealth through persons of wicked deeds [अम्होमयजनैः] and who is knowledgeable about the navels of others’ women [नाभिज्ञः]. ( The poet has cleverly managed to define a believer and a non-believer in one verse using श्लेष although the definitions by themselves may not be convincing.)     

गीतं कोकिल तावकं रसविदः शृण्वन्ति कर्णामृतम्

नो किञ्चिद्वितरन्ति ते तरुदलैरेव स्वयं जीवसि ।

कर्णायुर्हरमुद्गिरन्ति विरुतं काकास्तु तेभ्यो बलिं

प्राज्ञा एव हरन्ति हन्त धिगिदं वक्रं विधिक्रीडितम् ॥ ५३ ॥

O cuckoo, connoisseurs listen to your song which is ambrosia to the ears. They do not give back anything to you. You survive on tree leaves only. Crows make harsh sounds that diminish the life time of ears. Even the enlightened provide them with oblations. Alas, this is indeed the play of Fate. [ The Poet conveys through  this अन्योक्ति that while  people take full benefits from a merited person without duly rewarding him they unduly reward those who have no merit at all.]

आगच्छन्ति यदृच्छयैव खलसंसर्गाः सदानर्थदाः

भूय़िष्ठैर्यतनैरपि प्रियतमस्सत्सङ्गमो दुर्लभः ।

यत्नं कर्मकृतोऽनपेक्ष्य यवसोद्भेदा भवन्ति क्षितौ

आयासाः कति वा न सन्ति कृषतां सस्याङ्कुरस्यागमे ॥ ५४ ॥

Association with the wicked which leads to harm happens of its own accord. Even with great effort, company of the virtuous, which is most pleasant is difficult to attain. Without any effort on the part of the farmer weeds grow in the field. How much of farmers’ labour is required for sprouting of the (desired) grain?

पिशुनश्मशानवह्न्योःदूरात् परिहार्ययोरियान् भेदः ।

विप्राणां क्षेत्रालिं हरति प्रथमो दहत्यहो चरमः ॥ ५५ ॥

The difference between a back-biter and the cemetery fire, which are to be shunned from a distance, is only this much: - The first one steals (from) the range of fields belonging to Brahmins, the latter burns the rows of lifeless bodies. [ It is virtually not possible to bring out the sparkle of the verse in a translation. विप्राणां क्षेत्रालिम् has two meanings 1. the range of fields of Brahmins. 2. row (आलि) of lifeless (वि प्राणां) bodies (क्षेत्र).]

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