11.005
Pancharatra and Core: Vidura's allegory on the profound depths of worldly existence.
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच॥
Dhritarashtra said:
यदिदं धर्मगहनं बुद्ध्या समनुगम्यते। एतद्विस्तरशः सर्वं बुद्धिमार्गं प्रशंस मे ॥११-५-१॥
Praise to me for the entire path of intellect, by which this profundity of dharma is comprehended in detail.
विदुर उवाच॥
Vidura said:
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि नमस्कृत्वा स्वयम्भुवे। यथा संसारगहनं वदन्ति परमर्षयः ॥११-५-२॥
Here, having bowed to Svayambhu, I will tell you as the supreme sages describe the profound depths of worldly existence.
कश्चिन्महति संसारे वर्तमानो द्विजः किल। वनं दुर्गमनुप्राप्तो महत्क्रव्यादसङ्कुलम् ॥११-५-३॥
Once, a certain Brahmin living in the vast world entered a dense forest teeming with fierce beasts.
सिंहव्याघ्रगजाकारैरतिघोरैर्महाशनैः। समन्तात्सम्परिक्षिप्तं मृत्योरपि भयप्रदम् ॥११-५-४॥
It was surrounded on all sides by extremely terrifying, voracious creatures resembling lions, tigers, and elephants, instilling fear even in death itself.
तदस्य दृष्ट्वा हृदयमुद्वेगमगमत्परम्। अभ्युच्छ्रयश्च रोम्णां वै विक्रियाश्च परन्तप ॥११-५-५॥
O scorcher of foes, having seen that, his heart was seized with extreme agitation. Indeed, there was erection of hairs and other changes.
स तद्वनं व्यनुसरन्विप्रधावनितस्ततः। वीक्षमाणो दिशः सर्वाः शरणं क्व भवेदिति ॥११-५-६॥
He wandered through that forest, searching everywhere, running here and there, looking in all directions, wondering, 'Where could I find refuge?'
स तेषां छिद्रमन्विच्छन्प्रद्रुतो भयपीडितः। न च निर्याति वै दूरं न च तैर्विप्रयुज्यते ॥११-५-७॥
He, searching for a weakness among them and fleeing in fear, does not actually go far nor does he become separated from them.
अथापश्यद्वनं घोरं समन्ताद्वागुरावृतम्। बाहुभ्यां सम्परिष्वक्तं स्त्रिया परमघोरया ॥११-५-८॥
Then he saw a dreadful forest, surrounded on all sides by nets, and embraced by the arms of a most fearsome woman.
पञ्चशीर्षधरैर्नागैः शैलैरिव समुन्नतैः। नभःस्पृशैर्महावृक्षैः परिक्षिप्तं महावनम् ॥११-५-९॥
The great forest was surrounded by enormous trees that reached the sky, towering like mountains, and by five-headed serpents.
वनमध्ये च तत्राभूदुदपानः समावृतः। वल्लीभिस्तृणछन्नाभिर्गूढाभिरभिसंवृतः ॥११-५-१०॥
In the middle of the forest, there was a well, completely concealed by creepers and grass, hidden from view.
पपात स द्विजस्तत्र निगूढे सलिलाशये। विलग्नश्चाभवत्तस्मिँल्लतासन्तानसङ्कटे ॥११-५-११॥
The bird fell there into the concealed water-bed and became caught in the dense growth of creepers.
पनसस्य यथा जातं वृन्तबद्धं महाफलम्। स तथा लम्बते तत्र ऊर्ध्वपादो ह्यधःशिराः ॥११-५-१२॥
Just as the large jackfruit hangs from its stalk with its feet upwards and head downwards, so too does he hang there.
अथ तत्रापि चान्योऽस्य भूयो जात उपद्रवः। कूपवीनाहवेलायामपश्यत महागजम् ॥११-५-१३॥
Then, at that place, yet another trouble arose for him. While drawing water from the well, he saw a huge elephant.
षड्वक्त्रं कृष्णशबलं द्विषट्कपदचारिणम्। क्रमेण परिसर्पन्तं वल्लीवृक्षसमावृतम् ॥११-५-१४॥
It had six faces, was black-spotted, moved with twelve feet, and crept along in order, surrounded by creepers and trees.
तस्य चापि प्रशाखासु वृक्षशाखावलम्बिनः। नानारूपा मधुकरा घोररूपा भयावहाः ॥ आसते मधु सम्भृत्य पूर्वमेव निकेतजाः ॥११-५-१५॥
And on his branches, hanging from the tree branches, bees of various kinds, terrible and frightening in appearance, who are inhabitants there, sit having already collected honey.
भूयो भूयः समीहन्ते मधूनि भरतर्षभ। स्वादनीयानि भूतानां न यैर्बालोऽपि तृप्यते ॥११-५-१६॥
O best of the Bharatas, beings repeatedly desire sweets, but even a child is not satisfied by them.
तेषां मधूनां बहुधा धारा प्रस्रवते सदा। तां लम्बमानः स पुमान्धारां पिबति सर्वदा ॥ न चास्य तृष्णा विरता पिबमानस्य सङ्कटे ॥११-५-१७॥
Streams of those pleasures flow in many ways at all times. The man, hanging down, always drinks from that stream. Yet, even as he drinks in distress, his thirst never ceases.
अभीप्सति च तां नित्यमतृप्तः स पुनः पुनः। न चास्य जीविते राजन्निर्वेदः समजायत ॥११-५-१८॥
He kept desiring her constantly, never satisfied, again and again; and, O king, he never felt any disgust in his life.
तत्रैव च मनुष्यस्य जीविताशा प्रतिष्ठिता। कृष्णाः श्वेताश्च तं वृक्षं कुट्टयन्ति स्म मूषकाः ॥११-५-१९॥
Right there, the man's hope for life was established. Black and white mice were gnawing at that tree.
व्यालय्श्च वनदुर्गान्ते स्त्रिया च परमोग्रया। कूपाधस्ताच्च नागेन वीनाहे कुञ्जरेण च ॥११-५-२०॥
One may encounter destruction by wild beasts in the depths of forest fortresses, by an extremely fierce woman, by falling into a well, by the hand of a serpent, or by a mad or ordinary elephant.
वृक्षप्रपाताच्च भयं मूषकेभ्यश्च पञ्चमम्। मधुलोभान्मधुकरैः षष्ठमाहुर्महद्भयम् ॥११-५-२१॥
The fifth fear is said to be from falling trees and mice; the sixth, a great fear, is from bees due to greed for honey.
एवं स वसते तत्र क्षिप्तः संसारसागरे। न चैव जीविताशायां निर्वेदमुपगच्छति ॥११-५-२२॥
Thus, he remains there, thrown into the ocean of worldly existence, and, still clinging to the hope of life, does not develop dispassion.
