Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties
Chapter [Sarga] 10
श्रुत्वा तथा इति राजा च प्रत्युवाच पुरोहितम् |
पुरोहितो मंत्रिणः च तथा चक्रुः च ते तथा || १-१०-६
पुरोहितो मंत्रिणः च तथा चक्रुः च ते तथा || १-१०-६
6. shrutvaa tathaa iti = hearing, let it be, so; raajaa ca pratiuvaacha purohitam = king, also, replied, to priest; purohitaH = priests; te mantriNaH cha = those, ministers, also; tadaa chakruH tathaa = then, carried out, then
"Hearing that the King replied the priest, "Let it be so..." and then the priests and ministers have carried out the plan that way... [1-10-6]
वारमुख्याः तु तत् श्रुत्वा वनम् प्रविविशुः महत् |
आश्रमस्य अविदूरे अस्मिन् यत्नम् कुर्वन्ति दर्शने || १-१०-७
ऋषेः पुत्रस्य धीरस्य नित्यम् आश्रम वासिनः |
आश्रमस्य अविदूरे अस्मिन् यत्नम् कुर्वन्ति दर्शने || १-१०-७
ऋषेः पुत्रस्य धीरस्य नित्यम् आश्रम वासिनः |
7, 8a. tat shrutvaa vaara mukhyaaH tu = courtesans, best of them, that, hearing; mahat vanam pravivishuH = forests, entered, great [forest];aashramasya asmin aviduure = of hermitage, not, very, far away; darshane = to catch a glance [to show themselves to sage]; dhiirsya = of that highly intelligent sage; nityam aashrama vaasinaH = always hermitage, dwelling in; R^isheH putrsya = Sage', son; yatnam kurvanti = trials, they made.
"On hearing that order of the king those best courtesans have entered that great forest, and they camped not very far from that hermitage, making all the trials for showing themselves off to a glance of that sage. [1-10-7]
Any dictionary would give the meaning of courtesan as 'whore' or as 'court mistress'. But in Indian context, the courtesan is not to be taken in such a lowly way as just a prostitute or a whore. They belong to a caste/class of artists. Juxtaposed to the Four-Caste system there was a deva dasi Temple Dancers system, which is the artist's class. On their receiving enough education and skills in the performing arts and as per their capabilities, they will be nominated as Court Dancers or Temple Dancers and the like. Ancients recognized sixty-four arts chatuSaSTi kalaa , which include right from music, dance, and drama, sculpture, painting etc., up to the art of thievery. Kings in their political or sovereign pursuits variedly used these Deva Daasis, the courtesans.
पितुः स नित्य संतुष्टो न अतिचक्राम च आश्रमात् || १-१०-८
न तेन जन्म प्रभृति दृष्ट पूर्वम् तपस्विना |
स्त्री वा पुमान् वा यच्च अन्यत् सत्त्वम् नगर राष्ट्रजम् || १-१०-९
न तेन जन्म प्रभृति दृष्ट पूर्वम् तपस्विना |
स्त्री वा पुमान् वा यच्च अन्यत् सत्त्वम् नगर राष्ट्रजम् || १-१०-९
8b, 9. nitya santushhTaH = always, satisfied; saH = he Rishyasringa; pituH aashramaat = his father's, hermitage; na ati chakraama = not, out of way, stirred out; tapasvinaa = by hermit; tena janma prabR^iti = by him, birth, onwards; strii va pumaan = female, or, male; nagara raaSTrajam = of city, or of countryside; yat anyat = that which, any other; sattvam = being; na dR^ishhTa puurvam = not, earlier, seen.
"Always satisfied is sage Rishyasringa to be in hermitage, thus he never stirred out of that hermitage, and thus he has not seen any female, or a male, or even any others objects of pleasure, either of city or of countryside from the time of birth onwards... [1-10-8b, 9]
Rishyasringa is thus not aware of gender differentiation or exposed to any other object of pleasure, and thus his father conditioned him to achieve some supreme ritual ideal.
ततः कदाचित् तम् देशम् आजगाम यदृच्छया |
विभाण्डक सुतः तत्र ताः च अपश्यत् वरांगनाः || १-१०-१०
विभाण्डक सुतः तत्र ताः च अपश्यत् वरांगनाः || १-१०-१०
10. tataH kadaachit = then, at one time; vibhaaNDaka sutaH = Vibhandaka's son Rishyasringa; yard^icChaya tam desham ajagaama = casually, at that, place, came; tatra taaH vara anganaaH apasyat = there, them, comely, females, has seen.
"Then at one time Rishyasringa casually arrived at that place, and has seen those comely females. [1-10-10]
No comments:
Post a Comment