fm2004 1.fb25 pauruSha Personal Effort .z20
jivadas
fm2004 1.fb25 pauruSha Personal
Effort .z20
y2004 1.fb25 pauruSha Personal Effort .z20
A NOTE ON pauruSha
pauruSha is a most interesting concept.
it is not unique to YV, but receives far greater stress here, I think,
than anywhere else in the saMskRta philosophical literature.
in MBh and elsewhere it has the sense of heroic "manliness".
etymologically the term is derived from puruSa,
a पुर्-उष "pur-uSa", a "City-dweller", as distinguished from a Townsman.
the Townsman was a rustic, like the young kRSNa's cowboys.
the City-dweller dwelt in the shadow of the court,
and imitated its refined saMskRtic manners.
philosophically the term is part of the dyad
prakRti & puruSha, the primal Matter & Person.
in the Indian Epics pauruSha suggests the European notion of Chivalry.
but here our text speaks particularly of the hard work of yoga,
rather than mere "civility".
I read pauruSha as "Personal Effort", but generally do not translate the word,
taking it as a Technical Term.
In this Canto, pauruSha is opposed directly to
the notion of daiva.Fate,
the intervention of the divine,
about which rAma has already expressed contempt in Canto 1.26,
and of which much more will be said of it in later Cantos.
Here in the tenth couplet below, वसिष्ट.vasiSTha is equally blunt:
''As for that dupe of dull dimwits
which they call Fate,
there's no such thing.''
oॐm
on
पौरुष
pauruSa
Personal Effort
vasiShTha told rAma
—
.
सौम्य_अम्बुत्वे तरङ्गत्वे सलिलस्य_अम्बुता यथा । समा_एव_अब्धौ तथा_अ.देह-स.देह=मुनि.मुक्तता ॥१॥
saumya_ambutve taraGgatve salilasya_ambutA yathA | samA_eva_abdhau tathA_a.deha-sa.deha=muni.muktatA ||1||
स.देहा वास्त्व्_अ.देहा वा मुक्तता विषये न च । अन्.आस्वादित-भोगस्य कुतो भोज्य-अनुभूतय: ॥२॥
sa.dehA vAstv_a.dehA vA muktatA viSaye na ca | an.AsvAdita-bhogasya kuto bhojya-anubhUtaya: ||
1-2
||
.
dear boy
the water in the wave is, at last, just water:
likewise, the freedom of the bodiless muni
is not different from that of the embodied
...
sv. .. whatever be the external appearance of the liberated sage,
his wisdom remains unchanged.
because
—embodied or disembodied—
freedom is not found in the sense-objects, which give no enjoyment.
What pleasure is there for you to enjoy?
जीवन्.मुक्तम् मुनि-श्रेष्ठम् केवलम् हि पदर्थवत् । पश्याम: पुरतो न_अस्य पुनर् विघ्नो_अन्तराशयम् ॥३॥
jIvan.muktam muni-zreSTham kevalam hi padarthavat | pazyAma: purato na_asya punar vighno_antarAzayam ||
3
||
.
you see before us here the best of munis,
vyAsa the Profuse
.
he
is a Living Freeman,
for the Fulness has substance in him,
his inner state is no obstacle to him
.
m. We are looking at Vyasa only as a physical entity.
sv. ... whatever the external appearance of the liberated sage, his wisdom remains unchanged.
स.देह-अ.देह=मुक्तानाम् भेद: को बोध-रूपिणाम् । यदेव_अम्बु-तरङ्गत्वे सौम्यत्वे_अपि तदेव तत् ॥४॥
sa.deha-a.deha=muktAnAm bheda: ko bodha-rUpiNAm | yadeva_ambu-taraGgatve saumyatve_api tadeva tat ||
4
||
.
for those who are formed from Wisdom
where is the difference between embodiment or lack of it
?
water is water,
raging or calm
!
न मनाग्_अपि भेदो_अस्ति स.देह-अ.देह=मुक्तयो: ।
na manAg_api bhedo_asti sa.deha-a.deha=muktayo: |
स.स्पन्दो_अप्य्_अथवा_अस्पन्दो वायुर्_एव यथा_अनिल: ॥५॥
sa.spando_apy_athavA_aspando vAyur_eva yathA_anila: ||
5
||
.
there is no difference
between the embodied and bodiless Freemen
.
whether the wind blows
or it dies,
it is still only air
.
स-देहा वा वि-देहा वा मुक्तता न प्रमा-आस्पदम् ।
sa-dehA vA vi-dehA vA muktatA na pramA-Aspadam |
अस्माकम्_अपि तस्य_अस्ति स्व.एकता_अस्त्य्_अ-विभागिनी ॥६॥
asmAkam_api tasya_asti sva.ekatA_asty_a-vibhAginI ||
6
||
.
embodied or disembodied,
the liberated state has not two sorts
.
what's for the one
is for the other
.
unity has no distinctions
.
तस्मात्_प्रकृतम्_एव_इदम् शृणु श्रवण-भूषणम् । मया_उपदिस्श्यमानम् त्वम् ज्ञानम् अज्ञ-अन्ध्य-नाशनम् ॥७॥
tasmAt_prakRtam_eva_idam zRNu zravaNa-bhUSaNam | mayA_upadiszyamAnam tvam jJAnam ajJa-andhya-nAzanam ||
7
||
.
so
listen
to this teaching as I explain it,
for it is beautiful to hear,
full of the Wisdom that ends the blindness of the ignorant
.
सर्वम्_एव_इह हि सदा संसारे रघुनन्दन । सम्यक्.प्रयुक्तात्_सर्वेण पौरुषात्_सम्.अवाप्यते ॥८॥
sarvam_eva_iha hi sadA saMsAre raghunandana | samyak.prayuktAt_sarveNa pauruSAt_sam.avApyate ||
8
||
.
darling of the raghu Clan,
anything in this present sam.sAra can be had by anyone,
by means of properly employed Personal Effort
.
इह हि_इन्दोर्_इव_उदेति शीतल-आह्लादनम् हृदि । परिस्पन्द-फल-प्राप्तौ पौरुषाद्_एव न_अन्यत: ॥९॥
iha hi_indo:_iva_udeti zItala-AhlAdanam hRdi | parispanda-phala-prAptau pauruSAt_eva na_anyata: ||
9
||
.
it is like the rising of the moon, it is cool and delightful to the heart
.
only by Personal Effort can we attain the fruit we seek
.
~vwv.151/9. Only on the attainment of reward by much action through human effort here, there arises in the heart, cool delight like that of the moon; not from another (cause).
पौरुषम् स्पन्द-फलवद्_दृष्टम् प्रत्यक्ष.तो न यत् । कल्पितम् मोहितैर्_मन्दैर्_दैवम् किम्.चिन्_न विद्यते ॥१०॥
pauruSam spanda-phalavad_dRSTam pratyakSa.to na yat | kalpitam mohitair_mandair_daivam kim.cin_na vidyate ||
10
||
.
the vibrant fruitfulness of such pauruSha
is a matter for your personal experience
.
as for that dupe of dull dimwits that they call Fate,
there's no such thing
.
साधु_उपदिष्ट-मार्गेण यन्_मनोङ्ग-विचेष्टितम् । तत्_पौरुषम् तत्_स.फलम्_अन्यद्_उन्मत्त-चेष्टितम् ॥११॥
sAdhu_upadiSTa-mArgeNa yan_manoGga-viceSTitam | tat_pauruSam tat_sa.phalam_anyad_unmatta-ceSTitam ||
11
||
.
on the path that the sAdhus teach,
let Mind and Body struggle there
.
that is pauruSa, that bears fruit,
otherwise, it's a fool's folly
.
~AS. Whatever activities are carried out by the mind and the body by following the advice of good people (sAdhUpadiSTamArgeNa) are the true pauruSa, the rest are simply wild acts. * The word Sadhu brings up the image of an ash covered mendicant, but here it has the more general meaning of a good person - a sajjana. The main point is that energetic brave acts are pauruSa, provided they can be considered proper by good people.
*jd. I don't translate sAdhu for this reason. I see its root as >साध् sAdh rather than >अस् as / सत् sat, with its common meaning of "propriety".
यो यम्_अर्थम् प्रार्थयते तद्_अर्थम् च_ईहते क्रमात् । अवश्यम् स तम्_आप्नोति न चेद्_अर्धान्_निवर्तते ॥१२॥
yo yam_artham prArthayate tad_artham ca_Ihate kramAt | avazyam sa tam_Apnoti na ced_ardhAn_nivartate ||
12
||
.
whoever seeks his goal, if he will earnestly go after it
—unless he gives up halfway.thru—
he will attain the goal he seeks
.
पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन त्रैलोक्य-ऐश्वर्य-सुन्दराम् । कश्.चित्_प्राणि-विशेषो हि शक्रताम् सम्.उपागत: ॥१३॥
pauruSeNa prayatnena trailokya-aizvarya-sundarAm | kaz.cit_prANi-vizeSo hi zakratAm sam.upAgata: ||
13||
.
by Personal Effort
some living being has attained the state of indra the godKing,
Lord and Master of the three worlds
.
पौरुषेण_एव यत्नेन सहस-अम्भो-रुह-आस्पदम् । कश्.चिद्_एव चिद्.उल्लासो ब्रह्मताम्_अधितिष्ठति ॥१४॥
pauruSeNa_eva yatnena sahasa-ambha:ruha-Aspadam | kaz.cit_eva cit.ullAsa: brahmatAm_adhitiSThati ||
14
||
.
by Personal Effort alone
someone abides with the Lotus-born in the brahman Immensity, the radiance of Consciousness
.
सारेण पुरुष-अर्थेन स्वेन_एव गरुड-ध्वज: । कश्.चिद्_एव पुमान्_एव पुरुष-उत्तमताम् गत: ॥१५॥
sAreNa puruSa-arthena svena_eva garuDa-dhvaja: | kaz.cid_eva pumAn_eva puruSa-uttamatAm gata: ||
15
||
.
some human.being has become the eagle-bannered viSNu,
who has attained the highest goal,
who has become the Supreme Person
.
पौरुषेण_एव यत्नेन ललना-वलित-आकृति: । शरीरी कश्.चिद्_एव_इह गतश्_चन्द्र-अर्ध-चूडताम् ॥१६॥
pauruSeNa_eva yatnena lalanA-valita-AkRti: | zarIrI kaz.cid_eva_iha gataz_candra-ardha-cUDatAm ||
16
||
.
by Personal Effort alone
some have attained to ziva-hood,
united with his zakti and wearing the half-moon for a crown
.
प्राक्तनम् च_ईहिकम् चेति द्वि.विधम् विद्धि पौरुषम् । प्राक्तनो_अद्यतनेन_आशु पुरुष-अर्थेन जीयते ॥१७॥
prAktanam ca_Ihikam ca_iti dvi.vidham viddhi pauruSam | prAktana:_adyatanena_Azu puruSa-arthena jIyate ||
17
||
.
Personal Effort is twofold
:
past
and present.
By present effort the previous Personal Goals* are to be won
.
*The four पुरुषार्थ.puruSa-artha Personal Goals are काम.kAma Desire, अर्थ.artha wealth/power, धर्म.dharma.Justice, and मोक्ष mokSa.Freedom Freedom. अर्थ.artha has many senses, from wealth to political power; and धर्म.dharma is commonly translated according to the bias of the translator, as Morality, Social Order, and the like.
यत्नवद्भिर्_दृढ-अभ्यासै: प्रज्ञा-उत्साह-समन्वितै: । मेरवो_अपि निगीर्यन्ते का_एव प्राक्.पौरुषे कथा ॥१८॥
yatnavadbhi:_dRDha-abhyAsai: prajJA-utsAha-samanvitai: | merava:_api ni.gIryante kA_eva prAk.pauruSe kathA ||
18
||
.
by use of will and pauruSa thru prajJA.Understanding,
mountains as huge as meru
crumble
.
what then of prior pauruSa
?
~VA. Efforts, firm resolution, wisdom and energy destroy even mount Meru, what to say about previous efforts...
~AS. With sustained effort and practice, accompanied by intelligence and enthusiasm, even the great mountains like Meru are broken up by (humans); what to say of prior pauruSa (it has no chance!) *The AB commentary suggests that this is a point against the doubt that "since the prior pauruSa has had a long time to develop, wouldn't it be hard to overcome?" The response is that the new tools are more potent.
शास्त्र-नियन्त्रित-पौरुष-परमा पुरुषस्य पुरुषता या स्यात् ।
zAstra-niyantrita-pauruSa-paramA puruSasya puruSatA yA syAt |
अभिमत-फल-भर-सिद्ध्यै भवति हि सा_एव_अन्यथा त्व्_अन्.अर्थाय ॥१९॥
abhimata-phala-bhara-siddhyai bhavati hi sA_eva_anyathA tv_an.arthAya ||
19
||
.
perfected pauruSha,
when it is governed by the shAstra Teaching,
is the Person-hood of a Person,
a siddhi.Power that bears its wanted fruit
.
but yet
when it is evoked by fools foolishly,
it is fruitless
.
कस्यांचित् स्वयम् आत्म-दु:स्थिति-वशात् पुंसो दशायाम् शनैर्
kasyAMcit svayam Atma-du:sthiti-vazAt puMso dazAyAm zanair
अग्ङुल्य्-अग्र-निपीडितैक-चुलुकाद् आवाप-बिन्दुर् बहु: ।
agGuly-agra-nipIDitaika-culukAd AvApa-bindur bahu: |
कस्यांचिज् जल-राशि-पर्वत-पुर-द्वीपान्तर्-आली-कृता
kasyAMcij jala-rAzi-parvata-pura-dvIpAntar-AlI-kRtA
भर्तव्योचित-संविभाग-करणे पृथ्वी न पृथ्वी भवेत् ॥२०॥
bhartavyocita-saMvibhAga-karaNe pRthvI na pRthvI bhavet ||
20
||
.
sometimes
an old man
in a shaky condition
on account of his time of life
can hardly scoop.up a handful of water
without splashing it all away
.
sometimes
a man of a like age
rules over a vast sea-bound land with great mountains and cities, because of his deeds
:
this wide earth is not too wide for him
.
oॐm