SAUNDARANANDA 16.7: Birth Is Suffering

tasmaaj jar" aader vyasanasya muulaM
samaasato duHkham avaihi janma
sarv'-auShadhiinaam iva bhuur bhavaaya
sarv'-aapadaaM kShetram idaM hi janma

16.7
Therefore, at the root of a disaster like growing old

See, in short, that birth is suffering.

For, as the earth supports the life of all plants,

This birth is the field of all troubles.


VOCABULARY:
tasmaat: from that, therefore
jaraa: the act of becoming old , old age
aadeH = genitive, singular of aadi: beginning with , et cetera , and so on
vyasanasya = genitive, singular of vyasana: moving to and fro; industry; addiction, evil passion, vice; evil predicament or plight , disaster , accident , evil result , calamity , misfortune; distress , destruction , defeat , fall , ruin
muulam (accusative): root

samaasatas: concisely, succinctly, briefly; in short
duHkham (acc. sg.): n. suffering
avaihi = imperative of ave: to look upon , consider; to perceive , conceive , understand , learn , know
janma = acc. sg. janman: n. birth

sarva: all
oShadhiinaam = genitive, plural of oShadhi: a herb, plant, especially any medicinal herb
iva: like
bhuuH (nom. sg.): f. the earth; earth, ground , soil , land
bhavaaya = dative of bhava: coming into existence, production, growth, life

sarva: all
aapadaam = genitive, plural of aapad: misfortune , calamity , distress , trouble
kShetram (nom. sg.): n. land , soil; field; a field; place of origin , place where anything is found; " fertile soil " , the fertile womb , wife
idam (nom. sg. n.): this
hi: for
janma (nom. sg.): birth

EH Johnston:
Therefore, to put it briefly, recognise suffering to be birth which is the root of the afflictions, old age etc; for as the earth is the place where all plants grow, so birth is the place where all calamities grow.

Linda Covill:
In short, you must therefore accept that birth, the root of miseries such as old age, is suffering; for this birth is the field of all adversity, as is the earth for all plants.