apsaraH-praaptaye yan me
bhagavan pratibhuur asi
n' aapsarobhir mam' aartho 'sti
pratibhuutvaM tyajaamy aham
12.13
“For my gaining of the nymphs,
Master, you have stood surety.
The nymphs are no use to me.
I relinquish your guarantee.
COMMENT:
A metaphor that comes to mind for the Buddha’s guarantee is a father teaching his young son to ride a bicycle, keeping his promise to keep hold of the saddle for assurance, until that assurance is no longer needed.
What Nanda is expressing has to do with the metaphor of donkey and carrot, the point of which is readily seen -- and yet there may be nobody who truly sees it.
Nanda, however, has seen a carrot as a carrot. And so Nanda is saying, and really meaning, “This donkey shall no longer be a slave to the carrot!”
When boy meets dream,
And dream thrills boy.
There is no buddha
In that joy.
So wake up monkeys,
Sheep and parrots:
Here a donkey
Gives up carrots.
EH Johnston:
' I have no need of the Apsarases for the gaining of whom Thou standest, Lord, as my surety and I release Thee from the pledge. '
Linda Covill:
"Lord, you stood guarantor for my attainment of the apsarases. But now I have no need of the apsarases, and I relinquish your guarantee.
VOCABULARY:
apsaras: nymphs
praaptaye = dative of pra-√aap): to attain to ; reach , arrive at , meet with , find ; to obtain , receive
yad: [he/you] who
me (genitive of aham): of me
bhagavan = vocative, masculine of bhagavat: possessing fortune , fortunate , prosperous , happy ; glorious , illustrious , divine , adorable , venerable
pratibhuu: m. a surety , security , bail
pratibhuuH (nominal, singular): one who stands surety, guarantor
asi: you are
na: not
apsarobhiH = instrumental, plural of apsaras: nymphs
mama (genitive of aham): to me
arthaH (nominative, singular): purpose, value, use
asti: there is
pratibhuutvam: pledge, guarantee
tyajaami = 1st person singular of tyaj: to give up, relinquish, set aside
aham: I
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