SAUNDARANANDA 13.9: The Best of Speakers Spoke, of a Process

atha saMharShaNaan nandaM
viditvaa bhaajanii-kRtam
abraviid bruvataaM shreShThaH
krama-jNaH shreyasaaM kramam

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13.9
And so now seeing that, by boosting Nanda,

He had made a receptacle,

The best of speakers spoke:

The process-knower spoke of the process
in all forms of higher good.

COMMENT:
Boosting Nanda meant stimulating the growth of his confidence in higher good; that is to say, in good higher even than living a life of royal privilege in a beautiful house in a beautiful city with a sexy and beautiful wife.

A receptacle means a human being who can become a vessel for the teaching and the practice of higher good. That teaching, as I understand it, centres on the principle of non-doing, and that practice involves the eradication of faults or defects via an indirect, inhibitory process.

The best of speakers was the best of listeners -- one person, one psycho-physical unity, one audio-vocal loop. Not two processes. One process.

A process, in other words, is a means-whereby. Knowing a means-whereby, whether it be for lighting a fire, or using one's voice well, or swimming without stress, or sitting easily, instils confidence -- as opposed to fearful end-gaining.

I would point out that whenever a person sets out to achieve a particular "end" (whether this "end" is the development of potentialities or the eradication of defects, peculiarities, or misuse) his procedure will be based on one of two principles which I have called the "end-gaining" and the "means-whereby" principles. The "end-gaining" principle involves a direct procedure on the part of the person endeavouring to gain the desired "end." This direct procedure is associated with dependence upon subconscious guidance and control, leading, in cases where a condition of mal-co-ordination is present, to an unsatisfactory use of the mechanisms and to an increase in the defects and peculiarities already existing. The "means-whereby" principle, on the other hand, involves a reasoning consideration of the causes of the conditions present, and an indirect instead of a direct procedure on the part of the person endeavouring to gain the desired "end."

FM Alexander; Constructive, Conscious Control of the Individual.

All kinds of practice of higher good (shreyash), as I understand the term, depend by definition on knowing a process.


EH Johnston:
Then the best of Speakers Who knew the course of things, recognising that Nanda had become a vessel fit for salvation through His exhortation, explained the process of the highest good :--

Linda Covill:
Now, aware that by gladdening him he had made Nanda a fitting receptacle for instruction, the best of speakers, knower of the gradual path, explained the steps to Excellence.

VOCABULARY:
atha: then, now
saMharShaNaat = ablative of saMharShaNa (from sam-√hRSh): causing (the hair of the body) to stand erect; gladdening , delighting (with gen.)
hRSh: to thrill with rapture , rejoice , exult , be glad or pleased ; to become sexually excited ; to become erect or stiff or rigid ; to rejoice , be glad ; to cause to bristle
nandaM (accusative): Nanda

viditvaa = absolutive of vid: to know, see, recognise, be aware
bhaajanii = accusative, plural of (??) bhaajana: n. " partaker of " , a recipient , receptacle , (esp.) a vessel
kRtam (accusative): made

abraviid (imperfect of brU): spoke, say, tell
bruvataam (genitive plural of bruvat, speaking): of speakers
shreShThaH (nominal, singular): the best

krama: m. a step ; course, way, method ; " progressing step by step " , a peculiar manner or method of reading and writing Vedic texts
jNaH (nominative, singular): knower
shreyasaaM = genitive plural of shreyas: n. (as) the better state , the better fortune or condition ; m. good (as opp. to " evil ") , welfare , bliss , fortune , happiness
kramam (accusative): step, process