SAUNDARANANDA 10.50: Nanda Tells It As He Sees It

hary-aaNgan" aasau muShit'-aika-dRShTir
yad-antare syaat tava naatha vadhvaH
tad-antare 'sau kRpaNaa vadhuus te
vapuShmatiir apsarasaH pratiitya

= = - = = - - = - = =
- = - = = - - = - = =
- = - = = - - = - = =
- = - = = - - = - = -

10.50
"Whatever difference there might be, Master,

Between that one-eyed she-monkey
and your sister-in-law,

Is the same when your poor sister-in-law

Is set against the lovely apsarases.

COMMENT:
A dramatic moment. The moment when a man in a buddha-robe shows himself to be a fickle-minded end-gainer who is greedy for something. A shocking moment.

Yesterday I felt it was a comic moment. Today I feel it is a tragic moment.

Which feeling is reliable? Neither. The Buddha's teaching is to have small desire and know contentment. That is reliable. My feelings are not reliable.

Still, sickness and death are no joke. Aging is no joke. That's for damn sure.


EH Johnston:
'Thy sister-in-law appears, Lord, as wretched in comparison with the beautiful Apsarases as she was superior to the one-eyed she-monkey.

Linda Covill:
"Whatever difference there might have been between the one-eyed monkey and your sister-in-law, Lord, is the same when your pitiable sister-in-law is set against the lovely apsarases.

VOCABULARY:
hary-aNganaa (nom. sg. f.): she-monkey
hari: m. monkey
aNgana: f. " a woman with well-rounded limbs " , any woman or female
asau (nom. sg. f.): that
muShitaika-dRShTiH (nom. sg. f.): one-eyed, with one eye missing
muShita: mfn. robbed; bereft or deprived of
eka: one
dRShTi: f. eye

yat (correlative of tad.): which
antare: ind. between
syaat = 3rd pers. sg. optative as: to be
tava (gen. sg.): your
naatha (voc.): m. a protector , patron , possessor , owner , lord
vadhvaH = gen./abl. sg. f. vadhuu: f. bride; any younger female relation

tad (correlative of yad): that
antare: ind. between
asau (nom. sg. f.): that
kRpaNaa (nom. sg. f.): mfn. inclined to grieve , pitiable , miserable , poor , wretched , feeble
vadhuuH = nom. sg. f. vadhuu: f. younger female relation
te (gen. sg.): your

vapuShmatiiH (acc. pl. f.): mfn. having a beautiful form , handsome
apsarasaH (acc. pl.): f. nymphs
pratiitya = abs. prati- √i: to go towards or against , go to meet (as friend or foe);