−⏑−⏑¦⏑−−−¦¦⏑⏑−−¦⏑−⏑−
śobhayeta
guṇair-ebhir-api tān-uttarān kurūn |
⏑−−−¦⏑−−−¦¦−−⏑⏑¦⏑−⏑−
kuberasyāpi
cākrīḍaṁ
prāg-eva vasu-dhām-imām || 4.10
4.10
By the
means of these graces you could cause to shine
Even that
superior kingdom of the Northern Kurus,
And even
the pleasure-grove of Kubera –
All the
more, then, this earthly acreage.
COMMENT:
Implicit
in Udāyin's words in today's verse is the idea that the Āryan
homeland above the Himālayas, and Kubera's mythical kingdom of
riches and treasure, are a cut above this lowly place where
productive industry goes on.
The
phrase, vasu-dhām-imām, “this [earth] where stuff is produced,”
seems to express a certain brahmin condescension towards industry and
trade which evidently existed in India even before white colonial
rulers arrived there from Britain.
A
particular truth of which Udāyin in today's verse is strikingly
unaware, then, is that snobbery is suffering, whereas happiness lies
in totally abandoning an idea that triggers those wrong inner
patterns which constitute suffering.
And
a further irony in today's verse -- verbal irony on top of dramatic
irony -- is that there is more wisdom than the stupid Udāyin knows in his implication that the Northern Kurus and Kubera's pleasure-garden
should be difficult places to beautify whereas it might be easier to
beautify this lowly acreage where diggers work in trenches. The truth
that Hurry-Up Udāyin is expressing in today's verse, unbeknowns to
him, is that whether in this world or in other worlds, whether in the eastern lands
or in the western heavens, there has never been any better place
to learn the backward step of turning one's light, and letting it
shine, than a desolate patch of common or garden ground where gravity is operating
with a force of 1g.
VOCABULARY
śobhayeta
= causative optative 2nd pers. pl śubh: to cause to
shine, beautify , ornament , decorate
guṇaiḥ
(inst. pl.): m. merits, virtues, graces
ebhiḥ
(inst. pl. m.): these
api: even
tān (acc.
pl. m.): those
uttarān
(acc. pl. m.): mfn. upper , higher , superior ; northern (because the
northern part of India is high)
kurūn
(acc. pl.): m. pl. name of a people of India and of their country
(situated near the country of the pañcālas ; hence often connected
with pañcāla or pañcāla [see kuru-pañc° below]: the
uttara-kuravaḥ , or uttarāḥ kuravaḥ are the northern kurus ,
the most northerly of the four mahā-dvīpas or principal divisions
of the known world; it was probably a country beyond the most
northern range of the himālaya , often described as a country of
everlasting happiness, and considered by some to be the ancient home
of the Aryan race)
kuberasya
(gen. sg.): m. or in later Sanskrit kuvera (originally) N. of a chief
of the evil beings or spirits or darkness having the N. vaiśravaṇa
; (afterwards) the god of riches and treasure (regent of the
northern quarter which is hence called kubera-guptā diś)
api: even
ca: and
ākrīḍam:
mn. a playing-place , pleasure-grove , garden
prāg:
(with eva) , a short while ago , recently , just ; still more so ,
how much more (= kim-uta)
eva:
(emphatic)
vasu-dhām
(acc. sg.): mfn. producing wealth , liberal; f. the earth ; country,
kingdom ; f. the ground , soil
vasu: n,
wealth , goods , riches , property
dhā: m.
placer , bestower , holder , supporter &c
imām
(acc. sg.): f. this
兼解諸世間 隱祕隨欲方
[Relation
to Sanskrit tenuous]
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