17. Udakavarga
The Chapter about Water

(12 Verses)

[17.1]
[stm. + sim.]

Smṛtimantaḥ prayujyante, na nikete ramanti te,
haṁsavat palvalaṁ hitvā, hy okam oghaṁ jahante te.

The mindful ones are striving, they do not delight in a dwelling, like a goose abandoning a lake, they abandon the home and the flood.

[17.2]
[stm. + sim.]

Haṁsādityapathe yānti, ākāśe jīvitendriyāḥ,
niryānti dhīrā lokān, Mārasainyaṁ pramathya te.

Geese go through the path of the sun, through the sky by their life-faculties, the steadfast ones are led out from the worlds, after crushing Māra’s army.

[17.3]
[stm. + sim.]

Acaritvā brahmacaryam, alabdhvā yauvane dhanam,
jīrṇakrauñcaivă dhyāyante ’lpamatsya iva palvale.

Not having lived the spiritual life, not having gained wealth in their youth, they brood like old herons in a small lake with few fish.

[17.4]
[stm. + sim.]

Acaritvā brahmacaryam, alabdhvā yauvane dhanam,
śenti cāpātikīrṇā vā, paurāṇāny anucintitāḥ.

Not having lived the holy life, not having gained wealth in their youth, they lie like shafts shot from a bow, brooding about things in the past.

[17.5]
[adm. + sim.]

Nālpaṁ manyeta pāpasya: Naitaṁ mām āgamiṣyati,
udabindunipātena mahākumbho ’pi pūryate,
pūryanti bālāḥ pāpair hi, stokastokaṁ kṛtair api.

One should not consider it a little demerit thinking: It will not come to me, through the falling of water drops a great water-pot is filled, the fool becomes filled with demerit, even by making it bit by bit.

[17.6]
[adm. + sim.]

Nālpaṁ manyeta puṇyasya: Naitaṁ mām āgamiṣyati,
udabindunipātena mahākumbho ’pi pūryate,
pūryanti dhīrāḥ puṇyair hi stokastokaṁ kṛtair api.

One should not consider it a little merit thinking: It will not come to me, through the falling of water drops the water-pot is filled, the steadfast ones becomes filled with merit, even by making it bit by bit.

[17.7]
[stm. + sim.]

Ye taranty ārṇavaṁ nityaṁ, kolaṁ baddhvā janāḥ śubham,
na te taranti saritāṁ, tīrṇā medhāvino janāḥ.

Those people who, after binding a good raft, continously cross over a sea, they are still crossing the waters, not the intelligent people, who have crossed over.

[17.8]
[stm. + ana.]

Uttīrṇo Bhagavāṁ Buddhaḥ, sthale tiṣṭhati Brāhmaṇaḥ,
bhikṣavaḥ snānti caivātra, kolaṁ badhnanti cāpare.

The Fortunate Buddha has crossed over, the Brahmin is established on the far shore, there I.e. there on the far shore. the monastics bathe, while others Or outsiders. are still binding a raft.

[17.9]
[rh.q.]

Kiṁ kuryād udapānena, yatrāpaḥ sarvato bhavet?
Tṛṣṇāyā mūlam uddhṛtya, kasya paryeṣaṇāṇ caret?

What would one do with a well, if there were waters everywhere? Having uprooted the root of craving, what would he wander about looking for?

[17.10]
[stm. + sim.]

Udakena nijanti nejakā,
iṣukārā namayanti tejasā,
dāruṁ namayanti takṣakā,
hy ātmānaṁ damayanti paṇḍitāḥ.

Irrigators channel water, fletchers shape arrows with heat, carpenters shape wood, the wise train the self.

[17.11]
[stm. + sim.]

Yathā hradaḥ sugambhīro, viprasanno hy anāvilaḥ,
evaṁ śrutvā hi Saddharmaṁ viprasīdanti paṇḍitāḥ.

Just as a lake that is very deep, clear, and undisturbed, so the wise become clear having heard the True Dharma.

[17.12]
[stm. + sim.]

Pṛthivīsadṛśo na lipyate, tāyī kīlavad aprakampayaḥ,
hrada iva hi vinītakardamo, niṣkaluṣā hi bhavanti paṇḍitāḥ.

One like the earth is not soiled, such a one, like a pillar, is unshakable, the wise become unstained like a lake whose mud has been removed.

 

Udakavargaḥ, 17

The Chapter about Water, the Seventeenth