20. Krodhavarga
The Chapter about Anger
(20 Verses)
[20.1]
[adm.]
Krodhaṁ jahed, viprajahec ca mānaṁ,
saṁyojanaṁ sarvam atikrameta,
taṁ nāmne rūpe ca asajyamānam,
akiñcanaṁ nānupatanti saṅgāḥ.
One should abandon anger, one should fully abandon conceit, one should overcome all fetters, without clinging to mind and form, attachments never befall the one having nothing.
[20.2]
[adm.]
Krodhaṁ jahed utpatitaṁ, rāgaṁ jātaṁ nivārayet,
avidyāṁ prajahed dhīraḥ, satyābhisamayāt sukham.
One should abandon anger that has arisen, one should ward off passion that occurs, the steadfast one should abandon ignorance, happiness is from the realisation of truth.
[20.3]
[stm.]
Krodhaṁ hatvā sukhaṁ sete, krodhaṁ hatvā na śocati,
krodhasya viṣamūlasya, madhuraghnasya, bhikṣavaḥ,
vadham āryāḥ praśaṁsanti, taṁ ca hatvā na śocati.
Having destroyed anger one lives happily, having destroyed anger one does not grieve, the slaying of the poisonous root of anger is sweet, monastics, the noble ones praise its destruction, for having destroyed it, one does not grieve.
[20.4]
[stm. + sim.]
Yat tu rocayati kruddho duṣkṛtaṁ sukṛtaṁ tv iti,
paścāt sa vigate krodhe, spṛṣṭvāgnim iva tapyate.
Whatever an angry person approves, bad deeds or good deeds, later, when his anger has ceased, that one is tormented like one touching fire.
[20.5.i.]
[stm. + ana.]
Ahrīkaś cānavatrāpī, cāvrataś caiva roṣaṇaḥ,
krodhena hy abhibhūtasya, dvīpaṁ nāstīha kiṁ cana.
Without conscience or concern, unruly and wrathful, for one overcome by anger, there is no island anywhere.
[20.5.ii.]
[stm. + ana.]
Ahrīkyo ’py anavatrāpī, bhavati krodhano ’vrataḥ,
krodhena cābhibhūtasya, na dvīpo bhavati kaś cana.
Without conscience or concern, one becomes angry and unruly, for one overcome by anger, there is no island at all.
[20.6]
[stm.]
Abalaṁ hi balaṁ tasya, yasya krodhe balaṁ balam,
kruddhasya Dharmahīnasya, pratipattir na vidyate.
Weakness is his strength, whose only strength is his strength in anger, for the angry one, devoid of Dharma, no right path is found.
[20.7]
[stm.]
Yas tv ayaṁ balavāṁ bhūtvā, durbalasya titīkṣati,
tām āhuḥ paramāṁ kṣāntiṁ, nityaṁ kṣamati durbalaḥ.
But the one who, becoming strong, endures one who is weak, they say that is the supreme forbearance, the weak must constantly forbear.
[20.8]
[stm.]
Yaḥ pareṣāṁ prabhūḥ saṁs tu, durbalāṁ saṁtitīkṣati,
tām āhuḥ paramāṁ kṣāntiṁ, nityaṁ kṣamati durbalaḥ.
But the one who, being master of others, is totally patient with one who is weak, they say that is the supreme forbearance, the weak must constantly forbear.
[20.9]
[stm.]
Atyukto hi parair yo vai, balavāṁ saṁtitīkṣati,
tām āhuḥ paramāṁ kṣāntiṁ, nityaṁ kṣamati durbalaḥ.
The strong one who, though provoked by others is totally patient, they say that is the supreme forbearance, the weak must constantly forbear.
[20.10]
[stm.]
Ātmānaṁ ca paraṁ caiva mahato rakṣate bhayāt,
yaḥ paraṁ kupitaṁ jñātvā, svayaṁ tatropaśāmyati.
One protects both oneself and the other from great danger, the one who, knowing the other is angry, remains calm himself in the situation.
[20.11]
[stm.]
Ubhayoś carate so ’rtham ātmanasya parasya ca,
yaḥ paraṁ kupitaṁ jñātvā, svayaṁ tatropaśāmyati.
One lives for the benefit of both himself and the other, the one who, knowing the other is angry, remains calm himself in the situation.
[20.12]
[stm.]
Ubhārthe caramāṇaṁ taṁ hy ātmanasya parasya ca,
abalaṁ manyate bālo, Dharmeṣv avavicakṣaṇaḥ.
Though he is living for the benefit of both himself and another, being unskilled in the Dharma, the fool considers he is weak.
[20.13]
[stm.]
Jayaṁ hi manyate bālo vacobhiḥ paruṣair vadan,
nityam iva jayas tasya yo ’tivākyaṁ titīkṣati.
The fool considers he is a victorious when speaking with harsh words, just as Iva here is something of an anomaly, we might have expected eva for emphasis, or api indicating the contrast. victory truly belongs to the one who can constantly endure abuse.
[20.14]
[stm.]
Śreṣṭhasya vākyaṁ kṣamate bhayena,
saṁrambhahetoḥ sadṛśasya caiva,
yo vai nihīnasya vacaḥ kṣameta,
tām uttamāṁ kṣāntim ihāhur āryāḥ.
One bears with speech of a superior through fear, or of a peer when due to impetuosity, but the one who would bear with the speech of an inferior, this is the supreme forbearance here say the noble ones.
[20.15]
[adm.]
Kruddho vācaṁ na bhāṣeta pariṣatsv atha vā mithaḥ,
krodhābhibhūtaḥ puruṣaḥ svam arthasṁ hi na budhyate.
One who is angry should not speak words in an assembly or privately, the person overcome by anger does not understand his own benefit.
[20.16]
[adm.]
Satyaṁ vaden, na ca krudhyed, dadyād alpād api svayam,
sthānair ebhis tribhir yukto, Devānām antikaṁ vrajet.
One should speak the truth, not get angry, even give from the little one has, endowed with these three conditions, one can go into the presence of the Devas.
[20.17]
[rh.q.]
Śāntasya hi kutaḥ krodho, dāntasya sama-jīvinaḥ,
samyagājñāvimuktasya? Krodho nāsti prajānataḥ.
How would there be anger for one at peace, trained, living in harmony, freed by right knowledge? There is no anger for the one who understands.
[20.18]
[stm.]
Tasyaiva pāpaṁ bhavati yaḥ kruddhe krudhyate punaḥ,
kruddheṣv akruddhamānas tu, saṁgrāmaṁ durjayaṁ jayet.
One’s own is the demerit for whoever gets angry in return at an angry person, but one who isn’t returning anger amongst the angry, would win a battle difficult to win.
[20.19]
[adm.]
Akrodhena jayet krodham, asādhuṁ sādhunā jayet,
jayet kadaryaṁ dānena, satyena tv anṛtaṁ jayet.
Through not being angry one should overcome one angry, through being good one should overcome one bad, through giving one should overcome one stingy, through being truthful one should overcome one who lies.
or: Both of these interpretations seem valid, the first agrees with the Pāḷi commentarial interpretation, but the second is grammatically equally correct.
Akrodhena jayet krodham, asādhuṁ sādhunā jayet,
jayet kadaryaṁ dānena, satyena tv anṛtaṁ jayet.
Through non-anger one should overcome anger, through goodness overcome a lack of goodness, through a gift one should overcome stinginess, through truth one should overcome lies.
[20.20]
[rh.q.]
Akruddhasya kutaḥ krodho, dāntasya sama-jīvinaḥ,
samyagājñāvimuktasya? Krodhas tasya na vidyate.
How would there be anger, for one free from anger, trained, living in harmony, freed by perfect knowledge? That one’s anger is not found.
[20.21]
[stm. + sim.]
Akrodhaś cāvihiṁsā ca vasaty āryeṣu sarvadā,
sadā pāpajane krodhas, tiṣṭhati parvato yathā.
Non-anger and non-violence always dwell amongst the noble ones, there is always anger in wicked people, it abides like a mountain.
[20.22]
[stm. + sim.]
Yas tv ihotpatitaṁ krodhaṁ rathaṁ bhrāntam iva dhārayet,
vadāmi sārathiṁ taṁ tu, raśmigrāho ’yam anyathā.
That one who would hold back arisen anger here like a swerving chariot, that one I say is a charioteer, otherwise one is just a rein-holder.
Krodhavargaḥ, 20
The Chapter about Anger, the Twentieth
Uddānam
The Summary
Śramaṇo mārgasatkāro drohasmṛtiprakīrṇakaḥ,
udakaṁ puṣpaṁ aśvaś-ca saha krodhena te daśaḥ.
Ascetics, path, honour, wrong, mindfulness, miscellaneous, water, flowers, and horses together with anger, these ten.