20. Alaṅkāro
An Ornament
(9 Verses)
257 [ana., stm.]
Pathaviyā We should read pathavyā, m.c. bhūsanaṁ Meru, rattiyā bhūsanaṁ sasī,
janānaṁ bhūsanaṁ rājā, senānaṁ bhūsanaṁ gajo.
Meru is the adornment of the earth, the moon is the adornment of the night, the king is the adornment of the people, an elephant is the adornment of the army.
Mount Meru, the cosmic axis, is the ornament of the earth itself, giving it grandeur and centrality. The moon is the ornament of the night, providing its light and beauty. A righteous king is the ornament of the people, their protector and the source of order and prosperity. A mighty elephant is the ornament of the army, representing its peak strength and terror for foes. True ornament is not mere decoration, but that which fulfills its highest purpose.
258 [ana., stm.]
Sīlattā sobhate rūpaṁ, cārittā sobhate kulaṁ,
sapupphaṁ sobhate ’raññaṁ, sagajaṁ sobhate balaṁ.
Through virtue the body shines, through conduct a family shines, having flowers a wilderness shines, having elephants an army shines.
A physical body shines through virtue, not cosmetics. A family’s reputation shines through the good conduct of its members, not its wealth. A forest wilderness shines when it is in bloom, displaying its fertile nature. An army shines when it possesses war elephants, the ultimate instruments of its power. In each case, the ornament is the essential, excellent quality that is proper to the thing itself. Beauty is the visible expression of inner virtue or inherent potency.
259 = Ln 94, Mhn 214; = Vyāsakāra 49 [ana., stm.]
Kokilānaṁ saddaṁ Ln, Mhn: saro; their voice. Cf. Vyāsa. rūpaṁ, nārīrūpaṁ patibbataṁ,
vijjā rūpaṁ arūpānaṁ, khamā rūpaṁ tapassinaṁ.
The beauty of cuckoos is their sound, Skt: their voice. the beauty of women is devotion to their husband, the beauty of minds is their knowledge, the beauty of an ascetic is forgiveness.
For a cuckoo, beauty is not its plumage but its melodious song. For a woman, in the traditional social framework, her beauty and status are secured through devotion to her husband. For the mind its beauty is knowledge. For an ascetic, whose practice involves enduring hardship, the supreme beauty is forgiveness, the ability to relinquish anger. True adornment is the perfection of one’s own specific virtue.
Vyāsakāra 49
Kokilānaṁ svaro rūpaṁ, nārīrūpaṁ pativrataṁ,
vidyā rūpaṁ arūpānaṁ, kṣamā rūpaṁ tapasvinām.
260 = Ln 96 [ana., stm.]
Kisā sobhā tapassī ca, thūlā sobhā catuppadā,
vijjā sobhā manussā ca, Ln line c: purisā ca vijjāsobhā; with same meaning. itthī sobhā sasāmikā.
Ascetics shine when lean, quadrapeds shine when stout, humans shine when learned, and women shine with their husbands.
Ascetics shine when lean, as emaciation evidences their rigorous discipline and detachment from the body. Quadruped shine when stout, as robust flesh displays its health and strength for labor or battle. Human beings shine when learned, as knowledge fulfills human potential. Women shine when with their husbands, representing social fulfillment, protection and the fulfillment of her traditional role. The standard of beauty is therefore defined as functional appropriateness.
261 ≈ Ln 102 [ana., stm.]
Rattihīno na candaro, The form candaro does not seem to be recorded elsewhere. ūmihīno na sāgaro,
haṁsahīno na saṁphullo, itthihīno na puriso.
Without the night there is no moon, without waves there is no ocean, without geese there is no flowering (lake), without a woman there is no man.
The moon only becomes clearly visible in the nighttime. An ocean is defined by its waves. A lake is brought to life by the presence of geese. A woman is completed and fulfilled by having a husband, which reflects the societal view of the time that a woman’s identity and social standing were intrinsically linked to marriage. Just as these natural phenomena are coupled, so too are woman and husband seen as a fundamental, completing pair.
Ln 102
Na ratti vinā candimā, vīciṃ vinā na aṇṇavo,
haṃsaṃ vinā pokkharaṇī, pati vinā kaññā sobhe.
Without the moon there is no night, without ripples there is no sea, without geese there is no lotus pond, without a husband no young woman shines. Note the interesting reversals in lines a and d.
262 ≈ Cāṇakya-nīti-śāstra 49 [ana., stm.]
Vatthahīnaṁ n’ alaṅkāraṁ, patihīnā na nārikā,
sippahīno na puriso, dhenuhīnaṁ na bhojanaṁ.
There is no ornament without a cloth, no woman without a husband, no (good) man without a craft, no food without a cow.
An ornament needs a cloth to adorn; otherwise, it is just an object. A woman, in this view, needs a husband to have social status and purpose. A man needs a craft or skill to be considered a capable, respectable person. A proper meal requires the products of a cow. Each item is the essential support that gives meaning and function to the other. Without its basis, the superior thing is pointless.
Cāṇakya-nīti-śāstra 49
Vastrahīnās Text reads: vastrahinās. tv alaṁkāro, ghṛtahīnaṁ ca bhojanam,
stanahīnā ca yā nārī, vidyāhīnaṁ ca jīvanam.
There is no ornament without a cloth, no food without ghee, no woman without breasts, and no (good) life without learning.
263 ≈ Vṛddha-Cāṇakya (Cv) 7.12 [ana., stm.]
Dīpake dīpako cando, nāriyā dīpako pati,
tiloke dīpako Dhammo, suputto kuladīpako.
The moon illuminates at (the time for) a lamp, a woman illuminates her husband, the Dhamma illuminates the three worlds, a good child illuminates a family.
When lamplight is needed, the moon illuminates the world. In the domestic sphere, a wife illuminates or brings honour to her husband. For all three worlds, the Dhamma is the illuminator, revealing truth and ending darkness. For a family lineage, a good child is its illuminator, bringing it fame and continuity. Light here is a metaphor for glory, understanding and legacy. The greatest sources of light are not physical but moral and spiritual.
Vṛddha-Cāṇakya (Cv) 7.12
Śarvarīdīpakaś candraḥ, prabhāte dīpako raviḥ,
trailokyadīpako Dharmaḥ, suputraḥ kuladīpakaḥ.
The moon illuminates the night, the sun illuminates at daybreak, the Dharma illuminates the three worlds, a good child illuminates a family.
264 = Ln 115; ≈ Vṛddha-Cāṇakya (CV) 7.12 [ana., stm.]
Aputtakaṁ gharaṁ suññaṁ, desaṁ Ln: raṭṭhaṁ; with same meaning. suññaṁ arājakaṁ,
apaññassa Ln: asippassa; without knowledge. mukhaṁ suññaṁ, sabbasuññā daliddatā.
A home is empty without a child, a country is empty without a king, a mouth is empty without wisdom, poverty is completely empty.
A home without a child is empty of laughter, legacy and future support. A country without a king is empty of order, justice, and security. The mouth of a person without wisdom is empty of meaningful speech, offering only noise or malice. Finally, poverty is declared to be completely empty: it is the void that encompasses all other voids, lacking wealth, opportunity, respect, and often hope. Emptiness here is the worldly desolation of lack.
Vṛddha-Cāṇakya (CV) 7.12
Aputrasya ghṛhaṁ śūnyaṁ, diśaḥ śūnyās tv abhāndavāḥ,
mūrkhasya hṛdayaṁ śūnyaṁ, sabbaśūnyā daridratā.
A home is empty without a child, a country is empty without relatives, the heart of a fool is empty, poverty is completely empty.
265 = Mhn 80; ≈ Śatakatrayādi-subhāṣitasaṁgraha 54 [ana., stm.]
Sotaṁ suteneva na kuṇḍalena,
dānena pāṇī na tu kaṅkaṇena,
ābhāti kāyo purisuttamassa
paropakārena na candanena.
The ear shines through hearing, not through an earring, the hand shines through giving, but not through a bracelet, the body of an excellent man shines through helping others, not through sandalwood.
The ear shines through what it hears, the Dhamma, good counsel, poetry, not merely by earrings. The hand shines through giving, not by bracelets. The entire body of an excellent man shines through helping others, not by the application of sandalwood paste. External adornments are superficial and inert. The real beauty of a human being radiates from their virtuous conduct, from their receptivity to truth, their generosity, and their compassionate action.
Śatakatrayādi-subhāṣitasaṁgraha 54
Śrotaṁ śrutenaiva na kuṇḍalena,
dānena pāṇir na tu kaṅkaṇena,
vibhāti kāyaḥ karuṇāparāṇāṁ
paropakāreṇa na candanena.
The ear shines through hearing, not through an earring, the hand shines through giving, not through a bracelet, the body shines through compassion for others, and through helping others, not through sandalwood.