The Hitopadesa (Penguin Classics) Read online

  Then move on in cavalcade—

  Such is creatures’ intercourse.

  “Further,

  (76) Five elements do this frame compose.

  What’s the need for mourning when

  Each one to its own source goes,

  And in it is absorbed again?

  (77) As many times a person makes

  Ties in which he pleasure takes,

  So often is some sorrow’s dart

  Buried deep inside his heart.

  (78) One can never hope to be

  With anything eternally,

  Not even with one’s body here,

  Not to speak of others dear.

  “Besides,

  (79) Union surely makes it clear

  That parting too will come to be,

  As birth the coming does declare

  Of death, an inevitability.

  (80) Being close to those we love

  At the start does pleasant prove,

  But as with food from tainted grain,

  The end result is full of pain.

  “Furthermore,

  (81) Just as river currents flow

  On, and never backwards go,

  Similarly do night and day

  Move onwards, taking lives away.

  (82) Even good men’s company,

  On which the world’s best joys depend,

  Must rank a leading misery,

  Because in parting it must end.

  (83) Therefore, good men’s company,

  By the sage is never sought.

  To part from them will always be

  A sword, the wound from which cannot

  But always rankle in the mind:

  A balm for it one will not find.

  (84) Sāgara11 and the kings of yore

  Did many deeds of merit great,

  Yet their good works are no more—

  Them also time did obliterate.

  (85) As death’s sharp sting they think about,

  All the strivings of the wise

  Go limp, like straps of leather stout

  Left soaking under rainy skies.

  (86) From that very night, O King,

  When in the womb one comes to stay,

  A ceaseless journey will him bring

  Nearer death each passing day.

  “For those who have thought about the world’s transitoriness, therefore, this grief is merely a display of ignorance. Look,

  (87) If separation really was

  Of sorrow the primal cause,

  Rather than one’s ignorance,

  Why should grief’s circumference

  Then not increase each passing day,

  Instead of tending to decay?

  “So, look into yourself, good sire, and give up this lamentation. For,

  (88) For crushing blows of bitter grief,

  Sudden too, and fresh withal,

  The greatest balm that brings relief

  Is not to think of them at all.”

  ‘Kauṇḍinya seemed to come to his senses on hearing these words. “My home is now a hell,” he said, getting up. “I will not live here any more. I will go away, even to the forest.” Kapila spoke again:

  (89) “In forests too do problems chase

  Those who follow passion’s ways;

  And those who can control their senses,

  At home itself can do penances.

  For home too is a hermitage

  For one who subdues passion’s rage,

  And such works does carry out

  As no one can despise or doubt.

  “For,

  (90) Though misery may your being mar,

  In whatever state of life you are,

  Act virtuously with piety,

  And everyone treat equally.

  The source of virtue does not lie

  In emblems which we sanctify.

  “And it has been said,

  (91) Such people surmount all obstruction

  Who eat but just to life sustain,

  And limit sex to procreation,

  And only speak to truth maintain.

  “Similarly,

  (92) The soul is a river deemed to be,

  Self-restraint its holy ford,

  Its water, plain veracity,

  Its banks, the temper well secured,

  Compassion its current true.

  O son of Pāndu,12 to it hie—

  Common waters will not do

  The inner self to purify.

  “And specially,

  (93) The world is no more than a stage

  Playing out the agony

  Of birth and death, disease and age:

  Give it up and happy be.

  “For,

  (94) Only pain, it’s clear to see,

  Is actual, not felicity;

  The last is but a term ordained

  For soothing one who’s greatly pained.”

  “This is so,” said Kauṇḍinya. Then that grief-stricken priest cursed me to become a porter of frogs from that very day,’ the snake continued. ‘Kapila told him, “Sir, you cannot bear to take advice even now. Your heart is still full of sorrow. Nevertheless listen to what you should do,

  (95) With all your strength you should forsake

  Your ties; if they are hard to break,

  Then keep them only with the pure:

  For this will be a remedy sure.

  “Further,

  (96) With all your strength you should eschew

  Desire; if that’s hard to do,

  Then have it just for being free

  Of passion: that’s its remedy.”

  ‘The fire of Kauṇḍinya’s grief was extinguished by the nectar of Kapila’s advice. After listening to it, he formally assumed the renunciant’s staff. As for myself, because of the priest’s curse I stay here to carry frogs.’

  The frog then went to his king, who was Jālapāda or Webfoot, and narrated the snake’s story to him. The frog king came to the garden and climbed upon the back of the snake who then carried him around, executing a series of elegant movements.

  On the following day the king of the frogs found the snake unable to move. ‘Sir, why are you so slow today?’ he asked. ‘Sire,’ replied the serpent, I have become weak as ‘I have nothing to eat.’

  ‘We give you leave to eat frogs,’ said the frog king. ‘I accept this great favour,’ the snake replied, and he began to eat the frogs one by one. In due course, when he observed that there were no more left in the pond, he also devoured the frog king.

  ‘That is why I spoke about carrying even one’s enemies along,’ said the crow. ‘But leave aside old stories, sire. In my opinion we should make peace with King Goldegg who is entirely suited to be an ally.’

  ‘How can you even think of this, sir?’ cried King Dapple. ‘He has been defeated by us. If he stays as our vassal, let him do so. If not, we must go to war again.’

  Meanwhile the parrot had returned from Jambu island. ‘Sire,’ he said to Dapple, ‘the stork who is the king of Simhala has now attacked and invaded Jambu.’

  ‘What!’ exclaimed the king in some confusion. But the vulture said to himself, ‘Well done, O goose! Well done. Minister Knowall!’

  The king was furious. ‘Let the invader watch out,’ he cried. ‘I will go and extirpate him, root and branch.’ Farsighted smiled and said,

  (97) ‘One should not thunder just in vain

  Like autumn clouds which have no rain.

  The wise to strangers don’t declare

  What they can or cannot bear.

  ‘Furthermore,

  (98) The king should not simultaneously

  Go to war on many fronts.

  An arrogant snake is bound to be

  Killed if insect hosts he hunts.

  ‘Why go from here without making peace, sire? Otherwise there will surely be an insurrection after we leave. Furthermore,

  (99) One who does not ascertain

  The nature of reality,

&nbs
p; But succumbs to anger’s strain,

  Will extremely sorry be—

  As happened to the foolish priest

  With his little mongoose beast.’

  ‘How did that happen?’ the king asked. Farsighted narrated

  The Hasty Priest and the Loyal Mongoose

  In the city of Ujjayinī there was a priest named Mādhava whose wife had just had a baby. She asked him to guard the infant and herself went to have a bath. Meanwhile a summons arrived from the king for the priest to receive a gift in the ceremony commemorating the ancestors. The priest was poor, and on getting this news he naturally thought, ‘If I do not go immediately, then someone else will get the gift. For,

  (100) A gift to give, a gift to take,

  And other work one ought to do,

  If one won’t quickly undertake,

  Time then saps its essence true.

  ‘But there is no one here to guard this child. What should I do?’ the priest thought further. ‘Well, here is a way. I have kept this mongoose as a pet for a long time, and treated it like my own son. I will leave it to guard the child, and go.’

  Having made this arrangement, the priest went away. A black serpent then approached the child. The mongoose saw this, and killed the snake, tearing it apart.

  When the priest returned, the mongoose came up to him immediately and rolled with pleasure at his feet. But its mouth and paws were stained with blood and, seeing it in this condition, the priest concluded that it had attacked the child. So he promptly killed the mongoose.

  On running inside, when the priest looked about him, he saw the child lying safe, and a snake lying dead. He turned then to the mongoose who had served him so well. His heart filled with emotion, and he was stricken by a deep sorrow.

  ‘That is why I spoke about ascertaining the nature of reality,’ said the vulture. ‘Furthermore,

  (101) Anger, lust, and dark delusion,

  Arrogance and pride and greed—

  All these six deserve exclusion:

  Who gives them up has joy indeed.’

  ‘Is what you have said your final opinion, minister?’ asked the king. ‘It is indeed,’ the minster replied, ‘For,

  (102) A firm and a perceptive mind,

  To basic interests never blind,

  Taking well-informed decisions,

  Secrecy in consultations—

  In ministers, all of these

  Are the supreme qualities.

  ‘And similarly,

  (103) Do not act impetuously.

  Heedlessness is known to be

  In every case the chiefest source

  Of a catastrophic course;

  While success does itself select

  To come to him who will reflect

  Before he starts upon an action:

  For fortune that’s his great attraction.

  ‘Therefore, sire, if you are to act on my advice, you should now make peace, and then depart. For,

  (104) Even though sages ordain

  Four methods13 for your ends to gain,

  That is mere enumeration:

  True success comes from conciliation.’

  ‘How can this be possible?’ the king asked. ‘Sire, it can be achieved immediately,’ said the minister. ‘For,

  (105) To please one who does nothing know

  Is easy; and it’s easier so

  To please one who has wisdom great.

  But even God cannot placate

  The man whose head has somewhat turned

  With the little he has learned.

  ‘In the present case, specially, this king knows the path of righteousness, and his minister knows everything. I realized this earlier from what their actions demonstrated, as well as from what Cloudcolour said. For,

  (106) Virtues which one cannot see,

  From actions they can inferred be.

  When actions too one does not know,

  Their outcomes on them light will throw.

  ‘We have discussed this sufficiently,’ the king then said, ‘please proceed as you have proposed.’ Thus advised. Chief Minister Vulture went inside the fort, saying, ‘Whatever is needed will be done.’

  Meanwhile the crane, who had been sent out as a spy, came to King Goldegg and told him, ‘Sire, Chief Minister Vulture is coming here to make peace.’

  ‘Minister,’ observed the swan king, ‘another person with some ulterior motive is now coming here.’ Knowall smiled and said, ‘There is no need for suspicion. Farsighted is a noble soul. It is only the dull-witted who either do not suspect anything at all or, conversely, are suspicious of everything without exception. Just as,

  (107) The swan could not see well at night

  And, deluded momentarily,

  Mistook the stars’ reflected light

  In the lake for stems of lily.

  Even in the morning then,

  At the lotus blossoms fair

  It chooses not to peck again,

  As if shining stars they were.

  Folk who have been taken in,

  Will even in truth see some sin.

  (108) Minds which villains once deceive

  Will even the godly not believe.

  By hot milk scalded, the schoolboy blows

  On even what are curds he knows.

  ‘On our part, sire, we should assemble the best that we can of jewels and other gifts to receive the vulture with.’

  After this had been arranged, the goose received Minister Vulture at the fortress gate, and brought him in with all courtesy to meet the king. The visitor was offered a seat which he assumed.

  ‘All this is yours,’ said the goose, ‘enjoy this kingdom as you wish.’ ‘That is so,’ added Goldegg.

  ‘It is indeed so,’ said Farsighted. ‘But at this moment there is no need to speak at length. For,

  (109) With wealth one may the greedy lure,

  And the stern with acts placatory;

  With fools one lets their fancies soar,

  But the wise must have veracity.

  ‘Further,

  (110) Friends are won by feelings true,

  Relatives by respect due,

  Spouse and servants may be won

  By gifts, and honours to them done,

  And all the other folk there be,

  One should win by courtesy.

  ‘Therefore you should now make peace with the mighty King Dapple, and let him depart.’

  ‘How is this peace to be effected?’ asked the goose. ‘Be kind enough to explain that also.’ Goldegg added, ‘How many kinds of peace can there be?’

  ‘I will explain,’ said the vulture. ‘Listen,

  (111) Invaded by a stronger force,

  In stress, and with no other recourse,

  To sue for peace a king should strain,

  In order for more time to gain.

  (112-113) Kapāla, Upahāra, Santāna, Sangata, Upanyāsa,

  Pratikāra, Samyoga, Puruṣāntara, Adriṣtanara,

  ādiṣhta, ātmādiṣhta, Upagraha, Parikraya,

  Ućchana, Parabhūṣaṇa, and Skandhopaneya.

  (114) These have always lauded been

  As treaties of peace sixteen.

  This is what the experts state

  When they on peace elaborate.

  (115) The Kapāla peace is known to be

  Strictly based on parity.

  The Upahāra has it specified

  That one side must a gift provide.

  (116) A daughter must one party cede,

  Before the Santāna is decreed.

  The Sangata, all sages confirm,

  Is based upon a friendship firm.

  (117-118) The Sangata equal terms provides

  For the aims of both the sides.

  It alone, one may be sure,

  Will throughout their lives endure.

  In thick or thin it will not break,

  Nor for other reasons’ sake.

  This is the peace, whose excellence

  Is like gold in
every sense,

  So that peace arrangers all

  As “The Golden” do it call.

  (119) The peace arrangement which intends

  The gaining only of one’s ends

  Is Upanyāsa, said so to be

  By those who know diplomacy.

  (120) “I did help him in the past,

  He will reciprocate at last”:

  A peace made on this consideration—

  Pratikāra is its appellation.

  (121) “I will help him, so will he

  Reciprocate due help to me”:

  This is Pratikāra too,

  As Rāma with Sugrīva14 did do.

  (122) A peace agreement which is signed

  With a single purpose well-defined,

  Its terms secured with calculation—

  Samyoga is its appellation.

  (123) When agreement is assured

  That each side’s interests be secured

  By leading warriors of its own,

  That peace is Purusāntara known.

  (124) When it is the foe’s condition

  That his interest have protection

  By the other side alone,

  That is Adrṣtapuruṣha known.

  (125) When a powerful enemy

  Claims portion of your territory

  As for peace a precondition,

  That then has the appellation

  ādista from those who know

  How such peace agreements go:

  (126) A peace by one’s own army made

  As ātmadista, experts grade.

  To save your life, when you concede

  Everything, is Upagraha decreed.

  (127) To save remaining property

  By ceding part of treasury,

  Or half of it, or even all:

  Parikraya, experts do it call.

  (128) The peace Ućchanna comes to be

  By ceding rich territory.

  The gift of only its produce

  Is called the Parabhūṣaṇa truce.

  (129) Where a specific lot is gifted—

  As much as on the back is lifted—

  That the arbitrators all