Jethalal S. Zaveri
Prof. Muni Mahendra Kumar
puriso jaha ko vi ihaṃ vittiṇimittaṃ tu sevade rāyam.
to so vi dedi rāyā vivihe bhoge suhūppāde..32
emeva jῑvapuriso kammarayaṃ sevade suhaṇimittaṃ.
to so vi dedi kammo vivihe bhoge suhūppāde..33
jaya puṇa so cciya puriso vittiṇimittaṃ ṇa sevade rāyaṃ.
to so ṇa dedi rāyā vivihe bhoge suhūppāde..34
emeva sammadiṭṭhῑ visayatthaṃ sevade ṇa kammarayaṃ.
to so ṇa dedi kammo vivihe bhoge suhūppāde..35
(Jaha ihaṃ) Just as, in this worldly life (ko vi puriso vittiṇimittaṃ tu rāyaṃ seved) if a person [faithfully] serves the king for his livelihood, (to so vi raya) then also that king (suhuppāde vivihe bhoge dedi) [positively] favours him with various enjoyable facilities.
(Emeva jῑvapuriso) Similarly, if a soul, like man, (suhaṇimittaṃ kammarayaṃ sevade) serves the karma—dust with a desire to get worldly pleasures (to so kammo vi) then the [king]—(auspicious) karma—also (suhuppade vivihe bhoge dedi) favours him with various worldly pleasure [as its fruit].
(Puṇa jaha so cciya puriso) Again, just as if the selfsame person (vittiṇimittaṃ rāyaṃ ṇa sevade) does not care to serve the king for getting monetary reward (to so rāyā suhuppāde vivihe bhoge ṇa dedi) then the king does not favour him with any facilities for worldly comforts.
(Emeva samadṭṭthi) Similarly, if an enlightened sage (visayatthaṃ kammarayaṃ ṇa sevade) does not care to serve the [king] karma—dust, because he does not aspire for any carnal pleasures, (to so kammo suhuppāde vivihe bhoge ṇa dedi) then the karma does not favour him with various worldly pleasures.
Annotations:
In these verses, the author, again, uses an analogy to stress the significance of Desire for Reward, both in the worldly life as well as spiritual advancement. Earlier, in the Introduction to chapter IV, it has been stated that all that is enjoyable and pleasant in the worldly life—health, wealth and happiness—can be obtained only by the fruition of auspicious karma—puṇya. This means that one has to seek the favour of the inanimate karmic matter (dust), to gratify ones desire for worldly pleasures. This is illustrated by the analogy of the king and his servant. Just as the king, would, undoubtedly be pleased to confer various facilities for a comfortable and happy life, on a faithful and diligent member of his court as a reward for his loyal services, similarly the king—karma—dust (karmaraja)[1]-would, surely, favour its devotee with means of procuring various worldly pleasures. On the other hand, in both cases, if there is no aspiration, there is no service and no reward either. That is, one who has no desire for the reward, does not stoop to serve the lowly karmic matter (dust).
The dawn of enlightenment has revealed the transitory nature of the worldly assets. It has also revealed that the bondage of puṇya is as efficient an obstacle in the path of emancipation as that of pāpa—the inauspicious karma. In the worldly life, an enlightened sage has to work and act just like any other person. The difference is in the desire for reward. Once the true nature of puṇya is realized, the hankering for reward and the necessity for serving king—karma-dust—disappears.
