Exercise 29

Translate word-for-word into good German and memorize the Sanskrit texts:

१. Definition of अविद्या

अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसuखात्मख्यातिरविद्या ॥ योगसूत्र २.५ ॥

Ignorance means regarding the impermanent, impure, painful, and non-absolute as permanent, pure, joyful, or absolute, respectively.

आत्मसु = Loc. sg. of आत्मन् m. "soul; the absolute, insofar as it is realized in the individual"

२. On the proper use of the दण्ड (Kautilya Arthaśāstra 1.4)

तीक्ष्णदण्डो भूतानामुद्वेजनीयो भवति । मृदुदण्डः परिभूयते । यथार्हदण्डः पूज्यते । सुविज्ञातप्रणीतो हि दण्डः प्रजा धर्मार्थकामैर्योजयति । दुष्प्रणीतः कामक्रोधाभ्यामवज्ञानाद्वा वानप्रस्थपरिव्राजकानपि कोपयति, किमङ्ग पुनर्गृहस्थान् । अप्रणीतस्तु मात्स्यन्यायमुद्भावयति । बलीयानबलं हि ग्रसते दण्डधराभावे । स तेन गुप्तः प्रभवतीति ।

चतुर्वर्णाश्रमो लोको
राज्ञा दण्डेन पालितः ।
स्वधर्मकर्माभिरतो
वर्तते स्वेषु वर्त्मसु ॥१६॥

Before a too strict regime (daṇḍa), beings must tremble. A lax regime is despised. A correctly balanced regime is revered. A wisely conducted regime promotes justice, profit, and pleasure among the subjects. A regime poorly conducted due to pleasure and hatred or contempt angers even old hermits and wandering ascetics who have withdrawn into the forest, let alone householders. Unexercised regime causes behavior like that of fish (mātsyanayāya). If there is no one to maintain the regime, the stronger devours the weaker. If the weak is protected by the holder of the regime, he flourishes.

The world with its four orders and stages of life
Is protected by the king through the regime:
Glad about the activity according to its own right and own custom
It moves on its own paths.

• उद्वेजनीय (3): something before which one must tremble
• विज्ञात (3): recognized; n.: recognition
• योजयति (Caus. of युज्): to hitch, to connect with
• कामक्रोधाभ्याम्: Instr./Dat./Abl. Dual masc. of कामक्रोध
• किमङ्ग: how much more
• बलीयान्: Nom. sg. masc. of बलीयस् (stronger)
• चतुर्-: four (first member)
• राज्ञा: Instr. sg. masc. of राजन् (king)
• स्वेषु: Loc. plur. masc./neutr. of स्व (own)
• वर्त्मसु: Loc. plur neutr. of वर्त्मन् (path, track)

Fig.: चतुर्वर्णाश्रमो लोको
(Image source: Details)