Exercise 29

Translate faithfully 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.

२. On the proper use of 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॥

Creatures must tremble before a too harsh regime (daṇḍa). A lax regime is despised. A correctly balanced regime is revered. A wisely guided regime promotes righteousness, profit, and pleasure among the subjects. A poorly governed regime due to lust or hatred or contempt angers even old men and wandering ascetics who have withdrawn into the forest, let alone householders. Unexercised regime leads to behavior like that of fish (mātsyanayāya). For if there is no one to uphold the regime, the strong devour the weak. If the weak are protected by the ruler, they flourish.

The world with its four varṇas and stages of life
Is protected by the king through governance:
Rejoicing in activity according to its own dharma and custom,
It moves along its own paths.

Fig.: चतुर्वर्णाश्रमो लोको
(Image source: Details)