तिर्यग्जातिसमारम्भस् सर्वैर् एवावधीरितः । लोलो बालजनाचारो मरणाद् अपि दुःखदः
The behavior of children, restless and scorned by all as if belonging to the animal realm, brings suffering even greater than death.
प्रतिबिम्बं घनाज्ञानां नानासङ्कल्पपेलवम् । बाल्यम् आलूनसंशीर्णमनः कस्य सुखावहम्
Whose mind, torn and wounded, finds happiness in childhood—a reflection of dense ignorance, unsteady with countless thoughts?
जडश्यामलयाजस्रं जातभीत्या पदे पदे । यद् भयं शैशवे बुद्ध्या कस्याम् आपदि तद् भवेत्
The constant fear that arises at every step in childhood, from dullness and darkness, who would face such distress knowingly?
लीलासु दुर्विलासेषु दुरीहासु दुराशये । परमं मोहम् आदत्ते बालो बलवदापदम्
A child, absorbed in play, improper amusements, vain pursuits, and false hopes, falls into the greatest delusion and a powerful misfortune.
विकल्पकलिलारम्भं दुर्विलासं दुरास्पदम् । शैशवं शासनायैव पुरुषस्य न शान्तये
Childhood, with its confusion of thoughts, improper amusements, and unattainable desires, is fit only for discipline, not for peace.
ये दोषा ये दुराचारा दुष्क्रमा ये दुराधयः । ते सर्वे संस्थिता बाल्ये दुर्गर्त इव कौशिकाः
All faults, bad conduct, difficult actions, and wicked intentions—these all reside in childhood, like crocodiles in a deep pool.
बाल्यं रम्यम् इति व्यर्थबुद्धयः कथयन्ति ये । तान् मूर्खपुरुषान् ब्रह्मन् धिग् अस्तु हतचेतसः
Those who, lacking discernment, say that childhood is delightful—may such foolish, deluded people, O Brahman, be condemned.
यत्र लोलाकृति मनः परिस्फुरति वृत्तिषु । त्रैलोक्यराज्यम् अपि तत् कथं भवति तुष्टये
Where the mind, restless in form, flits among distractions—how could even the sovereignty of the three worlds bring satisfaction there?
सर्वेषाम् एव सत्त्वानां सर्वावस्थासु चैव हि । मनश् चञ्चलताम् एति बाल्ये दशगुणं मुने
For all beings, in every state, the mind becomes unsteady; but in childhood, O sage, its fickleness is tenfold.
मनः प्रकृत्यैव चलं बाल्यं च चलतावरम् । तयोस् संश्लिष्टयोस् तात केनैवान्तः कुचापले
The mind is by nature unsteady, and childhood is the peak of unsteadiness; when these two combine, my dear, who can fathom the chaos within?
स्त्रीलोचनैस् तडित्पुञ्जैर् ज्वालामालैस् तरङ्गकैः । चापलं शिक्षितं ब्रह्मञ् शैशवान् मनसो ऽथ वा
With glances of women like flashes of lightning, with garlands of flames and waves, O Brahman, fickleness is learned—whether from childhood or from the mind.
शैशवं च मनश् चैव सर्वास्व् एव हि वृत्तिषु । भ्रातराव् इव लक्ष्येते सततं भङ्गुरस्थिती
Childhood and the mind, in all their activities, are always seen as brothers—constantly unstable in their existence.
सर्वाणि दुष्टभूतानि सर्वे दोषा दुराशयाः । बाल्यम् एवोपजीवन्ति श्रीमन्तम् इव मानवाः
All wicked beings, all faults, and evil intentions—these thrive on childhood, just as people depend on the wealthy.
नवं नवं प्रीतिकरं न शिशुः प्रत्यहं यदि । प्राप्नोति तद् असौ याति विषवेगस्य मूर्छनाम्
If a child does not obtain something new and pleasing each day, he falls into a swoon of poisonous agitation.
स्तोकेन वशम् आयाति स्तोकेनैति विकारिताम् । अमेध्य एव रमते बालः कौलेयको यथा
Little by little, he comes under control; little by little, he becomes disturbed; the child delights only in what is impure, just like a boy from the Kauleya tribe.
अजस्रं बाष्पवदनः कर्दमान्तर् जडाशयः । वर्षोक्षितस्य तप्तस्य स्थलस्य सदृशश् शिशुः
Constantly tearful, with a muddy heart, the child is like scorched earth soaked by rain—dull and inert within.
भयाहारपरं दीनं यथादृष्टाभिलाषि च । लोलबुद्धिर् वपुर् धत्ते बालो दुःखाय केवलम्
Frightened, focused on food, miserable, desiring whatever he sees, the child’s fickle mind and body exist only for suffering.
स्वसङ्कल्पाभिलषितान् भावान् अप्राप्य तप्तधीः । दुःखम् एत्य् अबलो बालो विनिकृत्त इवाशये
Failing to obtain the objects he longs for in his own imagination, the weak child, his mind tormented, suffers as if his heart were cut out.
दुरीहालब्धलक्ष्याणि बहुपक्षोल्वणानि च । बालस्य यानि दुःखानि मुने तानि न कस्यचित्
O sage, the sufferings of a child—whose aims are hard to achieve and who is pulled in many directions—are like no other’s.
बालो बलवताश्व् एव मनोरथविलासिना । मनसा तप्यते नित्यं ग्रीष्मेणेव वनस्थलम्
The child, strong only in fantasy, is constantly tormented in his mind, just as a forest is scorched by the summer sun.
विद्यागृहगतो बालः पराम् एति कदर्थनाम् । आलान इव नागेन्द्रो विषवैषम्यभीषणाम्
When the child enters the house of learning, he faces extreme hardship, like a great serpent bound and threatened by uneven poisons.
नानामनोरथमयी मिथ्याकल्पितकल्पना । दुःखायात्यन्तदीर्घाय बालता पेलवाशया
Childhood, with its feeble heart, is filled with endless false imaginings and fanciful desires, bringing only long-lasting suffering.
सम्भृष्टं तुहिनं भोक्तुम् इन्दुम् आदातुम् अम्बरात् । वाञ्छ्यते येन मौर्ख्येण तत् सुखाय कथं भवेत्
How could anyone, out of foolishness, wish to eat cooked snow or to seize the moon from the sky, and expect that to bring happiness?
अन्तश्चितेर् अशक्तस्य शीतातपनिवारणे । को विशेषो महाबुद्धे बालस्योर्वीरुहस्य च
For one whose inner mind is powerless to ward off heat and cold, what difference is there, O great intellect, between a child, a plant, or a tree?
उड्डीनम् अभिवाञ्छन्ति पक्षाभ्यां क्षुत्परायणाः । भयाहारपरा नित्यं बाला विहगधर्मिणः
Children, like birds, always long to fly with wings, driven by hunger, and are constantly preoccupied with fear and food.
शैशवे गुरुतो भीतिर् मातृतः पितृतस् तथा । जनतो ज्येष्ठबालाच् च शैशवं भयमन्दिरम्
In childhood, there is fear of teachers, of mother, of father, of people, and of older children; childhood is truly a house of fear.
सकलदोषदशाविहताशयं शरणम् अप्य् अविवेकविलासिनः । इह न कस्यचिद् एव महामुने भवति बाल्यम् अलं परितुष्टिदम्
For one whose hopes are thwarted by every kind of fault, and who delights in folly, O great sage, childhood here is never truly satisfying for anyone.
बाल्यानर्थम् अथ त्यक्त्वा पुमान् अभिहताशयः । आरोहति निपाताय यौवनश्वभ्रसम्भ्रमम्
Then, abandoning the misfortune of childhood, a person with frustrated hopes ascends to the tumultuous cloud of youth, only to fall again.
तत्रानन्तविलासस्य लोलस्य स्वस्य चेतसः । वृत्तीर् अनुसरन् याति दुःखाद् दुःखतरं जडः
There, following the restless tendencies of his own ever-capricious mind, the dull-witted one moves from suffering to greater suffering.
स्वचित्तबिलसंस्थेन नानासम्भ्रमकारिणा । बलात् कामपिशाचेन विवशः परिभूयते
Overpowered by the demon of desire, which dwells in the cave of his own mind and creates endless confusion, he is rendered helpless.