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.
चिन्तानां लोलवृत्तीनां ललनानाम् इवाभितः । अर्पयत्य् अवशश् चेतो ज्वालानाम् आत्मजं यथा
The mind, helplessly, offers itself to restless thoughts, just as a child is given to the flames.
ते ते दोषा दुरारम्भास् तत्र तं तादृशाशयम् । तरुणं प्रविलुम्पन्ति दृश्यास् ते नैव ये मुने
Various faults, difficult to overcome, destroy such a youthful disposition; those that are visible do not, O sage.
महानरकबीजेन सन्ततभ्रमदायिना । यौवनेन न ये नष्टा नष्टा नान्येन ते जनाः
People who are not ruined by youth, which is the seed of great hell and causes ceaseless wandering, are not ruined by anything else.
नानारसमयी चित्रा वृत्तान्तनिचयोम्भिता । भीमा यौवनभूर् येन तीर्णा धीरस् स उच्यते
He is called wise who has crossed the dreadful realm of youth, filled with diverse stories and adorned with a multitude of events.
निमेषभासुराकारम् आलोलघनगर्जितम् । विद्युत्प्रकाशम् अनिशं यौवनं मे न रोचते
I do not delight in youth, which flashes like lightning, roars with restless clouds, and shines for a moment.
विविधावर्तबहुलं पङ्कलग्नं जडाशयम् । तरङ्गभङ्गुरं भीमं यौवनं मे न रोचते
I do not delight in youth, which is full of various whirlpools, stuck in mud, dull in nature, and terrifying with its fragile waves.
सर्वस्याग्रेसरं पुंसः क्षणमात्रमनोहरम् । गन्धर्वनगरप्रख्यं यौवनं मे न रोचते
I do not delight in youth, which is foremost for everyone, charming only for a moment, and resembles a city of the Gandharvas.
इषुप्रपातमात्रं हि सुखदं दुःखभासुरम् । दाहदोषप्रदं नित्यं यौवनं मे न रोचते
I do not delight in youth, which gives pleasure only for the time it takes an arrow to fall, is radiant with suffering, and always brings burning faults.
मधुरं स्वादु तिक्तं च दूषणं दोषभूषणम् । सुराकल्लोलसदृशं यौवनं मे न रोचते
Sweet, pleasant, yet bitter, adorned with faults and defects; like the frothing of wine—youth does not please me.
असत्यं सत्यसङ्काशम् अचिराद् विप्रलम्भदम् । स्वप्नाङ्गनासङ्गसमं यौवनं मे न रोचते
False, though it appears true, soon brings disappointment; like embracing a woman in a dream—youth does not please me.
क्षणप्रकाशतरलं मिथ्यारचितचक्रिकम् । अलातचक्रप्रतिमं यौवनं मे न रोचते
Flickering for a moment, built on illusion, like a wheel drawn in the air—youth does not please me.
मृदुस्फारतरोदारम् अन्तश्शून्यं क्षणक्षतम् । शरदम्बुदसङ्काशं यौवनं मे न रोचते
Soft, swelling, and outwardly grand, yet empty within and wounded in an instant; like an autumn cloud—youth does not please me.
आपातमात्ररमणं सद्भावरहितान्तरम् । वेश्यास्त्रीसङ्गमप्रख्यं यौवनं मे न रोचते
Delighting only in the moment, lacking true substance within; like union with a courtesan—youth does not please me.
ये केचन दुरारम्भास् ते सर्वे सर्वदुःखदाः । तारुण्ये सन्निधिं यान्ति महोत्पाता इव क्षये
Whatever difficult undertakings there are, all bring every kind of sorrow; they gather in youth, like great calamities at their end.
हार्दान्धकारकारिण्या भैरवाकारवान् अपि । यौवनाज्ञानयामिन्या बिभेति भगवान् अपि
Even the Blessed Lord fears the night of youth’s ignorance, which brings darkness to the heart and takes on a dreadful form.
सुविस्मृतशुभाचारं बुद्धिवैधुर्यदायिनम् । ददात्य् अतितराम् एष भ्रमं यौवनविभ्रमः
This bewilderment of youth makes one forget good conduct and brings confusion of mind; it gives rise to delusion in the highest degree.
कान्तावियोगजातेन हृदि दुर्धर्षवह्निना । यौवने दह्यते जन्तुस् तरुर् दावाग्निना यथा
A living being in youth is burned by the fierce fire in the heart, born from separation from the beloved, just as a tree is consumed by a forest fire.
विस्तीर्णापि प्रसन्नापि पावन्य् अपि हि यौवने । मतिः कलुषताम् एति प्रावृषीव तरङ्गिणी
Even if the mind is vast, clear, and pure in youth, it becomes tainted, like a river growing turbid in the rainy season.
शक्यते घनकल्लोलभीमा रोधयितुं नदी । न तु तारुण्यतरला तृष्णातरलितान्तरा
A river, though terrifying with dense waves, can be restrained; but not the inner thirst, made unsteady by youth, agitated by craving.
सा कान्ता तौ स्तनौ पीनौ ते विलासास् तद् आननम् । तारुण्य इति चिन्ताभिर् याति जर्जरतां जनः
That is the beloved, those are her full breasts, those are her charms, that is her face—through such thoughts of youth, a person becomes worn out.