क्रियासिद्धिः सत्त्वे भवति महताम्
घटो जन्मस्थानं, मृगपरिजनो, भूर्जवसनं
वने वासः, कन्दादिकमशनमेवंविधगुणः ।
अगस्त्यः पाथोधिं यदकृत कराम्भोज-कुहरे
क्रियासिद्धिः सत्त्वे भवति महतां नोपकरणे ॥ १॥
Sage agastya was born in a tiny pot. He has just animals as
His companions. He wears only bark-made clothes. He lives
in woodlands. The sage eats only raw roots. Yet agastya
Muni made the whole vast ocean disappear into the hollow of
His lotus-like joined palms (by drinking it up). This proves
that to perform magnificent action with success, great souls
rely only on their own personal greatness, not on any common
material means.
रथस्यैकं चक्रं, भुजगयमिताः सप्त तुरगाः
निरालम्बो मार्गश्चरणविकलः सारथिरपि ।
रविर्यात्येवान्तं प्रतिदिनमपारस्य नभसः
क्रियासिद्धिः सत्त्वे भवति महतां, नोपकरणे ॥ २॥
The Sun’s chariot has only a single wheel; the chariot’s
pullers — seven horses — are controlled by snakes working
as reins. The Sun’s celestial path is precarious because
there is nothing to hold on to, and the charioteer, God aruNa
is not able-bodied. Unaffected by any of these shortcomings,
the Sun successfully traverses the boundless sky every day, day
after day. This proves that, to perform magnificent action with
success, great souls rely only on their own personal greatness,
not on any common material means.
विजेतव्या लङ्का, चरणतरणीयो जलनिधि,-
र्विपक्षः पौलस्त्यो, रणभुवि सहायाश्च कपयः ।
तथाप्येको रामः सकलमवधीद्राक्षसकुलं
क्रियासिद्धिः सत्त्वे भवति महतां, नोपकरणे ॥ ३॥
To conquer the powerful kingdom of Lanka, Lord rAma had to
cross the vast ocean traveling just on foot. His opposite
number was none other than Pulastya’s famous son, the demon
rAvaNa. To help SReerAma in this task, there were only monkeys
in His army. Nevertheless, the Prince destroyed the entire
rAkshasa clan singlehandedly (without any powerful allies).
This proves that to perform magnificent action with success,
great men rely only on their own personal greatness, not on
any common material means.
धनुः पौष्पं, मौर्वी मधुकरमयी, चञ्चलदृशां
दृशां कोणो बाणः, सुहृदपि जडात्मा हिमकरः ।
स्वयं चैकोऽनङ्गः सकलभुवनं व्याकुलयति
क्रियासिद्धिः सत्त्वे भवति महतां, नोपकरणे ॥ ४॥
The Deity of Love, Manmatha, has a only a bow made of flimsy
flowers; His bow’s string is made of bees that never stay
steady; the eye-corner glances of young women with restless eyes
are His arrows. His best friend is the inert and cold Moon;
the Love God is Himself bodiless and alone. In spite of these
drawbacks, KAmadEva effectively tortures through pangs of love
every living being in all the three worlds! This proves that
to perform magnificent action with success great men rely only
on their own personal greatness, not any common material means.
विपक्षः श्रीकण्ठो, जडतनुरमात्यः शशधरो
वसन्तः सामन्तः कुसुममिषवः सैन्यमबलाः ।
तथापि त्रैलोक्यं जयति मदनो देहरहितः
क्रियासिद्धिः सत्त्वे भवति महतां, नोपकरणे ॥ ५॥
On the opposing side of Madana, the God of Love, stands
Lord Siva, the powerful God of Renunciation. Madana’s
advisor-in-chief is the lifeless, inert Moon; Madana’s
subordinate king is the Spring Season; Madana’s arrows
are made of flowers and His army is made of female weaklings.
Despite all these drawbacks, and in spite of His being bodiless,
the God of Erotic Love defeats the entire triad of the worlds!
This proves the truism: to perform magnificent action with
success, great men rely only on their own personal greatness,
not on any common material means.
Translated by D.K.M. Kartha