Simhasanadvatrimshika 4.p9

4.p9

na kenāpi dattam; aham eva dhanalolupas tava kumāraṃ hatvā tadābharaṇāni gṛhītvā tanmadhya idam ekam ābharaṇaṃ vikretum asya haste dattavān. idānīṃ yad rocate, tat kuru. mama karmavaśād evaṃvidhā buddhir utpanne 'ti bhaṇitvā 'dhomukho babhūva. tad vacanaṃ śrutvā rājā tūṣṇīṃ sthitaḥ. tadā sabhāmadhye kaiścid uktam: aho ayaṃ sarvadharmaśāstravettā dharmajño 'pi katham īdṛśe pāpe karmaṇi buddhim akarot? anyeno 'ktam: kiṃ citram? svakarmaṇā preritasyai 'vaṃ buddhir jātā. uktaṃ ca: kiṃ karoti naraḥ prājñaḥ preryamāṇaḥ svakarmabhiḥ?

Then some in the council-hall said: “How is it that this man, tho he is verst in all the sacred law-books and so knows what good conduct is, conceived the purpose to commit such a wicked deed?” Another said: “What is there remarkable therein? Because he was impelled by his own past deeds, therefore he conceived such a design. And it is said: 8. What can even a wise man do, when he is driven by the force of his past deeds? For the minds of men are regularly formed in accordance with their past deeds.” Then the councillors said: “O king, this man is a child-murderer and a thief as well; so let him be impaled upon a khadira-stake.” Other ministers said: “Let him be cut up into a hundred pieces and his flesh fed to vultures.” Hearing their words the king said: “Councillors, this man is at my mercy, and he is also my benefactor, because he once showed me the way to the city. Now a noble man ought not to take account of the good or bad qualities of those who are dependent on his mercy. And thus it is said: 9. The moon is consumptive [or, punningly, ‘subject to waning’], its body is by nature deformed [or, ‘curved’], it has spots [‘is defiled’], has a mass of faults [‘makes the night’], and rejoices when its friend is in distress [‘comes out, or shines, when the sun is invisible’]; yet Hara [Çiva] always wears it on his crest. Truly the great take no account of the good or bad qualities of their dependants who are at their mercy. And again: 10.