The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 2 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 2 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
48. She then stops in her course like a tired bullock, whose body is
heated by travelling through towns, with loads of cotton and utensils on
their backs.
49. She afterwards lays her down to rest in some hidden place, like a
needle tired with continued sewing; and there drops down like it, from
its bridling thread in the hand of the sewer.
50. The hard needle held in the hand of the sewer, never hurts his
finger; because a servant however sharp he may be, is never faithless or
is injurious to his master.
51. The iron needle growing old in its business of stitching, was at
last lost by itself; like the rotten plank of a boat, bearing the
burthensome ballast of stones in it.
52. It wandered about on all sides of its own accord, and was driven to
and fro like chaff by the driving winds, according to the course of
nature (with all things).
53. Being taken up by some one, it is fed with the fag end of a thread
put into its mouth, as the malady of cholera is caught by those human
parasites, who glut themselves with food supplied by the sap of another.
54. The malady of colic, like the needle, is ever fond of feeding on
the pith of others with its open mouth; and continually finds the
thread-like heartstring of some body put into its hole.
55. Thus the strong bodies of greedy and heinous beings, are nourished
by the sap of the weak and innocent, as the colic disease preys on
the lean bodies of the poor; and the sharp needle is supported by the
thin thread of the needy (who cannot afford to buy new suits).
56. Though the heart of Súchí like the hole of the needle, was to
receive the thread-like sap of the patient’s heart; yet her power to
pierce it, was like that of the sewing needle, which is as potent as the
piercing sun-beams, to penetrate into the toughest substances.
57. At last Súchí came to find on a sudden, the fault of her wrong
choice of the puny body (of the needle); which was to be filled with her
scanty fare of a bit of thread, and then she began to repent for her
folly.
58. She continued however with all her might, to trudge on in her wonted
course, of pricking and piercing the bodies of others; and
notwithstanding her great regret, she could not avoid the cruelty of her
nature.
59. The sewing man cuts and sews the cloth; agreeably to his own liking;
but the weaver of destiny weaves the long loom of lengthened desires in
all bodies, and hides their reason under the garb of her own making.
60. The colic Súchí went on like the sewing needle, in her business
of piercing the hearts of people by hiding her head; as it is the
practice of robbers to carry on their rogueries, by covering their
faces. (All the three are sly boots, and carry on their trades under the
seal of secrecy).
61. She like the needle with the sewing thread behind it, raises her
head to make and look at the loop-hole, that she should penetrate in the
manner of burglars, making and marking the holes in the wall for their
entry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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