गन्धादिगुणगर्भिण्या शून्ययाऽशक्ति वेश्यया । अन्नं महाशनेनेव जरया परिजीर्यते ॥ २० ॥
gandhādiguṇagarbhiṇyā śūnyayā’śakti vēśyayā | annaṁ mahāśanēnēva jarayā parijīryatē || 20 ||
Translation
Old age, a hollow courtesan pregnant with scents and other charms, digests it down to weakness, as a great eater digests food.
Word by word
- gandha
- with scents
- ādi
- and other
- guṇa
- charms
- garbhiṇyā
- pregnant
- śūnyayā
- hollow
- aśakti
- down to weakness
- vēśyayā
- a courtesan
- annaṁ
- food
- mahā
- a great
- aśanēna
- eater
- iva
- as
- jarayā
- by old age
- parijīryatē
- it is digested
Meaning
Old age (jarā) appears as an aged courtesan, still decked with scents and the other enticements, but "hollow" (śūnya), empty of love and of substance. She embraces the man, and he grows weak (aśakti): she wears away his strength as a great eater digests his food, completely. The image is pointed: old age does not come as an enemy but as a companion one has grown used to, still perfumed with the habits and pleasures of youth. The reader may see how the pleasures themselves become the means by which strength is spent.