तिर्यग्जातिसमारम्भः सर्वैरेवाऽवधीरितः । लोलो बालसमाचारो मरणादपि दुःखदः ॥ ५ ॥
tiryagjātisamārambhaḥ sarvairēvā’vadhīritaḥ | lōlō bālasamācārō maraṇādapi duḥkhadaḥ || 5 ||
Translation
The restless conduct of a child, like the doings of an animal, disregarded by everyone, gives more sorrow even than death.
Word by word
- tiryag
- (tiryak) of an animal
- jāti
- kind
- samārambhaḥ
- like the doings
- sarvair
- (sarvaiḥ) by everyone
- ēva
- indeed
- avadhīritaḥ
- disregarded
- lōlō
- (lolaḥ) restless
- bāla
- of a child
- samācārō
- (samācāraḥ) the conduct
- maraṇād
- (maraṇāt) than death
- api
- even
- duḥkhadaḥ
- gives more sorrow
Meaning
The commentary explains "disregarded by everyone" (sarvair avadhīrita): the child's behaviour is like that of beasts and birds, and so everyone ignores or dismisses it. No one takes a child seriously. To be unheard, overlooked, treated as unimportant: this is part of childhood's pain, and the verse dares to say it is worse than dying. The reader may recall how it felt not to be taken seriously, and treat the children near them with more attention.