शरीरशर्वरीज्योत्स्ना चित्तकेसरिणः सटा । लहरी जीविताम्भोधेर्युवता मे न तुष्टये ॥ ३३ ॥
śarīraśarvarījyōtsnā cittakēsariṇaḥ saṭā | laharī jīvitāmbhōdhēryuvatā mē na tuṣṭayē || 33 ||
Translation
The moonlight of the night of the body, the mane of the lion of the mind, a wave on the ocean of life: youth is not for my contentment.
Word by word
- śarīra
- of the body
- śarvarī
- of the night
- jyōtsnā
- the moonlight
- citta
- of the mind
- kēsariṇaḥ
- of the lion
- saṭā
- the mane
- laharī
- a wave
- jīvita
- of life
- ambhōdhēr
- (ambhodheḥ) on the ocean
- yuvatā
- youth
- mē
- my
- na
- not
- tuṣṭayē
- for contentment
Meaning
Three quick images. Youth is the moonlight on the body's night, lovely and brief; the mane of the lion of the mind, its proud ornament; a single wave on the sea of life. The Dwivedi text gives them all. None of the three is evil; all of them pass. Rāma's conclusion is mild: it is not for his contentment. The reader may hold youth as one holds moonlight: with pleasure, and without trying to keep it.