Buddha-Carita [sanskrit]

by E. B. Cowell | 2003 | 11,474 words | ISBN-10: 8187418788 | ISBN-13: 9788187418788

The Buddha Carita (Saddharma-pundarika) by Asvaghosa a famous Sanskrit text revolving around the live and exploits of the Buddha. The Buddha Carita (Buddhacarita) is written in the style of a Kavya (or Mahakavya, epic poetry) and extant original Sanskrit text consists of roughly 1,000 metrical verses.

tatasturaṅgāvacaraḥ sa durmanāstathā vanaṃ bhartari nirmame gate |
cakāra yatnaṃ pathi śokavigrahe tathāpi caivāśru na tasya cikṣipe || 1 ||
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yamekarātreṇa tu bharturājñayā jagāma mārgaṃ saha tena vājinā |
iyāya bharturvirahaṃ vicintayaṃstameva panthānamahobhiraṣṭabhiḥ || 2 ||
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hayaśca saujasvi cacāra kanthakastatāma bhāvena babhūva nirmadaḥ |
alaṅkṛtaścāpi tathaiva bhūṣaṇairabhūdgataśrīriva tena varjitaḥ || 3 ||
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nivṛtya caivābhimukhastapovanaṃ bhṛśaṃ jiheṣe karuṇaṃ muhurmuhuḥ |
kṣudhānvito 'pyadhvani śaṣpamambu vā yathā purā nābhinananda nādade || 4 ||
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tato vihīnaṃ kapilāhvayaṃ puraṃ mahātmanā tena jagaddhitātmanā |
krameṇa tau śūnyamivopajagmaturdivākareṇeva vinākṛtaṃ nabhaḥ || 5 ||
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sapuṇḍarīkairapi śobhitaṃ jalairalaṅkṛtaṃ puṣpadharairnagairapi |
tadeva tasyopavanaṃ vanopamaṃ gatapraharṣairna rarāja nāgaraiḥ || 6 ||
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tato bhramadbhirdiśi dīnamānasairanujjvalairvāṣpahatekṣaṇairnaraiḥ |
nivāryamāṇāviva tāvubhau puraṃ śanairajaḥsnātamivābhijagmatuḥ || 7 ||
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niśamya ca srastaśarīragāminau vināgatau śākyakularṣabheṇa tau |
mumoca vāṣpaṃ pathi nāgaro janaḥ purā rathe dāśaratherivāgate || 8 ||
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atha bruvantaḥ samupetamanyavo janāḥ pathi cchandakamāgatāśravaḥ |
kva rājaputraḥ kularāṣṭravardhano hṛtastvayāsāviti pṛṣṭhato 'nvayuḥ || 9 ||
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tataḥ sa tān bhaktimato 'bravījjanānnarendraputraṃ na parityajāmyaham |
rudannahaṃ tena tu nirjane vane gṛhasthaveśaśca visarjitāviti || 10 ||
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idaṃ vacastasya niśamya te janāḥ suduṣkaraṃ khalviti niścayaṃ yayuḥ |
patadvijahruḥ salilaṃ na netrajaṃ mano nininduśca phalārthamātmanaḥ || 11 ||
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athocuradyaiva viśāma tadvanaṃ gataḥ sa yatra dviparājavikramaḥ |
jijīviṣā nāsti hi tena no vinā yathendriyāṇāṃ vigame śarīriṇām || 12 ||
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idaṃ puraṃ tena vivarjitaṃ vanaṃ vanaṃ ca tattena samanvitaṃ puram |
na śobhate tena hi no vinā puraṃ marutvatā vṛtravadhe yathā divam || 13 ||
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punaḥ kumāro vinivṛtta ityathau gavākṣamālāḥ pratipedire 'ṅganāḥ |
viviktapṛṣṭhaṃ ca niśamya vājinaṃ punargavākṣāṇi pidhāya cukruśuḥ || 14 ||
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praviṣṭadīkṣastu sutopalabdhaye vratena śokena ca khinnamānasaḥ |
jajāpa devāyatane narādhipaścakāra tāstāśca yathāśrayāḥ kriyāḥ || 15 ||
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tataḥ sa vāṣpapratipūrṇalocanasturaṅgamādāya turaṅgamānasaḥ |
viveśa śokābhihato nṛpālayaṃ kṣayaṃ vinīte ripuṇeva bhartari || 16 ||
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vigāhamānaśca narendramandiraṃ vilokayannaśruvahena cakṣuṣā |
svareṇa puṣṭena rurāva kanthako janāya duḥkhaṃ prativedayanniva || 17 ||
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tataḥ khagāśca kṣayamadhyagocarāḥ samīpabaddhāsturagāśca satkṛtāḥ |
hayasya tasya pratisasvanuḥ svanaṃ narendrasūnorupayānaśaṅkitāḥ || 18 ||
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janāśca harṣātiśayena vañcitā janādhipāntaḥpurasaṃnikarṣagāḥ |
yathā hayaḥ kanthaka eṣa heṣate dhruvaṃ kumāro viśatīti menire || 19 ||
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atipraharṣādatha śokamūrchitāḥ kumārasandarśanalolalocanāḥ |
gṛhādviniścakramurāśayā striyaḥ śaratpayodādiva vidyutaścalāḥ || 20 ||
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vilambaveśyo malināṃśukāmbarā nirañjanairvāṣpahatekṣaṇairmukhaiḥ |
striyo na rejurmṛjayā vinākṛtā divīva tārā rajanīkṣayāruṇāḥ || 21 ||
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araktatāmraiścaraṇairanūpurairakuṇḍalairārjavakarṇikairmukhaiḥ |
svabhāvapīnairjaghanairamekhalairahārayoktrairmuṣitairiva stanaiḥ || 22 ||
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nirīkṣitā vāṣpaparītalocanaṃ nirāśrayaṃ chandakamaśvameva ca |
vivarṇavaktrā rurudurvarāṅganā vanāntare gāva ivarṣabhojjhitāḥ || 23 ||
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tataḥ savāṣpā mahiṣī mahīpateḥ pranaṣṭavatsā mahiṣīva vatsalā |
pragṛhya bāhū nipapāta gautamī vilolaparṇā kadalīva kāñcanī || 24 ||
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hatatviṣo 'nyāḥ śithilātmabāhavaḥ striyo viṣādena vicetanā iva |
na cukruśurnāśru jahurna śaśvasurna cetanā ullikhitā iva sthitāḥ || 25 ||
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adhīramanyāḥ patiśokamūrchitā vilocanaprasravaṇairmukhaiḥ striyaḥ |
siṣiñcire proṣitacandanān stanān dharādharaḥ prasravaṇairivopalān || 26 ||
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mukhaiśca tāsāṃ nayanāmbutāḍitaiḥ rarāja tadrājaniveśanaṃ tadā |
navāmbukāle 'mbudavṛṣṭitāḍitaiḥ sravajjalaistāmarasairyathā saraḥ || 27 ||
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suvṛttapīnāṅgulibhirnirantarairabhūṣaṇairgūḍhaśirairvarāṅganāḥ |
urāṃsi jaghnuḥ kamalopamaiḥ karaiḥ svapallavairvātacalā latā iva || 28 ||
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karaprahārapracalaiśca tā babhuryathāpi nāryaḥ sahitonnataiḥ stanaiḥ |
vanānilāghūrṇitapadmakampitaiḥ rathāṅganāmnāṃ mithunairivāpagāḥ || 29 ||
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yathā ca vakṣāṃsi karairapīḍayaṃstathaiva vakṣobhirapīḍayan karān |
akārayaṃstatra parasparaṃ vyathāḥ karāgravakṣāṃsyabalā dayālasāḥ || 30 ||
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tatastu roṣapraviraktalocanā viṣādasambandhakaṣāyagadgadam |
uvāca niḥśvāsacalatpayodharā vigādhaśokāśrudharā yaśodharā || 31 ||
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niśi prasuptāmavaśāṃ vihāya māṃ gataḥ kva sa cchandaka manmanorathaḥ |
upāgate ca tvayi kanthake ca me samaṃ gateṣu triṣu kampate manaḥ || 32 ||
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anāryamasnidghamamitrakarma me nṛśaṃsa kṛtvā kimihādya rodiṣi |
niyaccha vāṣpaṃ bhava tuṣṭamānaso na saṃvadatyaśru ca tacca karma te || 33 ||
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priyeṇa vaśyena hitena sādhunā tvayā sahāyena yathārthakāriṇā |
gato 'ryaputro hyapunarnivṛttaye ramasva diṣṭyā saphalaḥ śramastava || 34 ||
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varaṃ manuṣyasya vicakṣaṇo ripurna mitramaprājñamayogapeśalam |
suhṛdbruveṇa hyavipaścitā tvayā kṛtaḥ kulasyāsya mahānupaplavaḥ || 35 ||
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imā hi śocyā vyavamuktabhūṣaṇāḥ prasaktavāṣpāvilaraktalocanāḥ |
sthite 'pi patyau himavanmahīsame pranaṣṭaśobhā vidhavā iva striyaḥ || 36 ||
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imāśca vikṣiptaviṭaṅkabāhavaḥ prasaktapārāvatadīrghanisvanāḥ |
vinākṛtāstena sahaiva rodhanairbhṛśaṃ rudantīva vimānapaṅktayaḥ || 37 ||
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anarthakāmo 'sya janasya sarvathā turaṅgamo 'pi dhruvameṣa kanthakaḥ |
jahāra sarvasvamitastathā hi me jane prasupte niśi ratnacauravat || 38 ||
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yadā samarthaḥ khalu soḍhumāgatāniṣuprahārānapi kiṃ punaḥ kaśāḥ |
gataḥ kaśāpātabhayāt kathaṃ tvayaṃ śriyaṃ gṛhītvā hṛdayaṃ ca me samam || 39 ||
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anāryakarmā bhṛśamadya heṣate narendradhiṣṇyaṃ pratipūrayanniva |
yadā tu nirvāhayati sma me priyaṃ tadā hi mūkasturagādhamo 'bhavat || 40 ||
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yadi hyaheṣiṣyata bodhayañjanaṃ khuraiḥ kṣitau vāpyakariṣyata dhvanim |
hanusvanaṃ vājanayiṣyaduttamaṃ na cābhaviṣyanmama duḥkhamīdṛśam || 41 ||
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itīha devyāḥ paridevitāśrayaṃ niśamya vāṣpagrathitākṣaraṃ vacaḥ |
adhomukhaḥ sāśrukalaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ śanairidaṃ chandaka uttaraṃ jagau || 42 ||
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vigarhituṃ nārhasi devi kanthakaṃ na cāpi roṣaṃ mayi kartumarhasi |
anāgasau svaḥ samavehi sarvaśo gato nṛdevaḥ sa hi devi devavat || 43 ||
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ahaṃ hi jānannapi rājaśāsanaṃ balātkṛtaḥ kairapi daivatairiva |
upānayaṃ tūrṇamimaṃ turaṅgamaṃ tathānvagacchaṃ vigataśramo 'dhvani || 44 ||
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vrajannayaṃ vājivaro 'pi nāspṛśanmahīṃ khurāgrairvidhṛtairivāntarā |
tathaiva daivādiva saṃyatānano hanusvanaṃ nākṛta nāpyaheṣata || 45 ||
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yadā vahirgacchati pārthivātmajastadābhavaddvāramapāvṛtaṃ svayam |
tamaśca naiśaṃ raviṇeva pāṭitaṃ tato 'pi daivo vidhireṣa gṛhyatām || 46 ||
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yadāpramatto 'pi narendraśāsanādgṛhe pure caiva sahasraśo janaḥ |
tadā sa nābudhyata nidrayā hṛtastato 'pi daivo vidhireṣa gṛhyatām || 47 ||
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yataśca vāso vanavāsasaṃmataṃ visṛṣṭamasmai samaye divaukasā |
divi praviddhaṃ mukuṭaṃ ca taddhṛtaṃ tato 'pi daivo vidhireṣa gṛhyatām || 48 ||
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tadevamāvāṃ naradevi doṣato na tatprayātaṃ pratigantumarhasi |
na kāmakāro mama nāsya vājinaḥ kṛtānuyātraḥ sa hi daivatairgataḥ || 49 ||
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iti prayāṇaṃ bahudhaivamadbhutaṃ niśamya tāstasya mahātmanaḥ striyaḥ |
pranaṣṭaśokā iva vismayaṃ yayurmanojvaraṃ pravrajanāttu lebhire || 50 ||
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viṣādapāriplavalocanā tataḥ pranaṣṭapotā kurarīva duḥkhitā |
vihāya dhairyaṃ virurāva gautamī tatāma caivāśrumukhī jagāda ca || 51 ||
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mahormimanto mṛdavo 'sitāḥ śubhāḥ pṛthakpṛthagmūlaruhāḥ samudgatāḥ |
praceritāste bhuvi tasya mūrdhajā narendramaulīpariveṣṭanakṣamāḥ || 52 ||
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pralambabāhurmṛgarājavikramo mahārṣabhākṣaḥ kanakojjvaladyutiḥ |
viśālavakṣā ghanadundubhisvanastathāvidho 'pyāśramavāsamarhati || 53 ||
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abhāginī nūnamiyaṃ vasundharā tamāryakarmāṇamanuttamaṃ prati |
gatastato 'sau guṇavān hi tādṛśo nṛpaḥ prajābhāgyaguṇaiḥ prasūyate || 54 ||
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sujātajālāvatatāṅgulī mṛdū nigūḍhagulphau viṣapuṣpakomalau |
vanāntabhūmiṃ kaṭhināṃ kathaṃ nu tau sacakramadhyau caraṇau gamiṣyataḥ || 55 ||
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vimānapṛṣṭhe śayanāsanocitaṃ mahārhavastrāgurucandanārcitam |
kathaṃ nu śītoṣṇajalāgameṣu taccharīramojasvi vane bhaviṣyati || 56 ||
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kulena sattvena balena varcasā śrutena lakṣmyā vayasā ca garvitaḥ |
pradātumevābhyudito na yācituṃ kathaṃ sa bhikṣāṃ parataścariṣyati || 57 ||
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śucau śayitvā śayane hiraṇmaye prabodhyamāno niśi tūryanisvanaiḥ |
kathaṃ vata svapsyati so 'dya me vratī paṭaukadeśāntarite mahītale || 58 ||
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imaṃ vilāpaṃ karuṇaṃ niśamya tā bhujaiḥ pariṣvajya parasparaṃ striyaḥ |
vilocanebhyaḥ salilāni tatyajurmadhūni puṣpebhya iveritā latāḥ || 59 ||
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tato dharāyāmapatadyaśodharā vicakravākeva rathāṅgasāhvayā |
śanaiśca tattadvilalāpa viklavā muhurmuhurgadgadaruddhayā girā || 60 ||
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sa māmanāthāṃ sahadharmacāriṇīmapāsya dharmaṃ yadi kartumicchati |
kuto 'sya dharmaḥ sahadharmacāriṇīṃ vinā tapo yaḥ paribhoktumicchati || 61 ||
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śṛṇoti nūnaṃ sa na pūrvapārthivān mahāsudarśaprabhṛtīn pitāmahān |
vanāni patnīsahitānupeyuṣastathā sa dharmaṃ madṛte cikīrṣati || 62 ||
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makheṣu vā vedavidhānasaṃskṛtau na dampatī paśyati dīkṣitāvubhau |
samaṃ bubhukṣū parato 'pi tatphalaṃ tato 'sya jāto mayi dharmamatsaraḥ || 63 ||
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dhruvaṃ sa jānan mama dharmavallabho manaḥ priye 'pyākalahaṃ muhurmithaḥ |
sukhaṃ vibhīrmāmapahāya rosaṇāṃ mahendraloke 'psaraso jighṛkṣati || 64 ||
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iyaṃ tu cintā mama kīdṛśaṃ nu tā vapurguṇaṃ bibhrati tatra yoṣitaḥ |
vane yadarthaṃ sa tapāṃsi tapyate śriyaṃ ca hitvā mama bhaktimeva ca || 65 ||
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na khalviyaṃ svargasukhāya me spṛhā na tajjanasyātmavato 'pi durlabham |
sa tu priyo māmiha vā paratra vā kathaṃ na jahyāditi me manorathaḥ || 66 ||
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abhāginī yadyahamāyatekṣaṇaṃ śucismitaṃ bharturudīkṣituṃ mukham |
na mandabhāgyo 'rhati rāhulo 'pyayaṃ kadācidaṅke parivartituṃ pituḥ || 67 ||
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aho nṛśaṃsaṃ sukumāravarcasaḥ sudāruṇaṃ tasya manasvino manaḥ |
kalapralāpaṃ dviṣato 'pi harṣaṇaṃ śiśuṃ sutaṃ yastyajatīdṛśaṃ svataḥ || 68 ||
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mamāpi kāmaṃ hṛdayaṃ sudāruṇaṃ śilāmayaṃ vāpyayasāpi vā kṛtam |
anāthavacchrīrahite sukhocite vanaṃ gate bhartari yanna dīryate || 69 ||
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itīha devī patiśokamūrchitā ruroda dadhyau vilalāpa cāsakṛt |
svabhāvadhīrāpi hi sā satī śucā dhṛtiṃ na sasmāra cakāra no hriyam || 70 ||
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tatastathā śokavilāpaviklavāṃ yaśodharāṃ prekṣya vasundharāgatām |
mahāravindairiva vṛṣṭitāḍitairmukhaiḥ savāṣpairvanitā vicukruśuḥ || 71 ||
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samāptajāpyaḥ kṛtahomamaṅgalo nṛpastu devāyatanādviniryayau |
janasya tenārttaraveṇa cāhataścacāla vajradhvanineva vāraṇaḥ || 72 ||
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niśāmya ca cchandakakanthakāvubhau sutasya saṃśrutya ca niścayaṃ sthiram |
papāta śokābhihato mahīpatiḥ śacīpatervṛtta ivotsave dhvajaḥ || 73 ||
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tato muhūrtaṃ sutaśokamohito janena tulyābhijanena dhāritaḥ |
nirīkṣya dṛṣṭyā jalapūrṇayā hayaṃ mahītalastho vilalāpa pārthivaḥ || 74 ||
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bahūni kṛtvā samare priyāṇi me mahattvayā kanthaka vipriyaṃ kṛtam |
guṇapriyo yena vane sa me priyaḥ priyo 'pi sannapriyavat praceritaḥ || 75 ||
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tadadya māṃ vā naya tatra yatra sa vraja drutaṃ vā punarenamānaya |
ṛte hi tasmānmama nāsti jīvitaṃ vigāḍharogasya sadauṣadhādiva || 76 ||
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suvarṇaniṣṭhīvini mṛtyunā hṛte suduṣkaraṃ yanna mamāra sṛñjayaḥ |
ahaṃ punardharmaratau sute gate 'mumukṣurātmānamanātmavāniva || 77 ||
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vibhordaśakṣatrakṛtaḥ prajāpateḥ parāparajñasya vivasvadātmanaḥ |
priyeṇa putreṇa satā vinākṛtaṃ kathaṃ na muhyeddhi mano manorapi || 78 ||
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ajasya rājñastanayāya dhīmate narādhipāyendrasakhāya me spṛhā |
gate vanaṃ yastanaye divaṃ gato na moghavāṣpaḥ kṛpaṇaṃ jijīva ha || 79 ||
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pracakṣva me bhadra tadāśramājiraṃ hṛtastvayā yatra sa me jalāñjaliḥ |
ime parīpsanti hi te pipāsavo mamāsavaḥ pretagatiṃ yiyāsavaḥ || 80 ||
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iti tanayaviyogajātaduḥkhaṃ kṣitisadṛśaṃ sahajaṃ vihāya dhairyam |
daśaratha iva rāmaśokavaśyo bahu vilalāpa nṛpo visañjñakalpaḥ || 81 ||
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śrutavinayaguṇānvitastatastaṃ matisacivaḥ pravayāḥ purohitaśca |
avadhṛtamidamūcaturyathāvanna ca paritaptamukhau na cāpyaśokau || 82 ||
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tyaja naravara śokamehi dhairyaṃ kudhṛtirivārhasi dhīra nāśru moktum |
srajamiva mṛditāmapāsya lakṣmīṃ bhuvi bahavo hi nṛpā vanānyatīyuḥ || 83 ||
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api ca niyata eṣa tasya bhāvaḥ smara vacanaṃ tadṛṣeḥ purāsitasya |
na hi sa divi na cakravartirājye kṣaṇamapi vāsayituṃ sukhena śakyaḥ || 84 ||
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yadi tu nṛvara kārya eva yatnastvaritamudāhara yāvadatra yāvaḥ |
bahuvidhamiha yuddhamastu tāvattava tanayasya vidheśca tasya tasya || 85 ||
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narapatiratha tau śaśāsa tasmāddrutamita eva yuvāmabhiprayātam |
na hi mama hṛdayaṃ prayāti śāntiṃ vanaśakuneriva putralālasasya || 86 ||
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paramamiti narendraśāsanāttau yayaturamātyapurohitau vanaṃ tat |
kṛtamiti savadhūjanaḥ sadāro nṛpatirapi pracakāra śeṣakāryam || 87 ||
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Other editions:

Also see the following editions of the Sanskrit text or (alternative) English translations of the Buddha-carita Chapter 8

Cover of edition (2003)

The Buddha-Carita By Asvaghosa or Acts of Buddha
by E. B. Cowell (2003)

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Cover of edition (2011)

Buddha Carita of Asvaghosa
by Shanti Lal Nagar (2011)

Sanskrit text, English translation, Index of Verse and Photographs of Archaeological Evidence

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Cover of edition (2016)

Asvaghosa’s Buddhacarita or Acts of the Buddha
by E. H. Johnston (2016)

Sanskrit text with English Translation

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