वासवदत्ता (महाकवि सुबन्धु - श्लेष-प्रधान शास्त्रीय गद्यकाव्य सान्वय सटीक)

48 VĀSAVADATTĀ
gave ‹unimpeded› prosperity and afforded delight in «intercourse»
as the God of the Flowery Banner¹ gave prosperity to ‹Ani-
ruddha› and afforded delight to «Rati».
[15] Though a ‹demigod›, he was a «god», for he was a
«benevolent» ‹receptacle of wisdom› ; though a ‹Dhṛtarāṣṭra›, he
was a «friend of Bhīma», for he was a ‹ruler of a kingdom›
«who loved virtue» ; though ‹come to earth›, he took refuge ² in
the «courts of the gods», for he was ‹filled with patience› and
took refuge ² in «good government» ; [16] though a ‹great reed›
by nature, he was «smooth» within, for his was the nature of
‹Arjuna›, «upright» within ; [17] though born of a ‹buffalo›, he
was «begotten by a bull», for he was born of a ‹queen› and was
a «producer of government» ; though no ‹central gem of a neck-
lace›, he was the «midmost jewel of a throat-band», for he was
a ‹fearless›, «mighty leader».
While he ruled the earth, ‹quibblings ³ and fallacies› were
practised only in arguments ⁴ (for there was no need of ‹habitually
checking deceit› ⁵) ; [18] there was ‹infidelity› only among
materialists (for there was no ‹poverty›) ; there was employment
of a ‹spur› only in executing commands ⁶ (for there was no
employment of ‹petty enemies›) ; there was ‹picking› [19] only
on lutes (for there was no ‹back-biting›) ; there was association
with ‹threshing-floors› only in the case of rice (for there was no
association with ‹evil men›) ; there was capture of ‹snakes› only
among serpent-charmers (for there was no need to capture
‹liars›) ; ‹imposts› were cut only in the receipt of taxes (for there
was no amputation of ‹hands› ⁷) ; ‹roots› were plucked out only
in the case of «wormwood-trees» (for «ascetics» did not pluck
out their ‹eyes›) ; [20] only lotuses opposed the ‹moon› (for there
was no opposition to ‹Brāhmans› ⁸) ; ‹‘ ruler of the world ’› was
applied only to the elephant of the north ⁹ (but not to any man
¹ Kāma. ² Srirangam text, ‘ he was the refuge of.’
³ Srirangam text adds ‘ futile answers.’ ⁴ Tel. ed., ‘ only in Nyāya textbooks.’
⁵ Srirangam text adds ‘ and castes.’
⁶ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ only in yōga-exercises.’
⁷ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ there was hand-cutting only in blossoms.’
⁸ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ the king.’
⁹ Tel. ed. and Srirangam text, ‘ only to the world-elephants.’