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कश् चुम्बति कुलपुरुषो वेश्याधरपल्लवं मनोज्ञमपि।
चारभटचौरचेटक-
नटविटनिष्ठीवनशरावम्॥

Would a noble person kiss a prostitute’s lip that’s touched by dancers, guards, and drunkards? Questions propriety and purity.

virtue (726) purity (356) social norms (31) kiss (19) satire (211) nobility (253) shame (67) vulgarity (6) ethics (803) metaphor (1632)

कश्मीरान् गन्तुकामस्य मीरशाहाख्यभूपतेः।
शाहाबुद्दीनभूमीन्द्रः प्राहिणोदिति लेखकम्॥

A ruler named Shahābuddīn sent a letter-writer on behalf of Mīr Shāh, who wished to visit Kashmir—a historical note.

kashmir (7) kings (49) diplomacy (79) shahābuddīn (1) mīr shāh (1) travel (44) record (2) history (10) ruler’s will (1) governance (214)

किमेवमविशङ्कितः शिशुकुरङ्ग लोलक्रमं
परिक्रमितुमीहसे विरम नैव शून्यं वनम्।
स्थितोऽत्र गजयूथनाथमथनोच्छलच्छोणितच्-
छटापटलभासुरोत्कटसटाभरः केसरी॥

Young deer, don’t roam innocently—the forest is not empty. A blood-stained, fiery-maned lion stands alert—a metaphor for danger masked in stillness.

caution (269) youth (261) danger (229) forest (145) lion (58) metaphor (1632) innocence (103) awareness (73) symbolism (947) alertness (18)

कषायकलुषो जीवो रागरञ्जितमानसः।
चतुर्गतिभवाम्भोधौ भिन्ननौरिव सीदति॥

A being tainted by passions and desires drowns like a broken boat in the ocean of rebirth—expresses spiritual despair.

passions (2) karma (500) desire (898) bondage (64) rebirth (102) suffering (358) impurity (28) metaphor (1632) ocean of life (5) soul's fall (1)

कषायपशुभिर्दुष्टैर्धर्मकामार्थनाश कैः।
शममन्त्रहतैर्यज्ञं विधेहि विहितं बुधैः॥

Let evil beings, maddened by desires, be excluded; let the wise conduct yajñas as per righteous prescription.

yajña (4) evil (40) wisdom (1611) passion (501) ritual (164) righteousness (134) discipline (380) dharma (540) desire (898) protection (293)

कषायमुक्तं कथितं चरित्रं कषायवृद्धावुपघातमेति।
यदा कषायः शममेति पुंसस् तदा
चरित्रं पुनरेति पूतम्॥

When one sheds passions, character is purified. But when passions rise, even noble conduct leads to downfall.

character (259) purity (356) passion (501) discipline (380) downfall (265) purification (85) inner nature (5) moral conduct (8) ethics (803) restraint (226)

कषायरागवचनं वीतरागोऽधरस्तव।
विहारः कण्ठदेशश्च दूति प्रव्रजितासि किम्॥

Your lips speak of dispassion, but your neck bears love-bites—have you renounced the world or become a secret lover’s messenger?

irony (348) speech vs act (1) passion (501) dispassion (12) love (1567) renunciation (267) satire (211) hypocrisy (141) body language (23) metaphoric humor (1)

कषायविजये सौख्यम् इन्द्रियाणां च निग्रहे।
जायते परमोत्कृष्टम् आत्मनो भवभेदि यत्॥

Victory over passions and restraint of senses bring supreme bliss—the power to transcend worldly bondage.

bliss (77) detachment (573) self-control (91) passion (501) liberation (230) discipline (380) inner strength (40) renunciation (267) spiritual path (48) peace (171)

कषायविषयार्तानां देहिनां नास्ति निर्वूतिः।
तेषां च विरमे सौख्यं जायते परमाद्भुतम्॥

Those addicted to passions find no peace, but those who restrain themselves experience an unimaginable bliss.

passion (501) craving (38) suffering (358) bliss (77) renunciation (267) restraint (226) inner joy (6) transformation (252) detachment (573) insight (55)

कषायविषयाहारत्यागो यत्र विधीयते।
उपवासः स विज्ञेयः शेषं लङ्घनकं विदुः॥

True fasting is the renunciation of passions and sensory indulgence, not just skipping food.

fasting (8) discipline (380) renunciation (267) passion (501) sensory control (2) spirituality (106) inner purity (11) restraint (226) asceticism (87) higher path (1)

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