Bhartṛhari K154

Ryder

            
            A WASTED LIFE-III
            
            The paths of thought I never trod
            
            Which lead to unity in God;
            
            Nor were my days to virtue given
            
            Which opens wide the gates of heaven;
            
            Delights of love that men esteem
            
            Were mine not even in a dream:
            
            I was a sorry axe in sooth
            
            To cut the tree, my mother's youth.

Tawney

            
            I've never sought release from births by honouring Siva's feet, 
            
            Nor oped by merit huge the gate of Indra's heavenly seat, 
            
            Nor wandered with my youthful feres in Pleasure's giddy maze, 
            
            Then vain my mother's cares and woes, and profitless my days.

Mādhavānanda

            
              न ध्यातं पदमीश्वरस्य विधिवत्संसारविच्छित्तये
            
                स्वर्गद्वारकवाटपाटनपटुर्धर्मोऽपि नोपाजिर्त: ।
            
              नारीपीनपयोधरोरुयुगलं स्वप्नेऽपि नालिङ्गितं
            
                मातु: केवलमेव यौवनवनच्छेदे कुठारा वयम् ।।४५।।
            
            45. न ध्यातं etc.—The feet of the Lord have not been medi­tated upon (by me) in due form for the sake of doing away with this saṁsāra or worldly bondage. स्वर्गद्वार etc.—Neither has dharma (merit through performance of religious duties) been earned, such as is strong to knock open the gates of heaven. मातु: केवलमेव etc.—We have simply proved to be hatchets, as it were, to cut down the garden of our mother’s youth, i.e., we have simply made our mother age through giving birth to us. That is the only result we find worthy of mention.