奥义书 · Mahā 4.63
॥
天城文
मत्त ऐरावतो बद्धः सर्षपीकोणकोटरे मशकेन कृतं युद्धं सिंहौघैरेणुकोटरे
转写 (IAST)
matta airāvato baddhaḥ sarṣapīkoṇakoṭare maśakena kṛtaṃ yuddhaṃ siṃhaughaireṇukoṭare
逐字释义
梵语IAST释义
मत्तः ऐरावतः बद्धःmattaḥ airāvataḥ baddhaḥthe frenzied Airāvata is tied; the raging Airāvata is tethered
सर्षपी-कोण-कोटरेsarṣapī-koṇa-koṭarein the hollow of a corner of a mustard seed; in the socket of a mustard grain's corner
मशकेन कृतम् युद्धम्maśakena kṛtam yuddhamby a mosquito a battle is waged; by a gnat a combat is contrived
सिंह-ओघैः रेणु-कोटरेsiṃha-oghaiḥ reṇu-koṭarewith hosts of lions in the hollow of a mote; with prides of lions in the socket of a dust-grain
译文
“The frenzied elephant Airāvata is tied up in the hollow of a corner of a mustard seed; a mosquito has waged battle with hosts of lions inside a mote of dust.”
版本
3eafdb918b72 · 发布于 2026年7月29日 06:29:20 UTC
可用语言RUEN用方向键翻颂
A series of absurdities begins, and they are not here for amusement.
Airāvata is Indra's elephant, huge and white. He is tied “in the hollow of a corner of a mustard seed” — in the smallest thing that can be named.
A mosquito wars with hosts of lions, and wars inside a dust-mote.
The device is familiar in Sanskrit letters: to describe the impossible as calmly as one describes the everyday.
Why — verse 4.64 will say. For now note the construction of both pictures: in both, the enormous is placed inside the negligible.
This, by the way, is exactly what was said in earnest in 2.4: within a particle of consciousness universes drift like dust. Then it was of the Highest; now the same device depicts the world.