बृहत्संहिता (आचार्य वराहमिहिर - स्थापत्य, खगोल, मौसम व जल विज्ञान)

596 बृहत्संहितायाम् [Adh. LXXIV. Sl. 17-20. In the days of Varahamihira, Suttee must have been in great vogue. But Bana, the great poet, expresses his antipathy to this custom. स्त्रीरत्नभोगोऽस्ति नरस्य यस्य निःस्वोऽपि सम्प्रत्यवनीश्वरोऽसौ । राज्यस्य सारोऽशनमङ्गनाश्च तृष्णानलोद्दीपनदारु शेषम् ॥१७॥ Sloka 17.—A man who enjoys the gem of a damsel is for the time being, (to me) a king, though he is penni- less. For the quint-essence of a kingdom consists of dainty food and damsels ; and all the rest is only fuel for kindling the fire of appetite. कामिनीं प्रथमयौवनान्वितां मन्दवल्गुमृदुपीडितस्वनाम् । उत्स्तनीं समवलम्ब्य या रतिः सा न धातृभवनेऽस्ति मे मतिः ॥१८॥ Sloka 18.—It is my firm conviction that the erotic bliss that is enjoyed by one's embracing a loving damsel in the prime of youth, with swelling bosoms, and mur- muring sounds, gentle, sweet, tender and suppressed, cannot be had even in the Creator's Heaven (Brahma- loka. This reminds one of Bhartrihari's—अधरमधु वधूनां भाग्यवन्तः पिबन्तः तत्र देवमुनिसिद्धचारणैर्मान्यमानपितृसेव्यसेवनात् । ब्रूत धातृभवनेऽस्ति किं सुखं यद्रहः समवलम्ब्य न स्त्रियम् ॥१९॥ Sloka 19.—Tell me what pleasure is there in Brahma Loka, owing to the Gods, Sages, Siddhas and celestial bards attending upon the Manes and other Worshipful Beings, such as cannot be found in embracing a damsel in privacy. आब्रह्मकीटान्तमिदं निबद्धं पुंस्त्रीप्रयोगेण जगत् समस्तम् । व्रीडात्र का यत्र चतुर्मुखत्वमीशोऽपि लोभाद्गमितो युवत्याः ॥२०॥ Sloka 20.—The whole universe, from Brahman to the smallest worm, is based on the union of the male