Salutations to the wicked

Chaupais

bahuri baṃdi khala gana satibhāēom. jē binu kāja dāhinēhu bāēom..

para hita hāni lābha jinha kērēṃ. ujarēṃ haraṣa biṣāda basērēṃ.. [1-3(B)-1]

hari hara jasa rākēsa rāhu sē. para akāja bhaṭa sahasabāhu sē..

jē para dōṣa lakhahiṃ sahasākhī. para hita ghṛta jinha kē mana mākhī.. [1-3(B)-2]

tēja kṛsānu rōṣa mahiṣēsā. agha avaguna dhana dhanī dhanēsā..

udaya kēta sama hita sabahī kē. kuṃbhakarana sama sōvata nīkē.. [1-3(B)-3]

para akāju lagi tanu pariharahīṃ. jimi hima upala kṛṣī dali garahīṃ..

baṃdau khala jasa sēṣa sarōṣā. sahasa badana baranai para dōṣā.. [1-3(B)-4]

puni pranavau pṛthurāja samānā. para agha sunai sahasa dasa kānā..

bahuri sakra sama binavau tēhī. saṃtata surānīka hita jēhī.. [1-3(B)-5]

bacana bajra jēhi sadā piārā. sahasa nayana para dōṣa nihārā.. [1-3(B)-6]

Again, I greet with a sincere heart the malevolent class, who are hostile without purpose even to the friendly, to whom others’ loss is their own gain, and who delight in others’ desolation and wail over their prosperity. They try to eclipse the glory of Viṣṇu and Śiva even as the demon Rāhu intercepts the light of the full moon (during what is known as the lunar eclipse); and they are valiant like the reputed king Sahasrabāhu* (so-called because of his possessing a thousand arms) in working others’ woe. They detect others’ faults as if with a thousand eyes and their (designing) mind mars others’ interests even as a fly spoils clarified butter. In splendour they emulate the god of fire and in anger they vie with the god of death, who rides a buffalo. They are rich in crime and vice as Kubera, the god of riches, is in gold. Like the rise of a comet their advancement augurs ill for others’ interests; like the slumber of Kumbhakarṇa † their decline alone is propitious for the world. They lay down their very life in order to be able to harm others, even as hail-stones dissolve after destroying the crop. I reverence a wicked soul as the fiery (thousand-tongued) serpent-god Śeṣa, in so far as he eagerly expatiates on others’ faults with a thousand tongues as it were. Again, I bow to him as the celebrated king Pṛthu (who prayed for ten thousand ears in order to be able to hear the glories of the Lord to his heart’s content) inasmuch as he hears of others’ faults with the thousand ears as it were. Once more do I supplicate to him as Indra (the lord of celestials) in so far as wine appears charming and beneficial to him (even as the army of gods is beneficent to Indra). ‡ Harsh language is dear to him even as the thunderbolt is fondly cherished by Indra; and he detects others’ faults with a thousand eyes as it were.(1-6)

• * Sahasrabāhu was a mighty warrior and a contemporary of Rāvaṇa, who was once captured and held captive by him. He was slain by Paraśurāma.
• † Kumbhakarṇa was a younger brother to Rāvaṇa, the demon-king of Laṅkā. He was a voracious eater and consumed a large number of goats and buffaloes everyday. He kept awake for six months and slept during the other half-year. Living beings thus obtained a fresh lease of life during the period of his slumber.
• ‡ There is a pun on the expression ‘Surānīka’ in the original ‘Surānīka’ (Sura+Anika) is a compound word in Saṁskṛta, meaning the army of the gods. In Hindi it can as well be treated as two separate words Sura (wine) and Anika (charming). Hence it has been interpreted both ways in the above rendering.

Dohas

udāsīna ari mīta hita sunata jarahiṃ khala rīti.

jāni pāni juga jōri jana binatī karai saprīti..4.. [1-4]

The wicked burn with jealousy as they hear of others’ welfare, be they his friends, foes or neutrals: such is their wont. Knowing thus, this humble soul makes loving entreaties to them with joined palms.

Chaupais

maiṃ apanī disi kīnha nihōrā. tinha nija ōra na lāuba bhōrā..

bāyasa paliahiṃ ati anurāgā. hōhiṃ nirāmiṣa kabahu ki kāgā.. [1-4-1]

baṃdau saṃta asajjana caranā. dukhaprada ubhaya bīca kachu baranā..

bichurata ēka prāna hari lēhīṃ. milata ēka dukha dāruna dēhīṃ.. [1-4-2]

upajahiṃ ēka saṃga jaga māhīṃ. jalaja jōṃka jimi guna bilagāhīṃ..

sudhā surā sama sādhū asādhū. janaka ēka jaga jaladhi agādhū.. [1-4-3]

bhala anabhala nija nija karatūtī. lahata sujasa apalōka bibhūtī..

sudhā sudhākara surasari sādhū. garala anala kalimala sari byādhū.. [1-4-4]

guna avaguna jānata saba kōī. jō jēhi bhāva nīka tēhi sōī.. [1-4-5]

I for my part have made entreaties to them; they too must not fail to do their part. However fondly you may nurture a brood of crows, can you ever expect ravens to turn vegetarians? I adore the feet of a saint and a wicked soul, both of whom give pain, though some difference is said to exist between them. Whereas the former class cause mortal pain while parting, the latter give agonizing torment during their meeting. Though born together in the world, they differ in their traits even as the lotus and the leech (both of which spring from water). The good and the wicked resemble nectar and wine respectively; the unfathomable ocean in the form of this world is their common parent.* The good and the wicked gather a rich harvest of good reputation and infamy by their respective doings. Although the merits of nectar, the moon-the seat of nectar- the Gaṅgā-the river of the celestials-and a pious soul, on the one hand, and the demerits of venom, fire, the unholy river Karmanāśā-which is said to be full of the impurities of the Kali age-and the hunter, on the other, are known to all, only that which is to a man’s taste appears good to him.(1-5)

• * In the Purāṇas we read how both nectar and wine were churned out of the ocean of milk, by the joint efforts of the gods and the demons.