On Gatha 56 Of Nalinikajataka

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This excerpt from M.A. Mahendale's work focuses on the interpretation of Gāthā 56 of the Nalinikājātaka, specifically the final line. The author, Mahendale, engages with the linguistic analysis of the renowned scholar Lüders.

The Core of the Discussion: Gāthā 56 and its Mahābhārata Parallel

Mahendale begins by highlighting Lüders' comparison between Gāthā 56 of the Nalinikājātaka and stanzas 1-4 of Chapter 113 of the Aranyakaparvan in the Mahābhārata, specifically the narrative of Rsyaśrṅga.

The Gāthā in question is:

• asbhūtāni etāni caranti tâta virūparūpena manussaloke / na tāni sevetha naro sapañño asajjanam tassati brahmacārī //

Lüders drew attention to a verbal similarity between "asajjanam" in the Gāthā and "asajjanena" in the corresponding Mahābhārata stanza (3.113.4), which starts with "asajjanenācaritāni putra...".

The Difficulty in the Fourth Line:

While the first three lines of the Gāthā are considered clear – stating that evil beings in disguise wander among humans and an intelligent person should not associate with them – the fourth line, "asajjanam tassati brahmacārī," presents a challenge.

Lüders' Proposed Emendation:

Lüders suggested that "tassati" in the Gāthā might be a corruption of the word "passati" (sees). He also noted that "asajjanam" in the Gāthā is not exactly "asajja" but "asajjana." He further pointed to the Mahābhārata stanza 3.113.3, which reads "pāpacaras tāpasas tan na paśyet" (one should not see/associate with a sinful ascetic).

Based on this, Lüders proposed an emendation of the Gāthā's final line to:

• nāsajjanam passati brahmacārī

This emendation would translate to: "one who observes chastity does not see (associate with a person of bad conduct)." This emendation requires:

1. Adding a "na" at the beginning to make it "nāsajjanam."
2. Interpreting "tassati" as a corrupted form of "passati."

Mahendale's Counter-Argument and Alternative Interpretation:

Mahendale disagrees with Lüders' emendation, stating that it's possible to derive a good meaning from the line without making these modifications.

His key argument rests on the understanding of "asajjanam" as an ablative singular (abl. sg.) in Pāli. He references Lüders' own observations that some Pāli words ending in "-am" are not accusative singular but ablative singular, suggesting that "-am" was a regular ablative singular ending in the eastern dialect of the original Buddhist canon. When this was translated into western Pāli, these features might have been retained.

By interpreting "asajjanam" as ablative singular, the line can be rendered as:

• "one who observes chastity recoils from a person of bad conduct."

This interpretation avoids the need to alter "asajjanam" or emend "tassati" to "passati." Mahendale suggests that "recoils from" or "shrinks from" is a fitting meaning for "tassati" in this context, especially when combined with the ablative case of "asajjanam."

In essence, Mahendale's contribution is to offer a more direct and less invasive interpretation of the difficult fourth line of Gāthā 56, leveraging linguistic insights into Pāli's dialectal variations to provide a coherent and meaningful translation without requiring significant textual emendation.