भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्तास् । तपो न तप्तं वयमेव तप्ताः । कालो न यातो वयमेव यातास् । तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः ॥
bhogā na bhuktā vayameva bhuktās | tapo na taptaṃ vayameva taptāḥ | kālo na yāto vayameva yātās | tṛṣṇā na jīrṇā vayameva jīrṇāḥ ||
We did not enjoy pleasures; pleasures consumed us. We did not perform austerity; we ourselves were scorched. Time did not pass; we passed away. Craving did not grow old; we grew old.
भोग हमने नहीं भोगे, भोगों ने हमें भोग लिया। तप हमने नहीं तपा, हम ही तप गए। समय नहीं बीता, हम ही बीत गए। तृष्णा बूढ़ी नहीं हुई, हम ही बूढ़े हो गए।
Meaning today and contextआज के लिए अर्थ और संदर्भ
We think we are consuming pleasures, scrolling, shopping, chasing; in truth they are consuming our time and energy. Craving stays young while we age, so waiting for it to fade on its own does not work.
हमें लगता है कि हम सुखों का उपभोग कर रहे हैं, स्क्रॉल करते, खरीदते, भागते हुए; असल में वे हमारा समय और ऊर्जा खा रहे हैं। तृष्णा जवान रहती है और हम बूढ़े होते जाते हैं, इसलिए उसके अपने-आप मिटने का इंतज़ार काम नहीं आता।
Bhartrihari's most famous verse on craving: in each pair, what we thought we were using up was in fact using us up.