The Royal Expedition of Varahamihira with Utpala's Commentary

Yogayatra Commentary Page 19

One should not abandon action even when things seem excessive. Here, an illustration is given: "When an elephant is seen, why search for its footprints?" original: "dṛṣṭe dvipad-vipa-padānusmṛtiḥ" Why, when an elephant is right in front of you, would you look for the tracks it left behind? One searches for tracks only to find the elephant; once it is seen, the search is over. Similarly, when an enemy's weakness is visible, one should not simply wait for fate, saying "Whatever is auspicious will happen," but must exert every possible effort to advance.

21. Now, regarding how fate acts, he says: "Time (Fate) sometimes approaches a man who is already delighted, like a man approaching a woman. Even without effort, success comes to one who waits for the right moment, just as a slow-moving python receives prey that falls into its mouth by chance."
A man is the object, and Time is the agent. Time approaches him unexpectedly. A man who seeks the "peak of time" the opportune moment does not gain that success through effort alone if the enemy has no weakness. The illustration of the python original: "ajagaraḥ" is used here: even though the python moves slowly and lacks "human effort," it does not seek out its prey; rather, driven by fate, the prey enters its territory. Thus, a man attains success. This demonstrates the predominance of Fate (Daiva). One should attack an enemy when the time is right.

22. It is said: "Fruit that is unripe and stuck in a difficult place, even with great effort, does not yield success for a man. But when it falls naturally due to time, it serves the man's purpose."
"Unripe" means immature or fruitless. "Stuck in a difficult place" original: "durgasthite" refers to a high or inaccessible spot. If one tries to obtain it through sheer human effort when it is unattainable, it may only cause harm to the body.

When it is ripened by time and falls on its own, it becomes "common property"—anyone who sees it wants a share of it. Therefore, when the time of ripening is reached, and it falls, the effort made to catch it results in a fruit that is healthy to consume and strengthens the body. This teaches that one should not attack an enemy who has no weaknesses; one must wait for the "moment of the crack" (the weakness). When a king who is ready to exert effort hears of a weakness, his goals are realized.

Thus ends the first chapter, titled "Human Effort within Fate," in the Commentary on the Yogayatra composed by the venerable Mahotpala.

Now the Teacher explains the second chapter:
1. "Just as red, black, and other colors appear clearly only on a white cloth, so do the virtues of the Ascendant (Lagna) and other factors manifest only in one who is free from faults."
On a white original: "sitasya" cloth, colors like red, black, blue, and yellow appear vividly because of the cloth's purity. They do not show on a cloth that is naturally black. In the same way, the virtues of a journey (Yatra)—the strengths of the Ascendant, the lunar day (Tithi), and the constellations (Nakshatras)—bear fruit only for a king who is "pure," meaning free from the vices to be described. They do not work for one full of faults.

Now, he describes the vices born of desire:
2. "Wine, women, gambling, hunting, sleeping by day, harsh speech, and music—these are the vices born of desire that a man should know."
"Wine" is the well-known intoxicant. "Music" includes the sound of drums and singing. "Dancing" is the movement of the limbs. "Gambling" refers to dice and similar games. "Wandering" is aimless travel. "Hunting" is well-known. "Sleeping by day" original: "yunidrā" and "backbiting" are also included.