Opening Remarks
The Man of sorrows is an inveterate pessimist who sees darkness and negativity in everything.
The helpless serf
I am man the rebel, man the helpless serf;
Fate and my fellows cheat me of my wage.
He declares himself as the rebel and the helpless serf who is cheated of his rightful wages by fate and fellowmen.
Lesson in slavery
I loosen with my blood my servitude’s seal
And shake from my aching neck the oppressor’s knees
Only to seat new tyrants on my back:
My teachers lesson me in slavery,
I am shown God’s stamp and my own signature
Upon the sorry contract of my fate.
He believes that his teachers have made him fit only for slavery. He has signed with God the contract of suffering. With blood he tries to loosen the seal of his servitude and shake off his oppressor’s from his neck. Alas he finds new tyrants seated on his back.
None has loved me
I have loved, but none has loved me since my birth;
My fruit of works is given to other hands.
He feels that none has reciprocated to his love nor loved him ever. The fruits he deserved from life have been snatched from his hands and given to others.
Evil thoughts
All that is left me is my evil thoughts,
My sordid quarrel against God and man,
Envy of the riches that I cannot share,
Hate of a happiness that is not mine.
His mind is full of evil thoughts. He has the urge to quarrel against God and man. He is envious of the riches of others and hates their happiness.
Adverse fate
I know my fate will ever be the same,
It is my nature’s work that cannot change:
I have loved for mine, not for the beloved’s sake,
I have lived for myself and not for others’ lives.
He believes that fate is always against him and it will never change. His nature too cannot change. He loves for his own selfish purposes and not for the sake of the beloved. He lives for himself uncaring about others.
Each in himself
Each in himself is sole by Nature’s law.
He believes that each is separate in himself without any link with the whole or others or with God.
Harsh and dreadful world
So God has made his harsh and dreadful world,
So has he built the petty heart of man.
He believes that thus has God made this harsh and dreadful world and given a mean and petty heart to man.
Closing Remarks
Such is the state of the Asura of Suffering who dwells in the darkness of his own thoughts.
