Bhartruhari Archive

  • I return to Bhartruhari after the longest time. This sloka—the third in Neeti Shatakam—is highly applicable given the times we live in and given the self-proclaimed experts in every field. Agnah Sukhamaradhyate Sukhataramaradhyate Visheshagnah | Jnanalavadurvidagdham Brahmaapi Naram Na Ranjayati || It is but very...

    Bhartruhari: Neeti Shatakam–On Half-Learned People

    I return to Bhartruhari after the longest time. This sloka—the third in Neeti Shatakam—is highly applicable given the times we live in and given the self-proclaimed experts in every field. Agnah Sukhamaradhyate Sukhataramaradhyate Visheshagnah | Jnanalavadurvidagdham Brahmaapi Naram Na Ranjayati || It is but very...

    Continue Reading...

  • Several months have passed since I published anything on the venerable Bhartruhari. In this installment, I present one of my all-time favourites from Neeti Shataka. Nindantu neeti nipunah yadi vaa stunvantu | Lakshmiih samaavishatu gacchatu vaa yatheshtam || Adya eva vaa maranam astu yugaantare vaa...

    On Men of Character

    Several months have passed since I published anything on the venerable Bhartruhari. In this installment, I present one of my all-time favourites from Neeti Shataka. Nindantu neeti nipunah yadi vaa stunvantu | Lakshmiih samaavishatu gacchatu vaa yatheshtam || Adya eva vaa maranam astu yugaantare vaa...

    Continue Reading...

  • Harturyaati Na Gocharam Kimapi Shampushnaatiyatsarvadaa| Hyaarthibhyahpratipaadyamaanamanishampraapnotivruddhimparaam|| Kalpanteshvapinaprasaatinidhanam Vidyaakhyamantardhanam| Yeshaamtaanpratimaanamunjatanrupaahkastaihsahaspardhate|| Cast away thine vain pride O King(s) Bow and make way, nay, treat men of Learning as your equals, nay your superiors; What chance stands your abundance in face of such Opulence That thieves cannot rob...

    Neeti Shataka: On Learning

    Harturyaati Na Gocharam Kimapi Shampushnaatiyatsarvadaa| Hyaarthibhyahpratipaadyamaanamanishampraapnotivruddhimparaam|| Kalpanteshvapinaprasaatinidhanam Vidyaakhyamantardhanam| Yeshaamtaanpratimaanamunjatanrupaahkastaihsahaspardhate|| Cast away thine vain pride O King(s) Bow and make way, nay, treat men of Learning as your equals, nay your superiors; What chance stands your abundance in face of such Opulence That thieves cannot rob...

    Continue Reading...

  • Shaastropaskrutashabdasundaragirah Shishyapradeyaagamaa| Vikhyaataah Kavayovasantivishayeyasyaprabhornirdhanaah|| Tat Jaadyamvasudhaadhipasyakavayohyarthamvinaapeeshvaraah| Kutsyaahsyuhkupureekshakaanamanayoyairardhatah Paatitaah|| The King whose dominion is populated with Scholars, poets and learned men famed for Excellence, erudition, sweet speech, and a Large retinue of disciples eking Lives condemned to penury Is indeed a king but in name similar...

    Neeti Shataka: On Evil Rulers

    Shaastropaskrutashabdasundaragirah Shishyapradeyaagamaa| Vikhyaataah Kavayovasantivishayeyasyaprabhornirdhanaah|| Tat Jaadyamvasudhaadhipasyakavayohyarthamvinaapeeshvaraah| Kutsyaahsyuhkupureekshakaanamanayoyairardhatah Paatitaah|| The King whose dominion is populated with Scholars, poets and learned men famed for Excellence, erudition, sweet speech, and a Large retinue of disciples eking Lives condemned to penury Is indeed a king but in name similar...

    Continue Reading...

  • Ed: Bhartruhari seems to have spent a considerable portion of his life preparing a catalogue of fools. Here’s one more verse on that, perhaps the last. Varam Parvatadurgeshu Bhraantam Vanacaraih Saha| Na Moorkhajanasamparkah Surendrabhavaneshvapi|| How agreeable it is to wander with Wild brutes in dense...

    Neeti Shataka: On Fools Redux

    Ed: Bhartruhari seems to have spent a considerable portion of his life preparing a catalogue of fools. Here’s one more verse on that, perhaps the last. Varam Parvatadurgeshu Bhraantam Vanacaraih Saha| Na Moorkhajanasamparkah Surendrabhavaneshvapi|| How agreeable it is to wander with Wild brutes in dense...

    Continue Reading...

  • Shakyo Vaaraitum Jalena Hutabhukhchhatrena Sooryaataapo| Naagendronishitaankushenasamadodandena Gogardabhau|| Vyaadhirbheshajasamgrahaisccha Vividhairmantraprayogairvisham Sarvasya| Aushadhamasti Shaastravihitam Moorkhasya Naasti Aushadham|| One can put out fire dousing it with water, Ward off the scorching sun with an umbrella, Tame a rutted elephant goading it with a sharp hook, Herd unruly cattle...

    Neeti Shataka: On More Fools

    Shakyo Vaaraitum Jalena Hutabhukhchhatrena Sooryaataapo| Naagendronishitaankushenasamadodandena Gogardabhau|| Vyaadhirbheshajasamgrahaisccha Vividhairmantraprayogairvisham Sarvasya| Aushadhamasti Shaastravihitam Moorkhasya Naasti Aushadham|| One can put out fire dousing it with water, Ward off the scorching sun with an umbrella, Tame a rutted elephant goading it with a sharp hook, Herd unruly cattle...

    Continue Reading...

  • Krumikulacitam Laalaalkinnam Vigandhi Jugupsitam| Nirupamarasam Preetyaa Khaadannaraasthi Niraamisham|| Surapatimai Shvaa Paarshvastham Vilokya Na Shankate| Nahi Ganayati Kshudro Jantuh Parigrahaphalgutaam|| Engrossed in joy the Cur chews incessantly on The putrid, worm-ridden, spit-drooling, fleshless piece of human bone oblivious in Even the presence of Indra just as...

    Neeti Shataka: On Shamelessness and Fall

    Krumikulacitam Laalaalkinnam Vigandhi Jugupsitam| Nirupamarasam Preetyaa Khaadannaraasthi Niraamisham|| Surapatimai Shvaa Paarshvastham Vilokya Na Shankate| Nahi Ganayati Kshudro Jantuh Parigrahaphalgutaam|| Engrossed in joy the Cur chews incessantly on The putrid, worm-ridden, spit-drooling, fleshless piece of human bone oblivious in Even the presence of Indra just as...

    Continue Reading...

  • Svaayattamekaantagunam Vidhaatraa| Vinirmitam Chhaadanamagnataayaah|| Visheshatah Sarvavidaam Samaaje| Vibhooshanam Mounamapanditaanaam|| Verily has (Lord) Brahma provided The most powerful weapon to use as one pleases; An ornament of the Ignorant, Silence adorns the Illiterate in the company of the Erudite. (As a complement, it is worthwhile to...

    Neeti Shataka: On Silence, Fools &c

    Svaayattamekaantagunam Vidhaatraa| Vinirmitam Chhaadanamagnataayaah|| Visheshatah Sarvavidaam Samaaje| Vibhooshanam Mounamapanditaanaam|| Verily has (Lord) Brahma provided The most powerful weapon to use as one pleases; An ornament of the Ignorant, Silence adorns the Illiterate in the company of the Erudite. (As a complement, it is worthwhile to...

    Continue Reading...

  • Vyaalam Baalamrinaalatantubhirasau Roddhum Samujjrumbhate| Chhettum Vajramaneem Shireeshakusumapraantena Sannahyati|| Maadhuryam Madhubindunaa Racayitum Kshaaraambudhereehate| Netum Vaanchhati Yah Khalaanpathi Sataam Sookhtairsudhaasyandibhih|| A rutted elephant can be calmed by tying it with tender lotus fibers A hole can be drilled into a diamond with the Shirish flower The salty...

    Neeti Shataka: More on Idiots

    Vyaalam Baalamrinaalatantubhirasau Roddhum Samujjrumbhate| Chhettum Vajramaneem Shireeshakusumapraantena Sannahyati|| Maadhuryam Madhubindunaa Racayitum Kshaaraambudhereehate| Netum Vaanchhati Yah Khalaanpathi Sataam Sookhtairsudhaasyandibhih|| A rutted elephant can be calmed by tying it with tender lotus fibers A hole can be drilled into a diamond with the Shirish flower The salty...

    Continue Reading...

  • Here’s my next installment of the Neeti Shataka. The verses are in no specific order but they are kind of thematic: Bhartruhari talks about fools in these. The poet stretches the limits of exaggeration in two verses here if only to add greater force. The...

    Neeti Shataka: On Fools

    Here’s my next installment of the Neeti Shataka. The verses are in no specific order but they are kind of thematic: Bhartruhari talks about fools in these. The poet stretches the limits of exaggeration in two verses here if only to add greater force. The...

    Continue Reading...

  • As promised, I present the first few verses drawn from Bhartruhari’s Neeti Shataka. A brief introduction to Neeti Shataka is in order. Neeti can generally be understood as a teaching/exposition of morality, conduct, wisdom, behaviour, prudence, and all of these. The Neeti Shataka does exactly...

    Neeti Shataka of Bhartruhari

    As promised, I present the first few verses drawn from Bhartruhari’s Neeti Shataka. A brief introduction to Neeti Shataka is in order. Neeti can generally be understood as a teaching/exposition of morality, conduct, wisdom, behaviour, prudence, and all of these. The Neeti Shataka does exactly...

    Continue Reading...

  • I owe the inspiration of this post to the learned Jaffna who left a comment on my Bhartruhari post. And so I’ve abandoned the idea of doing a part-two post on Bhartruhari; instead, I’ll try to post a translation of at least one verse from...

    On Translating Bhartruhari and Suchlike

    I owe the inspiration of this post to the learned Jaffna who left a comment on my Bhartruhari post. And so I’ve abandoned the idea of doing a part-two post on Bhartruhari; instead, I’ll try to post a translation of at least one verse from...

    Continue Reading...

Powered By Indic IME