श्रीभर्तृहरियोगीन्द्रविरचितासुभाषितत्रिशती
THREE
HUNDRED VERSES OF GOOD SAYINGS
of
SHREE BHARTRHARI YOGEENDRA
PART
THREE
वैराग्यशतकम्
VERSES
ON DISPASSION
INTRODUCTION
Herein is presented the Vairaagya
Shataka from the collection of three hundred verses composed by the great
scholar Bhartrhari. The collection is known as the ‘Trishataka’ comprising of
three sections- Neeti (Ethics), Shringaara (Erotic sentiment) and Vairaagya
(Dispassion).
Bhartrhari is also the author
of ‘VaakyaPadeeya’, a foundational text on ‘Sphota theory’ (the meaning bursts
forth in the listener as the language is uttered) of Sanskrit grammar.
This section contains hundred
verses on ‘Dispassion’ or ‘Vairaagya’.
Salutations to the noble
Sage!
This work of translation is
an offering at his feet!
OM
अथ मङ्गलं
(1)
SALUTATION TO SHIVA, THE
FORM OF DISPASSION
The poet begins the work
auspiciously by lighting a lamp; the lamp of Knowledge named Shiva and offers
his salutations to the Great Lord, the ‘Supreme form of Dispassion’.
चूड़ोत्तंसितचन्द्रचारुकलिकाचञ्चच्छिखाभास्वरो
लीलादग्धविलोलकामशलभः श्रेयोदशाग्रे स्फुरन् ।
अन्तःस्फूर्जदपारमोहतिमिरप्राग्भारमुच्छाटयन्
चेतः सद्मनि योगिनां विजयते ज्ञानप्रदीपो हरः ॥१॥
Hara (one who removes ignorance), the
‘Light of Knowledge’
shines in the ‘mind-abode’ of Yogis.
The characteristics of a lamp
are -
The tip of the flame will be
flickering by the movement of the air.
Some moths will fly around it
and get burnt by its flame.
The flame actually does no
effort to destroy the moth. It just flickers naturally and the moth gets burnt
by itself.
The lamp is considered
auspicious and usually placed in the frontal areas in auspicious occasions.
Wherever the lamp is paced,
even the densest darkness vanishes into nothing.
The lamp is usually kept in a
closed place safe and hidden.
The poet compares Shiva to a
lamp. Similar characteristics as that of a lamp are attributed to Shiva also.
Shiva is not an ordinary
lamp; he is HARA the remover of the darkness called ignorance, because he is
the lamp of Knowledge.
His head is adorned by the
moon. The rays which emanate from this pretty crescent appear like blooming bud
(because of the crescent shape); shimmer slightly as they pass through the
unkempt locks of the Lord.
Some moth named Manmatha came
too close to it and burnt off by himself.
All desires get burnt for one
who abides in the dispassionate form of Shiva.
In all the Sacrifices and
worships, Shiva is offered the first worship and honored.
Wherever he is remembered,
the dense ignorance of many births instantly gets thrown off.
He resides in the silent
hearts of the Yogis always.
Hara (one who removes ignorance), the
‘Light of Knowledge’,
shines in the ‘mind-abode’ of Yogis.
His crest shines radiant
with the pretty rays of the crescent
moon decorating the head,
shimmering like the freshly blooming bud.
The moth named ‘Passion’ (Manmatha) was
burnt with ease,
just by a very slight movement (of his
moon-flame).
He shines foremost in all auspicious
occasions.
He throws afar
the dense collection of darkness (ignorance)
that is within.
अथ तृष्णादूषणं
[BLAMING ‘PLEASURE-THIRST’]
(2)
The first thing to be got rid
of in the pursuit of dispassion is ‘Trshnaa’; the never satiable wants in a
man.
This ‘Thirst for the
pleasures of the world’ namely the lady ‘Trshnaa’, like an evil witch has got
hold of me, the poet laments. Slaving under her he had to suffer much, to gain
some meager wealth to fulfill his wants. He had to wander in many countries
journeying through forest lands and hilly terrains; serve miserly rich men;
suffer humiliations untold; even engage in deceitful acts. Yet his desires were
always on the increase and never could he attain any peace of mind.
भ्रान्तं देशमनेकदुर्गविषमं प्राप्तं
न किंचित्फलं
त्यक्त्वा जातिकुलाभिमानमुचितं सेवा कृता
निष्फला ।
भुक्तं मानविवर्जितं परगृहेष्वाशङ्कया काकवत्
तृष्णे जृम्भसि पापकर्मपिशुने नाद्यापि
सन्तुष्यसि ॥२॥
I wandered among many impenetrable countries
filled with hills and forests; yet nothing fruitful was attained.
Suppressing the honor of birth and
family names,
I slaved for others and still got
nothing.
Losing self-respect I ate food at any
stranger’s house without any shame
like a greedy crow.
Hey Trshnaa! You have grown well!
You keep driving everyone towards doing
wicked deeds!
Even then you do not seem satiated!
(3)
What
all we did to earn the riches and what we got in the end? Nothing!
Who
in the world has got any fulfillment anytime by following the path shown by Trshnaa?
No one!
उत्खातं निधिशङ्कया क्षितितलं ध्माता
गिरेर्धातवो
निस्तीर्णः सरितांपतिर्नृपतयो यत्नेन
सन्तोषिताः ।
मन्त्राराधनतत्परेण मनसा नीताः श्मशाने
निशाः
प्राप्तः काणवराटकोsपि न मया तृष्णे सकामा भव ॥३॥
The earth was dug searching the
treasures underneath.
Chemicals (arsenic etc) got from the hills
were put inside the fire (along with
some special herbs)
(desiring for gold).
Oceans were crossed over.
The kings were entertained with lot of
effort.
Nights were spent in the cremation
grounds
reciting magical chants in the mind with
full concentration.
Not even a broken cowrie was obtained.
Hey ‘Trshnaa’!
Be at least fruitful in your ventures!
(4)
In
the course of satisfying our wants we struggle all our lives to collect the
needed wealth. We spend our time with stupid characterless people; undergo
humiliations of all sorts; suppress the tears inside and flash a smile always;
and try to earn favors from the rich. And these rich men..?
They
have not an iota of knowledge about anything. Wealth is their only essence.
Their minds are rocklike and their hearts do not melt at all. Compassion is a
word unknown to them. And we, goaded by our own desires wait near them humbly
hoping that they would favor us with some material gain.
Blessed
are those who have no desires. They never become puppets in the hands of Trshnaa!
खलालापाः सोढा: कथमपि तदाराधनपरैः
निर्गृह्यान्तर्बाष्पं हसितमपि शून्येन मनसा ।
कृतो वित्तस्तम्भप्रतिहतधियामञ्जलिरपि
त्वमाशे मोघाशे किमपरमतो नर्तयसि माम् ॥४॥
Conversations of the wicked were
tolerated somehow by us
while serving them faithfully.
With a Smile on the lips; tears held
back within; and a vacant mind
we offered our humble salutations to even
those men
whose brains had turned idiotic,
and had solidified by the possession of
wealth.
Hey You Desire! Hey you wasteful desire!
In what other ventures will you make me
dance?
(5)
There
the rich remain seated on high thrones like statues made of ice, not even
caring to glance at us. And we like idiots recite our qualifications to those
brainless fools, in a futile attempt to impress them. We throw aside the
thoughts of right and wrong. We do what all they ask us to do. We wallow in
front of them without any self-respect.
All
for what…? In search of pleasures…? In
order to survive in this competitive world…?
For
a life which is so fragile…? What are
we…? Dogs following Trshnaa...?
अमीषां प्राणानां तुलितबिसिनीपत्रपयसां
कृते किं नास्माभिर्विगलितविवेकैर्व्यवसितम् ।
यदाढ्यानामग्रे द्रविणमदनिःसंज्ञमनसां
कृतं मानव्रीडैर्निजगुणकथापातकमपि ॥५॥
With our discriminating power
(of what is to be done and not done)
melted off,
what (evil) deeds we did not do
for the sake of these lives equaling
the water-drop on the lotus-leaf (in
unsteadiness);
that we,
having no self-respect at all,
committed even the sin of presenting our
own virtues
in front of those minds frozen by the
arrogance of possessing wealth!
आत्मप्रसम्शा
परगर्हणमिव वर्जयेत् । Avoid self-praise
like censure of others.
आत्मप्रसम्शा
मरणं परनिन्दा तथैव च। Self-praise is equal to death; so is blaming
others.
(6)
In
our chase after objects of pleasure, we performed all that a man of penance
will do.
We
bore insults (helplessly); were deprived of pleasures (having no wealth); we
wandered in the hot sun and rains, withstood ice cold winds (trying to collect
wealth); holding our lives together we meditated (on objects and the money
needed to get them), but we did not meditate on Shiva controlling our Praanas!
Though
we did penance like this like any other Sage in the forest, we never got what
we wanted!
क्षान्तं न क्षमया गृहोचितसुखं त्यक्तं
न संतोषतः
सोढा दुःसहशीतवाततपनक्लेशा न तप्तं तपः ।
ध्यातं वित्तमहर्निशं नियमितप्राणैर्न
शंभोः पदं
तत्तत्कर्म कृतं यदेव मुनिभिस्तैस्तैः
फलैर्वञ्चिताः ॥६॥
Forbearance was there; but not out of a
forgiving disposition!
The comforts of the house were
renounced; but not happily!
Unbearable cold-winds and scorching heat
were borne with;
but not by performing penance!
The lives were held on to and wealth was
meditated upon;
but not Shiva’s feet by controlling
Praanas!
All the actions done by the Sages were
followed;
but never got the prescribed results out
of them!
(7)
Where do desires end? We only
end!
भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्तास्तपो न तप्तं
वयमेव तप्ताः ।
कालो न यातो वयमेव यातास्तृष्णा न जीर्णा
वयमेव जीर्णाः ॥७॥
Pleasures were not consumed; we were
consumed instead!
Penance was not performed; we were
scorched instead!
Time was not passed; we passed on instead!
Thirst for pleasures did not
deteriorate; we deteriorated instead!
(8)
We
aged! Our desires never!
वलिभिर्मुखमाक्रान्तं पलितेनाङ्कितं शिरः ।
गात्राणि शिथिलायन्ते तृष्णैका तरुणायते
॥८॥
The face gets covered by wrinkles.
The head is marked by grey hair.
The limbs are feeble.
Only the thirst for pleasure stays
youthful.
(9)
The
body is old; yet the desire to live continues. With the whole body decaying in
each and every part, still the old man fears the death and holds on to his
rotting body!
‘Even
when countless men die, a man thinks that he will live. This is the greatest
wonder on this earth!’ says Yudhishtira.
The
old man has no more the capacity to enjoy any pleasure. So he is forced to
suppress his desires.
His
mind is centered only on his body and he stoops down to any level for any
meager comfort. Most of his friends and equal aged relatives are dead and gone.
He cries for them outwardly maybe; yet inwardly is afraid of his own death that
may occur any moment in the future.
He
can’t see well. He can’t walk even without a stick. He huddles in a corner
fearing the foot steps of Death. He does not want to die even when he is in
such a worst condition of life.
निवृत्ता भोगेच्छा पुरुषबहुमानोsपि गलितः
समानाः स्वर्याताः सपदि सुहृदो जीवितसमाः ।
शनैर्यष्ट्युत्थानं घनतिमिररुद्धे च नयने
अहो मूढः कायस्तदपि मरणापायचकितः ॥९॥
Desire for pleasures is given up.
Self-esteem also is gone.
Friends equal to the life and revered
much
have left for the heaven already.
He has to get up slowly using the stick.
The eyes are dimmed by cataract.
Ah! Still the inert body fears the
danger of death!
(10)
Beware of this dangerous
River!
आशा नाम नदी मनोरथजला तृष्णातरङ्गाकुला
रागग्राहवती वितर्कविहगा धैर्यद्रुमध्वंसिनी ।
मोहावर्तसुदुस्तरातिगहना प्रोत्तुङ्गचिन्तातटी
तस्याः पारगता विशुद्धमनसो नन्दन्ति योगीश्वराः
॥१०॥
The river called the ‘Desire’ flows
filled with the waters of ‘imaginations of the
mind’;
turbulent with the waves of ‘thirst for
pleasures’;
filled with the crocodiles of
‘attraction and repulsion’;
with hovering birds namely ‘illogic’;
uprooting the tree of ‘courage’;
difficult to cross because of the eddies
of ‘delusion’;
very deep;
and bound by high rising banks of ‘worries’.
Only the ‘great yogis of pure minds’,
cross the river to the other side and are
truly happy.
अथ विषयपरित्यागविडंबना
[THE MOCKERY OF
THE COMPLETE RENUNCIATION
OF SENSE PLEASURES]
What use is in doing
meritorious acts? Pleasures of a higher quality wait as rewards!
It just a jump from one level
of pleasures to more refined ones!
Since pleasures always are
ephemeral and lead towards ignorance, one who expects heaven as a reward for
his pious acts drowns completely in the darkness of ignorance.
(11)
न संसारोत्पन्नं चरितमनुपश्यामि कुशलं
विपाकः पुण्यानां जनयति भयं मे विमृशतः ।
महद्भिः पुण्यौघैश्चिरपरिगृहीताश्च विषया
महान्तो जायन्ते व्यसनमिव दातुं विषयिणाम् ॥११॥
I do not consider the meritorious acts
rising up in this mundane existence as
something worthy.
As I analyze, the ripening of these
merits creates apprehension in me.
The pleasures experienced for quite a
long time
because of the ‘abundant collection of
merits’
keep on increasing,
only to give more suffering to the
pleasure-seekers.
(12)
Pleasures
obtained through the senses are anyhow momentary. Nothing is permanent.
They
will leave you anyhow. It is their nature. Yet you will feel the pain when they
go away. What matters if the pleasures leave by themselves or you discard
them? It is the same! Better throw them
out by your own will and escape the pain of their leaving and thus enjoy the
peace!
अवश्यं यातारश्चिरतरमुषित्वापि विषया
वियोगे को भेदस्त्यजति न जनो यत्स्वयममून् ।
व्रजन्तः स्वातन्त्र्यादतुलपरितापाय मनसः
स्वयं त्यक्ता ह्येते शमसुखमनन्तं विदधति
॥१२॥
The sense pleasures will surely go off, even if they have stayed for long.
What difference does it make if the
pleasures go away
(naturally, because of their momentary
character)
when a man does not discard them by
himself
(and thus make them go away)?
If they leave by their own accord, they
cause immense pain to the mind.
When discarded willingly, they end in
the endless bliss of quiescence.
(13)
Great
Knowers do not desire wealth or the objects of pleasures got through wealth.
They reject both.
Their
minds are pure and remain absorbed in the Self alone.
The
ignorant on the other hand may not even have enough wealth to get their objects
of pleasure. They keep trying to amass wealth in the hope of satisfying all the
desires. But as the desires have no end, and as these fools never earn enough
wealth also, the desires eat their minds forever without ever getting
fulfilled. They can’t discard the want of riches also; or even those desires which
will never get fulfilled ever.
ब्रह्मज्ञानविवेकनिर्मलधियः कुर्वन्त्यहो
दुष्करं
यन्मुञ्चत्युपभोगभान्ज्यपि धनान्येकान्ततो
निःस्पृहाः ।
संप्राप्तान्न पुरा न संप्रति न च प्राप्तौ
दृढप्रत्ययान्
वाञ्छामात्रपरिग्रहानपि परं त्यक्तुं न शक्ता वयम् ॥१३॥
Aha!
Those ‘men of wisdom’,
whose intellects are purified by the
‘Knowledge of the Self’
perform a nearly impossible task indeed;
for,
they entertain no desires and
completely renounce all riches which provide
the objects of enjoyment.
We the ignorant are not capable of
renouncing
even those (thoughts of) objects just desired
by us
and not obtainable for certain also,
in the past or present or even in the future.
(14)
The
Knowers pass away their lives absorbed in the bliss of Brahman.
The
ignorant pass their lives only thinking about what they want.
धन्यानां गिरिकन्दरेषु वसतां ज्योतिः
परं ध्यायतां
आनन्दाश्रुकणान्पिबन्ति शकुना निःशङ्कमङ्केशयाः ।
अस्माकं तु
मनोरथोपरचितप्रासादवापीतटक्रीडाकाननकेलिकौतुकजुषामायुः
परं क्षीयते ॥१४॥
The birds rest on the laps (of the
Sages) without any fear
and drink the ‘tears of bliss’ flowing
from the eyes of
those ‘blessed men’
who reside in the caves of the hills
and contemplate on the Supreme luster of
Brahman.
Our lives just waste away in merely
musing about
the pleasures possible
in palatial mansions, banks of pools,
sporting grounds
as imagined by the mind.
(15)
Mere imitation of a Yogi’s
life does not lead to the desire-less state.
भिक्षाशनं तदपि नीरसमेकवारं
शय्या च भूः परिजनो निजदेहमात्रं ।
वस्त्रं विशीर्णशतखण्डमयी च कन्था
हा हा तथापि विषया न परित्यजन्ति ॥१५॥
Food obtained through begging; that too
tasteless; that too once a day!
Bed, just the ground; and the servant,
only one’s own body;
garment is just a ragged cloth patched
up with hundreds of tattered pieces!
Alas! Alas!
Even then, the desires for the sense
objects do not leave me and go.
(16)
There is no beauty in a
woman’s body. It is just a shape made of flesh and blood. Poets alone make much
of it through their imagination.
स्तनौ मांसग्रन्थी कनककलशावित्युपमितौ
मुखं श्लेष्मागारं तदपि च शशाङ्केन तुलितम् ।
स्रवन्मूत्रक्लिन्नं करिवरशिरस्पर्धि जघनं
मुहुर्निन्द्यं रूपं कविजनविशेषैर्गुरु
कृतम् ॥१६॥
The two breasts are just lumps of flesh;
but are compared to two golden pots.
The face is the abode of phlegm, saliva,
sweat etc;
even then it is equaled to the moon.
The hip-part below the waist is soiled
by the dripping urine;
yet is compared to the fore-head of the
excellent elephant.
The female form is condemnable in all
ways.
It is made much of only by the
imaginative talent of the poets.
(17)
Passion and dispassion, both
are in control in the Great God Shiva.
There is no lover like him in
all the three worlds. There is no Yogi like him also in all the three worlds.
Shiva destroyed ‘Kaama’.
Others are all victims of ‘Kaama’!
एको रागिषु राजते प्रियतमादेहार्धहारी
हरो
नीरागेषु जनो विमुक्तललनासङ्गो न यस्मात्परः ।
दुर्वारस्मरबाणपन्नगविषव्याविद्धमुग्धो
जनः
शेषः कामविडंबितान्न विषयान्भोक्तुं न मोक्तुं क्षमः ॥१७॥
Only one among all lovers gets
acclaimed!
He is the Shiva who wore half of his beloved’s
form as his.
Among those with dispassion,
there is none greater than him,
for he never covets the company of a woman.
The others paralyzed by
the fast-spreading poison of the deadly
serpent namely
the ‘irresistible arrow shot by the God
of Passion’
and being smitten by lust,
are not capable of enjoying or resisting
the sense pleasures.
(18)
Why
do we run after pleasures and suffer?
अजानन्दाहात्म्यं पततु शलभस्तीव्रदहने
स मीनोsप्यज्ञानाद्बडिशयुतमश्नातु पिशितं ।
विजानन्तोsप्येते वयमिह विपज्जालजटिलान्
न मुञ्चामः कामानहह गहनो मोहमहिमा ॥१८॥
Ignorant of the burning nature of the
fire,
let the moth fall into the fiercely burning
fire.
Let that fish consume the meat stuck to
the hook unaware of the danger.
We, though knowing well
the ensuing dangers knotted with
countless sufferings,
do not discard our lustful desires.
Ah! Ah!
The depth of delusion is unfathomable.
(19)
What
is the definition of ‘Happiness’ in the dictionary of the ignorant?
Just
a ‘counter-reaction’ to a physical urge or ailment?
तृषा शुष्यत्यास्ये पिबति सलिलं शीतमधुरं
क्षुधार्तः शाल्यन्नं कवलयति मांसादिकलितं ।
प्रदीप्ते कामाग्नौ सुदृढतरमालिङ्गति
वधूं
प्रतीकारं व्याधेः सुखमिति विपर्यस्यति
जनः ॥१९॥
Thirst dries up the mouth; the man
drinks water sweet and cool!
If tormented by hunger, he swallows cooked
rice
with some embellishments like meat, curds,
ghee etc.
When the fire of passion burns,
he tightly embraces his wife.
People misconceive the remedying of some
discomfort (illness) alone
as happiness.
(20)
‘A
house of our own; nice family with a perfect father, perfect wife and perfect
children; abundant wealth to purchase every pleasurable object on earth’
This
is the dream of an ignorant man. But does it ever get fulfilled?
Was
it all just a beautiful picture presented by the delusion, just to hide the
dungeon one is trapped in?
तुङ्गं वेश्म सुतः सतामभिमताः संख्यातिगाः
संपदः
कल्याणी दयिता वयश्च नवमित्यज्ञानमूढो
जनः ।
मत्वा विश्वमनश्वरं निविशते संसारकारागृहे
संदृश्य क्षणभङ्गुरं तदखिलं धन्यस्तु
संन्यस्यति ॥२०॥
‘A mansion towering above all other
houses;
sons acclaimed by the wise men;
wealth acquired beyond the measure of
counting;
wife endowed with all virtues and still
on the threshold of youth’
The man being ignorant and stupid
believes that
the world endowed with all these (above
mentioned factors)
is a permanent source of bliss and
enters the ‘dungeon of mundane
existence’.
The wise man
who understands well the ephemeral nature of
everything;
and renounces (the desire for such things),
is blessed indeed.
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