[Advaita-l] Bhartruhari-Niti-Shataka

[KAMESWARARAO MULA]

Dear Friends,                              The account of the Chinesetraveler Yi-Jing  indicates thatBhartruhari's was well known poet in the 7th century BC. He &his  grammar works were known to theBuddhist philosopher Diagnaga. He was a king ruling the city of Ujjaini. BhartruHari was a wise and loving ruler, but hismind was always on Love and Romance, he had around 100 beautiful women for hiswives as stories say, obviously there wasn't much time left for him to lookafter the Kingdom, his younger step-brother Vikramaditya (Indian calendarsystem which is still used was found during his era) was looking after thewhole of kingdom, and was unhappy with his brother for not taking responsibilitiesBhartruhari was so much immersed in romanceand sex, that he wrote 100 stanzas on 'theart of romance and sex', now famously called 'Shrungara Shataka'. All the stanzasare on sensuality and sexual pleasure.King Bhartruhari was obsessed with hisyoungest wife Pingala, she was beautiful and charming. Once king's brothercomplained to the king about the affair of queen with king's charioteer andadvised him to banish her for the sake of the kingdom. King was too obsessedwith her to heed to his brother, in fact when the queen heard of this from hersources, she manipulated the king and banished his brother from the kingdom.Oneday a yogi came to his court andpresented the king with an apple, which he said would bless onewith 'youth and longevity'on eating (stories say that the ascetic got the apple as a boon from the godsand that the apple was from the Kalpavruksha- 'wish fulfilling tree').The kingwanted queen Pingala to have the apple, so that she would always look young for him. Queen Pingala gave the apple to the charioteer.She wanted him to be young and strong. Thecharioteer was in love with a prostitute, he gave her the appleto eat.The prostitute thought 'it would be better if someone deserving ate this',she always liked the king, he was noble and pious, his long living also meantthe peace and stability of her kingdom, so she took the apple to the king andgive it to him. King Bhartuhari was surprised to see the apple with her, andenquired how she got it. She told him how she got it from the charioteer, kingsent men to bring the charioteer, he told the king that he got it from thequeen, and confessed of his affair with the queen.Bhartruhari realized the fleeting nature ofthe pleasure from worldly objects, he wrote a poem about the incident whichchanged him in his Niti Shataka. (100 stanzas on Moral conduct)"(She)whom on I contemplate, is not passionate for me, she loves another;
that whom she loves, loves another;One whom he loves, loves another.
Refuse (disdain to) that woman, thatman, Cupid, me."Deep Vairagya (dispassion) arose in him,he gave up the desire for his wife, realizing his mistake he brought hisbrother back and crowned him, renouncing the world he lived rest of his life asan ascetic. Bhartruhari wrote Niti-Shatakaand Vairagya Shataka during his later years and he concludes :Theclear bright flame of a man's discernment dies, When a girl clouds it with herlamp-black eyes.
Sriguru Padaravindarpana MastuKameswara