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Thursday, 4 February 2016

NITISHATAKAM


Image result for Nitishatakam
Nitishatakam is written by Bhartuhari. About author's biography there is no factual evidences available. but there are few myths speaks about his personal life.
It is also said that he had left his house and wife for many time and went to jungle but then return again.
And from this experiences of married life and life of an ascetic he has written three books
(1) Shringaar shatak
(2) Vairagya shatak
(3) Niti shatak
First is about the glory of romantic married life. In the second book he expresses futility of this momentary pleasure.
And the third book is more famous because of its moral, philosophical and rational teaching.
Shatak means hundred. every text like this has one hundred slokas.And Bhartuhari tells about the essence of life in 2 or 4 lines.it is not about any one topic but shows his experiences of wider scope of life.
it can be subdevided as

  • Sajjan prashansa- means praising gentleman.
  • Durjan ninda-criticising bad people.
  • Bhagyani bhavitavyata- greatness of luck.
  • Purusharth nu mahatva- importance of hard work.

Lets see the few translation......



.I bow to God, the self enlightened, the peaceful, free from the bonds of space and time,the infinite, the pure consciousness personified and experienced by Self.
2.A fool can be pleased easily, and it is even easier to please the wise. However, evenBrahma (the creator) cannot satisfy a conceited person with a bit of knowledge.
3.It may be possible to forcibly retrieve a gem from the fanged jaws of a crocodile; onemay even swim across the sea full of turbulent waves, or place an angry serpent on ones head like a flower, but it is impossible to please a conceited fool.
4.One can, perhaps, extract oil by squeezing sand; a man may be able to quench his thirst by drinking water from a mirage; during travel one may even find the horns of a hare; but it is impossible to please a conceited fool.

5.Wanting to reform the wicked with nectar sweet advice, is like trying to control an elephant with the pith of a lotus stem, or cutting a diamond with delicate petals of the Shireesh flower, or sweetening the salty ocean with a drop of honey.
6.The creator has provided only one means for hiding one¶s ignorance which is always under his own control. It is to keep silent, particularly, in the company of the learned.

7.When my knowledge was limited, I assumed that I was fully proficient. I was blinded by pride like an elephant in frenzy. However, when I started learning in the company of theerudite and realized my short comings, the conceit of mine disappeared like fever.
8.A dog is not afraid even if Indra, the lord of Gods, is standing by its side, so long as it isdevouring a donkey¶s bone which might be vermininfested, loathsome, salivadoused,stinking and fleshless. Similarly, a wretch will never pay heed to the unworthiness of his acquisitions.
9.The Ganges descended from the heavens upon the head of the Shiva, and thence, to the mountains. From the high mountains, she flowed down the plains to finally lapse into the sea. Thus, the Ganges kept drifting downwards from one level to another. Similarly,those who have lost their sagacity plunge downwards in a hundred ways.
10.With water, a fire can be extinguished; an umbrella protects one from the heat of the sun;a frenzied elephant can be tamed by a mahout sharp iron goad, and so can a cow and a donkey with a stick; diseases can be cured by an assortment of medicines, and the incantation of various mantras is an antidote to toxicants. The scriptures contain remediesfor all, but there is none for a conceited fool.
11.Those who are devoid of Literature, Music, and Art, are veritable animals without tails and horns. It is the great good luck of other beasts that they don't graze grass, and still survive.






वज्रादपि कठोराणि मृदूनि कुसुमादपि ।
लोकोत्तराणां चेतांसि को नो विज्ञातुमर्हति॥
Vajraadapi kathhoraani mridooni kusumaadapi
Lokottaraanaam chetaamsi ko nu vijnaatumarhati.



The hearts of the best of men who are a cut above the ordinary people are harder than diamond (when facing obstacles or enemies ) and softer than flowers (towards the less privileged and the miserable). Who can understand the hearts of such men?
Work cited-
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3448635/Niti-Shatakam-of-Bhartrihari#scribd

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