BHARTRUHARI’S LAMENT

SUBHASHITHAM: 040

बोद्धारो मत्सरग्रस्ताः    प्रभवः स्मयदूषिताः ।

अबोधोपहताः चान्ये     जीर्णम् अङ्गे सुभाषितम् ॥ 1.2 ॥ Niti Satakam

Men of learning are seized with jealousy ; the rich and mighty are defiled by pride and the rest are lost in ignorance. Under the circumstances, let the subhashithas ( for want of appreciation ) be buried(lit. digested ) inside my body.

Upset with people who could not appreciate good work of art or literature, he compares them to animals:

साहित्यसङ्गीतकलाविहीनः    साक्षात्पशुः पुच्छविषाणहीनः ।

तृणं न खादन्नपि जीवमानस्     तद्भागधेयं परमं पशूनाम् ॥ 1.12 ॥ Niti Satakam

Those who are devoid of Literature, Music and Art, are veritable animals without tails and horns. It is the good fortune of other beasts that they do not graze grass, and still survive.

A story is told about a great poet, who went on to perform ‘ugra tapas’  to propitiate the lord Brahma. Brahmaji satisfied with his tapas appeared before him and offered him a boon. This is what the poet asked from the lord of all creation:

………………..

अरसिकेषु कवित्वनिवेदनम् 'शिरसि मा लिख!  शिरसि मा लिख! शिरसि मा लिख !'

Arasikeshu kavithvanivedanam ‘ sirasi maa likha! Sirasi maa likha! Sirasi maa likha ! ‘

To those who cannot appreciate good poetry, the fate of explaining to them “please don’t write!, please don’t write!, please don’t write! “ on my fore head.

In the Bhagavad Gita, after completing his teachings Sri Krishna warns Arjuna that he should not pass this on to those who are not fit to receive the teachings:

इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन |

न चाशुश्रूषवे वाच्यं न च मां योऽभ्यसूयति || 67||

idaṁ te nātapaskyāya nābhaktāya kadāchana

na chāśhuśhruṣhave vāchyaṁ na cha māṁ yo ‘bhyasūtayi

BG 18.67: This instruction should never be explained to those who are not austere or to those who are not devoted. It should also not be spoken to those who are averse to listening (to spiritual topics), and especially not to those who are envious of me.

Sri Krishnaya Thubyam Nama: