श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 8

उ
उपलशकलमेतत् भेदकं गोमयानाम्
वटुभिरुपहृतानां बर्हिषां स्तूपमेतत् ।
शरणमपि समिद्भिः शुष्यमाणाभिराभिः
विनमितपटलान्तं दृश्यते जीर्णकुड्यम् ।। (मुद्राराक्षसम् – 3 -15)

upalaśakalametat bhedakaṁ gomayā
vaṭubhirupahṛtānāṁ barhiṣāṁ stūpametat
śaraṇamapi samidbhiḥ śuṣyamāṇābhirābhiḥ
vinimitapaṭalāntaṁ dṛśyate jīrṇakuḍyam (mudrārākṣasam - 3 - 15)

The above verse is from the third act of the drama ‘mudrA rAkshasam’ written by ‘vishAkha Datta’.
The main plot of the play is: chANakya uprooted nanda dynasty and made chandragupta as the emperor.
In the above verse a servant was surprised, seeing the simple way of chAnakya’s living. He, standing in front of chAnakya’s house describes:-“Here is a piece of stone for breaking the cow-dung cakes; which is to be offered at the sacrificial fire; here is the bundle of darbha grass brought by his disciples, and the house too, with its dilapidated walls appears to have the skirts of its roof bent down by the holy sticks exposed for drying”.

It is really difficult to imagine a simple style of living for a person like chAnakya, who is almost as powerful as an emperor. The above verse stands as an example for the simple life style of our ancients. The reason could be the non-possession of anything more than is required for the basic need has made it possible for the ancients to lead a simple or a plain life style.

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