व्याघ्रीव तिष्ठति जरा

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 19

तृषा शुष्यत्यास्ये पिबति सलिलं शीतमधुरं
क्षुधार्तः शाल्यन्नं कवलयति मांसादिकलितम्।
प्रदीप्ते कामाग्नौ सुदृढतरमालिङ्गति वधूं
प्रतीकारं व्याधेः सुखमिति विपर्यस्यति जनः॥१९॥

tṛṣā śuṣyatyāsye pibati salilaṃ śītamadhuraṃ
kṣudhārtaḥ śālyannaṃ kavalayati māṃsādikalitam।
pradīpte kāmāgnau sudṛḍhataramāliṅgati vadhūṃ
pratīkāraṃ vyādheḥ sukhamiti viparyasyati janaḥ॥19॥

तृषा - out of thirst
शुष्यति - dries
आस्ये -  in mouth
पिबति - drinks
सलिलं - water
शीतमधुरं - cool and sweet
क्षुधार्तः - hungry person
शाल्यन्नं - cooked rice
कवलयति - eats
मांसादिकलितम् - mixed with meat
प्रदीप्ते - when burning
कामाग्नौ - desire that is fire
सुदृढतरम् - tightly
आलिङ्गति - embraces
वधूं - wife
प्रतीकारं - recourse
व्याधेः - for disease
सुखमिति - happiness
विपर्यस्यति - misconstrues (अतस्मिन् तद् बुद्धिः)
जनः - person

When a person is thirsty he drinks water and when hungry eats rice and when the fire of desire burns, he embraces his wife. Thus, for every disease we misconstrue enjoyment to be the recourse.

क्षुत्कामपिपासादि-व्याधीनाम् उपशमः तत्तद्विषयोपभोगेनैव भवतीति मत्वा वयं पदे पदे विषयेषु गाढतया निमग्नाः भूत्वा संसारचक्रे परिवर्तमानाः सन्तः अज्ञानिनः स्मः। एते सर्वे शरीरधर्मा इति ज्ञानोदये मोक्षमार्गमनुसर्तुं समर्थाः भवेम। 

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 18

अजानन् दाहात्म्यं पततु शलभस्तीव्रदहने
स मीनोऽप्यज्ञानाद्बडिशयुतमश्नुते पिशितम्।
विजानन्तोऽप्येते वयमिह विपज्जालजटिला-
न्न मुञ्चामः कामान् अहह गहनो मोहमहिमा॥18॥

ajānan dāhātmyaṁ patatu śalabhaḥ tīvradahane
sa mīno'pi-ajñānād-baḍiśa-yutam aśnute piśitam|
vijānanto'pi-ete vayamiha vipaj-jāla-jaṭilān-
na muñcāmaḥ kāmān ahaha gahano mohamahimā||18||

अजानन् - not knowing
दाहात्म्यं - its burning power
शलभः - firefly
पततु - may fall
तीव्रदहने - in the intense fire
अज्ञानात् - out of ignorance
स मीनोऽपि - the fish too
अश्नातु - may eat
पिशितं बडिशयुतम् - the fleshy bait
विजानन्तः अपि - even when we know
वयमिह - we
न मुञ्चामः - do not forsake
कामान् - desires
विपत्-जाल-जटिलान् - complicated with dangers
मोहमहिमा - power of delusion
अहह - alas!
गहनः - is inscrutable

We can excuse simple beings like fireflies and fish because it is out of ignorance that they keep falling prey. Can there be any excuse given for us human beings who are quite intelligent and have a pretty good understanding of how desires can trap us into a vicious circle of birth and rebirth? Yet, if we keep falling repeatedly into the clutches of these dangerous desires, then it shows how powerful and enigmatic delusion can be.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 17

एको रागिषु राजते प्रियतमादेहार्धहारी हरो
नीरागेषु जनो विमुक्तललनासङ्गो न यस्मात् परः।
दुर्वारस्मरबाणपन्नगविषव्याविद्धमुग्धो जनः
शेषः कामविडम्बितान्न विषयान् भोक्तुं न मोक्तुं क्षमः॥१७॥

eko rāgiṣu rājate priyatamā-dehārdha-hārī haro
nīrāgeṣu jano vimukta-lalanāsaṅgo na yasmāt paraḥ|
durvāra-smara-bāṇa-pannaga-viṣaya-vyāviddha-mugdho janaḥ
śeṣaḥ kāmaviḍambitānna viṣayān bhoktuṁ na moktuṁ kṣamaḥ||17||

Among the attached, Siva who has given half of his body to his beloved as 'ardhanArI', reigns supreme. Among the dispassionate too he is the foremost, as he does not have any attachment towards women. The rest of mankind struck by Manmatha's arrows are neither able to completely satiate themselves nor able to forsake the pleasures.

Detachment does not necessarily mean forsaking family. Dharma, in the four पुरुषार्थs is to be connected with all other three - artha, kaama and moksha. This would lead us practically to the pursuit of 3 पुरुषार्थs, namely, righteous acquisition of wealth, righteous pursuit of desire and righteous path of liberation. A famous example of one who did not pursue the righteous path of renunciation would be Buddha - he shirked his responsibility towards his family, left them to the care of the royal household to pursue his journey to the truth.

There cannot be any better example than Shiva who enjoys the fame of being the best of sages, while giving half of his body to his beloved Parvati.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 16

स्तनौ मांसग्रन्थी कनककलशावित्युपमितौ
मुखं श्लेष्मागारं तदपि च शशाङ्केन तुलितम्।
स्रवन्मूत्रक्लिन्नं करिवरशिरस्पर्धि जघनं
मुहुर्निन्द्यं रूपं कविजनविशेषैर्गुरु कृतम्॥

Poets tend to describe the human body, women in particular with eloquent similes. Bhartrhari condemns the poets and points out the true nature of a human body. He says it is a storehouse of all that is contemptible, yet poets add grandeur to them by praise.

Adi Sankara gives a more refined touch to this in his मोहमुद्गर
नारीस्तनभरनाभीदेशं दृष्ट्वा मा गा मोहावेश।
एतन्मांसवसादिविकारं मनसि विचिन्तय वारं वारम्॥

Repeatedly think of the parts that give rise to delusion as mere transformation of flesh.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 32

ग
गजभुजङ्गविहङ्गमबन्धनं शशिदिवाकरयोर्ग्रहपीडनम्।
मतिमतां च विलोक्य दरिद्रतां विधिरहो बलवानिति मे मतिः ।।

The above sloka is from Bhartrhari’s nIti satakam.

Seeing the bondage of elephants, of serpents and of birds, the affliction of the sun and the moon by the planets (Rahu and ketu) and the poverty of the intelligent men- my belief is that fate is powerful.

गज- elephant , भुजङ्ग – serpent , विहङ्गम – bird ,बन्धनं – bondage, शशि- of the moon, दिवाकरयोः – of the sun, ग्रहपीडनम् – afflicted by the planets, च - and , मतिमतां – of the intelligent people, दरिद्रतां – poverty, विलोक्य –seeing-, मे मतिः – my belief is , विधिः – fate is, बलवानिति – powerful.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 15

भिक्षाशनं तदपि नीरसमेकवारं
शय्या च भूः परिजनो निजदेहमात्रम्।
वस्त्रं विशीर्ण शतखण्डमयी च कन्था
हा हा तथापि विषया न परित्यजन्ति॥१५॥

bhikṣāśanaṁ tadapi nīrasamekavāraṁ
śayyā ca bhūḥ parijano nijadehamātram|
vastraṁ viśīrṇa śatakhaṇḍamayī ca kanthā
hā hā tathāpi viṣayā na parityajanti||15||

भिक्षाशनं – eating alms
तदपि – that too
नीरसमेकवारं – once without any taste
शय्या च भूः – the earth is bed
परिजनो – attendant is
निजदेहमात्रम् – his own body
वस्त्रं विशीर्ण – cloth is ragged
शतखण्डमयी च कन्था – and made up of hundreds of pieces
हा हा तथापि – Alas! Even then
विषया – material pleasures
न परित्यजन्ति – do not forsake

Food is got from begging and that too is tasteless and only once a day. The earth is the bed and one’s own body is one’s attendant. One may wear a ragged worn out cloth with a hundred patches; yet, alas! The desires do not leave me.

When one takes up the difficult practice of sannyAsa, there are strenuous practices that has to be followed. The body may get accustomed to all this; yet, forsaking material pleasures is the most difficult of all. Removing the desire from the mind is the toughest of all.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 29

क्ष
क्षुत्क्षामोऽपि जराकृशोऽपि शिथिलप्रायोऽपि कष्टां दशा-
मापऩ्नोऽपि विपन्नदीधितिरपि प्राणेषु ऩश्यत्स्वपि ।
मत्तेभेन्द्रविभिन्नकुम्भपिशितग्रासैकबद्धस्पृहः
किं जीर्णं तृणमत्ति मानमहतामग्रेसरः केसरी ।। ( नीतिशतकम् -21 )
kṣutkṣāmo'pi jarākṛśo'pi śithilaprāyo'pi kaṣṭāṁ daśām
āpanno'pi vipannadīdhitirapi prāṇeṣu naśyatsvapi|
mattebha-indra-vibhinna-kumbha-piśita-grāsaika-baddha-spṛhaḥ
kiṁ jīrṇaṁ tṛṇamatti mānamahatām agresaraḥ kesarī|| (nītiśatakam - 21)

क्षुधा क्षीणोऽपि, जरया कृशोऽपि, बलहीनोऽपि, आहारेण विना कष्टाम् अवस्थां प्राप्तोऽपि, नष्टकान्तिरपि, प्राणेषु नश्यत्स्वपि, मत्तगजपुंगवस्य कुम्भस्थलात् पिशिते मांसे एव सिंहस्य वाञ्छा अस्ति। तस्मिन् अवसरे अपि सः सिंहः न जीर्णं तृणं खादति। अभिमानोन्नतानां बुद्धिः न नीचवस्तूनि प्रवर्तते। प्राणात् मानमेव रक्षन्ति ते।

The above verse is from Bhartrhari’s nIti satakam .

Though a lion is emaciated by starvation, and reduced by old age, though it is almost completely enfeebled, though reduced to a wretched condition, though it has lost its bodily luster and it is about to die- still the leader of the jungle will have its longing fixed on the flesh from the broken forehead of a maddened elephant. Will it ever taste the dry grass?

क्षुत्क्षामोऽपि – emaciated because of hunger, जराकृशोऽपि – thin because of old, शिथिलप्रायोऽपि – though very weak, कष्टां – difficult , दशाम्- condition, आपन्नोऽपि- attained, विपऩ्नदिधितिरपि – lost its bodily luster, ऩश्यत्स्वपि – about to lose its, प्राणेषु – life,
(even at this condition) ग्रासैकबद्धस्पृहः- he has an attraction towards the , मत्तेभेन्द्रविभिन्नकुम्भपिशित – flesh broken from the forehead of a maddened elephant.
केसरी – lion, मानमहतामग्रेसरः - rich or great in pride, किं जीर्णं तृणमत्ति – will it eat the dry grass?

Here the poet beautifully explains with an example of the lion to put forward his view- People who are rich or great in pride will never degrade themselves even at the time of calamity. For them pride is important than life.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते -28

क्व
क्वचित्पृथ्वीशय्यः क्वचिदपि च पर्यङ्कशयनः
क्वचित्शाकाहारः क्वचिदपि च शाल्योदनरुचिः।
क्वचित्कन्थाधारी क्वचिदपि च दिव्याम्बरधरो
मनस्वी कार्यार्थी न गणयति दुःखं न च सुखम् ।। (नीतिशतकम् - 74)
kvacit pṛthvīśayyaḥ kvacidapi ca paryaṅkaśayanaḥ
kvacit śākāhāraḥ kvacidapi ca śālyodanaruciḥ|
kvacit kanthādhārī kvacidapi ca divyāmbaradharaḥ
manasvī kāryārthī na gaṇayati duḥkhaṁ na ca sukhaṁ|| (nītiśatakam - 74)

धीरः कार्यसाधनतत्परः क्वचित् काले भूमौ स्विपिति क्वचित् च पर्यङ्के। क्वचित् शाक एवाहारो क्वचित् च शाल्यान्ने रुचिः। क्वचित् जीर्णवस्त्राणि धारयति क्वचित् पीताम्बराणि च धारयति। कार्यनिमग्नः धीरः सुखं दुःखं च न गणयति। कार्यसाधनतत्परस्य सुखदुःखयोः समानावस्था एव भवति।

The above is the seventy fourth verse from Bhartrhari’s nItisatakam.

Here he has his bed on the floor, there on a bed made of soft mattress, here he lives only on vegetables, there he takes the feast prepared from the highest quality of rice, here he wears rags, there he wears the silk garments. The brave man, who has set his mind in achieving a goal, never bothers the pain or pleasure.

क्वचित् – In one place, पृथ्वीशय्यः - sleeps on the floor, क्वचिदपि च – In the other place, पर्यङ्कशयनः- sleeps on the bed. क्वचित्- In one place ,शाकाहारः – eats only the vegetables, क्वचिदपि च – In another place , शाल्योदनरुचिः – tasty food made of rice.
क्वचित् – In one place, कन्थाधारी- wears the torn clothes, क्वचिदपि च – In another place , दिव्याम्बरधरो- wears a silken garment. मनस्वी- brave man, कार्यार्थी- who is involved in achieving a goal, न गणयति – does not bother about, सुखम् – happiness च – and , न – not about, दुःखं – sorrow.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः 14

धन्यानां गिरिकन्दरेषु वसतां ज्योतिः परं ध्यायताम्
आनन्दाश्रुकणान् शकुना निःशङ्कमङ्केशयाः।
अस्माकं तु मनोरथोपरिचितप्रासादवापीतट-
क्रीडाकाननकेलिकौतुकजुषाम् आयुः परं क्षीयते॥१४॥

dhanyānāṁ girikandareṣu vasatāṁ jyotiḥ paraṁ dhyāyatām
ānandāśrukaṇān śakunā niḥśaṅkamaṅkeśayāḥ|
asmākaṁ tu manorathoparicitaprāsādavāpītaṭa-
krīḍākānanakelikautukajuṣām āyuḥ paraṁ kṣīyate||14||

धन्यानां – blessed
गिरिकन्दरेषु वसतां – those who live in the caves of mountains
ज्योतिः परं ध्यायताम् – meditating upon Brahman
आनन्दाश्रुकणान् – tears of bliss
शकुना – birds of prey
निःशङ्कमङ्केशयाः – fearlessly sitting on their laps
अस्माकं तु – but we
मनोरथ-उपरिचित – created by imagination
प्रासाद – palace
वापीतट – on the banks of pools
क्रीडाकानन – pleasure gardens
केलिकौतुकजुषाम् – excited to play
आयुः – life
परं क्षीयते – quickly lessens

The poet is still talking about how difficult it is to forsake the pleasures of the world. He compares the lives of the great with our lives.
Blessed indeed are those who meditate upon the Brahman. They are so engrossed in their thoughts that even birds of prey, which tend to fly high descend fearlessly and sit on their laps to drink the tears of joy that fall from their eyes.
But, our focus is entirely on the pleasures of life and do not realise that our life is fast ebbing away.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 13

ब्रह्मज्ञानविवेकनिर्मलधियः कुर्वन्त्यहो दुष्करम्
यन्मुञ्चन्त्यपभोगभाञ्ज्यपि धनानि एकान्ततो निःस्पृहाः।
सम्प्राप्तान् न पुरा न सम्प्रति न च प्राप्तौ दृढप्रत्ययात्
वाढ्छामात्रपरिग्रहानपि परं त्यक्तुं न शक्ता वयम्॥१३॥

brahmajñāna-viveka-nirmala-dhiyaḥ kurvantyaho duṣkaraṁ
yanmuñcanti apabhoga-bhāñjyapi dhanāni ekāntato niḥspṛhāḥ|
saṁprāptān na purā na saṁprati na ca prāptau dṛḍhapratyayāt
vāñchāmātra-parigrahānapi paraṁ tyaktuṁ na śaktā vayam||13||

ब्रह्मज्ञान – knowledge of Brahman
विवेक – discrimination
निर्मल – pure
धियः – minds
कुर्वन्ति – do
अहो दुष्करम् – is indeed tough
यन्मुञ्चन्ति – that they forsake
उपभोगभाञ्ज्यपि – which bring enjoyment
धनानि – wealth
एकान्ततो – entirely
निःस्पृहाः – free from desire
सम्प्राप्तान् न – were not attained
पुरा – either earlier
न सम्प्रति – or now
प्राप्तौ दृढप्रत्ययात् – obtained by great effort
न च – do not seem to last
वाञ्छामात्रपरिग्रहानपि – although reaped by us as mere desires
परं त्यक्तुं न शक्ता वयम् – we are unable to leave the enjoyments.

It must indeed be a very difficult task for those, who have clear thinking owing to the discrimination arising out of brahmajnana, to be free from desires and discard wealth in its entirety. It is no wonder that we, who have reaped enjoyments by merely longing for it, having attained them neither before nor now, are unable to leave them. And even when we have obtained the enjoyments with great effort, they don’t seem to last in the future.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 12

अवश्यं यातारश्चिरतरमुषित्वापि विषया
वियोगे को भेदस्त्यजति न जनो यत् स्वयममून्।
व्रजन्तः स्वातन्त्र्यादतुलपरितापाय मनसः
स्वयं त्यक्ता ह्येते शमसुखमनन्तं विदधति॥१२॥

avaśyaṁ yātāraḥ cirataram uṣitvāpi viṣayā
viyoge ko bhedaḥ tyajati na jano yat svayamamūn|
vrajantaḥ svātantryāt atula-paritāpāya manasaḥ
svayaṁ tyaktā hyete śama-sukham anantaṁ vidadhati||12||

विषया अस्मासु चिरकालम् उषित्वा गम्यमाना एव। तस्मात् ते स्वयं गच्छन्ति अथवा वयं तान् त्यजामः इति द्वयोरन्तरे को भेदः। विषयाः यदा स्वयं गच्छन्ति तदा भृशं दुःखं ददति। यदि वयं स्वयं तान् विषयान् त्यजामः तर्हि वयम् अनन्तानन्दम् अनुभवामः।

विषया – sensual pleasures
उषित्वापि – even after staying
चिरतरं – for a long time
अवश्यं – will surely
यातारः – be gone
वियोगे – in departure
को भेदः – what is the difference
यत् – that
जनः – people
स्वयं – of their own accord
न त्यजति – do not give up
अमून् – these
व्रजन्तः – (when they) leave
स्वातन्त्र्यात् – on their own
अतुलपरितापाय – incomparable misery
मनसः – to the mind
स्वयं त्यक्ता – when given up by themselves (by people)
ह्येते – these indeed
विदधति – give
अनन्तं – infinite
शमसुखम् – happiness of self-control

Sensual pleasures are sure to go away from us at some point, even if they stay with us for a long time. So, What is the difference if they depart or we give them up? The difference is – when the pleasures leave us of their own accord, our mind is sorely afflicted. However, when we give them up voluntarily, the happiness that arises from such self-control is infinite.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 11

The first set of vairāgya śataka is called तृष्णादूषणम् (tṛṣṇā dūṣaṇa) – condemnation of desire. The second set of ten slokas is called विषयपरित्यागविडम्बना – futile efforts to give up sense objects. The first sloka here is

न संसारोत्पन्नं चरितमनुपश्यामि कुशलं
विपाकः पुण्यानां जनयति भयं मे विमृशतः।
महद्भिः पुण्यौघैः चिरपरिगृहीताश्च विषया
महान्तो जायन्ते व्यसनमिव दातुं विषयिणाम्॥११॥

na saṁsārotpannaṁ caritam anupaśyāmi kuśalaṁ
vipākaḥ puṇyānāṁ janayati bhayaṁ me vimṛśataḥ|
mahadbhiḥ puṇyaughaiḥ ciraparigṛhītāḥ viṣayā
mahānto jāyante vyasanamiva dātuṁ viṣayiṇām||11||

पुण्येन जनाः स्वर्गलोकं प्राप्नुवन्ति। क्षीणे पुण्ये पुनः मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति। द्वेपि पापपुण्ये बन्धायैव भवतः। पुण्यनिचयोऽपि मे भयम् उत्पादयति, यतः पुण्येन विषयास्वादः वर्धते एव। तस्मात् संसारात् किमपि सुकार्यं न पश्यामीति वदत्यत्र कविः।

न अनुपश्यामि – I do not see
कुशलं – any good
संसारोत्पन्नं चरितं – in the wordly virtuous deeds
विमृशतः – for, upon reflection
पुण्यानां विपाकः – result of virtuous deeds
मे भयं जनयति – induces fear in me
विषयाः – enjoyments
परिगृहीताः – earned
महद्भिः पुण्यौघैः – by great merits/punya
महान्तो जायन्ते – multiply greatly
दातुं – to give
व्यसनं – misery
विषयिणाम् – to those who are attached to the enjoyments

I do not see any benefit from doing good again and again with the aim to enjoy happiness in heaven. Even the result of virtuous deeds inspires fear in me. People get attached to the results that arise from doing good deeds, thus the desire to enjoy more grows in them, giving rise to miseries.

वैराग्यशतकम् - आशा - 10

क्षान्तं न क्षमया गृहोचितसुखं त्यक्तं न सन्तोषतः
सोढो दुस्सहशीततापपवनक्लेशो न तप्तं तपः।
ध्यातं वित्तमहर्निशं नियमितप्राणैर्नशम्भोः पदं
तत्तत्कर्म कृतं यदेव मुनिभिस्तैस्तैः फलैर्वञ्छिताः॥

kṣāntaṁ na kṣamayā gṛhocitasukhaṁ tyaktaṁ na santoṣataḥ
soḍho dussaha-śīta-tāpa-pavana-kleśo na taptaṁ tapaḥ
dhyātaṁ vittam aharniśaṁ niyamitaprāṇaiḥ na śambhoḥ padam
tattatkarma kṛtaṁ yadeva munibhiḥ taistaiḥ phalaiḥ vañchitāḥ

क्षान्तं न क्षमया – I have tolerated everything (insult) not out of forgiveness but because I do not possess the power to do anything otherwise.
गृहोचितसुखं त्यक्तं न सन्तोषतः – I forsook pleasures of home, like eating, not willingly but because I am not able to enjoy them (maybe due to old age, disease etc)
सोढो – I have borne
दुस्सह – the intolerable
शीत – cold
ताप – heat
पवन – wind
क्लेशः – troubles
न तप्तं तपः – I have only tried to bear the cold, heat and other such natural troubles but not done penance.
नियमितप्राणैः – controlling the vital airs
अहर्निशं – day and night
वित्तं ध्यातं – I have meditated upon wealth
न शम्भोः पदम् – and not the feet of Lord Shiva
तत्तत्कर्म कृतं – I did every action
यदेव मुनिभिः – that ascetics perform
तैस्तैः फलैर्वञ्छिताः – but I have been cheated by the results.

Every action of mine is an imitation of what ascetics do, yet I have not attained the result that they get.

मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः॥ अमृतबिन्दूपनिषद् - 2॥
mana eva manuṣyāṇāṁ kāraṇaṁ bandhamokṣayoḥ amṛtabindūpaniṣad - 2

‘Mind is the reason for bondage or liberation’. When the intention for any action is right the result is also correct.

वैराग्यशतकम् - आशा - 9

अमीषां प्राणानां तुलितबिसिनीपत्रपयसां
कृते किं नास्माभिः विगलितविवेकैः व्यवसितम्।
यदाढ्यानामग्रे द्रविण-मद-निःसंज्ञमनसां
कृतं वीतव्रीडैः निजगुणकथापातकमपि॥

amīṣāṁ prāṇānāṁ tulitabisinīpatrapayasāṁ
kṛte kiṁ nāsmābhiḥ vigalitavivekaiḥ vyavasitam
yadāḍhyānāmagre draviṇa-mada-niḥsaṁjñamanasāṁ
kṛtaṁ vītavrīḍaiḥ nijaguṇakathāpātakamapi

Life which is constituted of the five prāṇas, is very fickle like the water on a lotus leaf. For such a transient thing, depraved of discrimation, what have we not done! Without any shame we have extolled our own merits in front of the wealthy whose minds are stupefied by pride of wealth.

According to scriptures self-glorification is considered a sin. Whether it is a sin or not, the point we need to understand is - it is useless talking about ourselves to people who do not care about anything else other than money.

वैराग्यशतकम् - आशा - 8

खलालापाः सोढाः कथमपि तदाराधनपरैः
निगृह्यान्तर्बाष्पं हसितमपि शून्येन मनसा।
कृतो वित्तस्तम्भप्रतिहतधियामञ्जलिरपि
त्वमाशे मोघाशे किमपरमतो नर्तयसि माम्।।

khalālāpāḥ soḍhāḥ kathamapi tadārādhanaparaiḥ
nigṛhyāntarbāṣpaṁ hasitamapi śūnyena manasā
kṛto vittastambhapratihatadhiyām añjalirapi
tvamāśe moghāśe kim aparam ato nartayasi mām

In an effort to serve the rich – whose are dull in intellect due to inactivity, I have had to tolerate their bad manners and talk; controlling my tears I have laughed with a empty mind; and bowed down to them too. O Desire, you whose desire is still not fulfilled! In what more ways are you going to make me dance to your tunes?

वैराग्यशतकम् - आशा - 7

उत्खातं निधिशङ्कया क्षितितलं ध्माता गिरेर्धातवो
निस्तीर्णः सरितां पतिर्नृपतयो यत्नेन सन्तोषिताः।
मन्त्राराधनतत्परेण मनसा नीताः श्मशाने निशाः
प्राप्तः काणवराटकोऽपि न मया तृष्णे सकामा भव।।

utkhātaṁ nidhiśaṅkayā kṣititalaṁ dhmātā girerdhātavo
nistīrṇaḥ saritāṁ patiḥ nṛpatayo yatnena santoṣitāḥ
mantrārādhanatatpareṇa manasā nītāḥ śmaśāne niśāḥ
prāptaḥ kāṇavarāṭako'pi na mayā tṛṣṇe sakāmā bhava

I have dug the earth in search of hidden treasures, smelted rocks for metals, crossed the ocean, served to please kings, spent nights in burial grounds concentrating on mantras and worship, and I did not get even a broken shell. So, O Desire! be satisfied.

What have we not done to satisfy our desires! We continue trying to satisfy our desire and will do so for the rest of our lives. In the end it is only DESIRE that satisfies itself.

कविः -2

भर्तृहरिः

‘भर्तृहरिणा कृतं शतकत्रयं मानवजीवनस्य मार्गदर्शकः’ इति लोकोक्तिः अस्ति। तेन कृत ग्रन्थः प्रसिद्धिं अलभत, परन्तु तस्य जीवनविषये सप्रमाणयुक्तिः न लब्धा। भर्तृहरिः जन्मना राजवंशीयः, तथापि सः राज्यभोगान् त्यक्त्वा वनम् अगच्छत्, यत्र सः नीतिशतकम्, श्रृङ्गारशतकम्, वैराग्यशतकम् इति त्रीन् ग्रन्थान् अरचयत्।
शीर्षकस्य समर्थनानुसारेणैव नीतिशतके नैतिक अथवा धर्मप्रतिपादनविषयाः उक्ताः, तथा च
श्रृङ्गारशतके विषयसुखम् अधिकृत्य लिखितं कविना।
मोक्षप्राप्तिरेव मानुषजन्मनः प्रयोजनम्। संसारे विरक्तिः, ईश्वरे अनुरक्तिः, ततः ब्रह्मणि अनुध्यानेन परमं पदं लभ्यते। संसारस्य अनित्यत्वं तथा आत्मनः अमृतत्वं च रमणीयश्लोकेषु वर्णितं कविना।

Poet -2
Bhartrhari

It is very difficult to settle the dates of ancient writers generally and it is specially so with the Indian writers. The date of birth and the date of death of great poets like kalidAsa, BhavabhUti, SrIharshA etc. were not recorded in books. It is the same with the poet Bhartrhari, whose date and time are still under dispute.
Tradition weaves plenty of stories round an old, reputed personage, and the tales may be based on fact or fancy. Bhartrhari belonged to a royal family and renounced the world later on in life to become a yogi. He then retired to the forest where he is said to have composed the three satakams. They are the nIti satakam, sringAra satakam and vairAgya satakam. Satakam means hundred. So, there are hundred slokas in each text.
Among the works of the poet, nIti satakam is the collection of wise sayings, morals etc.

In the ‘mUrkha paddhati’ of nIti satakam, the poet says- ‘Those who have knowledge are affected by jealousy, those who hold high position are spoiled by arrogance, and the rest are overpowered by ignorance. Therefore, the good sayings said in this work remain absorbed in the body of its possessor. Even if there is no one to appreciate, my work will continue.

बोद्धारो मत्सरग्रस्ताः प्रभवः स्मयदूषिताः।
अबोधोपहृताश्चान्ये जीर्णमङ्गे सुभाषितम्।।

boddhāraḥ matsaragrastāḥ prabhavaḥ smayadūṣitāḥ
abodhopahatāścānye jīrṇamaṅge subhāṣitam

The verses of sringara satakam are generally sensual. The effect of moon-light, cool breezes etc. on the minds of lovers are well depicted.
The vairaagya satakam or the hundred slokas of renunciation. They are written with the full enthusiasm and determination of an ascetic who has renounced the world.
Personally I feel, a student of Sanskrit must read two books. One is Adi sankara’s ‘Bhaja Govindam’ and undoubtedly the second one is Bhartrhari’s ‘vairAgya satakam’.

वैराग्यशतकम् आशा - 6

निवृत्ता भोगेच्छा पुरुषबहुमानोऽपि गलितः
समानाः स्वर्याताः सपदि सुहृदो जीवितसमाः ।
शनैर्यष्ट्युत्थानं घनतिमिररुद्धे च नयने
अहो मूढः कायस्तदपि मरणापायचकितः ।।

nivṛttā bhogecchā puruṣabahumāno'pi galitaḥ
samānāḥ svaryātāḥ sapadi suhṛdo jīvitasamāḥ|
śanairyaṣṭyutthānaṁ ghanatimiraruddhe ca nayane
aho mūḍhaḥ kāyastadapi maraṇāpāyacakitaḥ||

प्राणतुल्याः सुहृदः बन्धवश्च जरावस्थायाः प्रागेव पुण्यलोकं गताः। विषयानुस्पृहा निर्गता। पुरुषाणां सम्मानः, सोऽपि गलितः। दृष्टिः तु जरया नष्टा। शरीरसंचारे तु शक्तिः नास्ति। तथापि, ज्ञानहीनः मम देहः मरणेन को अपायो जायते इति भीतः।

My friends, dear to me as life, have all taken the fast lane towards heaven before the onset of (old) age. The interest in accomplishing the worldly enjoyments has reduced and I have lost respect from my relatives. My vision is obstructed by deep blindness and the body can raise slowly only with the support of a Staff. Despite all these, my body is still scared of the very thought of death.

सुहृदो- Friends, समानाः – of equal age, जीवितसमाः – dear to me as life, सपदि- immediately (before the onset of old age), स्वर्याताः – reached the heaven, भोगेच्छा- desire for enjoyment, निवृत्ता – has gone, पुरुषबहुमानोऽपि – the respect from people, गलितः- has also gone, नयने च- and my eye sight, रुद्धे- obstructed by, घनतिमिर- deep blindness, कायः- Body , शनैः –slowly, उत्थानं- gets up, यष्टिः – with a help of a Staff or stick, तदपि- even after all these, कायः – (my) body is, मरणापायचकितः- scared of death, अहो- alas (surprising).

वैराग्यशतकम् आशा - 5

वलीभिः मुखमाक्रान्तं पलितेन अङ्कितं शिरः।
गात्राणि शिथिलायन्ते तृष्णा एका तरुणायते।।

valībhiḥ mukhamākrāntaṁ palitena aṅkitaṁ śiraḥ|
gātrāṇi śithilāyante tṛṣṇaikā taruṇāyate||

जरया मुखं तु वैरूप्यं प्राप्तम्। केशादयः धवला जाता। गात्राणि तु शिथिलानि अभवन्। जरया प्रतिक्षणं सर्वाणि अङ्गानि क्षीयन्ते परन्तु तृष्णा एका तु बलिष्ठा भवति तथा वर्धते च।

The face is fully covered with wrinkles, the hair is completely grey, the limbs became weak. Body is ageing but there seems to be no abating of desire.

मुखम् – Face ; आक्रान्तम् – attacked ; वलीभिः– wrinkles; शिरः – head ; पलितेन – grey hair ; अङ्कितं – painted ; गात्राणि – limbs ; शिथिलायन्ते – weak; तृष्णा – desire ; एका – only one ; तरुणायते – young or rejuvenating.