What a waste!

[Guest guest]

This verse from the vairAgya shataka accurately describes the lives

of a large number of youths in the world, especially in India which

has a rich cultural heritage that is being lost day by day.

The four puruShArthas - dharma, artha, kAma, and moxa- are well known.

But there is a large population in the world, again especially in

India, which does not lead a fruitful life from any perspective, be

it dharma, artha, kAma, and moxa. Such people do not follow dharma

properly; they do not earn adequate money because they are lazy;

they do not enjoy pleasures of life; and of course, they have no idea

of moxa. Their life, especially their youth, is spent in utterly

useless activities which is neither beneficial to themselves nor

others. Even if they do something, be it in the field of dharma,

artha, kAma, or moxa, it is half-hearted and insincere. They have no

"passion" (in a good sense) in anything that they do. Consequently,

the life of such people is a big waste.

 

What a big tragedy it is when the years of youth are wasted away!

 

[Animal lovers may find the third line below offensive but bear

in mind that Bhartrihari lived in a different time. Moreover, animals

are *now* more in danger than ever before in history, despite what

our ancestors' interaction with the animal kingdom was!]

 

nAbhyastA prativAdivR^indadamanI vidyA vinItochitA

khaDgAgraiH karikuMbhapIThadalanairnAkaM na nItaM yashaH |

kAntAkomalapallava-adhara-rasaH pIto na chandrodaye

tAruNyaM gatameva niShphalamaho shUnyAlaye dIpavat.h ||

 

They did not study (in depth) any vidyA that is suitable for

modest people and that would help them vanquish groups of opponents.

They did not earn fame high enough to reach heaven, by using weapons

powerful enough to tear apart (things such as) the forehead of an

elephant. They did not drink the nectar of tender bud-like lips of

a beautiful lover at moonrise. Alas! Their youth has been wasted

away with no benefit just like a lamp that burns away in an empty

(uninhabited) house!

 

 

Anand