Verses Of Dispassion - Vairagya Shatakam of Bhartrihari

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Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste.

 

AyurvarSazataM nRNAM parimitaM rAtrau tadardhaM gataM

tasyArdhasya parasyacArdham aparaM bAlatva vRddhatvayoH

zeSaM vyAdhi viyoga duHkha sahitaM sevAdibhir nIyate

jIve vAri taraGga caJcalatare saukhyaM kutaH prANinAm?

 

(Sri Bhartrihari Vairagya Shatakam. 49)

 

The life of man as ordained is limited to one hundred years;

half of it is spent in night, and out of the other half

one half again is passed in childhood and old age;

and the rest which has its illness, bereavements,

and troubles is spent in serving others.

What happiness can there be for mortals

in a life (again) which is even more uncertain

than the ripples on the surface of water?

 

yAvatsvasthamidaM zarIram arujaM yAvajjarA dUrato

yAvaccendriya zaktir apratihatA yAvatkSayo nAyuSaH

Atmazreyasi tAvad eva viduSA kAryaH prayatno mahAn

saMdIpte bhavane tu kUpakhananaM pratyudyamaH kIdRzaH

 

- Vairagya Shatakam. 75, Sri Bhartrihari

 

As long as body is free from disease and decrepitude,

as long as senility is far off, as long as the powers of

the senses are unaffected and life is not decaying,

so long wise persons should put forth mighty exertions

for the sake of their supreme good,

for when the house is on fire what avails

setting about digging a well for water?

 

(from the translation of Swami Madhavananda of Advaita ashrama)

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!

[Guest guest]

Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste.

 

cUDottaMsita-candra-cAru-kalikA-

caJcac-chikhA-bhAsvaro

lIlA-dagdha-vilola-kAma-zalabhaH

zreyo-dazAgre sphuran |

antaH-sphUrjad-apAra-moha-timira-

prAg-bhAram uccATayan

zvetaH-sadmani yoginAM vijayate

jJAna-pradIpo haraH ||1||

 

All glory to Siva, the Light of Knowledge,

residing in the temple of the Yogi's heart,

Who smites away like the rising SUN

the massive front of the endless night

of ignorance overcasting human minds,

in Whose wake follow all auspiciousness and prosperity,

Who burnt up gay 'Lust' (Cupid) as a moth, as if in sport,

and Who appears with the lambent rays of the crescent

adorning His forehead- rays that look pleasing

like soft half-blooming buds!

 

(Saint-Poet Bhartrihari's Vairagya Shatakam, verse.1 -

translated by Swami Sri Madhavananda of Advaita Ashrama)

 

Saint Bhartrihari was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and it is very

interesting to note that for many of his themes have been adapted by

Vaishnavas and Shaivas in their spiritual sadhana.

 

It is believed by many religious scholors that the former Advaita

Sanyasi of Benares (Varanasi), and the Vraja Rasik Saint Sri

Prabodhananda Saraswati himself wrote another 'Vairagya Satakam', but

that work has unfortunately been lost.

When we read Sri Bhartrihari's verses glorifying Benares (Varanasi),

Sri Radha Krishna's devotees can't help thinking about

the 'Vrindavana Mahimamrita'-

'Glories of the Divine Abode, Sri Vrindavana', another great Stotra

written by Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati.

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!

[Guest guest]

Jaya Sri Radhey! Namaste.

 

jIrNA eva manorathAzca hRdaye yAtaM ca tad yauvanaM

hantAGgeSu guNAzca vandhya phalatAM yAtA guNajnaur vinA |

kiM yuktaM sahasAbhy upaiti balavAn kAlaH kRtAnto 'kSamI

hA jnAtaM madanAntak AGghri yugalaM muktvAsti nAnyA gatiH ||83||

 

Desires have worn off in our heart.

Alas! Youth has also passed away from the body.

The virtues have proved barren for

want of appreciative admirers.

The powerful, all-destroying, unrelenting Death

is fast hastening in! What is to be done?

Ah me! I see there is NO other refuge left except

the feet of the Destroyer of Cupid, Lord Shiva.

 

 

mahezvare vA jagatAmadhIzvare

janArdane vA jagadantarAtmani |

navastubheda pratipattir asti me

tathApi bhaktis taruNendu zekhare ||84||

 

(Vairagya Shatakam. 84)

 

I make NO difference in substance between Siva,

the Lord of the universe and Vishnu,

the inmost Self of the universe.

But still my devotion is attached to the One

on Whose crest there is the crescent moon.

 

This 'sloka' has been brought forward by the Saint-Poet as doubt may

arise in the mind of the seeker from the preceeding 'sloka' (verse)

where the poet says that Shiva is the ONLY Lord to take our refuge in.

 

Here the Saint says that REALLY there is NO DIFFERENCE between Lords

Shiva and Vishnu.

But still, he is by nature ATTACHED to Lord Shiva.

This is called 'IshTa-NishTaa' or the dedication to one's own Ideal.

 

(adapted from the translation by Swami Sri Madhavananda of Advaita

Ashrama)

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!