Practical truth on foolishness in his famous work Neethi Satakam by The Great Sanskrit Poet Bhartruhari

Author:-

Bhartruhari was a great scholar in the Sanskrit literary world.  He has written three books each containing one hundred slokas.  They are collectively called and popularly known as Satakatrayee or Subhaashita Thrisathee viz., Srungaara Sathakam (Romantic),  Neethi Satakam (Ethical) and Vairaagya Sathakam (Philosophical).  Though the personal life of this poet-author neither definite nor reliable, undisputedly he was a man who enjoyed the life to its lees and finally turned to ascetic life.  His date was said to be in the 7^th century A.D.

Neethi Sathakam:-

         This is a book of ethics or moral teachings.  It shows how one has to mould his behaviour and also teaches with what attitude one has to lead his life happily.  There are ten chapters dealing with instructions with ten slokas each by which, if one can understand and practise these codes of conduct certainly he becomes a successful citizen.  Just the following points which caution us to be away from foolishness.

1.    An ignorant person can be easily satisfied as well as the erudite scholar.  But a person proud of his limited and little knowledge can’t be satisfied even by the Creator.

2.    One can forcibly take out a jewel from the jaws of crocodile;  he can cross the sea full of high waves; he can even put on his head the irritated snake like a flower, but he cannot please a foolish man of strong notions.

3.    One can prevent fire with water; the heat of the sun with an umbrella; an elephant in rut (Intoxicated) with sharp goad; an ox and ass with a stick; the illness by taking medicine and an effect of poison with the use of various mantras (Sacred Spells).  Thus the scriptures have prescribed remedies of everything.  Nut for a fool there is no medicine.

4.    A person, having no knowledge in literature, music and any form of arts is in reality, an animal without a tail and horns; it is to the extreme good luck of actual animals that he lives without eating grass.

5.    It is better to roam in the inaccessible regions of mountains in company of wild animals or foresters.  But in the company of fools it is not good to reside even in the palaces of god of gods.