Vairagya Shathakam – Sri
Bharthrihari Virachitham
Chapter -2 – Life of Sri Bharthrihari
There was a highly learned
twice-born Govinda, well known for his Dharmic rites, had thorough knowledge in
all the scriptures and Vedic texts, the inquisitiveness to learn more and more
drove him to follow the Bhramacharyashram meticulously, and visited several
preceptors and scholars, finally there was no preceptors to teach him, but his
hunger to learn the scriptures and Veda did not stop, he had the feeling that
he has not yet completed the quest for learning, hence he conducted an extensive
journey through the Aryavartha. Once, he ended up in the dense forest, could
not see the trace of human, there he met a Bhramarakshas who was a twice-born,
was too happy to meet the Govinda, after several days in the woods. They had a
conversation and exchanged their views and opinions on scriptures and Sanskrit,
and talked about each other’s life.
The Bhramarakshass
explained his life story; he was a highly intelligent twice-born, has vast
knowledge in all the scriptures and texts, but he was not willing to teach them
to others. He met a Bhramin and got cursed for his arrogance, to become
Bhramarakshassa, also came to know that if he shares the knowledge he has
learned with others, he would immediately get rid of the curse, therefore he
was waiting for a learned person to share his knowledge and get rid of the
curse. The twice-born Govinda became too happy to meet the Bhramarakshass,
shortly Govinda learned all the knowledge from the Bhramarakshass. The forest
they have lived was not fit for human habitation, there were no fruits or fiber
roots, or pure water available, Govinda felt extremely disappointed to continue
there. Bhramrakshass understood the difficulties of Govinda to live there, he
offered an herbal medicine to apply on his body, that could remove the thirst
and hunger for several years, with a condition that if the twice-born set foot
on the water, the herbal medicine will stop working, and all those tiredness
due to the non-consumption of water and meal for the years would come back immediately.
Thus, Govinda was strictly forbidden to set foot on the water, in this way, he
started learning all those sacred knowledge from Bhramarakshass who throw the
notes written on the leaves to Bhramin, if any doubts the Bhramin would clear
them on the spot, within a short period of time, the Bhramin learned all the
knowledge from the Bhramarakshass, prostrated before his preceptor and
bade-farewell. The Bhramarakshass got rid of the curse and happily returned to
his home.
Govinda wandered many
places and finally arrived in the glorious city of Ujjain, the King ruled the city had no son; they had a beautiful daughter, were taken care of affectionately.
Govinda arrived on the river bank; saw there were a few attractive women in
their finest garments arrived to have a bath in the river. Govinda was not
interested in material living; he did not pay attention to them. The beautiful
woman who was the leader of the group did not take her eyes off from the
handsome, youthful Govinda, fallen in love with him instantly. She understood
his humility, intelligence, and virtues that forced her to crave for him, she
keenly followed him. This woman was born in the wealthiest Shudra clan was
stunningly beautiful with attractive physical features, and virtuous. In a
moment she forgot the purpose she had arrived and looked at the twice-born
with an earnest desire. While she was watching, Govinda slowly got into the water,
he was trying to cross the river, hardly moved three or four steps further, he
fell unconscious in the water. It was the herbal medicine that was protected hi
from the thirst and hunger for several years stopped working, he became
unconscious of continuous starvation and immense exhaustion, his body and mind
could not take it anymore, as it was predicted by the Bhramarakshass, all the
hunger and thirst took a toll on his body and mind.
The woman who was watching
the movements of Govinda for a long time, came rushing with her female
companions, she carried Govinda along with the bundle of those written leaves
to her home. She took great care of him, brought good physicians to consult him,
and within two or three days Govinda regained his consciousness, he felt
extremely happy to know that he was saved by that woman, spoke to her kindly
“Oh! The jewel among woman, there is no Dharma precious than the protection of
Prana, you have saved my Prana, and therefore I owe to you all my life. Oh!
Devi, how should I repay my debt? Kindly tell me how to pay off my debts to
you, if I did not pay off my debts I would become selfish and ungrateful, you
need not worry about anything, kindly ask for whatever you want.” The woman was
extremely pleased listening to the kind words of Govinda, she came closer to
him with folded hands began to speak “Oh! Swami, Oh! Mahathma, you are praising
me unnecessarily and portraying yourself as a debtor before me. I did not do anything
great as you have praised me, it was my Dharma to protect you, in fact, humans
are born to do Paropakara, which is the supreme Dharma. You are highly praising
for a too little help I have given, I feel I have made my life fruitful by
providing help to you, therefore I do not need anything in return, kindly do
not put me in grief. I have nothing to ask other than give me an opportunity to
serve your feet all my life, as your sincere wife to you. I want to make my
life fruitful by serving your feet, if you permit me to do so, I would be the
most fortunate woman in this world.”
The twice-born was stunned
to listen to her amiable words, various emotions rushed to his mind. He
understood she is from the lowly clan of Shudra, a twice-born cannot marry a
Shudra, but she has served him selflessly for the past few days, she took great
care of him, brought back his life, so she deserved to be treated fairly.
Govinda immersed in various thoughts, a twice-born cannot marry a Shudra and
choose the Shudra woman as the first wife. He has to formally marry a woman
from Bhramin clan, then Kshatriya, and Vaishya, after that he is permitted to
marry a Shudra woman. Govinda decided not to put her in utter disappointment, the
woman who has brought his Prana from the danger is deserved to be treated well.
Thus, Govinda married a woman from the twice-born; secondly, he approached
the King of Ujjain with his desire to marry his one and only daughter. The King
was highly impressed at the intelligence and handsomeness of Govinda and readily
agreed to offer his daughter as wedded wife, thus he was married to the
princess who was heir to the throne of Ujjain.
Later, he married to a Vaishya woman and fourthly he married the Shudra
woman formally as a wedded wife.
Govinda built a fortress
for his four wives and lived happily with them. He sincerely followed the
Grihasthashrama Dharma, in the meantime the King of Ujjain became too old to
take up the kingly duties, so he crowned Govinda as the King of Ujjain. Govind
performed all the stately duties and responsibilities as a King of Ujjain,
people were extremely happy in his regime, shortly the aged King attained
Paramagathi. Thus, several years have passed; his four wives gave birth to one
child each. The Brahmin woman gave birth to Vararuchi, Kshatriya woman gave
birth to Vikramadhithya, Vaishya woman gave birth to Bhatti, and the Shudra
woman gave birth to Bharthrihari. These four children were experts in all the
art forms, Sarva Shastra, and religious texts. Govinda had a special
attachment to his son Bharthrihari, he was the elder one among the children and
son of that Shudra woman who sincerely loved all her life. Bharthrihari was a brilliant
child, intelligent, attractive, and virtuous as well, he became famous for his
contribution to the preservation of the Vedic texts which was disappearing at
the beginning of the Kali era. Several intellectuals and scholars appreciated
his sincere effort in reviving the sacred texts, he had composed Vyakaran
Grantha which was highly admired by the scholars of that period. In the meantime, his father Govinda crowned elder son Bharthrihari as the King of Ujjain and retired to woods to conduct penance. The reason for Govinda crowned Bharthrihari as
the King not because of his intelligence in all subjects and art forms; it was
his great fondness to his Shudra wife, who made everything possible in his
life. Soon after, Govinda abandoned all the desires and bondage, attained the
Mokshasamrajya.
Bharthrihari who has the
thorough knowledge of Rajyaneethi, preservation, and utilization of wealth for
the welfare of the Kingdom and its subjects ruled the kingdom wisely, the
Praja's were extremely happy. Bharthrihari married had a few women, but
Anangasena whom he loved the most, was the Queen of Ujjain. Thus, several years
have passed; there was a twice-born in Ujjain who was an ardent devotee of Devi
Durga was penniless and suffering from poverty. Devi Durga was pleased with
the devotion of the twice-born and offered a mango as a boon that would keep the
Bhramin free from aging and illnesses. The twice-born was yearning to have some
wealth to remove the sufferings of the poverty in the family, he was
disappointed to receive the mango as a boon, though it would do no good to remove
the distress of poverty in the family, if it was given to the King at least he
would live a happy long life without aging and illnesses, that would do good to
the Kingdom and its people as well.
Hence the twice-born decided to present the Mango before the King and
detailed it. King Bharthrihari received the Bhramin with great respect, was
happy to receive the Mango, and in return offered immense wealth that is capable to remove
his poverty forever. King Bharthrihari was immersed in various thoughts, whether
he should consume it or give to his dearest wife Anangasena. Alas! He offered
the Mango to his dearest wife Anangasena who gave this mango to her secret
lover in the palace, shortly he gave it his lover, later she offered it to her servant, in this
way, the mango passed through several hands.
Once, the King Bharthrihari
was traveling on the majestic pathway of the royal palace, saw a woman
carrying a basket full of cow dung and a mango on top of it. It caught the
attention of the King, he returned to the palace and called for the twice-born from
whom he had received the mango. He explained the matter to him, the twice-born
asked the King to who did he give it; he confessed that he has given to his
dearest wife. Further, the Queen was questioned scrupulously and came to know
that it was given to her secret lover, King Bharthrihari could not control his
grief for loving a woman who was not at all trustworthy, decided not to trust
family, children or wealth, or fame, that has no permanence and learned that
the attachment to it could bring grief only. He pacified the Bhramin and bade
farewell, asked his men to bring the Mango, and instructed his wife Anangasena
to live like the way she wanted. He called for his brother Vikramadhithya and
handed the Kingship and the mango, decided not to intervene in any of the
personal or stately matters, attained Vairagya, and discarded the worldly
matters and bondage and returned to woods. He undertook penance for some time,
soon attained Mukthi.
Bharthrihari after
attaining Virakthi in the material life, wrote many poetries/verses, those were
from his real life, the hundreds of verses he wrote of Neethi Shathakam/politics and ethics-related
to the period of his ruling as the King of Ujjain, another hundred verses of
Shrungara Shathakam/mainly the Grihasthashram life of him, and the final
hundred verses of Vairagya Shathakam/after
realizing the real nature of love, life, family, wealth, etc. persuaded
him to achieve Virakthi. He described his own life events in the three of the
famous verses of Neethi Shathakam, Shrungara Shathakam, and Vairagya Shathakam,
has attained great appreciation among the learned.
Note – Father of
Bharthrihari was the well known Govindhapadha who was the preceptor of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
