pachai maamalai pol mene

Sunday, June 24, 2012

what else can an outcaste do?

Once the great poet Kalidasa who adorned the court of the equally illustrious King Bhoja, had a tiff with the king and was excommunicated from the Kingdom.

Without knowing where to go, the poet was wandering in the outskirts of Dhaaraa city in the disguise of a beggar mendicant.

King Bhoja, even though he had taken the rude action in a fit of rage was very downcast having lost the company of his dearest friend and the immortal poet.

He was confident that if he spread a half completed poem भ्रष्टस्य कान्या गतिः॥

 through his emissaries who would circulate it everywhere, the poet could be identified because of the genius in the poet would be exposed in his urge to fill up the missing parts.

The following sloka was the result.

भिक्षो मांसनिषेवणम् किमुचितं? किं तेन मद्यं विना
मद्यम् चापि तव प्रियं? प्रियमहो वाराङ्गनाभिः सह।
वेश्या द्रव्यरुचिः कुतस्तव धनं? चौर्येण द्यूतेन वा

चौर्यद्यूतमपि प्रियं न भवतो? भ्रष्टस्य कान्य गतिः॥

bhikṣo māṁsaniṣevaṇam kimucitaṁ kiṁ tena madyaṁ vinā 

madyam cāpi tava priyaṁ priyamaho vārāṅganābhiḥsaha| 
veśyā dravyaruciḥ kutastava dhanaṁ cauryeṇa dyūtena vā 
cauryadyūtamapi priyaṁ na bhavato bhraṣṭasya kānya gatiḥ|| 

the question: you the mendicant, does it please you to eat meat? 
The answer: Indeed it is, but how can the pleasure be complete without hooch? 
the question: Do you relish drinking toddy too? 
the answer: Yes, I love to drink, and more so in the company of prostitutes
the question : The prostitute is avaricious for money, 
from where can you get such big money? 
the answer : I have to earn wealth through robbery or play of dice. 
the question : So robbery and gambling are your favourite occupations, is it? 
the answer : What other way of life is left for the one who is excommunicated? 

The great poet was identified and welcomed back 
personally by the King Bhoja with Royal Honours.

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