Sanskrit Quote : Category Fall in morality - Satire
विप्रास्मिन्नगरे को महान् कथयताम् तालद्रुमाणां गणा:
को दाता? रजको ददाति वसनं प्रातर्गृहीत्वा निशि ।
को दक्ष:? परदारवित्तहरणे सर्वेऽपि दक्षो जन:
कस्माज्जीवसि हे सखे? विषकृमिन्यायेन जीवाम्यहम्॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:-
"Tell me, O Brahmin, who is the lofty person in this city. "It's the clump of Palm trees." "Who is the philanthropist?". It's the washer man who collects (soiled) clothes in the morning and delivers them at night". " Is there a skilled man?" " Yes of course, everyone is skilled in the art of snatching other man's wife and riches." And pray, how do you live?" " I live by the maxim of the "Poisonous Bacteria".
Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:-
This is an ironical way of depicting the falling moral standards among all and specifically among the city dwellers. A stranger comes to a city and approaches a Brahmin to gather vital information about the city. He himself is a Brahmin and wants to know about the noble, the philanthropist, and the expert persons of that city. See how cleverly the man answers that the stranger should not entertain hopes of living in that city. Why???
The city-dweller suggests that there are no lofty or noble souls in that city to pin his hopes on. The only lofty (physically) things are a cluster of Palm trees.
The next question is, Is there any philanthropist in the city? The Brahmin replies, "Unfortunately no. The only donor we have is the washer man. He collects the soiled clothes of his customers in the morning and promptly "Donates" (delivers) them during night.
Next the stranger asks him if there's anyone who is adept in (Brahminical) Practices. The resident replies, "Yes, almost all the residents are skilled- but only in the art of snatching things from others- their money and wives."
Lastly the stranger asks "Being a Brahmin, how does he make a living in a cursed city like that?"
The very prompt reply is that he is no different from others. He follows the dictum " Be a Roman while in Rome." "विषकृमिन्याय" is the maxim of the "Poisonous Bacteria" which states that the Bacteria in the poison cannot be different from the poison and they are not affected by the poison.
What a skillful way of conveying things!!!!! Hats off to the author, whoever he is.
0 comments:
Post a Comment