Page 24 - Bhakthinivedana 2012 July English Magazine.pmd
P. 24

SUBHA:SHITHAM



                                     OF CONTENTMENT



                                       Translated into English by Ramakrishna Toopurani




        In our age of hectic sched ules, fast foods and      poor, whose desires are endless. When there is
        changing technologies, we are at the verge of        contentment at heart - who is rich and who is poor?
        losing the meaning of some wonderful words. One
        such word is contentment. More often, than not,      The poet, while providing a contrast between
        contentment is understood as a state of mind where   two life styles, declares that the experience of

        an individual is not ready to put in extra efforts to   contentment is same in either case. Further, those
        attain better results. This gives an impression that a   who have endless desires are found to be restless,
        contented person does not strive for progress. Here   therefore poor in joy. But without desire, how
        is a subha:shitha by Bhathruhari in which an ascetic   can we strive for progress? Are contentment and

        says to a king that contentment is a virtue and      progress mutually exclusive?
        desires are sign of poverty. Here it is!
                                                             The answer to the paradox lies in the verse itself.
        vayamiha parithushta: valkalai sthvam dhuku:lai                                                                                      The ascetic is contented with a bark of the tree
        ssama ihaparithosho: nirvise:sho: vise:shaha |
        sa thu bhavathu: dharidhro: yasya thrushna:          as his clothes. However, he is enterprising while
        visa:la: manasicha parithushte kaha: arthava:n       communicating his profound thoughts. When
        ko:daridraha? ||                                     it comes to our own enjoyment, regarding the
                                                             inputs we take from our society, we must have

                                                                           contentment. When it is our turn to
                                                                           contribute we must cross our earlier
                                                                           threshold limits. Such is the way to
                                                                           progress.



                                                                           Progress is not how much we acquire
                                                                           for self enjoyment. It consists of
                                                                           our deeds which enhance our

                                                                           personality, those which inspire
                                                                           others to live a nobler life and
                                                                           those which generate prosperity for
        We ascetics are happy in our
                                                                           the enjoyment of many. Progress
        bark clothes even as you are
                                                             is deepening our personality in conjunction with
        happy in your silken robes. There is no difference
                                                             growth of many.
        in contentment we experience. He indeed is




        24 Bhakthinivedana • July 2012
   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29