A.N.D. Haksar - Anthology of Humorous Sanskrit Verses

One of them was humorous (hasya). The others were erotic (shringara), heroic (vira), furious (raudra), fearful (bhayanaka), compassionate (karuna), marvellous (adbhuta) and horrific (bibhatsa). Calmness and peace (shanta) were later added to this list. Several scholars provided quotations from the classics to illustrate all nine sentiments, although those on hasya were usually fewer. Still-studied ancient experts such as Anandavardhana, the ninth century author of Dhvanyaloka, and Mammata, the eleventh century writer of Kavyaprakasa, exemplified all rasas with quotations from the Vedas and other scriptures as well as some mahakavyas or great poetic works. However, since such texts were not easily available for general readers, later experts began the practice of compiling verse anthologies of such poetry for a larger public readership.

Several of these appeared over the last millennium and are still available today. The collection presented here is largely of direct translations of selected verses from some of these still-respected medieval anthologies of Sanskrit verses. These are the thirteenth-century Sukti Muktavali (Pearl String of Verses) from the Deccan, the fourteenth-century Sarngadhara Paddhati (Guide of Sarngadhara) from Rajasthan, and the sixteenth-century Subhashitavali (Garland of Well-Said Verses) from Kashmir. A fourth, Subhashita Ratna Bhandagara (Treasury of Verse Gems) is the largest and dates a little later from present-day Maharashtra. The fifth is Chittavinodini (Mental Recreation), a recent compilation from Lucknow from about a hundred years ago. Some samples have also been taken from a recent work named Hasyarnava (Sea of Humour) and from a later book entitled Humour in Sanskrit Literature.

Details of all these are given in the notes below. Other old anthologies were also consulted, although they did not have the requisite material. The verses presented here reflect ancient humour that deserves more exposure to readers today. Some verses make fun even of gods and religion. Some are quotations from the Gita and other parts of the Mahabharata. Many display wit and sarcasm, earthy humour and cynical satire, though mostly in a mild and gentle manner.

All are epigrammatic, expressing sentiment in a single stanza, and are easy to hear, remember or read. Such simple poetry in various rasas attracted a wider audience, thereby leading to the compilation of anthologies. For ease of reading, this one has been presented in a number of short cantos of self-explanatory and independent verses, with some of their sources marked at the end of each and a few further details presented in the bibliography. The selection and translation of this collection have brought me much peace and joy, especially during the pandemic. My thanks are due to Penguin and to their Classics Editor Ananya Bhatia for accepting the proposal for this book, to her successor Rea Mukherjee for its editing and publication and also to Aparna Abhijit, its copy editor. I have no words adequate enough to thank my wife, Priti, for all her assistance and support in the preparation of this book.

It is now dedicated to our dear daughter, Sharada, who lives far away but is always in our hearts. A.N.D. Haksar
New Delhi
2022

Canto 1

Subhashitavali(Su.) and others

Oh, the goddess Lakshmi sees Krishna playing with the cows, and being to her spouse devoted, she does always take the side of people who have bovine minds. 1 Su. 2291 When his garb is simple space, why does he need garments? If he is covered in ashes, what for any woman? And if he does have a woman, why hate Kama, God of Love? Seeing all these contradictions in the ways of his master Shiva, the body of his servant Bhringi is just a skeletal bag of bones. 2 Su. v. 2399 Fearing that the colour she has used may then get washed off her lips, that wanton woman, near a well, though she is extremely thirsty, will not drink the water there. 3 Su. v. 2336 He cannot read what others write, his own script no one can read: the curious thing about him is that he himself cannot decipher that of which he is the writer. 4 Su. v. 2334 Most holy is this sacred cord, and holding it in my priestly hand, I do swear this oath there is nothing so charming as those women with beauteous bottoms, or a greater source of pain. 5 Su. v. 2389 Today, to folk who sing their praise, kings are like wish-fulfilling trees that always bear them fruit; but good people only get, at the time of evening prayers, some things small, like bits of camphor, offered to the lamp at worship. 6 Su. v. 2395 First a housemaid, then a call-girl, she later became a procuress; but now, devoid of all these means, an ascetic has that old whore turned. 7 SP v. 4052 These six live on the following six, no seventh one is there; thieves subsist on careless people, doctors on those who are ill, women on libidinous men, priests on folk who come for prayers, and on litigants do the rulers live, as learned pandits do on fools. 8 Mahabharata 5.33 That monk eats meat with greatest pleasure, but what is it without some wine? And what indeed is wine without the company of courtesans? But prostitutes do relish money, and where is wealth without recourse to some trick or thievery? 9