Satirical works of Kshemendra (study)
by Arpana Devi | 2017 | 60,954 words
This page relates ‘The Wife of the Kayastha Bureaucrat (kayastha-sundari)� part of the study on the Satirical works of Kshemendra: an 11th century poet from Kashmir, who composed three satirical works. Kshemendra himself says that in composing the satirical works his only motive is to reform the mindset of the people.—He exposes all the vices and follies prevailing in the society with the intention to reform it.
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5.15. The Wife of the ⲹٳ Bureaucrat (ⲹٳ-sundarī)
ṣeԻ also brings into focus the private life of the ⲹٳ bureaucrat for criticism. Along with the bureaucrat he also satirizes the morally degraded wife of the ⲹٳ.
The ⲹٳ bureaucrat robs the wealth of the common people and hoards in his house. The wife of the bureaucrat behaves in a way as if she is a queen. In the absence of her husband she passes time looking into the mirror and at the street in front of her mansion.[1] Now she finds it too heavy to wear a gold chain in her neck. She arrogantly says, ‘I don’t like the gold earring. The heavy gold girddle (첹Բ첹ūٰ) will be fit only in the waist of the woman of tradesman’etc.[2] ṣeԻ bitterly says that earlier she lived a poor life but now with the help of pen and ink of the ⲹٳ she lives a prosperous life. Once she used to drink liquor begging others but now she drinks musky wine.[3] The neighbour girls look at the beautiful wife of the ⲹٳ from the bottom of her mansion and get surprise thinking of her to be a lady of noble family.[4] Because of vanity and young age, the wife of the ⲹٳ not even looks down at the ground.[5] She engages herself in enjoyments neglecting the advice of her seniors such as her father-in-law.[6] She exposes herself and looks at people with rambling eyes.[7] She is easily available to the libertines. ṣeԻ condemns such unchaste woman who is always ready to unite with another man.[8] Soon, she unites with the libertine. But, when her husband returns home unexpectedly, the notorious woman becomes unhappy, because at present she has many lovers. The characterless woman denies coming close to her husband. She does not allow her husband to touch her and pretends as if she is getting tired and wants to sleep. The next day, the lewd wife of the ⲹٳ official complains of pain all over her body.[9] The physician fails to cure her disease. The astrologer announces that she is afflicted by a desire for sex.[10] Thus, ṣeԻ observes that the wife of the ⲹٳ bureaucrat is not only a licentious woman but also a morally bankrupt woman, who very easily fools her husband.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[3]:
[4]:
ityadhastā� samālokya harmye ⲹٳsundarī�/
tatprātiveśmikasutā� kulīnā jaguraṅganā�// ibid.,I.148
[6]:
śvaśrūjanaviruddhā sā taruṇaprātiveśmikā/
parihāsakathāśīlā gītavādyānurāgiṇ�// ibid.,II.2
[7]:
ibid.II.3-4
[9]:
ibid.II.64-66
[10]:
tato’vadan mandamanda� protkṣiptabhrūlato muhu�/
iyamāpāṇḍurmukhī ratikāmena pīḍitā// ibid.,II.90