Satirical works of Kshemendra (study)
by Arpana Devi | 2017 | 60,954 words
This page relates 鈥楾he Corrupt Bureaucrats鈥� 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.鈥擧e exposes all the vices and follies prevailing in the society with the intention to reform it.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
5.1. The Corrupt Bureaucrats
碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 has satirized all the wickedness prevailing in the society to make the masses conscious. To moralize and upgrade all classes of people from the top position to the lowest common man, he criticizes and mocks people belonging to different fields. He also takes some socially important persons for criticism. A few lines are devoted to show his concern for the evil practices of the people鈥�
Administration cannot be run without bureaucrats. If the bureaucrats do not maintain sense of responsibility and duty, personal morals and principles and good relation with the people, it is not possible to have good administrative machinery. If administration system itself is unjust and full of corruption, then automatically it influences the society, because weak and immoral administration causes some negative impact upon the people. If the ruler is fallen, then automatically subjects will be immoral as they are never guided by high ideals before them. Corrupt administrators often lead to anarchism.
In different places of his works, 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 has exposed the corrupt and immoral practices of the bureaucrats known as 办腻测补蝉迟丑补[1]. 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 is bitter against these officials. The 办腻测补蝉迟丑补 appears to be his principal target. He satirizes the 办腻测补蝉迟丑补 officials who are engrossed in exploiting people and also polluted the whole atmosphere by their evil intent.
碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 realizes that a corrupt government containing corrupt officials is sure to create a corrupt society. 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 satirizes the villainous activities of 办腻测补蝉迟丑补s from the higher officials to lower officials who are engrossed in evil practices.
碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 ridicules the 办腻测补蝉迟丑补 calling him death鈥檚 agent. 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 says that delusion is deep-rooted in the words and writings of a bureaucrat. He gives an example鈥攁s the 搁腻丑耻 grasp the full moon, so does the 碍腻测补蝉迟丑补 in seizing crops in a moment.[2] He firmly announces that it is not possible for anyone to understand the trickeries of an official.[3] The bureaucrat keeps everything under his control.[4] 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 mentions him as the first specimen of Kali age, whose only motive is to destroy.[5] He bitterly says that it is not death but the bureaucrat who devastate the mankind.[6] According to 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补, the bureaucrat is so notorious that when he performs his duties, he becomes dual faced, many voiced and many armed.[7]
碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 mocks and makes divulges all the trickeries applied by the corrupt bureaucrat. He compares the bureaucrat with Citragupta, the scribe of the god of death, who cheats people by their artful calculations. 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 satirizes that coiled like a snake on the bureaucrat鈥檚 birch bark, his writing is similar to the snare of death.[8] It is he, the bureaucrat, who secretly works and changes the word 鈥�蝉补丑颈迟补峁�鈥� to 鈥�谤补丑颈迟补峁�鈥� for deluding money.[9] He records only loses and hides profits. He makes the royal treasury empty. The bureaucrat is rude, harsh and malicious in deluding all the properties and in seizing the livelihoods.[10] Still, the bureaucrat never gets satisfied, he organizes sacrificial ceremony to get promotion.[11] 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 expresses his anguish by comparing the bureaucrat with a demon, who arrives on this earth to loot all the wealth.[12] 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 satirizes the power of 碍腻测补蝉迟丑补鈥檚 pen used as a weapon. He says that Kali is melted and becomes the ink of 碍腻测补蝉迟丑补鈥檚 pen which takes one to the hell as the river 骋补峁単腻 takes one to the abode of God.[13] The role of the 骋补峁単腻 has been exquisitely contrasted with that of the 碍腻测补蝉迟丑补; one leading to absolute peace in heaven and the other reminding of all pains in hell.
The hypocrite bureaucrat fortunately gets the position of 骋峁沨补办峁泃测腻诲丑颈辫补迟颈[14] by impressing the 骋补峁嘺苍腻辫补迟颈 (an accountant) of the city.[15] Now, he is skilled in the art of documentation and falsification.[16] According to 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补, he is a big hypocrite who shows off to be true devotee. First, he goes to the 艢颈惫补 temple, then he enters his workplace. But, 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 points out that his demonic nature never hides even during the time of worshipping.
Besides worshipping his evil mind goes on some other thinkings鈥�
鈥樷赌�hya岣� kiyanto 尘补测腻 datt膩岣� pr膩yasth膩 vijaye艣vare,[17]
鈥�鈥�蝉补谤惫补蝉惫补丑补谤补峁嘺峁� k峁泃v膩 vadhy膩 da峁囜笉ani峁dhina岣�,[18]
鈥�鈥�p墨岣峣t膩岣� prasravantyeva praj膩 guggulub墨javat鈥�[19] etc.
The bureaucrat belongs to the degenerated section of the society, that is why holy places are also not spared by him. With the help of the 笔耻峁兣沜补濒补办补, an informer, the 骋峁沨补办峁泃测腻诲丑颈辫补迟颈 finds the way to the wealth of the temples.[20] The 笔补谤颈辫腻濒补办补 (the maintainer) is another official who is a master in the art of abusing the people. 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 satirizes the qualification of a man who would be fit for the post of 笔补谤颈辫腻濒补办补. According to him, he should be sharp, fearless in murdering and with no hesitation while committing a sinful activity. He should earn fame (notoriety) by robbing wealth, depriving people and should not hesitate if a 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 or cattle is required to be killed. Besides these qualifications, the person would be more qualified who is even ready to take his wealthy father into captivity and death.[21] The notorious 笔补谤颈辫腻濒补办补 deludes all the wealth of the temples and nothing is left for the people except a piece of string to end their life.[22] 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 ridicules such official by comparing with the demon 贬颈谤补峁噛腻办峁.[23] He exposes that a poor man becomes instantly rich after becoming a corrupt bureaucrat. A 濒别办丑补办辞辫腻诲丑测腻测补 (copyist) prepares the documents immediately after taking bribe. His hands always remain full with bribes as he is skilled in changing the meanings of documents.[24] Soon, he becomes craze in pride, because the poor man now has become a rich and famous officer.[25] 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 also condemns the greedy 惭腻谤驳补辫补迟颈 (a road inspector) who is accomplished in plundering the wealth of the wise people.[26] Before becoming the 惭腻谤驳补辫补迟颈 he leads a moral life. He passed his days reciting mantras in the temple and saluting the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺s.[27] As soon as he becomes an officer, his life begins to change. His empty house is now full of valuable objects.[28] If the 惭腻谤驳补辫补迟颈 enters the village, soon it transforms to a hell. Thousands of them are compelled to take shelter in trees and hundreds becomes distressed.[29] To give punishment to the villagers the bureaucrat even kills the cattle.[30] He would say: seize everything! arrest! confine! destroy the house-these awful words are never changing in the mouth of a bureaucrat.[31] The attendants of 惭腻谤驳补辫补迟颈 carry out all the wealth of the villagers including ghee, honey, pepper etc. to his home. In one word, the bureaucrat excels in looting and plundering the common people of the villages. On the other hand, the hypocrite bureaucrat pretends to live a simple life in the presence of a royal officer, he takes simple dish with salt in spite of meat and ghee.[32] There is also the 骋谤腻尘补诲颈惫颈谤补[33], who is also expert in vague writing and deception. He deletes the previous words and includes the new one. 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 says that he can spoil the life of any man.[34]
The author also condemns the 础蝉迟丑腻苍补诲颈惫颈谤补 (an assembly clerk), in whose hands rests the whole world.[35] 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 bitterly says that he utters sweet words but like the crooked horns of an old goat is never able to leave crooked ways.[36] He points out that with the help of a pen keeping by the side of his ear and a birch-bark document the bureaucrat devour the whole world.[37] The bureaucrat only wants money. If the wicked bureaucrat meets a sweeper woman, he thinks that, that day will be lucky one for him and whenever sees a 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 he takes it as a bad sign for the whole day. The greedy mind of the bureaucrat is exposed when 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 says that the bureaucrat desirous of wealth licks the dog shit on the street mistaking it for cowdung.[38] Drinking wine and passing nights with prostitutes are his favourite pastime. 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 compares him with a shark in the sea who with the fangs like pen kills the wise people.[39]
碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 observes that the court is also not safe from the 办腻测补蝉迟丑补. He satirizes the 础诲丑颈办补谤补峁嘺产丑补峁弓腻 (an officer in the court) calling him a 苍测腻测补肠补耻谤补 or the robber of the court, who robs both money and peace of mind of the people.[40] According to him, 础诲丑颈办补谤补峁嘺产丑补峁弓腻 spares none, those who comes in to the court. 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 bitterly says that the 产丑补峁弓补 swallows even a good man who comes to the court just like a fish in the water swallows the offerings of the sacrifice.[41] He also compares the 产丑补峁弓补 with a dog who with his colleagues never leave even the bones of a man caught by them in the court.[42] 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 exposes his anguish by saying that the 叠谤补丑尘补谤腻办峁蝉补蝉 who were not killed by 搁腻尘补 are none but the 产丑补峁弓补s.[43] 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 satirizes the mean 产丑补峁弓补 who remains blind, deaf and dumb until he is not bribed.[44] He also exposes how the head of the home department goes to the jail after looting money from the royal treasury.[45]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
A 碍腻测补蝉迟丑补 may have served as a scribe or an accountant or a collector of revenue, Sircar, D.C., Studies in the Society and Administration of Ancient and Medieval India,Vol.I, p.160. The R膩jatara峁単i峁嚹� abounds in instance of oppression of the 碍腻测补蝉迟丑补 and points to the importance of their position in the king鈥檚 service. R膩jatara峁単i峁嚹� ,IV.621,629;VII.1226
[2]:
moho n膩mo jan膩n膩峁� sarvaharo buddhimev膩dau/
g奴岣峢atara岣� sa ca nivasati 办腻yasth膩n膩峁� mukhe ca lekhe ca//
肠补苍诲谤补办补濒腻 iva 辫奴谤峁嚹� ni峁ann膩 sasyasampatti岣�/
grast膩 k峁峁噀va 诲峁涐梗峁� ni岣ヅ沞峁Ｄ� divirar膩hukalayaiva// 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 ,V.1-2
[3]:
na jy膩t膩 divirakal膩 ken膩pi bahuprayatnena/
ibid.,V.3
[5]:
[6]:
diviraireva samast膩 grast膩 janat膩 na 办腻lena/ 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 ,V.4
[7]:
sev膩办腻le bahumukhairlubdhakairbahub膩hubhi岣�/
va帽cane bahum膩yai艣ca bahur奴pai岣� sur膩ribhi岣�// 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻 ,I.23
[8]:
办耻峁璱濒腻 lipiviny膩s膩 d峁浥泍ante 办腻lap膩艣asa峁儼炷迮浤佱弗/
办腻测补蝉迟丑补bh奴rja艣ikhare ma峁囜笉alal墨n膩 iva vy膩l膩岣�// 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 ,V.10
[9]:
ete hi citragupt膩艣citradhiyo gupta办腻ri峁噊 divir膩岣�/
rekh膩m膩tra惫颈苍腻艣膩t 蝉补丑颈迟补峁� kurvanti ye 谤补丑颈迟补峁�// ibid.,V.11
[10]:
t墨k峁ａ箛aistadanvaye j膩tai岣� sarvav峁泃tivilopibhi岣�/
r奴k峁irna kasyacinmitrai岣� p膩pai岣� sarv膩pah膩ribhi岣�// 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻 ,I.20
[11]:
顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 ,VIII.5-6
[12]:
[13]:
办补濒颈岣� pray膩to dravat膩峁� ma峁Ｄ玶奴pe峁嘺 ti峁ａ弓hati/
yath膩 svargaprad膩 ga峁単膩 tathai峁Ｄ� narakaprad膩// ibid.,I.29
[14]:
骋峁沨补办峁泃测腻诲丑颈辫补迟颈: a chief person looking after the house hold affairs, 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补laghu办腻vyasa峁僩raha, p.566
[15]:
kram膩d gr膩maniyogena nagare 驳补峁嘺苍腻pate岣�/
诲补尘产丑补蝉补尘产丑腻惫颈迟补岣� 辫谤腻辫补 驳峁沨补办峁泃测补峁� vidherva艣膩t// 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻 ,I.32
[16]:
ibid.,I.31
[17]:
ibid.,I.39
[18]:
ibid.,I.43
[19]:
ibid.,I.44
[20]:
so鈥檅rav墨t tv膩maha峁� 艣rutv膩 蝉迟丑颈迟补峁� 艣aktimat膩峁� dhuri /
pr膩pto devag峁沨膩de峁 r膩艣im膩rgapradar艣aka岣�// ibid.,I.52
[21]:
ibid.,I.55-58
[22]:
蝉补谤惫补诲别惫补驳峁沨补驳谤腻尘补谤腻艣颈蝉补峁僪腻谤补迟补迟辫补谤补岣�/
rajju艣e峁Ｄ玨峁泃膩艣e峁nirjara岣� parip膩laka岣�// ibid.,I.85
[23]:
办腻肠补谤辞鈥檡补峁� 丑颈谤补峁噛腻办峁岣� 辫奴谤惫补惫补颈谤补尘补苍耻蝉尘补谤补苍/
dev膩nav膩pta岣� sa峁僪artumiti ta峁� bubudhe 箩补苍补岣�// ibid.,I.67
[24]:
so鈥檖yane办腻rthasande艣膩n膩kar峁噛膩vahita岣� prabho岣�/
d膩pyapras膩ritakaro lekh膩naskhalito鈥檒ikhat// ibid.,I.78
[25]:
颈迟测腻诲颈濒别办丑补诲腻苍别苍补 辫谤补蝉颈诲诲丑颈峁� 辫补谤补尘腻峁� 驳补迟补岣�/
蝉辞鈥檆颈谤别峁嚹乥丑补惫补迟 辫耻峁ａ弓补岣� p奴r峁嘺p膩峁噄rmadoddhta岣�// ibid.,I.81
[26]:
ath膩nyar膩艣iprava峁嘺h prav墨峁嘺岣� s膩dhulu峁囜弓hane/
膩patpra艣amana峁� 辫谤腻辫补 驳谤腻尘补岣� tasm膩t niyogavit// ibid.,I.97
[27]:
ibid.,I.101-103
[28]:
tasyaiva daiv膩d膩y膩ta办腻ryasy膩艣u niyogina岣�/
耻辫补蝉办补谤补峁嘺产丑腻峁囜笉腻诲颈辫补谤颈辫奴谤峁嘺尘补产丑奴诲 驳峁沨补峁�// ibid.,I.104
[29]:
v峁沰峁Ｄ乺ohasahasre峁 pr膩ya岣� kl膩nta艣ate峁 ca/
gr膩me tasya vipattre峁 narakapratim膩bhavat// ibid.,I.120
[30]:
gav膩峁� da峁囜笉膩ya ya艣cakre nidhan膩vadhi 产补苍诲丑补苍补峁�/
办腻 苍腻尘补 驳补峁嘺苍腻 tasya n峁涐梗u sarv膩par膩dhi峁// ibid.,I.121
[31]:
蝉补谤惫补蝉惫补丑补谤补峁嘺峁� bandho nigraho g峁沨abha帽jana峁�/
iti tasya mukh膩d ghora峁� na cac膩la vaca岣� 蝉补诲腻// ibid.,I.122
[32]:
苍颈迟测补峁� m膩峁卻agh峁泃膩h膩ra岣� sa r膩japuru峁 sthite/
bhu峁卥te vilava峁嘺峁� dambh膩deko mudgapaladvaya峁�// ibid.,I.127
[33]:
[34]:
[35]:
[36]:
[37]:
[38]:
艣r墨办腻mo gomayabhr膩nty膩 vandate 艣va艣ak峁泃 pathi/
pura艣c膩pt膩峁� siddhi办腻ma艣ca峁囜笉膩l墨峁� sakara峁囜笉a办腻峁�// ibid.,1I.126
[39]:
ma峁Ｄ玽i峁Ｄ乺dray膩 nighnan s膩dh奴n kalamada峁冡梗峁璻ay膩/
膩sth膩najaladherantardiviro makar膩yate// ibid.,II.129
[40]:
adhikara峁嚹乵budhimadhye jvalanti va岣峷膩gnaya岣� satatabhak峁Ｄ佱弗/
janadhanaghanamanaso ye bha峁弓膩khy膩 ny膩yacor膩ste// 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 , IX.30
[41]:
艣a峁玴膩艣asam膩k峁涐梗峁璦岣� pr膩pto鈥檇hikara峁嘺峁� bhay膩t/
s膩dhurnig墨ryate 产丑补峁弓补irmatsyairiva jale 产补濒颈岣�// 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻 ,II.135
[42]:
产丑补峁弓补ir产丑补峁弓补i岣� sadivirai岣� 艣a峁玭ipatito 箩补苍补岣�/
mucyate n膩sthi艣e峁鈥檖i raktak峁Ｄ玽airiva 艣vabhi岣�// ibid.,II.136
[43]:
br膩hma峁噛膩d ye hat膩 naiva r膩me峁嘺 brahmar膩k峁s膩岣�/
膩sth膩nabha峁弓膩ste manye 蝉补诲腻 kh膩danti m膩nu峁Ｄ乶// ibid.,II.137
[44]:
pa艣yannandho vadan m奴ka岣� 艣峁涐箛va峁兣沜a badhiro鈥檇hama岣�/
utkocena 惫颈苍腻 产丑补峁弓补艣cira峁� nidr膩yate 艣atha岣�// ibid.,II.140
[45]:
so鈥檅rav墨dadya r膩tryardhe g峁沨ak峁泃yamahattama岣�/
r膩jar膩艣idhana峁� bh奴ri h峁泃v膩 y膩ta岣� sah膩nuga岣�// ibid.,III.88