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Raja Bhartrihari
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The name of Raja Bhartrihari (or Bhartri) is widely known in India, as the name of the Translate king who has renounced his throne, to this site become an ascetic. The dramatic story of his Introduction renunciation traditionally was one of the Adi Nath favorite themes of the ballads sung by the the First of wondering minstrels and erformed by the Nathas folk theaters all over India. Matsyendra !rior to his renunciation, he was the king of the "alva #ingdom with its ca ital in Nath $vantik% (modern &jjain). 'e had younger alandhar brother (ikramaditya ()handragu ta Nath second), who uled after he renounced his !oraksh trone since *+,- till **.-/ 'owever, there Nath were two kings known as (ikram%ditya in the "anipa Indian history, which were se arated from each other by the eriod of one thousand years, Nath one was legendary king (ikram%ditya, by whom the (ikram 0amwat (the calendar established Choran#i from the time of his reign) was stared, and other known as )handragu ta second. Nath In accordance with some legends circulating amongst 1athas, Raja Bhartrihari was also the $a%a $asalu brother of the 2ueen "enaavanti, who was the mother of another legendary ersonage of the Charpat 1atha tradition Raja 3o ichand. It is said that Raja Bhartrihari had many wifes, but his most Nath favorite and famous wife was Rani (2ueen) !ingala. The king was e4cessively educated erson who wrote few books in 0anskrit, which counted as $a%a &hartrihari the master ieces of the Indian literature. The three most famous of them called (airagya 5ataka, 16ti 5ataka and 0hringara 5ataka and when united into one volume $a%a called 7atakatraya, some researches believing that the work on grammar (%kya ad6ya is one !opichand nanes'ar more of his books. There are also few com ositions in old Indian dialects, which are ascribed to his authorshi .

and Ni'ritti Nath Raja Bhartrihari and the Natha Tradition &alak Nath Masta Nath $lthough the 1%tha 8ogis unanimously claim that Raja Bhartrihari was ersonally initiated by the 3uru 3oraksh 1ath and has became his disci le, there e4ist some oints of uncertainty Sitemap My

about this matter. 9ut of twelve sub:sects of the 1atha 0am radya, one is associated with the Other Links name of Bhartri, known as Bharthari B%ir%g, or (air%gya anth. B%irag stands for distort form of (air%gya, what means renunciation or detachment, so it means ;renunciation of Bharthari;. The e4istence of the sub:sect with the Bhartrihari name does not rove that he lived at the !oraksh same time with the 331, because of the e4istence of another anth of the 1atha sect known Nath ( as #a lani or #a al <eo ke. The members of this ant call themselves descendants of the Rishi #a ila or #a ila muni, who is famous as founder of the 0ankya hiloso hy, and lived before Natha Sampradaya the acce ted historical time of 331. Therefore, it is not necessary that Bharthari B%ir%g was created by chronological order, and the king could live also rior of the time of the great &lo# 3uru.

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0ome researchers believing that there were more than one Bhartrihari, which were se arated from each other by eriod of few hundred years, of them one was grammarian, the author of (%kya ad6ya, and other was a oet, the author of 5atakas. 0ome even insist on e4istence of as much as tree different Bhartriharis, one of which was the brother of king (ikramaditya, the second author of (%kya ad6ya, and third was the yogi disci le of 3oraksh 1ath. It is said, traces its original from Raja of &jjain Bhartrihari by name, who was historical ersonality and was disci le of 3uru 3oraksh nath. 'e was a king who abandoned his throne to became a wondering yogi. 'e was highly educated erson of his time, and known also as author at least of tree books= first called (air%gya 5ataka, or hundred verses on renunciation> second is 7 ng%ra 5ataka or hundred verses on beauty of love> and third is 16ti 5ataka or hundred verses on art of olitics. $ll three of them counted as classics of Indian literature. There e4ist three different stories about how and why he renounced his throne and became wondering yogi under influence of 3uru 3oraksh 1ath (in one legend without it). 'e is known also as one of 1ath siddhas, under name 0iddh (icar nath. 0ince time of Buddha, his story about renunciation second by im ortance in Indian history. Two Bhartrihari/ In accordance with )hinese Buddhist monk, I:tsing, by name, written in his book about travel into India, that some king by the same name, renounced his throne and became Buddhist monk and afterwards returned to family life as much as seven times. 'istorians lace a earance of Raja Bhartrihary 2uite recently in history, about *+:** century, so it is ossible that he not founder of this anth but it was later renamed in his name/ 9ut of books of Bhartrihari, one which is called (airagya 5ataka, dedicated entirely to renunciation and asceticsm, but it is 2uite abstract, and contains no terms or names directly related to the 1atha tradition and 3oraksh 1ath. It is strange enough that although he became the meber of the 1ath sam radaya, none of his book has mentioned the name of 3oraksh nath, neither it has terms related to the ractices of the 1ath sect. The believe that Bhartrihari was the member of the 1%tha sect was widely revalent in the "edieval India, he was mentioned in the songs of #abir and 3uru 1anak as the 1atha yogi and as the disci le of 3oraksh 1ath. "any folk lays and ballads insist that he was the disi le of 3oraksh nath. $lthough there is no direct mention of his connection with 3oraksh 1ath, in his com osition called (airagya 5atakam, there can be found indirect references to ractices and life style similar to the life style of the 1atha 8ogis. There e4ist many laces and tem les in India, connected with his name, one of most famous of which situated in &jjain, many of them are related to the 1atha sect, and taken care by the 1atha yogis. $fter Raja Bhartrihari has entered into the 1ath 0am radaya and became the dici le of 3oraksh 1ath, he became known as 0iddh (icar:1ath, he mentioned under this name in the book 3oraksha 0iddhanta 0amgraha. 'e is considered to be founder of Bhartrihari:(erag anth, one of the twelve anths resently e4isting in 1%th 0am radaya. Historical perspective The most im ortant historical figure found to be connected with his name is his brother (icram. There however two (icrams in the Indian history, and one of them lived one thousand earth before than other. The brother of which of them Bhartrihari was/ 9ther name connected with him is 2ueen "enavanti, who accordance with some stories was his sister, and mostly known as mother of other legendary ersonage: Raja 3o icanda. If we acce t this as true than it conforms that 3orkshnath and Bhartrihari were living at the same time. $nother 2uestion is the author trilogy of books called (airagya 0hataka, 1iti 0hataka and 0hringara 0hataka, Raja Bhartrihari by name, was the same erson as Raja Bhartrihari who became disci le of 3uru 3oraksh 1ath under name 0iddh (ichar 1ath or they were different ersons/ Legends There e4ist many versions of the Bhartriharis;s life story, which circulate in different formats (as songs, theatric lays and books) all over India. 'owever all of them based on the two rinci le variants of the story describing the reasons of Bhartrihari?s renunciation> first of them directly connecting it with the influence of the 3uru 3oraksh nath, while other two

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variations although basically same, differ from each other by sometimes mentioning and sometimes omitting any relations e4isted between both ersonalities. The first version, which circulates amongst 1athas and in the form of folk:ballads sung by wondering minstrels, can be divided into two arts= one when 3oraksh 1ath has meet Bhartrihari in jungle, and second when he meet him after Bhartrihari;s wife !ingala has died, and the king was mourning about her. The First Version (Natha) Part one 3oraksh 1ath was erforming his sadhana on the to of Toramal mountain. $t the same time Raja Bartrihari went in the same area of jungle for hunting. There he has killed male deer near the lace where the yogi was sitting, and 3oraksh 1ath saw ha ened. The male deer killed by the king was accom anied by the female deer, and when Raja wanted to carry off his hunt and tight it to his horse, she was sorrowfully watching this from some distance. The yogi rebuked Raja for done by him and told him that he has no right to kill the deer because he was unable to make him alive. 9n listening this, annoyed raja has stared argumentation with the yogi, and as its conclusion 3oraksh 1ath has made the deer alive again, and he run away to the jungle. Raja Bhartrihari has became im ressed by such develo ment of events, and e4 ressed his desire to renounce the world, and asked the yogi to make him his disci le. 3oraks 1ath has answered that before it he should go to the alace and ask from his wife ermission to do it. 9n this both se arated and went to their laces, 3oraksh 1ath returned to the to of mountain and Raja Bhartrihari went to his ca ital. Part two In accordance with first of them , he was Raja of "alwa #ingdom with its ca ital in &jain. 'e was wise and mighty king, who ruled over wide areas and have all authority. It is said that he had as mush as one thousand wives. 9ne whom he loved most of all was 2ueen !i gal% by name. 9nce king listened as she told to one of her attendant woman that she loving the king so mach that she would not survive his death even for moment. 'e decided to e4amine how strong her love is, and once when he gone for hunting in jungle, he sand a messenger to the alace with announcement that he was killed by tiger. "essenger brought with him closes of king dro ed in blood of recently killed antelo e, which he showed to 2ueen to rove that his words were true. $fter getting this news, 2ueen immediately swallowed oison and died. @hen later king returned to alace, he greatly regretted about mistake he has done, and he felt himself com letely res onsible for what has ha ened. 'e became so much overwhelmed with grief that he was unable to do anything, and all time was sitting at cremation ground and mourning death of 2ueen. 9n seeing his grief many of his eo le, also became filled with sorrow and joined him in his mouring. @hen he was sitting there, and whine hey !ingala, hey !ingala, hey !ingala, 3oraksh 1ath came near, dro ed his earthen ot and started crying even more loudly then king= A hey my earthy ot, hey my earthy ot.A @hen king filled with sorrow, noticed him and asked about the reasons of his grief, 3oraksh 1ath told him that he was mouring about his bagging bowl. $fter yogi has told him about reasons of his sorrow, #ing became greatly ashamed to know, that all about what yogi was so loudly wee ing, was his earthen ot he got broken. 'e told him= ;<on?t cry for your earthen ot, and make me more sad, I will give you hundred new ots, better than yours, but lease sto crying.; 'owever, yogi didn?t sto ed and answered with abundant tears dro ing from his eyes, no I don?t want your ots, I want only my old one, which I loved so much. @hat a nonsense you are talking about, king has told, isn?t it is im ossible to return what was once was destroyed/ 9n this 3oraksh 1ath sto ed crying told him= ;9 wise kingB If you knowing this, then why you are crying here for your Cueen, which also gone forever/ <oes your crying will return her/ 8ou have so many more 2ueens, then why you cry abot this one/; #ing answered that it is im ossible to com are love for 2ueen with love for earthen ot. 9n what 3oraksh 1ath has told, that there isn?t much difference between both, be it earthen ot or body of man, because both are made from the earth, and what cam from earth one day must to return to it, this is law of nature. @ath was created But after all would you be able to recogniDe your 2ueen which seems so much s etial for you, if I would restore her by my yogic owers/ 'e continued, 8es or course king has told. $fter these, 3oraksh 1ath created by his yogic ower one hundred of 2ueens, each of which was a earing as e4actly co y of 2ueen !ingala. 1ow chose

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which of them is yours, he told to ashamed king. $fter king was unable to chose, he renounced his kingdhoom and became disci le of uru 3oraksh nath. Second story @hile the first tale always connecting 3oraksh 1ath directly with the renunciation of the Raja Bhartrihari, the second variant of the legend e4ist in two modifications, one where 3oraksh 1ath mentioned as its ersonage and second when he is totally removed from the scene. Eirst variation usually following the art one resented above, and second stand on its own. "ain subject line of both is the same, but both modified to their situations and as result dissimilar in some details. 'ere I resented that account where name of 3oraksh nath was totally removed from the conte4t. Bhart hari was the king of "%lv%, situated in area called R%ja Ft%n%, in "iddle India (modern "adhya !radesh), whose ca ital city was &jjiyan6, or Gvant6 (modern city &jjain). 'e had a younger brother (ikram by name, who later became famous as the noble king (ikram%ditya, and who won lot of victories in battles, and started calendar on his name, which still used in India (in astrology)/. Being older from two brothers, Bharthari was crowned as a king. Bhart hari already had few wives, but being still unsatisfied, he marred one more, !ingala by name. 0he was young and beautiful, and soon king became e4tremely attached to her. 'e was fulfilling all her desires, without much thinking, and soon actually became u et in her hands. 0he was not so much beautiful from inside, as was her outer a earance> actually, she was a very cunning and self:willed woman. "ore ever, her character was far from erfection, and after some time she established adulterous relations with one of king?s officers. 'er misbehavior created lot of troubles for all eo le in the alace and became danger for t he welfare of the state, but the king being blind in his love, was unable to see the real state of things. 'e saw situation in the light as she was resenting it to him, and who ever was com laining about her misdeeds, was indiscriminately unished by him. &sing her deceiving tricks, she actually established her tyranny in the remises of the alace and became very influential in the matters connected with the administration of the #ingdom. 'er catastro hic dictatorshi was going to become at one day disaster for the country, and when younger brother of the king (ikram, alarmed by the situation, objected on such state of things, it became reason of conflict between two brothers. Bhart hari e4 elled his younger brother out of the remises of alace and sus ended him from all his state res onsibilities. 9ne day some Brahman came to the alace (or ascetic, or 3oraksh 1ath), and resented to the king a fruit, which he said, has ower to bring immortality to those who will eat it. Because the #ing loved his 2ueen !ingala more than his own life, he given it to her without any hesitations. Because she was in love with king?s officer, she offered this fruit to him. The officer in his turn was in love with some rostitute, to whom he assed it on. The rostitute thought that most deserving erson to get immortality was the king, so she brought it back to the alace and offered it to the king. @hen Raja Bharthari saw the same fruit, which was given by him to the !ingala in the morning, in the hands of rostitute, he being much uDDled by it, asked her, from where she got it. @hen she told him, who give it to her, the story came into light, and all accusations reviously made about the 2ueen came out to be true. The blindness of king came to the end, and he came to know now about her non:loyalty and im iety. In a moment, reviously so beautiful icture of his life became broken, like a mirror in small ieces. 0he to whom he loved with his whole heart, and who was sole meaning of his e4istence, his beloved Rani !ingala, became disclosed now, in all her immorality and wickedness. Hife lost all its color for him since that moment, and he filled bitter disa ointment in it. $ll in what he believed was broken into small ieces of glass, laid now scattered under his feet. Erom heights of aradise, he felt directly into fire of hell, and there was now any esca e from this nightmare, because he was unable neither live without !ingala, nor it was ossible any more to live with her. This situation created such a big dilemma and disa ointment in his mind, that at once he decided to renounce the throne and become a 8ogi, in attem t to find new meaning of e4istence. It is said that he later com osed this verse about ha ened= y% cintay%mi satata mayi s% virakt% s% yanyamicchati jana sa jano;nyasakta I asmatkte ca ari5u yati k%cidany% dhik t% ca ta ca madana ca im% ca m% ca I

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16ti5atakam II .II 0he, thoughts about whom making me mad, not loving me, but desiring another man. That man is in love with other (women), who in her turn wishing other (myself). 0hame to that women (to Cueen) and to himB To )u id (to all love and attachments)B To her ( rostitute) and to meB 16ti 5ataka II .II Selected verses ro! Vairagya "ata#a!$ bhik%5ana tada i n6rasamekav%ra 5ayy% ca bhF arijano nijadeham%tram I vastra vi56r a 5atakha amay6 ca kanth% h% h% tath% i viay% na arityajanti II *JII Eor eating I have tasteless food once a day, after begging of alms> the earth for a bed, and my own body as a servant> for dress, a blanket made from hundreds of rags> and yet alasB 0ensual desires do not leave meB There e4ist two stories circulating amongst the 1atha 8ogis, which can be found as connected with this verse= *. $fter becoming yogi Raja Bhartrihari was wondering around as a mendicant. Eood he was obtaining was very sim le and for the #ing who s ent all his life in lu4ury it was very disgusting. 9nce he came to some city and came near to sweets sho . There he saw as jalebis (kind of traditional Indian sweet food) were re ared. 0trong desire to have some of delicious food came to mind of the yogi. 'e asked sho er to give some of it to him, but he was answered that it was not ro er for yogi to ask about such costly food. If he want to get it he should do some job as re ay. Being overwhelmed by the desire he agree to do some service to sho kee er and was told to wash utensils in the sho . $fter hard work he was given some jalebis he desired. $fter he obtained desired he came to lonely lace intending to eat them, but there he felt strong remorse for done by him. 'e told to himself, KI has left my #ingly life to became free from all attachments and now I have found myself in such itiable conditions/ @hat a shameB Than he starting throwing away jalebis one by one, and cursing himself while doing this. .. In another story he was walking by the way in his wonderings. It was evening time and darkness slowly was a roaching. 0uddenly he saw on the road something that was shining as a diamond. 'e assed by and continued walking, but then the struggle of thoughts has started in his mind. KIf it was diamond than it must be very costly and I could have many things I may desire.A KBut for yogi stones and gold are the same things, and I left the kingdom, why to bother ne4t thought came.A KBut it is a good chance why to live it, it my by 3ods gift for you, enjoy it, seducing voice inside his mind was insisting.A 9ver owered by desire and curiosity he returned back and lucked u the thing. @hat a eared as a diamond to him turned out to be the iece of wasted food thrown by some one from mouth after chewing. 9f course, Raja Bhartrihari regretted about what he has done. u ye gr%me vane v% mahati sita a acchanna %li ka %li hy%d%ya ny%yagarbhadvijahutahutabhugdhFmadhFmro akahe I dv%ra dv%ra ravio varamudaradar6 Fra%ya kudh%rto m%n6 r%ai san%tho na unaranudina tulyakulye u d6na II .LII @andering in holy laces or e4tensive forests, whose outskirts are grey with smoke of fires tended by riests e4 ert in rituals> a begging bowl in hand covered with a white cloth> entering from door to door to a ease the distressing hunger by filling the stomach and sustaining the energy, is referred by a self:res ecting erson to being a beggar among his com eers every day. bhik%h%ramadainyama ratisukha bh6ticchida sarvato durm%tsaryamad%bhim%namathana du khaughavidhva sanam I sarvatr%nvahama rayatnasulabha s%dhu riya %vana 5ambho satramav%ryamakayanidhi 5a santi yog65var% II L+II Eood obtained by begging alms is not humiliating, gives joy that is not de endent on fulfilling others; needs, and is totally devoid of fear. It destroys envy, arrogance, ride, im atience, and

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the stream of miseries. It is easily available everywhere, without great effort, and regarded as sacred by holy ersons. It is like 0hiva;s feeding house, ever accessible and ine4haustible. Thus do the erfected yogis describe it. r%tri saiva una sa eva divaso matv% mudh% jantavo dh%vantyudyaminastathaiva nibh ta r%rabdhatattatkriy% I vy% %rai unaruktabhFta vi ayairitthavidhen%mun% sa s%re a kadarthit% vayamaho moh%nna lajj%mahe II MMII @atching the night following the day, creatures still vainly ersist in running busily with various actions motivated by desires. 0uch re etitious actions, alasB born of desires bring us no shame, kee ing us deluded in the revolving cycles of births and deaths. vayamiha aritu % valkalaistva dukFlai sama iva aritoo nirvi5eo vi5ea I sa tu bhavatu daridro yasya t% vi5%l% manasi ca aritu e ko;rthav%nko daridra II JLII @e are content to wear tree:barks for clothes, and you with rich dresses> but the contentment is alike, and the difference is not significant. 'e whose desires are numerous is indeed oor. If contentment is in the mind, then who is rich or oor/ are% cet% si ratidivasam%r%dhya bahudh% ras%da ki netu vi5asi h daya kle5akalitam I rasanne tvayyanta svayamuditacint%maiga o vivikta sakal a kimabhila ita u yati na te II -*II @inning the favors of others is hard> why then does your heart seek to a ease the minds of others/ @ith inward tran2uility and abstaining from social intercourse, wise thought will arise in you s ontaneously> and should you wish for anything what will you not ac2uire/ ki vedai smtibhi ur%a ahanai 5%strairmah%vistarai svargagr%maku 6niv%sa haladai karmakriy%vibhFmai I muktvaika bhavadu khabh%raracan%vidhva sak%l%nala sv%tm%nanda ada rave5akalana 5eairva igv ttibhi II ,*II @hat use in study of (edas, 0mritis, !uranas, the so histicated 0hastras, and the elaborated rituals for obtaining residence in cottage of aradise village/ The only way causing liberation from the burden of filling sorrows of inevitable all consuming fire of time, is the entering into beatitude of own 0elf (soul). Rest is attem ts of dealB y%vatsvasthamida 5ar6ramaruja y%vajjar% dFrato y%vaccendriya5aktira ratihat% y%vatk ayo n%yu a I %tma5reyasi t%vadeva vidu % k%rya rayatno mah%n sand6 te bhavane tu kF akhanana ratyudyama k6d5a II ,JII $s long as this body is healthy and free of infirmity, as long as senility is distant, as long as the faculties have not lost their vigor, as long as life is not enfeebled, till then should the wise ones make great efforts to reach the su reme goal of life. Eor what is the use of digging a well when the house is on fire/ mahe5vare v% jagat%madh65vare jan%rdane v% jagadantar%tmani I na vastubheda rati attirasti me tath% i bhaktistaru endu5ekhare II NMII Between the great Hord of the universe, 0hiva, and the innermost 0elf of the universe, (ishnu, there is no difference for me. 'owever, my devotion is to 0hiva, holding the crescent moon on 'is head. %i %trayat% nisarga5ucin% bhaikea santu yat% yatra kv% i ni 6dat% bahut a vi5va muhu a5yat%m II

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aty%gee; i tanorakha a aram%nand%vabodhas 5% adhv% ko; i 5iva ras%dasulabha sam atsyate yogin%m II O+II &sing the hands lace, constantly uninterru ted su 0hiva makes the as a bowl, contented with the naturally ure food from alms, resting in any viewing the world to be worth no more than a blade of grass, e4 eriencing reme joy even before the body falls, for such as irants alone the grace of ath of liberation easy of attainment.

kau 6na 5atakha ajarjaratara kanth% unast%d56 nai5cintya nira ekabhaikama5ana nidr% 5ma5%ne vane I sv%tantryea niraku5a viharaa sv%nta ra5%nta sad% sthairya yogamahotsave; i ca yadi trailokyar%jyena kim II O*II @earing a loin:cloth worn:out and tattered into a hundred rags, with a wra :around in similar condition, free from an4iety, eating food from alms begged without any e4 ectations, slee ing in a forest or a cremation:ground, roaming freely without hindrance, ever indrawn and calm, and also established in the great joy of <ivine union, :::::::for such a one even sovereignty of the three worlds is beneath com arison. bhik%56 janamadhyasagarahita sv%yattacea sad% h%n%d%naviraktam%rganirata ka5citta asv6 sthita I rathy%k6r avi56r aj6r avasana sam r% takanth%sano nirm%no nirahakti 5amasukh%bhogaikabaddhas ha II OJII Hiving on alms, unattached to the com any of eo le, ever acting with total freedom, devoted to the ath of dis assion towards the e4change of wealth, such a one is a true ascetic. @earing worn:out rags thrown in the streets, using a blanket received by chance for a seat, without ride or selfishness, the ascetic wishes solely for the joy of the controlled mind. ca %la kimaya dvij%tirathav% 5Fdro;tha ki t% asa ki v% tattvaviveka e5alamatiyag65vara ko; i kim I ityut annavikal ajal amukharair%bh%yam%% janai na kruddh% athi naiva tu amanaso y%nti svaya yogina II O-II AIs this erson an outcaste/ or a twice:born/ or a sudra/ or an ascetic/ or else some master yogi with the mind filled with hiloso hical discernment/ K@hen eo le address the ascetic thus, doubting and debating garrulously, the 8ogis themselves walk away, neither angry nor leased. %i %tra avitra bhramaa arigata bhaik amakayyamanna vist6r a vastram%5%da5akamaca ala tal amasval amurv6 I ye% ni sagat% g6karaa ariatasv%ntasantoiaste dhany% sannyastadainyavyatikaranikar% karma nirmFlayanti II OOII The hands serving as a sacred bowl, subsisting on the never:dwindling alms obtained while roaming, the vast e4 anse of the sky serving as a dress, and the earth for a stable, s acious bed::: eo le with such dis assion are blessed indeed, for they have renounced the overty of attitude seeking mundane leasures and thus giving u worldly contacts, and inwardly contented in heart fulfilled by acce ting solitude, and thus able to u root all actions (the roots of future rebirths and deaths). The Story o Raja Bhartrihari %y Sva!i Shivananda 9nce when Raja Bhartrihari was on his throne, a great Ta asvin or Rishi came to his court. Bhartrihari at once got u from his seat, and rostrating himself before the Ta asvin began to serve him in various ways. The sage being e4tremely leased with the Raja?s demeanour, gave him a fruit that could bestow u on the eater immortality and eace. 1ow Raja Bhartrihari had a very beautiful 2ueen of whom he was very enamoured and whom he very dearly loved. 'e thought that the only erson who deserved this fruit was his young 2ueen and none else, and so he took this 3od:sent gift to her and offered her the same. This young 2ueen, though for all ractical ur oses the beloved of the Raja, had a aramour in the erson of the charioteer who used to take her for drives now and then. 0he therefore took this fruit to him and gave

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him the same. $gain this charioteer had a rostitute whom also he loved, and, accordingly, he gave the fruit to her. 1ow, this rostitute thought that the only erson who best deserved this fruit was Raja Bhartrihari himself, and so she took this fruit in her hands went to the Raja?s alace and offered it to him. Raja Bhartrihari was sim ly mystified. 'e was unable to solve the roblem as to how it could be ossible for this rostitute to get the fruit that was the rightful ossession of his 2ueen. $fter dee thought and great deliberation, he was able to solve the roblem by himself. Pust before this incident, Bhartrihari?s brother who came to know of the 2ueen?s love for the king?s charioteer had told Bhartrihari that the 2ueen was an unchaste lady and that it was a great shame onthe fair name of the royal family to kee a woman as 2ueen in the alace when she secretly loved the king?s charioteer. But the young 2ueen rose e2ual to the occasion and brought forth evidences to dis rove the validity of the charge against her and was able to revail u on the king to e4ile his brother from the kingdom. $fter due investigation into the whole matter, with all the de4terity that he could command, Bhartrihari came to the conclusion that, after all, the charge brought against his 2ueen by his brother was true and that he had been fooled by a woman to take the e4treme ste of e4iling his own brother who loved him so dearly and who held as high the fair name of the royal family by Dealously guarding it from insinuation and blot. True (airagya immediately dawned u on the king. 'e now thought that there was none in the world who was really dear to another, no, not even one?s own wife or brother or friend. 'e became convinced that in fact these are one?s real enemies. 'e felt e4treme disgust for the world and its leasures and at once left his kingdom, wife and children and retired into the forests to lead a life of a 0annyasin. 'e did rofound meditation for many years and finally attained knowledge of 0elf. 'e wrote a book generally known as QBhartrihari?s (airagya 0atakam, or the 'undred (erses of Renunciation? a erusal of which will roduce immediate disgust for things mundane and induce one to renounce everything and lead the life of a recluse. (0ource= 'ow to get (airagya by 0wami 0hivananda !ublished By T'R <I(I1R HIER 09)IRT8) &ne !ore variation o the sa!e events Raja Bhartari was the son of Raja Bhoj, king of <haranagar. 'e had ,* ranis, of whom one, by name !ingla, was a disci le of 3orakh (M,) who gave her a flower saying it would remain ever fresh as long as her husband was alive. 9ne day to test !ingla?s love Bhartari went a:hunting and sent back his blood:stained clothes and horse with the news that he had been killed, but the rani, seeing the flower still fresh knew that the Raja only doubted her love for him and in grief at his mistrust killed herself. @hen she was carried out to the burning:ground the Raja evinced great grief and 3orakh a eared. Breaking his chi i (MN), the saint walked round it, wee ing and Bhartari asked him why he grieved. 3orakh answered that he could get the Raja a thousand 2ueens, but never a vessel like the one he had just broken, and he showed him a hundred ranis as fair as !ingla, but each of them said= Q'old aloofB $rt thou mad/ 1o one knows how often we have been thy mothers or sisters or wives.? 'earing these words Bhartari?s grief was moderated and he made 3orakh his guru, but did not abandon his kingdom. 0till when he returned to his kingdom the loss of !ingla troubled him and his other 2ueens bade him seek distraction in hunting. In great om he marched forth, and the dust darkened the sun. 9n the banks of the 0amru he saw a herd of deer, ,+ hinds with a single stag. 'e failed to kill the stag, and one of the hinds besought him to kill one of them instead, since the stag was as dear to them as he was to his 2ueens, but the Raja said he, a #shatriya, could not kill a hind. 0o the hind who had s oken bade the stag meet the Raja?s arrow, and as he fell he said= Q3ive my feet to the thief that he may esca e with his life> my horns to a Pogi that he may use them as his nad> my skin to an ascetic that he may worshi on it> my eyes to a fair woman that she may be called mirga:naini, (MO)> and eat my flesh thyself.? $nd to this day these things are used as the dying stag desired. 9n his return the Raja was met by 3orakh who said he had killed one of his disci les. Bhartari retorted that if he had any s iritual owers he could restore the stag to life, and 3orakh, casting a little earth on his body, did so. Bhartari then became a Pogi and with his retainers accom anied 3orakh, but the latter refused to acce t him as a disci le unless he brought alms from his ranis, addressing them as his mothers, and ractised jog for *. years. Bhartari did as he was bid, and in answer to his 2ueens? remonstrances said= KErom the oint of view of my raj ye are my 2ueens, but from that of jog ye are my mothers, as the guru has bidden me call you so.A Thus he became a erfect jogi and founded the Bhartari Bairag anth of the Pogis.

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(from a 3lossary of the tribes and castes of the !unjab and 1orth:@est frontier, By '.$. Rose)

@iki !age on Bhartrihari Bhartrihari !hiloso y

Subpa#es 7-8* 9aira#ya Shataka

Si#n in:$eport Abuse:;rint ;a#e:$emo'e Access:;o<ered &y Google Sites

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