Satirical works of Kshemendra (study)
by Arpana Devi | 2017 | 60,954 words
This page relates ‘The Wife of the Old Man (vriddhabharya)’ 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.
5.20. The Wife of the Old Man (vṛddhabhāryā)
The urge of an old man to marry a young girl is here subjected to bitter satire. Kṣemendra exposes the fate of a young girl who is compelled to marry an old bridegroom only because he is a wealthy man. In reality, Kṣmendra condemns such marriage.
The author narrates the story of a young damsel who is untouched by anyone like creeper growing in the chasm.[1] The desire of the father to get his young daughter married to an old man for material benefit, is ridiculed by Kṣemendra. The old bridegroom arrives in the wedding day. He is pale as if suffering from fever. Moreover, his snoring breath and weak eyesight indicates that his life is too short in this world.[2] The people who are present in the wedding ceremony laughs at him and says that the clever old man wants to marry the young girl to gain bliss for the other world.[3] The girl begins to cry. Her father tries to console her and says that the bridegroom has attained premature old age, but he has vast wealth.’[4] The father compels his daughter to marry the old man, but the young girl laments and condemns her youth.[5] The old groom tries to kiss her with drooling mouth. Kṣemendra in a humorous way refers to her reply. She says to the old man that his good sense has left him.[6] Kṣemendra further describes her bitter anguish in the verse ‘pituḥ pitāmaho’stīti….’[7] In the verse, she blames him to be a bad husband who has brought her. She also expresses her grief complaining him to be a great grandfather. She denies accepting him as her husband and runs away. But his relatives bring her back. She can bear him only for few minutes like a bitter medicine when her old husband brings valuable gifts and obeys her orders.[8] She becomes pregnant and her old husband massages her feet in great joy. She gives birth to a son of another man. The old husband overwhelms with happiness. He organizes a feast and invites not only his relatives but also his enemies. Now, she calculates his wealth. She asks how much he has got and from where he has got as if he is a thief.[9] Now, the husband of young wife passes his days with his young wife’s harsh words. This description reflects the fate of a young lady of the society in which Kṣemendra lived, where a father never hesitated to get a young girl married without her consent only for money.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
numaḥ puṣpavatīṃ kāntāṃ kanyāṃ yauvanaśālinīṃ/
puruṣasparśarahitāṃ śvabhrajātāṃ latāmiva// ibid.,VII.1
[2]:
kṛtā ruciḥ pṛthuśvāsatamodṛṣṭivirāgavān/
kanyāyā varaṇe vṛddho mūrto jvaraḥ ivāgataḥ// ibid.,VII.4
[3]:
vivāhaṃ paralokārthaṃ karotyeṣa vicakṣaṇaḥ/
iti vṛddhasya varaṇe vakti smitamukho janaḥ// ibid.,VII.3
[4]:
[5]:
vṛddhahastena kucayoḥ sparśo me kathametayoḥ/
ityucchvāsavatī kāntaṃ kanyā śocati yauvanaṃ// ibid.,VII.6
[6]:
lālāpūrṇena vaktreṇa paricumbanamīhate/
dhigaho bata naṣṭā dhīriti vṛddhaṃ bravīti sā// ibid.,VII.10
[7]:
pituḥ pitāmaho’stīti tvattulyaḥ kiṃ na lajjase/
ānītāhaṃ kupatinā vadaṃ kasya kṛte tvayā// ibid.,VII.11
[8]:
[9]:
kva kiyat kiṃ tavāstīti kaṇṭhaprāptārdhajīvitaṃ/
vṛddhaṃ cauramivābhetya dhanaṃ pṛcchati gehinī// ibid.,VII.30