Subhâshitâvali: An Anthology of Comic, Erotic and Other Verse

by A.N.D. Haksar

The subhashita verse is a popular feature of Sanskrit literature. Composed in isolation or as part of a larger work, it is essentially a miniature poem which encapsulates a complete thought, mood or image in a single stanza. These verse epigrams have a wide range of themes. This selection from the Subhashitavali, a celebrated verse anthology compiled by Vallabhadeva in c. fifteenth-century Kashmir, offers a rich variety of erotic poetry and a wealth of lyrical and gnomic verse. One section is given to earthy humour and cynical satire seldom available in English renditions. Also included are invocations and allegories, panegyrics and pen-pictures, sage observations and stark musings. The sweep of these verses is matched by the eclectic array of contributors from illustrious poets like Vyasa and Valmiki, Kalidasa and Bana to others now mostly forgotten. These verses of jollity and wit, ribaldry and bawdiness, snide sarcasm and wry comment showcase the fact that Sanskrit literature, generally perceived as staid and serious, can also be flippant and fun.

Genres: Poetry, India

208 pages, Paperback

First published February 7, 2007

About the author

Aditya Narayan Dhairyasheel Haksar was born in Gwalior and educated at the Doon School and the universities of Allahabad and Oxford. A well-known translator of Sanskrit classics, he has also had a distinguished career as a diplomat, serving as Indian high commissioner to Kenya and the Seychelles, minister to the United States, and later ambassador to Portugal and Yugoslavia.

His translations from the Sanskrit include Hitopadeśa and Simhāsana Dvātriṃśikā, both published as Penguin Classics, Jatakamala {with a foreword by the Dalai Lama) published by HarperCollins India, and the first-ever rendition of Madhavanala Katha, published by Roli Books as Madhav and Kama. He has also translated from the Sanskrit the stories of the Panchatantram and the Daśa Kumāra Charitam, and some of the plays of Bhasa which were published as The Shattered Thigh & Other Plays by Penguin in 1993. He has also compiled A Treasury of Sanskrit Poetry, which was commissioned by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Reviews

[Sandhya · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://sandyi.blogspot.com/2009/05/su...


The common understanding has always been that Sanskrit literature is staid and serious. For primarily that reason alone, Subhashitavali (quite a tongue twister this) is a standout work in the oeuvre of Sanskrit classical literature. In fact, this can be a showcase work to prove how the language has produced its share of fun and flippant verse.

So what is the book all about? Written over 2000 years ago, this consists of a unique compilation of epigrams (circlet of well-said verses) by Sanskrit scholars and poets, including some very famous ones like Kalidasa, Vyas Muni and Vaalmiki.

Though reputed in literary circles, Subhashitavali is hardly known to general readership and was never translated in English, until very recently by N. D Haksar – a well-known translator of Sanskrit classics.

While the book has a definite ‘heritage’ value attached to it, it’s easy, readable content is probably what has led to its English translation. Not to add, its rich compilation of erotic verses that must have been a tempting proposition for the publishers. While tackling a number of themes – from nature to morality to worldly truths (a la Bacon’s essays), quite obviously, it is the erotica that is its central highlight.

Warring lovers making up in bed seems to be the predominant theme here and the result is a touching yet titillating peek into marital sensuality.


“Lips with colour kissed away,
Eyes bereft of kohl, tresses straggling on the face;
But at dawn, contented,
Their glory is more
Than of the night before
When merely ornamented.”

There are other sage observations as under;

“In pain, look at the greater pain,
In pleasure, on some greater pleasure
To grief and joy not surrender—
Both are your foes in equal measure.”

While there’s no reason you cannot enjoy these translated verses, one can never dismiss the chance that some of the original’s essence may have been lost here. Also, while some verses are extremely enjoyable, there are many others that are pretty ordinary.

Sample this:

“Tell me truly, O my love
what is it you do to me:
to hear you is a real pleasure
to see you is pure ecstasy.”
Or
“Though they hide the heart’s desire
To begin making love,
The couple understands each other
Just by fleeting glances.”

So what makes Subhashitavali worth a read? The very fact that these verses were written thousands of years ago, offering a timeless perspective into marital eroticism (with its sexual politics, concept of beauty and issues of morality) makes it readable enough.
Also amidst all the moral policing that one sees today, with self-interest groups using India’s cultural past to thrust their own agendas, this piece of work quite remarkably lends a perspective into the sexual sensibilities of the time.

Of course, from a purely literary point of view, this is a mixed bag. The verses range from the pious to the profane, the earnest to the cynical, the elegant to the crass and the lyrical to sententious.
But for most part, this is a welcome diversion from the regular stuff.

[mahesh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Translation is done poorly. During translation from the source to the English language, most verses have lost poetic touch. I think, Someone should be a poet to serve greater justice to the poems during translation. Here translators have done greater justice in the intellectual framework, But failed in fitting them into the poetic framework. Poems were dry , Felt like reading some immature social media writers with great fan following. I know it's not the poems problem, its translation problem.
However the translator has put an effort in bringing these century old poems from its root language to English, So we get a chance to get a little glimpse of the poetic taste of those times.

[Tim Poston · Rating 2 out of 5]

The translator has two tasks with poetry; convey the literal content — the skeleton of the poem — and reclothe it in language that reflects the wit or beauty of the original. That needs a fine poet.
A N D Haksar does adequately (I hope: I don't know Sanskrit) at the first, though a few verses are incomprehensible. The second, no.
The book is interesting, conveying that the writers included a lot of obsequious snobs and sexists, and that prostitutes shaved down there, unlike respectable women (then). But forced syntax like "Nor are you from longings free" and words like "quaffed" give a banality which presumably betrays the original poems, since they were treasured and preserved.

Not one of these is worth memorising _as_an_English_poem_, as many of the poems in https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7... are. But then, Merwin is a major poet. Haksar is a hack.

[Ashok Krishna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich treasure full of witty and wise verses taken from various literary works. Makes an amusing read.

[Manisha Manohar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subhashitas (the phrase literally translates as ‘well said’) are verses which have passed into literature as maxims, proverbs and quotes in Sanskrit.

Unfortunately, very few Indians today are conversant with Sanskrit and so we do not use these brilliant epigrams in everyday life, with the same ease that we would use an English idiom or phrase. However, it's apparent on even a casual perusal, that they cover an astonishingly diverse range of themes and offer apt expressions for many situations in daily life with a marvellous perspicacity.

The Sanskrit original is a collation by Vallabhadeva, who has drawn from Sanskrit poetry, plays and other literature authored by 362 named poets, poetesses, monks, grammarians, ministers, playwrights, philosophers, and social commentators; apart from many who remain anonymous.

This book is an English translation of approximately 600 verses, which is a fifth of the original. They present a wonderful mix of the elegant and the plebeian, the sacred and the irreverent. (As an aside, I was pleasantly shocked by just how risqué some of the erotic verses are!)

There are some truly beautiful compositions on the everyday lives of Hindu gods; Lord Shiva playing with a young Kartikeya, a toddling Krishna being coaxed to drink milk by his mother. We are given glimpses of cuckolded husbands, scheming clerks, duplicitous officials, love-sick women and obsequious servants. Even recipes for tasty meals are included.

More penetrating verses on karma, difficult times, the transience of life, the restlessness of one’s mind - are remarkable for their brevity and clarity.

To anyone who thinks Sanskrit literature is predominantly about religion and spirituality, I would suggest reading this collection to understand the sheer range of ideas, bearing in mind that the essence and nuance of a fair few would have been lost in the translating.

My ardent wish is for this class of literature and recognised art form, to become a lot more mainstream, finding representation in avenues of popular culture like movies, reels and memes; whether in the original Sanskrit or in English and other Indian languages.

[PTS Books Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

The common understanding has always been that Sanskrit literature is staid and serious. For primarily that reason alone, Subhashitavali (quite a tongue twister this) is a standout work in the oeuvre of Sanskrit classical literature. In fact, this can be a showcase work to prove how the language has produced its share of fun and flippant verse.
So what is this book all about? Written over 2000 years ago, this consists of a unique compilation of epigrams (circlet of well said verses) by Sanskrit scholars and poets, including some very famous ones like Kalidasa, Vyas Muni and Vaalmiki.

Though reputed in literary circles, Subhashitavali is hardly known to general readership and was never translated in English, until very recently by N. D Haksar – a well-known translator of Sanskrit classics.

While the book has a definite ‘heritage’ value attached to it, it’s easy, readable content is probably what has led to his English translation. Not to add, its rich compilation of erotic verses that must have been a tempting proposition for the publishers. While tackling a number of themes – from nature to morality to worldly truths (a la Bacon’s essays), quite obviously, it is the erotica that is its central highlight.

Warring lovers making up in bed seems to be the predominant theme here and the result is a touching yet titillating peek into marital sensuality.

The below verse is a particularly erotic yet sentimental one:

“She was offended, lay in bed
With limbs inert, her back to him;
He, from behind, with gently hand,
Caressed her softly round the navel;
She broke into a sweat of passion,
Her girdle slipped, but
Angry still,
She heaved a cunning out-on sigh
And loosened the knot of her skirt.”

Then, there are particularly lyrical verses as below;
“Lips with colour kissed away,
Eyes bereft of kohl, tresses straggling on the face;
But at dawn, contented,
Their glory is more
Than of the night before
When merely ornamented.”

There are other sage observations as under;
“In pain, look at the greater pain,
In pleasure, on some greater pleasure
To grief and joy not surrender—
Both are your foes in equal measure.”

While there’s no reason why you cannot enjoy these translated verses, one can never dismiss the chance that some of the original’s essence is likely to be lost here. Also, while some verses are extremely enjoyable, there are many others here that can seen downright pedestrian.

Sample this:

“Tell me truly, O my love
what is it you do to me:
to hear you is a real pleasure
to see you is pure ecstasy.”
Or
“Though they hide the heart’s desire
To begin making love,
The couple understands each other
Just by fleeting glances.”

So what makes Subhashitavali worth a read? The very fact that these verses were written thousands of years ago, offering a timeless perspective into marital eroticism (with its sexual politics, concept of beauty and issues of morality) makes it readable enough.
Also amidst all the moral policing that one sees today, with various groups using India’s cultural past to thrust their own self-serving agendas, this piece of work quite innocuously lends a certain perspective into the sexual sensibilities of the time.
Of course, from a purely literary point of view, this is a mixed bag. The verses range from the pious to the profane, the earnest to the cynical, the elegant to the crass and the lyrical to sententious.
But for most part, this is an amazingly quick read and a fairly light one at that.

--Review by Sandhya Iyer

[Darryl]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12092367