Subhashita-kaustubha (4-6)

सुभाषितकौस्तुभः (४-६)

अविवेकपद्धतिः ( Section on imprudence)

विदग्धव्याहारैर्न जडमतिरानन्दति मनाक्

 अनालापज्ञानां न च वचनतः खेदमयते ।

न विन्दत्यानन्दं जरठवृषभश्चन्दनरसैः

असौ पङ्कालेपैरपि विषादं न जुषते ॥ ४ ॥

The dull headed does not enjoy even a little of the utterances of intellectuals. He neither feels depressed by the words of those who are ignorant of good conversation. The old bull does not feel happy by the application of sandal wood juice, nor does it feel depressed by the application of slough. 

वाचाटोक्तौ वागमृते वा सुकवीनाम्

स्तोकप्रज्ञास्तुल्यदृशो हन्त भवन्ति ।

गोमायूनां कोकिलयूनामपि शब्दे-

ष्वेकाकारा मानसवृत्तिर्महिषाणाम् ॥ ५ ॥

Alas, persons of little intelligence display the same attitude towards the talk of the garrulous and the ambrosia-like words of good poets. The mental attitude of buffaloes is the same towards the howls of jackals and the notes of youthful cuckoos.

अत्यद्भुतानामनभिज्ञगोष्ठ्याम्

अस्ति प्रशस्तिर्न कवीन्द्रवाचाम् ।

मण्डूकसंघे मधुरापि सा किम्

मयूरगीतिर्बहुमानमेति ? ॥ ६ ॥

In the gathering of the ignorant there is no value to the wonderful sayings of great poets. Do the notes of a peacock even if melodious get recognized among a group of frogs?

(The above verses lament on the state of good poets among the ignorant flock. An unknown poet bemoans the state of poets as follows, “अरसिकेषु कवित्वनिवेदनं शिरसि मा लिख मा लिख मा लिख” [Do not ever write on my forehead the fate of reciting my poetry among those who are devoid of taste.])

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