Satirical works of Kshemendra (study)
by Arpana Devi | 2017 | 60,954 words
This page relates ‘The Astrologer (ganaka)’ 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.
5.5. The Astrologer (gaṇaka)
In different places of his works, Kṣemendra also satirizes some fraud people who are in the profession like astrology. He observes that in the name of astrology they are cheating common people. They are robbing people by their deceitful calculations Kṣemendra reveals that the astrologer knows nothing about the science of astrology but shows off to be an expert astrologer and it is evident as he asks a fisherman about the time of raining.[1] He never calculates the movements of the stars and the planets but to show off his knowledge of the past and future, carries some worn-out papers with him.[2]
According to Kṣemendra, the cunning astrologer often uses readymade dialogues to win the faith of the people. Sometimes he says, ‘you may lose a heavy amount of money within the next three years.’ Again he says ‘you may also suffer from fever and eye disease, money may come unexpectedly. No one will recognize your help. Though you have enemies, no one can harm you if you are able to protect yourself. Brother, you look unhealthy. Why you are not drinking soup? Most probably, you are affected by jaundice, but I will cure it with the help of mantras.’[3] These are the techniques applied by a astrologer to mislead the people. The astrologer knows nothing but goes to treat jaundice with the help of mantras mixed with astronomy.[4]
About the astrologer a beautiful satirical complement of Kṣemendra is that he (the astrologer) calculates the movements of the stars but he himself is unaware about the lover of his own wife.[5] He exposes that pretending to calculate her fortune, the notorious astrologer even touches the soft hands of the wife of a good family.[6]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
jyotiḥ śāstravide tasmai namo’stu ĵnānacakṣuṣe/
varṣaṃ pṛcchatyavarṣaṃ vā dhīvarān yo vinaṣṭadhīḥ// ibid.,II.82
[2]:
grahanakṣatratārāṇāṃ saṃkhyāne’pyakṛtaśramaḥ/
atītānāgataĵnānadambhāya malapatrabhṛt// ibid.,II.83
[3]:
ibid., II.84-86
[4]:
iti sādhāraṇaĵnānamantravaidyakamiśritaṃ/
jyotiḥ śrāstraṃ vigaṇayan yo muṣṇāti jaḍāśayān// ibid., II.87
[5]:
gaṇayati gagane gaṇakaścandreṇa samāgamaṃ viśākhāyāḥ/
vividhabhujaṅgakrīḍāsaktāṃ gṛhiṇīṃ ca jānāti// Kalāvilāsa , IX.6