Satirical works of Kshemendra (study)
by Arpana Devi | 2017 | 60,954 words
This page relates ‘The Teacher of the Child (daraka-upadhyaya)’ 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.
5.18. The Teacher of the Child (dāraka-upādhyāya)
Kṣemendra also satirizes a notorious teacher whose interest is not in teaching but in other’s wives. The teacher is considered to be a role model for the student. He can shape the society. But, if the teacher himself leads an immoral life then it will influence not only the child, but also the society.
A dweller of the monastery enters the house of a bureaucrat as a tutor of the child (dāraka-upādhyāya) on monthly remuneration only to meet the doe-eyed wife of the bureaucrat whom he notices once sitting in her mansion.[1] Kṣemendra satirically remarks that the teacher teaches the child how to write but the rogue himself is unaware about the entire script. He is only able to write the word ‘aum’, but slowly.[2] He is haughty as he thinks himself to be learned.[3] But the cunning teacher passes a year counting his monthly wage and teaches least.[4] The teacher is more interested in bureaucrat’s wife. He makes conversation and tries to meet her separately. Soon, the licentious teacher becomes successful in his mission.[5]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
kadācidatha tāmeva harmye hariṇalocanāṃ/
satrabhojanapūrṇāṅgaḥ punarāyātayauvanaḥ// ibid.,II.33
[2]:
[3]:
aṣṭāvatārastotreṇa sarvaĵna iva garvitaḥ/
daiśikaṃ pāṭhayāmīti so’bhūdadhikamuddhataḥ// ibid.,II.40
[4]:
[5]:
ibid.,II.50-54