Sri Aurobindo
Translations
CWSA.- Volume 5
Part One. Translations from Sanskrit
Section Four.
Bhartrihari. The Century of Life
On the Wicked
A spiritless dull block call modesty;
Love of long fasts and holy vows must be
Mere shows, yon pure heart but a Pharisee,
The world-renouncing sage a fool; the high
World-conquering hero’s taxed with cruelty.
This sweet word’s baseness, that great orator
A windbag, and the great spirit furious pride,
And calm patience an impotent weakness poor.
Thus the base-natured all high things deride.
Judged by the slanderous tongue, the uncandid eyes,
What brightest virtue turns not blackest vice?