A History of Sanskrit Literature c17.s1.3

c17.s1.3

Owing to the universality of this mode of expression in Sanskrit literature, there are but few works consisting exclusively of poetical aphorisms. The most important are the two collections by the highly-gifted Bhartṛihari, entitled respectively *Nītiçataka*, or "Century of Conduct," and *Vairāgya-çataka*, or "Century of Renunciation." Others are the *Çānti-çataka*, or "Century of Tranquillity," by a Kashmirian poet named Çilhaṇa; the *Moha-mudgara*, or "Hammer of Folly," a short poem commending the relinquishment of worldly desires, and wrongly attributed to Çaṅkarāchārya; and the *Chāṇakya-çataka*, the "Centuries of Chāṇakya," the reputed author of which was famous in India as a master of diplomacy, and is the leading character in the political drama *Mudrārākshasa*. The *Nīti-manjarī*, or "Cluster of Blossoms of Conduct," which has not yet been published, is a collection of a peculiar kind. The moral maxims which it contains are illustrated by stories, and these are taken exclusively from the *Rigveda*. It consists of about 200 *çlokas*, and was composed by an author named Dyā Dviveda who accompanied his work with a commentary. In the latter he quotes largely from the *Bṛihaddevatā*, Sāyaṇa on the *Rigveda*, and other authors.