A History of Indian Literature v3.c35.s9.49

v3.c35.s9.49

Bhartṛhari probably is the first Indian poet, to have become famous in Europe. The Dutch Calvinist missionary Abraham Roger got the moral teachings of Bhartṛhari explained to him by a Brāhmaṇa Padmanābha and included them in his translation of this book "De open Deure tot het verborgen Heydendom", (The Open Door to Heathendom) published at Leiden in 1651¹. From this book Herder knew about the epigrammatic stanzas, from which he translated some selected ones into German². Since then more stanzas of Bhartṛhari have repeatedly been translated³. A few probes will go to show that the fame of Bhartṛhari is well justified :—