Shatakatrayam.
Pramukh Swami
("The Three Hundred") is a short story about three hundred people who
live in Bhartrhari, a poet philosopher who lived in the fifth century, is
credited with writing a collection of Sanskrit poetry.
The text is a three-part collection of poetry that address
all of life's traditional ends: political life, love, and renunciation.
The first two portions deal with strength (artha), sensual
or physical desire (kama), and virtuous behavior (dharma), while the third and
final section deals with soul liberation (moksha).
Much of the poetry has a sarcastic, bitter tone to it,
implying a guy who has seen much too much of life's terrible facts.
Barbara Stoller Miller (trans. ), The Hermit and the
Love-Thief, 1978, is a good resource for further information.
