From Gatha to Satsayi
By Sansar Chandra

NUMBERS have always played a pivotal role in the process of creativity in all the civilized languages of the world. Limiting one’s power of expression to a specific number of lines or verses has been the modus operandi of poets right from the very beginning. But change is the law of nature. Whatever is born or created is bound to undergo a change and also meet its end one day. The art of versification, too, is no exception what has undergone many changes. The change, no doubt, differs from language to language and as soon as one particular poetic measure loses its shine, it is succeeded by a new one.

Sanskrit and Hindi poets also do not stand apart. There was a time when they took fancy in the composition of "shatakas" (anthologies of 100 verses) hazaras (thousands of verses) and saptashaties (anthologies with 700 verses). The first two did not stand the test of time for long and became out of date. The last one saptashati or satasayi" however, proved to be a most fascinating genre and it still in the prime of its geory even after the lapse of about 2000 years.

To appreciate the success story of saptashati or satasayi literature, the following oft-repeated quote generally escaped the lips of Hindi lovers almost instantaneously:

Satasaiya ke dohare jyon navak ke teer dekhat mein chhote lagen ghau karen gambhir.

Here, the poet, perhaps an annonymous one, compare the couplets of satasayi literature with the sting of a honey bee. Although subtle in appearance, yet the wound inflicted is quite deep.

As per the information gathered from the history of Hindi literature, the first known saptashati was written and compiled by King Saatvahana, the founder of the Shaka era in India, under the title of Gatha-Saptashati approximately 2,000 years ago. Although it was a pioneering work, it proved to be such a hit that it is placed second to none even today. It inspired numerous satasayi poets. Goverdhana-charya composed Arya-Saptashati in 1113 A.D. Another one with the same title was brought out by Pandit Vishweshwara of Nepal around 1600 A.D.

The craze to contribute to this genre grew more and more intense with the advent of Hindi poets. Its popularly touched new heights during the Reetikaal (1700 to 1900 A.D.) Bihari, Rasanidhi, Matiram and Vikrama are just a few legendary names who practised it.

In sum, the contribution of all these poets taken together has been so extensive that every sphere of human activity has come under its orbit. But it was strange that spirituality, the most important area of human upliftment, did not find favour with them and has remained neglected.

The solitary example of Tulsidas could, however, be cited to prove that there was not a complete blackout of spirituality in this type of literature. Tulsidas, made full use of satasayi for propagating the message of divinity.

Scores of books have been written to understand and appreciate the Indian mysticism and the Hindu way of meditation. The subject is so vast and subtle that it is not easy for an average person to grasp it. Quite a few theories such as Hathayoga, Sahaja Yoga, Prem-marga Sufi-vaad etc. have already been in vogue but there is still a need to ponder over the subject. The publication of Adhyatma Satasayi by Dr Naresh is a recent attempt to rekindle the spirit of spiritual investigation in the realm of Hindi poetry.

This new satasayi deserves greater attention because it deals with spirituality which has rarely found favour with this brand of literature.

Dr Naresh has not given any new name to his interpretation of Indian mysticism. He has kept himself close to Yoga-Vasishta and Kabir-bani. But his five-fold classification of devotees and his rearrangement of seven skies into five is a new assertion. According to him, there are normal human beings, aware persons, seekers, elevated souls and, lastly, those who stand completely lost in him. Similarly, he arranges the skies as bhooloka, aakaasha, martyaloka, Sidhaloka and Brahmaloka.

Adhyatma Satasayi does not subscribe to the widely acknowledged theory of renunciation. It instead calls for a simultaneous performance of dual duties - deha-dharma and aatma-dharma i.e. duty towards the body and duty towards the soul. The view is that one cannot achieve salvation by neglecting one’s mundane duties.

Dr Naresh has made no tall claims about his interpretation of this subtle theory. He calls it just an extension of the path discovered by Vashishta and elucidated by Kabir.