Serat Nitisruti: How to be a Good Leader

Serat Nitisruti was written by Pangeran Karanggayam. Pangeran Karangayam taught Hadiwijaya (Jaka Tingkir) the King of Pajang (1550-1582) the ability and knowledge how to be a good leader (King). Serat Nitisruti is a complete book (serat), consist of many areas such as, religious aspects (believe to the God), humanity, nationality, and others.
Serat Nitisruti arranged into eight parts and written as a Javanese song. They divides into eight parts, based on their kind, Dhandhanggula, Sinom, Asmaradana, Mijil, Durma, Pucung, Kinanthi, and Megatruh. The method (to write a song with story or message inside) is one of the characteristics of Javanese literature.
For example, this is the first part of Serat Nitisruti (Dhandhanggula – pupuh 1):
Mamanising wasita kaesthi, Nitisruti kang sinudarsana, tinulad ing sapantese, pinetan kang pakantuk, lan jamaking jaman samangkin, tujuning kamajengan, asedya arjayu, yuwananing nuswa Jawa, aywa kongsi kalantur-lantur kawuri, kewraning pangawikan.
That is the opening part, so this part is not talking the point yet. This part tells about what is Nitisruti. There are many methods to discuss about literature works, and maybe the newest is deconstruction theory. Deconstruction used to ease the readers to understand about a literary work, and it should be untie the construction of the literary work.
Wasita (advice), kaesthi (referred to), sinudarsana (exemplified), jamak (common), samangkin (more), asedya (ready), arjayu (wealthy), yuwana (survive), kongsi (until), kawuri (lamp), kewran (difficulty), pangawikan (knowledge).
When it arranged into complete arrangement, it will be like this:
Advice that will be explained, Nitisruti can be learnt, about more common the time, ready to the wealthy, the safety of Java island, that have been waiting from long ago, about the difficulty to get the knowledge.
That is from the first part (Dhandhanggula). To understand more, that way is not enough. Need more time and think to get what Pangeran Karanggayam want to say, but at least through this letter, readers can get the surface of Serat Nitisruti. Next time, the writer will discuss the other parts, which maybe are the point of the Nitisruti.