My Blogs/Books/Vlogs

Sanskrit Pearls - A blog of Subhāṣitas with audios, meanings and expositions.

Sanskrit Pearls Books - A 3 book series of 450 Subhāṣitas with meanings and expositions.

Sanskrit Study - A blog for a beginner to intermediate level of study of the Sanskrit language.

Sanskrit Games - A blog with fun, games and riddles in Sanskrit.

Sanskrit Prayers - A blog with scripts for commonly used prayers with notations for easy learning and precise pronunciations.

Kashi Delights - A blog with recipes for healthy and exquisite homemade foods along with tips, tricks and pictures.

Mahabharata Matters - A vlog with short videos narrating the stories of Mahabharata and values that can be learned through those stories. 

About the blog

अनुबन्धचतुष्टयम् (anubandhachatuShTayam - The four-fold requisites of a literary work):

1. विषयः (viShayaH) - Subject-matter:
'सुष्ठु भाषितम्' इति सुभाषितम् - 'suShThu bhaaShitam' iti subhaaShitam - 'well spoken' is a subhAShita. 
This blog is a collection of 'Sanskrit pearls of wisdom' that our ancestors have transcended to us.

There is no scarcity for subhAShita-s in any language.  But in Sanskrit, they have received an abundant prominence.  There is a treasure trove of subhAShitaa-s in this language!  This blog is an attempt at remembering a few of the 'pearls of wisdom' that our ancestors have transcended to us.

2. प्रयोजनम् (prayojanam) - Purpose:

These subhaaShita-s (power-packed life lessons in verse form) have been my passion since childhood!  Had the blessed opportunity to learn many from my mother and my wonderful High School teacher.  They instilled the passion in me towards these subhaaShita-s. These have been my guiding lights at every stage of life and helped shape the person that I have become.

This collection is an attempt to write the meanings and a commentary, expressing my take on these verses. (The writings are my understanding of the verses, in my own words, for posterity.)

(This blog is the one true inheritance I would like to leave behind for my 2 children!)

3. अधिकारी (adhikaarI) - Target audience:
This blog's target audience is anyone in any age group who is interested in inculcating life values and ethics through small, potent nuggets of wisdom!

4. सम्बन्धः (sambandaH) - Relationship:

The blog enriches the adhikaarI's depth in his interactions at the level of vyaavahaarika-satta (earthly transactions).  One attains chitta-shuddhi (purity of mind) through this.  That leads one towards shraddhaa (faith) in the shaastra (scriptures).  When these get deep-rooted, working towards aadhyaatma-saadhana (spiritual enquiry of the self) becomes natural.  Enquiry into the nature of the self is the very goal of human birth!

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कालानुक्रमः (kaalaanukramaH) - Chronology of the blog:

• The blog was started on Sept 25th, 2009, to mark the birthday of my husband.  
• On Sept 25th, 2010, the blog successfully completed one year, with one new subhaaShita being added every day.
• On Sept 25th, 2011, the blog completed its second year, with one new subhaaShita being added once a week.  
• After a year-long break, the blog restarted again on Sept 25th, 2012, with one new subhaaShita being added once a month.
• Going into the 5th year of the blog on Sept 25th, 2013, will continue to add a new subhaaShita once every month.
• On Sept 25th, 2014, entering the 6th year, new subhaaShita-s will be added every now and then, with no defined schedule.
• Mother's Day reward from my husband - He set up the requirements for posting audios for the subhaaShita-s on the blog, a plan that was in its nascent form for years!  Now, Sanskrit Pearls is back with new audio updates starting Mother's Day 2018 (May 13th).  In the upcoming days, audio will be added to all the verses that have been published already.  Do check out this new feature on the blog as well as on the FaceBook page.
• Father's Day reward from me to my husband - Father's Day 2018 (June 17th) - Audio has been added to ALL the verses that have been published so far. Click the audio link below the Sanskrit verse to hear them. 
• Dec 20th 2018, IAST transliterations have been added to ALL the verses. The previously used baraha transliterations have been moved to a new section labelled 'Alternate Transliteration:', below the pada vigrahaH.
• Feb 12th 2019, Sanskrit Pearls Vol. 1 was released.  It is a book with the first 150 subhaaShitas from this blog.
• Jun 8th 2019, second volume of the book series, Sanskrit Pearls Vol. 2 was released.  (Release date set for this volume was July 6th, but was met ahead of schedule.)  It is a book with the 2nd set of 150 verses from this blog. 
• Oct 8th 2019, third volume of the book series, Sanskrit Pearls Vol. 3 was released.  (Release date was set for Sept. 23rd, but was released on Vijayadashami day later.)   It is a book with the 3rd set of 150 verses from this blog. 
• Feb 12th 2021, 2nd Edition of Sanskrit Pearls Vol. 1 was released.  It is a book with the first 150 subhaaShitas from this blog. (Exactly 2 yrs after its 1st edition, the 2nd edition was released.)

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लेखिका (lekhikaa) - Author:

This blog is published by Rashmi Kashi, under her pen name - Kaavya Sindhu.

(Thanks for your continued support and encouragement!  Please keep your thoughts and comments coming, for the betterment of the blog.)

Rashmi Kashi

Blogger since 2009

Princeton, NJ, USA

Bachelors in Comp. Sc.,
Best student award
Bangalore University

Masters in Sanskrit,
Gold-medalist, 5th Rank
Mysore University

My Interests:  Reading, Writing, Teaching, Volunteering, Subhāṣitas, Sanskrit, Cooking, Making children smile, Being a student always!

My Other Works:  

Volunteering at Chinmaya Vrindavan, NJ.

Teaching Sanskrit classes, Chanting classes, Culture and Heritage classes for over 15 years.

Blogger for over 12 years.

Substitute teacher at public schools.

Published 3 books on Sanskrit Subhāṣitas

• Sanskrit Pearls Vol. 1
• Sanskrit Pearls Vol. 2
• Sanskrit Pearls Vol. 3

Made short YouTube videos weekly for 6 months in a series called Sanskrit Musings for Project Gita.  If knowledge is the content, language is its container!  These videos explain a few Sanskrit names and terms from the Bhagavad Geeta, along with their linguistic, historic and symbolic meanings.

My Blogs:

Sanskrit Pearls - A blog of Subhāṣitas with audios, meanings and expositions.

Sanskrit Study - A blog for a beginner to intermediate level of study of the Sanskrit language.

Sanskrit Games - A blog with fun, games and riddles in Sanskrit.

Sanskrit Prayers - A blog with scripts for commonly used prayers with notations for easy learning and precise pronunciations.

Kashi Delights - A blog with recipes for healthy and exquisite homemade foods along with tips, tricks and pictures.

Hey, there's a Subhāṣita for that!

Click here to register!

Sanskrit Subhāṣitas are concise and profound thoughts presented in the form of couplets.  

The summer of 2020, Sanskrit Pearls brings you a 

4-week session of free online classes under the title

Hey, there's a Subhāṣita for that!

Intellect, virtue, wealth, society, discipline, friendship, conduct, parenting, food habits, etc.

Learn numerous Subhāṣitas for real-life scenarios! 

Inculcate power-packed values in an easy and fun manner!

Prior knowledge of Sanskrit is NOT essential.  

When:

Every Saturday

Jul 11th to Aug 1st, 2020

Time: 

10:30 - 11:45 am EDT

8:00 - 9:15 pm IST

Age group:

Adults and High schoolers

Conducted by:

Rashmi Kashi

CIF - Hey, there's a Subhāṣita for that!

Click here to register!

Sanskrit Subhāṣitas are concise and profound thoughts presented in the form of couplets.  

This November 2020, 

under Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF),

Sanskrit Pearls brings you a NEW

12-weeks + 1 Bonus Week session of free online classes under the title

Hey, there's a Subhāṣita for that!

Though it is a free webinar, registration is mandatory.

Intellect, virtue, wealth, society, discipline, friendship, conduct, parenting, food habits, etc.

Learn numerous Subhāṣitas for real-life scenarios! 

Inculcate power-packed values in an easy and fun manner!

Prior knowledge of Sanskrit is NOT essential.  

Age group:

All are welcome!

Please note the dates and times 

as per your respective timezones!

When:

India dates and times

Every Saturday morning

Nov 7th  to Jan 23rd

(Now till Jan 30th) 

7:30 - 8:30 am IST

New York dates and times

Every Friday night

Nov 6th to Jan 22nd

(Now till Jan 29th)

9:00 - 10:00 pm EDT

Conducted by:

Rashmi Kashi

CIF and CVV - Hey, there's a Subhāṣita for that! - 2021

Click here to register!

Sanskrit Subhāṣitas are concise and profound thoughts presented in the form of couplets.  

This July 2021, 

under Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF),

in association with Chinmaya VishwaVidyapeeth

Sanskrit Pearls brings you a NEW

12-weeks + 1 Bonus Week session of free online classes 

under the title

Hey, there's a Subhāṣita for that! - 2021

Though it is a free webinar, registration is mandatory.

Intellect, virtue, wealth, society, discipline, friendship, conduct, parenting, food habits, etc.

Learn numerous Subhāṣitas for real-life scenarios! 

Inculcate power-packed values in an easy and fun manner!

Prior knowledge of Sanskrit is NOT essential.  

Age group:

All are welcome!

Please note the dates and times 

as per your respective timezones!

When:

India dates and times

Every Saturday evenings

Jul 10th  to Sept 25th

(Now till Oct 16th)

8:30 - 9:30 am IST

New York dates and times

Every Saturday mornings

Jul 10th  to Sept 25th

(Now till Oct 16th)

11:00 - 12:00 pm EDT

Conducted by:

Rashmi Kashi