September 30th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
चिन्तायाश्च चितायाश्च बिन्दुमात्रं विशेषता ।
सजीवं दहते चिंता निर्जीवं दहते चिता ॥
- समयोचितपद्यमालिका

Transliteration:
cintāyāśca citāyāśca bindumātraṃ viśeṣatā ।
sajīvaṃ dahate ciṃtā nirjīvaṃ dahate citā ॥
- samayocitapadyamālikā

Meaning of the subhAShita:
The difference between चिता 'citā' and चिंता 'ciṃtā' is just a dot. While 'citā' burns one dead, 'ciṃtā' burns one alive.

Commentary:
When written on paper (in Sanskrit), the words citā and ciṃtā differ just by a bindu (dot). (Grammatically speaking, the word 'ciṃtā' has to be written as चिन्ता.  But the poet has taken the liberty of writing it as चिंता.  Therefore, he has said that the only difference is the 'dot on the top'.)

But the essence of these two words is entirely different from each other. While citā (pyre) burns a person after death, ciṃtā (anxiety) burns a person alive. This clearly illustrates that anxiety is more harmful than even the burning pyre. 

There isn't much that can be achieved by being anxious. No solutions have ever been reached by anxiety, except a bunch of health hazards. So why bother with it?

Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, but will certainly take away today's peace.  Therefore, the motto should be, 'Don't worry, be happy'.

pada vigrahaH:
चिन्तायाः च चितायाः च बिन्दु-मात्रं विशेषता ।
cintāyāḥ ca citāyāḥ ca bindu-mātraṃ viśeṣatā ।

सजीवं दहते चिन्ता निर्जीवं दहते चिता ॥
sajīvaṃ dahate cintā nirjīvaṃ dahate citā ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
chintaayaashcha chitaayaashcha bindumaatraM visheShataa ।
sajeevaM dahate chintaa nirjeevaM dahate chitaa ॥
- samayochitapadyamaalikaa

chintaayaaH cha chitaayaaH cha bindu-maatraM visheShataa ।

sajeevaM dahate chintaa nirjeevaM dahate chitaa ॥

September 29th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
तक्षकस्य विषं दन्ते मक्षिकायाश्च मस्तके ।
वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे सर्वाङ्गे दुर्जनस्य च ॥
- समयोचितपद्यमालिका

Transliteration:
takṣakasya viṣaṃ dante makṣikāyāśca mastake ।
vṛścikasya viṣaṃ pucche sarvāṅge durjanasya ca ॥
- samayocitapadyamālikā

Meaning of the subhAShita:

A snake has poison in its teeth; a bee (has poison) in its head; a scorpion has poison in its tail; whereas a durjana (evil-doer) has poison in all parts of his body.

Commentary:

Animals store poison in different parts of their body as a mode of defense from their predators. They hold it in only one specific part of their body, i.e., a snake in its teeth; a bee in its head (the sting is located on its head); and a scorpion in its tail.  Also, animals won't strike unless provoked.  And when they do, they strike to protect themselves.

But an evildoer has poison in all parts of his body! In the sense that his thoughts, words, actions, intentions, etc., are all poisonous and evil. Many a time he doesn't even need to be provoked.  He will strike just for self-gratification or amusement!  

Evil people don't just hurt others, but they draw happiness from the pain of their victims.  Be warned and beware of them.

pada vigrahaH:
तक्षकस्य विषं दन्ते मक्षिकायाः च मस्तके ।
takṣakasya viṣaṃ dante makṣikāyāḥ ca mastake ।

वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे सर्व-अङ्गे दुर्जनस्य च ॥
vṛścikasya viṣaṃ pucche sarva-aṅge durjanasya ca ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
takShakasya viShaM dante makShikaayaashcha mastake ।
vRushchikasya viShaM puchChe sarvaange durjanasya cha ॥
- samyochitapadyamaalikaa

takShakasya viShaM dante makShikaayaaH cha mastake ।

vRushchikasya viShaM puchChe sarva-a~nge durjanasya cha ॥

September 28th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठः तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
- भगवद्गीता, कर्म योग

Transliteration:
yadyadācarati śreṣṭhaḥ tattadevetaro janaḥ ।
sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate ॥
- bhagavadgītā, karma yoga

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Whatever noble (people) engage in, the rest (of the world) follows. Whatever they set as an example is imitated by all.

Commentary:

Great power comes with great responsibility.  

This is a warning to the powerful and famous! They need to be aware of their actions because they set an example for all those who tread the same path.

The "powerful and famous" are not necessarily only those people who make headlines. It begins within a family unit. A mother and father are powerful and famous in the eyes of their children.  After all, they follow the paths of their parents. Schools follow the footsteps of their teachers, and nations follow the paths of their leaders. So, if a community needs to be better, then the people leading it should be very cautious of their actions.

The key to great leadership is influence, not authority!  A leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.  So tread cautiously. Become the kind of leader whom people would like to follow voluntarily, even though you have no title or position.  

pada vigrahaH:
यत् यत् आचरति श्रेष्ठः तत् तत् एव इतरः जनः । 
yat yat ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ tat tat eva itaraḥ janaḥ ।

स यत् प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकः तत् अनुवर्तते ॥
sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokaḥ tat anuvartate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:

yadyadaacharati shreShThaH tattadevetaro janaH ।

sa yatpramaaNaM kurute lokastadanuvartate ॥

- bhagavadgeetaa, karma yoga

yat yat aacharati shreShThaH tat tat eva itaraH janaH ।
sa yat pramaaNaM kurute lokaH tat anuvartate ॥

September 27th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
यौवनं धनसम्पत्तिः प्रभुत्वमविवेकता ।
एकैकमप्यनर्थाय किमु यत्र चतुष्टयम् ॥
- हितोपदेश

Transliteration:
yauvanaṃ dhanasampattiḥ prabhutvamavivekatā ।
ekaikamapyanarthāya kimu yatra catuṣṭayam ॥
- hitopadeśa

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Youth, money, power, thoughtlessness—each can cause havoc. What can be said when all four converge?!

Commentary:

Youth (adolescence), an abundance of money, authority, and imprudence are each disastrous. One can only imagine the plight of those around when these four qualities come together, in one person!

Humility, generosity, proper use of power, and appropriate intellect are the faculties that lead to shaping a person's character.  If one wants to be well-rounded, it can only come through deeply ingrained values. It is not sufficient if children are only brought up with an abundance of comforts and luxuries. Knowing the worth of the privileges they have will take them much farther than getting their way all the time.

Good values, like fingerprints, are left all over everything we do.  Life is not about possessions but about passions and having the right values!  

pada vigrahaH:
यौवनं धन-सम्पत्तिः प्रभुत्वम् अविवेकता ।
yauvanaṃ dhana-sampattiḥ prabhutvam avivekatā ।

एक-एकम् अपि अनर्थाय किमु यत्र चतुष्टयम् ॥
eka-ekam api anarthāya kimu yatra catuṣṭayam ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
yauvanaM dhanasampattiH prabhutvamavivekataa ।

ekaikamapyanarthaaya kimu yatra chatuShTayam ॥

- hitopadesha

yauvanaM dhana-sampattiH prabhutvam avivekataa ।
eka-ekam api anarthaaya kimu yatra chatuShTayam ॥

September 26th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
अन्नदानं महादानं विद्यादानमतः परम् ।
अन्नेन क्षणिका तृप्तिः यावज्जीवञ्च विद्यया ॥

Transliteration:
annadānaṃ mahādānaṃ vidyādānamataḥ param ।
annena kṣaṇikā tṛptiḥ yāvajjīvañca vidyayā ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Giving food to a person is a great deed, but giving vidyā (education) is even better. The satisfaction (obtained) from food is momentary, but that (obtained) from vidyā lasts a lifetime.

Commentary:

This probably was the source for the saying 'Give a man a fish, you feed him once. Teach him to fish and you feed him for life'. Indeed there is great satisfaction in giving. Giving food to the needy is essential, but a better dānaṃ (giving) is the giving of education.  Knowledge should be given selflessly, only for the sake of giving knowledge to the other person alone. Nothing should be expected in return. 

By sharing, knowledge (vidyā) doesn't end with us but gets carried on to future generations. That's how scriptures were passed down through the generations to us today. If not shared, every generation would have to start with reinventing the wheel and discovering fire.  Giving knowledge (vidyādānaṃ) is indeed deemed the greatest of all kinds of giving.

Share the knowledge, spread the knowledge!

pada vigrahaH:
अन्न-दानं महा-दानं विद्या-दानम् अतः परम् ।
anna-dānaṃ mahā-dānaṃ vidyā-dānam ataḥ param ।

अन्नेन क्षणिका तृप्तिः यावत् जीवं च विद्यया ॥
annena kṣaṇikā tṛptiḥ yāvat jīvaṃ ca vidyayā ॥

Alternate Transliteration:

annadaanaM mahaadaanaM vidyaadaanamataH param ।

annena kShaNikaa tRuptiH yaavajjIva~ncha vidyayaa ॥

anna-daanaM mahaa-daanaM vidyaa-daanam ataH param ।
annena kShaNikaa tRuptiH yaavat jIvaM cha vidyayaa ॥

September 25th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
संसारविषवृक्षस्य द्वे फले ह्यमृतोपमे ।
सुभाषितरसस्वादः सङ्गतिः सुजनैः सह ॥
- सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार

Transliteration:

saṃsāraviṣavṛkṣasya dve phale hyamṛtopame ।
subhāṣitarasasvādaḥ saṅgatiḥ sujanaiḥ saha ॥
- subhāṣitaratnabhāṇḍāgāra

Meaning of the subhAShita:

In this poisonous tree called 'saṃsāra' (life), only two fruits are equal to the divine nectar (amṛtam). One is the taste of subhāṣitas (and) the other is keeping company with good people. 

Commentary:

Subhāṣita, a celebrated genre of Saṃskṛtam (Sanskrit) literature, embodies the essence of timeless wisdom. These eloquent, compact verses distill profound truths and offer life lessons in a manner that is both poetic and practical. Their universal relevance transcends eras, cultures, and languages, making them a cornerstone of Sanskrit’s literary tradition. While every language has its share of aphorisms and proverbs, Sanskrit stands apart for the sheer abundance, depth, and refinement of its subhāṣitas, which continue to inspire generations.

A remarkable feature of Sanskrit literature is its self-reflective nature—there are even subhāṣitas that extol the importance of subhāṣitas! This is one such verse that beautifully likens worldly life to a poisonous tree, emphasizing its challenges and illusions. Yet, the poet highlights that even this metaphorical tree bears two divine fruits: the joy of keeping good company and the delight of savoring subhāṣitas. Together, these serve as an antidote to the hardships of life, offering a sense of purpose and perspective.

Good company enriches the soul, and the wisdom embedded in subhāṣitas sharpens the mind and nourishes the heart. Both remind us that amidst the chaos and fleeting distractions of the material world, it is these treasures—companionship, and wisdom of the subhāṣitas—which provide enduring solace and meaning. In the end, everything else pales in comparison, hence the poet so aptly declares, 'everything else in this world is as good as poison!'

pada vigrahaH:

संसार-विष-वृक्षस्य द्वे फले हि अमृत-उपमे ।
saṃsāra-viṣa-vṛkṣasya dve phale hi amṛta-upame ।

सुभाषित-रस-स्वादः सङ्गतिः सुजनैः सह ॥
subhāṣita-rasa-svādaḥ saṅgatiḥ sujanaiḥ saha ॥

Alternate Transliteration:

saMsaaraviShavRukShasya dve phale hyamRutopame ।

subhaaShitarasasvaadaH sa~ngatiH sujanaiH saha ॥

- subhaaShitaratnabhaaNDaagaara

saMsaara-viSha-vRukShasya dve phale hi amRuta-upame ।
subhaaShita-rasa-svaadaH sa~ngatiH sujanaiH saha ॥