October 29th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day: 
ईक्षणं द्विगुणं प्रोक्तं भाषणस्येति वेधसा ।
अक्षि द्वे मनुष्याणां जिह्वात्वैकेव निर्मिता ॥

Transliteration:
īkṣaṇaṃ dviguṇaṃ proktaṃ bhāṣaṇasyeti vedhasā ।
akṣi dve manuṣyāṇāṃ jihvātvaikeva nirmitā ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita: 
It is said by the learned that seeing should be double the amount of speaking. (After all,) humans were made with two eyes but only one tongue.

Commentary: 
'Seeing', here is observing. The Lord made humans with two eyes and one tongue for a good reason. The hidden message behind this is - one should observe more than one speaks! Well..., talking should be cut to half the amount of seeing. Mathematically speaking, we have only one tongue and two eyes after all. This message is hence justified :).

Being a 'mūka prekṣaka' or sākṣī' (silent observer) without reacting to events instantaneously, takes a lot of willpower.

This is reminiscent of the statement - 'Speech is silver, silence is gold'!  So, the rule of thumb should be - have more than you show, speak less than you know.  

pada vigrahaH: 
ईक्षणं द्विगुणं प्रोक्तं भाषणस्य इति वेधसा ।
īkṣaṇaṃ dviguṇaṃ proktaṃ bhāṣaṇasya iti vedhasā ।

अक्षि द्वे मनुष्याणां जिह्वा तु एका एव निर्मिता ॥
akṣi dve manuṣyāṇāṃ jihvā tu ekā eva nirmitā ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
eekShaNaM dviguNaM proktaM bhaaShaNasyeti vedhasaa ।
akShi dve manuShyaaNaaM jihvaatvaikeva nirmitaa ॥

eekShaNaM dviguNaM proktaM bhaaShaNasya iti vedhasaa ।
akShi dve manuShyaaNaaM jihvaa tu ekaa eva nirmitaa ॥

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