Novmeber 15th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
सन्तप्‍तायसि संस्थितस्य पयसो नामापि न श्रूयते
मुक्ताकारतया तदेव नलिनीपत्रस्थितं दृश्यते ।
स्वात्यां सागरशुक्तिमध्यपतितं सन्मौक्तिकं जायते
प्रायेणाधममध्यमोत्तमगुणाः संसर्गतो जायते ॥
- नीतिशतक

Transliteration:
santap‍tāyasi saṃsthitasya payaso nāmāpi na śrūyate
muktākāratayā tadeva nalinīpatrasthitaṃ dṛśyate ।
svātyāṃ sāgaraśuktimadhyapatitaṃ sanmauktikaṃ jāyate
prāyeṇādhamamadhyamottamaguṇāḥ saṃsargato jāyate ॥
- nītiśataka

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Water placed on a hot iron disappears without a sign. The same water droplet, when placed on the leaf of a lotus will shine as if it were a pearl. (However,) if the same water, falls into a pearl shell during the svātī rains, it will turn into a good pearl! Most likely, inferior, mediocre and noble qualities arise from the company kept.

Commentary:

The same droplet of water will attain a different state, depending on the place it falls!

The droplet on a hot iron fizzes out instantly, without even a trace. Such would be the outcome of keeping an inferior company.

The same droplet, when placed on a lotus leaf, will glisten as if it were a real pearl. Although the water only 'seems' like a pearl, at least it won't get completely destroyed like the one on the hot iron. This is similar to keeping a mediocre company.  The person may seem valuable to the onlooker, but in reality, he is not.

When the same exact droplet descends into a pearl shell at the right time (rain during the svātī season), it will convert into a real pearl of high quality! Although it was a drop of plain water, it attained the honor of becoming a pearl.  Such is the company of the noble.

Being in different environments reaps different end results. So does the company we keep. To grow as noble and virtuous people, we need to keep the company of such people.

pada vigrahaH:
सन्तप्‍त-अयसि संस्थितस्य पयसः नाम अपि न श्रूयते
santap‍ta-ayasi saṃsthitasya payasaḥ nāma api na śrūyate

मुक्त-आकारतया तत् एव नलिनी-पत्र-स्थितं दृश्यते ।
mukta-ākāratayā tat eva nalinī-patra-sthitaṃ dṛśyate ।

स्वात्यां सागर-शुक्ति-मध्य-पतितं सत् मौक्तिकं जायते
svātyāṃ sāgara-śukti-madhya-patitaṃ sat mauktikaṃ jāyate

प्रायेण अधम-मध्यम-उत्तम-गुणाः संसर्गतः जायते ॥
prāyeṇa adhama-madhyama-uttama-guṇāḥ saṃsargataḥ jāyate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
santaptaayasi saMsthitasya payaso naamaapi na shrUyate
muktaakaaratayaa tadeva nalinIpatrasthitaM dRushyate ।
swaatyaaM saagarashuktimadhyapatitaM sanmouktikaM jaayate
praayeNaadhamamadhyamottamaguNaaH saMsargato jaayate ॥
- neetishataka

santapta-ayasi saMsthitasya payasaH naama api na shrUyate

mukta-aakaaratayaa tat eva nalinI-patra-sthitaM dRushyate ।

swaatyaaM saagara-shukti-madhya-patitaM sat mouktikaM jaayate

praayeNa adhama-madhyama-uttama-guNaaH saMsargataH jaayate ॥