December 10th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
क्षणशः कणशश्चैव विद्यामर्थं च साधयेत् ।
क्षणत्यागे कुतो विद्या कणत्यागे कुतो धनम् ॥

- सुभाषितावलि

Transliteration:
kṣaṇaśaḥ kaṇaśaścaiva vidyāmarthaṃ ca sādhayet ।
kṣaṇatyāge kuto vidyā kaṇatyāge kuto dhanam ॥
- subhāṣitāvali

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Knowledge and wealth are procured with every moment and grain (respectively). (If) a moment is wasted, how can knowledge (be accrued)? (If a) grain is wasted, how can wealth (be accumulated)?

Commentary:
There is no limit to learning. If one is willing to further his quest for knowledge, he has to work incessantly towards achieving that goal. Every moment lost is equivalent to vidyā (knowledge) lost. The message for a student, (vidyārthī - literally, one yearning for vidyā) is: He has to strive continuously and focus on learning more each day, each hour, each moment.

If a farmer is willing to harvest more, he has to value every grain that he has grown. He cannot be negligent and scatter his harvest around. The advocacy here is not for becoming stingy, but to be mindful of the value of the grains and the toil that went into growing the grains. Only then can he be prosperous!

Just as every drop of water adds to become the mighty ocean, every moment of learning accounts for one's knowledge.  Every ounce of grain contributes to making one prosperous!

pada vigrahaH:
क्षणशः कणशः च एव विद्याम् अर्थं च साधयेत् ।
kṣaṇaśaḥ kaṇaśaḥ ca eva vidyām arthaṃ ca sādhayet ।

क्षण-त्यागे कुतः विद्या कण-त्यागे कुतः धनम् ॥
kṣaṇa-tyāge kutaḥ vidyā kaṇa-tyāge kutaḥ dhanam ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
kShaNashaH kaNashashchaiva vidyaamarthaM cha saadhayet
kShaNatyaage kuto vidyaa kaNatyaage kuto dhanam
- subhaaShitaavali

kShaNashaH kaNashaH cha eva vidyaam arthaM cha saadhayet ।
kShaNa tyaage kutaH vidyaa kaNa tyaage kutaH dhanam ॥

2 comments:

  1. Can you please tell me the text where this shloka is taken from?

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    Replies
    1. सुभाषितावलि
      Source references have been given right below the verses, wherever known. Hope that helps.

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