December 26th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
गिरिर्महान् गिरेरब्धिः महानब्धेर्नभो महत् ।
नभसोऽपि महद्ब्रह्मा ततोप्याशा गरीयसी ॥
- कुवलयानन्द


Transliteration:
girirmahān girerabdhiḥ mahānabdhernabho mahat ।
nabhaso'pi mahadbrahmā tatopyāśā garīyasī ॥
- kuvalayānanda

Meaning of the subhAShita:

A mountain is huge; an ocean is larger than the mountain, the sky is larger than the ocean, Brahma is larger than the sky, and desire is even bigger than Him (Brahma).

Commentary:

It is a known fact that mountains are huge. The oceans are larger because they can easily hide many mountains in them. The sky is even larger, as it spans many such oceans and the whole earth. The 'brahma tatva' (divine factor) that created all of these is certainly greater—for being able to make all of these.

But then, there is one little thing that doesn't even have a form which is born in one's mind.  It is even greater than Brahma himself! It is 'DESIRE'. It is not easy to quench the thirst of desire. Like the moles in the game of Whack-a-mole, desires keep popping up from nowhere. We whack a mole and another one pops up from a different hole.  Similarly,  if one wish is satisfied, another pops up. If that is satiated then a different one arises. This is a never-ending cycle. Brahma himself can get tired, quenching one's desires.  

The only remedy for desire arises from the same place where the desire itself arises from - one's own mind.  The mind itself has to understand the facade of desires.  They are baseless and have no end either. So, Dropping desires like a hot potato is the best way.  When the mindlessness of desires is understood, the mind finds a surefire cure for its endless problems.  It will finally be at peace. 

Do not let desires rule (and ruin) your life!  Freedom from desire leads to inner peace. 

pada vigrahaH:

गिरिः महान् गिरेः अब्धिः महान् अब्धेः नभः महत् ।
giriḥ mahān gireḥ abdhiḥ mahān abdheḥ nabhaḥ mahat ।

नभसः अपि महत् ब्रह्मा ततः अपि आशा गरीयसी ॥
nabhasaḥ api mahat brahmā tataḥ api āśā garīyasī ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
girirmahaan girerabdhiH mahaanabdhernabho mahat ।
nabhaso.pi mahadbrahmaa tatopyaashaa garIyasI ॥
- kuvalayaananda

giriH mahaan gireH abdhiH mahaan abdheH nabhaH mahat ।

nabhasaH api mahat brahmaa tataH api aashaa garIyasI ॥