Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
ज्येष्ठत्वं जन्मना नैव गुणैर्ज्येष्ठत्वमुच्यते ।
गुणाद्गुरुत्वमायाति दुग्धं दधि घृतं क्रमात् ॥
Transliteration:
jyeṣṭhatvaṃ janmanā naiva guṇairjyeṣṭhatvamucyate ।
guṇādgurutvamāyāti dugdhaṃ dadhi ghṛtaṃ kramāt ॥
Meaning of the subhAShita:
It is said that seniority doesn't come by birth, it comes through efficacy. Respectability comes from merit, (just as) milk, yogurt, (and) ghee - in this order.
Commentary:
Milk comes first. From milk comes yogurt. Yogurt is churned to get butter, and later the butter is melted perfectly to get ghee. Ghee is the 'cream of the crowd', literally and figuratively, too. Milk or yogurt can't claim that spot, just because they came first and aided in making the ghee. Milk can spoil in one day; yogurt in a couple of days; butter in a week. But ghee derived from butter can last forever! Ghee which comes last has better quality in terms of longevity. Its order of origination is immaterial.
Similarly, the order of birth alone will have no significance when it comes to nature or qualities in people. Each individual develops his or her own qualities along the way and attains greatness or shallowness on their own accord. Just because one is born ahead of others doesn't mean he can demand respect forever. Respect can be both earned or lost. One can only gain so much respect for his age. After that, he has to command his respect due to his deeds or misdeeds, attitudes, and attributes.
Respect has to be commanded not demanded!
jyeṣṭhatvaṃ janmanā na eva guṇaiḥ jyeṣṭhatvam ucyate ।
गुणात् गुरुत्वम् आयाति दुग्धं दधि घृतं क्रमात् ॥
guṇāt gurutvam āyāti dugdhaṃ dadhi ghṛtaṃ kramāt ॥
Similarly, the order of birth alone will have no significance when it comes to nature or qualities in people. Each individual develops his or her own qualities along the way and attains greatness or shallowness on their own accord. Just because one is born ahead of others doesn't mean he can demand respect forever. Respect can be both earned or lost. One can only gain so much respect for his age. After that, he has to command his respect due to his deeds or misdeeds, attitudes, and attributes.
Respect has to be commanded not demanded!
pada vigrahaH:
ज्येष्ठत्वं जन्मना न एव गुणैः ज्येष्ठत्वम् उच्यते ।jyeṣṭhatvaṃ janmanā na eva guṇaiḥ jyeṣṭhatvam ucyate ।
गुणात् गुरुत्वम् आयाति दुग्धं दधि घृतं क्रमात् ॥
guṇāt gurutvam āyāti dugdhaṃ dadhi ghṛtaṃ kramāt ॥
jyeShThatvaM janmanaa naiva guNairjyeShThatvamuchyate ।
guNaadgurutvamaayaati dugdhaM dadhi ghRutaM kramaat ॥
jyeShThatvaM janmanaa na eva guNaiH jyeShThatvam uchyate ।
guNaat gurutvam aayaati dugdhaM dadhi ghRutaM kramaat ॥
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