January 19th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
शतं विहाय भोक्तव्यं सहस्रं स्नानमाचरेत् ।
लक्षं विहाय दातव्यं सर्वं त्यक्त्वा हरिं भजेत् ॥

Transliteration:
śataṃ vihāya bhoktavyaṃ sahasraṃ snānamācaret ।
lakṣaṃ vihāya dātavyaṃ sarvaṃ tyaktvā hariṃ bhajet ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Abandon 100 (errands) to eat; (abandon) 1000 (tasks) to perform ablutions; abandon 100,000 (chores) and give charity; set aside everything to serve the Lord.

Commentary:
The first sentence is enticing! Drop a 100 things on the to-do list and eat. This is said because food is essential for survival.

But then the second part of the verse says, "Drop a 1000 chores (that includes eating) and take a bath".  This is because cleanliness is Godliness.

The third quarter of the verse says, "Giving charity and doing charitable actions takes more priority than a hundred thousand other jobs (including eating and bathing)".

The final quarter says, "Leave everything (including eating, bathing, giving) and serve the Lord".

The verse does not advocate leaving all duties and simply sitting in prayer! Certainly not!! The main intent of the verse is to portray that we need to see the work of the Supreme Power in every single moment, in and through everything we do in our lives. We can't survive without eating or bathing or doing good for others. 

This verse urges us to see divinity in all aspects of daily life. We must continue to do what we do, only with a different attitude—that of अर्पणभाव (arpaṇabhāva, an attitude of offering). Everything we do should be an offering to the Lord. Life becomes a lot easier and the world suddenly becomes a happier place to live in. 

When we see divinity, we become divine. 

pada vigrahaH:
शतं विहाय भोक्तव्यं सहस्रं स्नानम् आचरेत् ।
śataṃ vihāya bhoktavyaṃ sahasraṃ snānam ācaret ।

लक्षं विहाय दातव्यं सर्वं त्यक्त्वा हरिं भजेत् ॥
lakṣaṃ vihāya dātavyaṃ sarvaṃ tyaktvā hariṃ bhajet ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
shataM vihaaya bhoktavyaM sahasraM snaanamaacharet ।
lakShaM vihaaya daatavyaM sarvaM tyaktvaa hariM bhajet ॥

shataM vihaaya bhoktavyaM sahasraM snaanam aacharet ।
lakShaM vihaaya daatavyaM sarvaM tyaktvaa hariM bhajet ॥

1 comment:

  1. शतं विहायेति श्लोकस्य भावमेवमभिप्रैम्यहम्----"विचित्रा देहसम्पत्तिः
    ईश्वराय निवेदितुं।पूर्वमेव कृता (राजन्)हस्तपादादिसंयुता"इति,"परोपकारार्थमिदं शरीर"मिति सूक्तिद्वयस्य अर्थः मनसि निधीयते चेत् जीवितपरमार्थं ज्ञास्यामः।यत्किमपि सत्कार्यं कर्तुं
    शरीरं प्रधानमिति "शरीरमाद्यं खलु धर्मसाधन"मिति सूक्त्या जानीमः खलु।अतः शरीररक्षणार्थमुद्दिष्टोऽयं श्लोकः।भोजनस्य स्नानस्य दानस्य भगवतः स्मरणस्य च प्राधान्येन शतमिति सहस्रमिति लक्षमिति केवलं बाहुळ्यद्योतनाय "यानि कानि च कार्याण्यन्यानि विहायेत्युक्तमिति मे मतिः।सङ्ख्यायाः प्राधान्यं नास्तीति च मे मतिः।

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