March 11th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
नमन्ति फलिता वृक्षाः नमन्ति च बुधा जनाः ।
शुष्ककाष्ठानि मूर्खाश्च भिद्यन्ते न नमन्ति च ॥
- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

Transliteration:
namanti phalitā vṛkṣāḥ namanti ca budhā janāḥ ।
śuṣkakāṣṭhāni mūrkhāśca bhidyante na namanti ca ॥
- subhāṣitasudhānidhi

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Fruit bearing trees are bent in prostration and so are the learned. Dry twigs and the foolish do not bend and are slit and broken.

Commentary:

A tree filled with fruit cannot stand stiff and stark, as if in pride. It bends down in humility and offers its fruit to the world. Similarly, the learned and wise bow down in prostration to the supreme power in each individual. They do not pride themselves and display arrogance towards others. They are neither haughty nor high strung due to their knowledge. Rather, they are humble and compassionate.

On the other hand, dry sapless trees stand stiff and straight as if nothing can affect them. But one fine day, they get felled by someone, break in the wind or become fuel for some wildfire! Similarly, only fools think highly of themselves and do not care for true knowledge. If they attain the same fate as the dry twigs of a sapless tree, why should one be surprised?!

Humility is an adornment of the wise! Be humble.

pada vigrahaH:
नमन्ति फलिताः वृक्षाः नमन्ति च बुधाः जनाः ।
namanti phalitāḥ vṛkṣāḥ namanti ca budhāḥ janāḥ ।

शुष्क-काष्ठानि मूर्खाः च भिद्यन्ते न नमन्ति च ॥
śuṣka-kāṣṭhāni mūrkhāḥ ca bhidyante na namanti ca ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
namanti phalitaa vRukShaaH namanti cha budhaa janaaH ।
shuShkakaaShThaani mUrkhaashcha bhidyante na namanti cha ॥
- subhaaShitasudhaanidhi

namanti phalitaaH vRukShaa namanti cha budhaaH janaaH ।

shuShka-kaaShThaani mUrkhaaH cha bhidyante na namanti cha ॥