March 6th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
लोभेनाविष्टो नरो वित्तं वीक्षते नैव चापदम् ।
दुग्धं पश्यति मार्जारः यथा न लगुडाहतिम् ॥
Transliteration:
lobhenāviṣṭo naro vittaṃ vīkṣate naiva cāpadam ।
dugdhaṃ paśyati mārjāraḥ yathā na laguḍāhatim ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:

A person filled with greed sees money, not troubles; just like a cat (that) sees the milk and not the baton blows. (To chase the cat from drinking milk, a stick is thrown at it.)

Commentary:

When a cat sees milk, it just wants to lap it all up. Not even for one moment will it think of the blows it will receive with the stick for doing so. (ASPCA - American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, will sue one for this action.) This is what happens when a cat spills over a vessel of milk in the kitchen. The cat will be chased out of the kitchen or sometimes, brandished with a stick. However, the cat will not think of this consequence when it sees the milk. It just focuses on getting the milk, not the hardship that accompanies its action. Moreover, it repeats the actions again and again, without learning its lesson.

Similarly, a person engulfed in greed sets his eyes only on acquiring more and more wealth. He will not stop to think about the repercussions he has to face or the troubles that will accompany his actions. He sets his focus on the materialistic pleasures and loses focus on the bigger picture repeatedly.

Think before you act, more than half the troubles will be eradicated!

pada vigrahaH:
लोभेन अविष्टः नरः वित्तं वीक्षते न एव च अपदम् ।
lobhena aviṣṭaḥ naraḥ vittaṃ vīkṣate na eva ca apadam ।

दुग्धं पश्यति मार्जारः यथा न लगुड-आहतिम् ॥
dugdhaṃ paśyati mārjāraḥ yathā na laguḍa-āhatim ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
lobhenaaviShTo naro vittaM vIkShate naiva chaapadam ।
dugdhaM pashyati maarjaaraH yathaa na laguDaahatim ॥

lobhena aviShTaH naraH vittaM vIkShate na eva cha apadam ।

dugdhaM pashyati maarjaaraH yathaa na laguDa-aahatim ॥