Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
आरोप्यते शिला शैले यथा यत्नेन भूयसा ।
निपात्यते सुखेनाधः तथात्मा गुणदोषयोः ॥
- हितोपदेश, सुहृद्भेद
Transliteration:
āropyate śilā śaile yathā yatnena bhūyasā ।
nipātyate sukhenādhaḥ tathātmā guṇadoṣayoḥ ॥
- hitopadeśa, suhṛdbheda
Meaning of the subhAShita:
With tremendous effort, a big stone can be raised onto the top of a mountain. It can also be rolled down very easily. Same (happens) in the case of the self, (due to) efficacies and defects.
Commentary:
If a stone was required to be carried up a steep mountain, it would take a great deal of strenuous effort on one's part. When it needs to be brought downhill, all it takes is one gentle push and then gravity is in charge. The stone rolls all the way down, making it difficult to even pause it in between!
The exact same is the scenario with the आत्मा (atmā - self). The atmā needs to climb the huge, hard, steep and rugged mountain of संसार (saṃsāra - worldly existence). It takes a lot of effort to climb uphill. That climbing is done with the assistance of गुणाः (guṇāḥ - efficacies, merits, virtues). It takes a lot of guṇas for the self to put one step in front of another and conquer the uphill trek. But a small effort in the other direction, a gentle push given by the दोषाः (doṣāḥ - defects, blemishes, faults, weaknesses - can be given multitudes of names), very easily rolls the atmā down the hill, in an instant, negating all the efforts in climbing up so far! At that point, the self doesn't even have a hold on how far down it will reach. If there is a pivot strong enough on the way, it might stop midway, else, it will fall all the way down and then some (because of the potential gained during the rolling :).
One needs to be very cautious about every action and thought. It can either be a guṇa or a doṣa. They need to be entertained accordingly if the conquest of sasaṃsāra is the goal!
pada vigrahaH:
आरोप्यते शिला शैले यथा यत्नेन भूयसा ।
āropyate śilā śaile yathā yatnena bhūyasā ।
निपात्यते सुखेन् आधः तथा अत्मा गुण-दोषयोः ॥
nipātyate sukhen ādhaḥ tathā atmā guṇa-doṣayoḥ ॥
The exact same is the scenario with the आत्मा (atmā - self). The atmā needs to climb the huge, hard, steep and rugged mountain of संसार (saṃsāra - worldly existence). It takes a lot of effort to climb uphill. That climbing is done with the assistance of गुणाः (guṇāḥ - efficacies, merits, virtues). It takes a lot of guṇas for the self to put one step in front of another and conquer the uphill trek. But a small effort in the other direction, a gentle push given by the दोषाः (doṣāḥ - defects, blemishes, faults, weaknesses - can be given multitudes of names), very easily rolls the atmā down the hill, in an instant, negating all the efforts in climbing up so far! At that point, the self doesn't even have a hold on how far down it will reach. If there is a pivot strong enough on the way, it might stop midway, else, it will fall all the way down and then some (because of the potential gained during the rolling :).
One needs to be very cautious about every action and thought. It can either be a guṇa or a doṣa. They need to be entertained accordingly if the conquest of sasaṃsāra is the goal!
pada vigrahaH:
आरोप्यते शिला शैले यथा यत्नेन भूयसा ।
āropyate śilā śaile yathā yatnena bhūyasā ।
निपात्यते सुखेन् आधः तथा अत्मा गुण-दोषयोः ॥
nipātyate sukhen ādhaḥ tathā atmā guṇa-doṣayoḥ ॥
aaropyate shilaa shaile yathaa yatnena bhUyasaa ।
nipaatyate sukhenaadhaH tathaatmaa guNadoShayoH ॥
- hitopadesha, suhRudbheda
aaropyate shilaa shaile yathaa yatnena bhUyasaa ।
nipaatyate sukhen aadhaH tathaa atmaa guNa-doShayoH ॥
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