March 8th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
अप्रार्थितानि दुःखानि यथैवायान्ति देहिनाम् ।
सुखान्यपि तथा मन्ये दैन्यमत्रातिरिच्यते ॥

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

Transliteration:
aprārthitāni duḥkhāni yathaivāyānti dehinām ।
sukhānyapi tathā manye dainyamatrātiricyate ॥
- subhāṣitasudhānidhi

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Just as sorrows come and unite with beings (ones with bodies) without being asked for, so do the pleasures, I deem. But only (in sorrow), affliction is predominant.

Commentary:
As beings, the spontaneous response to sorrow is, 'why me? Why do I get so much pain?!' Affliction and misery come along as if they are a package deal, accompanying the sorrow. We are depressed, tense and anxious all the time...

When blissful, we almost NEVER hear anyone say 'why me?  Why did I get so much pleasure! Why does this always happen to me?' One indulges in his comforts and happiness, blissfully!

The poet deems that pleasure and pain both come without being asked for. It is not in one's hands to pray for either joys or sorrows. Neither stops coming because we don't want it to nor comes because we want it to! Both come naturally one after the other. Like a wheel, they turn cycles. (What was at the highest point has to certainly go to the lowest too, before it comes back to the highest position again...). There is no difference in the nature of either of them. But the only difference is the agony that one feels when in sorrow.

Why validate the misery by feeling miserable? Why not take it in a stride and say 'this too shall pass...'. Because, no matter what we say, no state will linger on and stagnate forever. Then, why make the feeling linger?!

pada vigrahaH:
अप्रार्थितानि दुःखानि यथा एव आयान्ति देहिनाम् ।
aprārthitāni duḥkhāni yathā eva āyānti dehinām ।

सुखानि अपि तथा मन्ये दैन्यम् अत्र अतिरिच्यते ॥
sukhāni api tathā manye dainyam atra atiricyate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
apraarthitaani duHkhaani yathaivaayaanti dehinaam ।
sukhaanyapi tathaa manye dainyamatraatirichyate ॥
- subhaaShitasudhaanidhi

apraarthitaani duHkhaani yathaa eva aayaanti dehinaam ।
sukhaani api tathaa manye dainyam atra atirichyate ॥

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