April 14th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
शतेषु जायते शूरः सहस्रेषु च पण्डितः ।
वक्ता दशसहस्रेषु दाता भवति वा न वा ॥

- व्यासस्मृति

Transliteration:
śateṣu jāyate śūraḥ sahasreṣu ca paṇḍitaḥ ।
vaktā daśasahasreṣu dātā bhavati vā na vā ॥
- vyāsasmṛti

Meaning of the subhAShita:
In a hundred a brave one is born, in a thousand a scholar, and in ten thousand an orator.  Does a giver (even) exist or not?!

Commentary:
Not everyone born is brave enough to tackle all kinds of tasks. People have phobias ranging from claustrophobia (fear of enclosed small spaces) to hydrophobia (fear of water) to a simple triskaidekaphobia (fear of number 13)! A very brave person is one in a hundred.

Anyone can be educated, but a true scholar is one in a thousand.

'Oration' is a skill in itself. One could be the most knowledgeable person, but when asked to present his ideas, he could become speechless!  Someone hilariously once said, 'I'd rather be in the casket than give the Eulogy!' :)  Not everyone has the talent for public speaking.  One in ten thousand is born a good orator.

Then, the poet suspects if a true giver is born or not. A true giver is one who 'gives and forgets' without any prejudices. If such people are rarely born, then how can one write any statistics as to "one in how many is born?!"

This is one verse where the poet would be pleased to be disproved!  Being generous is a rare trait and unfortunately, not many people imbibe it.  No one has ever become poor by giving. So, give!

pada vigrahaH:
शतेषु जायते शूरः सहस्रेषु च पण्डितः ।
śateṣu jāyate śūraḥ sahasreṣu ca paṇḍitaḥ ।

वक्ता दशसहस्रेषु दाता भवति वा न वा ॥
vaktā daśasahasreṣu dātā bhavati vā na vā ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
shateShu jaayate shUraH sahasreShu cha paNDitaH ।
vaktaa dashasahasreShu daataa bhavati vaa na vaa ॥
- vyaasasmRuti

shateShu jaayate shUraH sahasreShu cha paNDitaH ।
vaktaa dashasahasreShu daataa bhavati vaa na vaa ॥

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