May 24th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
धन्या बधिरा अन्धाः स एव जीवन्ति मानुषे लोके ।
न शृण्वन्ति पिशुनजनं खलानाम् ऋद्धिं न प्रेक्षन्ते ॥

- सप्‍तशती

Transliteration:
dhanyā badhirā andhāḥ sa eva jīvanti mānuṣe loke ।
na śṛṇvanti piśunajanaṃ khalānām ṛddhiṃ na prekṣante ॥
- sap‍taśatī

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Blessed are those people who live in this world as deaf and blind, for, they do not have to listen to malicious words of the slanderers or see the prosperity of the evil.

Commentary:
In today's world, where the rat race is on, everyone is scrambling to get somewhere or do something. It is generally seen that people are backbiting, being peevish and speaking slanderous words to others. The poet opines that the deaf are blessed because their shortcoming actually saves them some pain. They do not have to listen to such malicious words and fret about them or come up with devious plans to return a defaming word to the offender. They can keep their hearts and minds away from such things. Hence, they are blessed.

Time and again, the evil are seen prospering, in the direction they should not be! They are seen growing and climbing up the ladders of prosperity by using unfair means. For those who are honest, times seem to keep going bad. The poet says that the blind are the happier lot as they do not have to see the sad sight where the evil gain prosperity.

The only thing worse than blindness is - having sight but no vision. Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see! Imbibe kindness.

pada vigrahaH:
धन्याः बधिराः अन्धाः सः एव जीवन्ति मानुषे लोके ।
dhanyāḥ badhirāḥ andhāḥ saḥ eva jīvanti mānuṣe loke ।

न शृण्वन्ति पिशुन जनं खलानाम् ऋद्धिं न प्रेक्षन्ते ॥
na śṛṇvanti piśuna janaṃ khalānām ṛddhiṃ na prekṣante ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
dhanyaa badhiraa andhaaH sa eva jIvanti maanuShe loke ।
na shRuNvanti pishunajanaM khalaanaam RuddhiM na prekShante ॥
- saptashatI

dhanyaaH badhiraaH andhaaH saH eva jIvanti maanuShe loke ।
na shRuNvanti pishuna janaM khalaanaam RuddhiM na prekShante ॥

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