May 28th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
यदेवोपनतं दुःखात् सुखं तद्रसवत्तरम् ।
निर्वाणाय तरुच्छाया तप्‍तस्य हि विशेषतः ॥

- विक्रमोर्वशीय

Transliteration:
yadevopanataṃ duḥkhāt sukhaṃ tadrasavattaram ।
nirvāṇāya tarucchāyā tap‍tasya hi viśeṣataḥ ॥
- vikramorvaśīya

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Attaining pleasure after being befallen with pain is more opulent. The shadow of a tree is more comforting to the one afflicted by the heat of the Sun.

Commentary:
What if a blind man suddenly got his sight?! How would a deaf person feel if he was able to hear?! Their joy would have no bounds!! This is because they know how it feels to not have that particular faculty. When a normal person wakes up in the morning and sees the sun rising in the skies, he wouldn't celebrate it with the same intensity!

Hence, the poet says that pleasure is much more appealing to those that have been crestfallen with sorrow. That pleasure is much more enjoyable and valuable to those that have actually missed it. For a poor man who has to slog to make ends meet every day, a meal is much more satiating for him than for a person who rolls in wealth with nothing beyond his reach.

Similarly, the shade of a tree is comforting to someone in the hot sun. Not that the shade is not comforting to others, but it is extra comforting to the one who is already scorched in the burning heat of the Sun.

Don't curse pain, thank it instead... When times change (which they always do), it will make pleasure that much more pleasurable!

pada vigrahaH:
यत् एव उपनतं दुःखात् सुखं तत् रसवत्तरम् ।
yat eva upanataṃ duḥkhāt sukhaṃ tat rasavattaram ।

निर्वाणाय तरोः छाया तप्‍तस्य हि विशेषतः ॥
nirvāṇāya taroḥ chāyā tap‍tasya hi viśeṣataḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
yadevopanataM duHkhaat sukhaM tadrasavattaram ।
nirvaaNaaya taruchChaayaa taptasya hi visheShataH ॥
- vikramorvashIya

yat eva upanataM duHkhaat sukhaM tat rasavattaram ।
nirvaaNaaya taroH Chaayaa tap^tasya hi visheShataH ॥

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