Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
चत्वारो धनदायादाः धर्माग्निनृपतस्कराः ।
तेषां ज्येष्ठावमानेन त्रयः कुप्यन्ति सोदराः ॥
- त्रिशतीव्याख्या, नीति
Transliteration:
catvāro dhanadāyādāḥ dharmāgninṛpataskarāḥ ।
teṣāṃ jyeṣṭhāvamānena trayaḥ kupyanti sodarāḥ ॥
- triśatīvyākhyā, nīti
Meaning of the subhAShita:
The four cousins of wealth are virtue, fire, king, and thief. If the older one, virtue, is disrespected, the other three brothers get livid!
Commentary:
The rivalry between cousins is very well established in the epic, Mahābhārata. When a cousin shows negligence towards one of the brothers, all the other brothers stand up against him until he is crushed to dust. The poet has beautifully extended this to compare money/wealth to the likes of Duryodhana. Virtue, fire, king, and thief (although only 4 here), are the Pāṇḍavas. If the first brother (virtue) is disrespected by their cousin (wealth), then the rest of the brothers (fire, king, and thief) are enraged. Together, they will destroy the evil brother and avenge the disrespect of their own brother (virtue).
The metaphorical meaning here is, that if wealth were to be used for unjust purposes which disrespect or humiliate virtue, it would have to face the wrath of 3 types of calamities—fire, king, and thief! These 3 will be the reason for the downfall of wealth that is not used for performing good deeds. Such wealth can get destroyed:
Wealth, like happiness, is never attained when sought after directly. It comes as a by-product of performing virtuous deeds. Wealth is worthless when the curtains are closing down, but righteousness delivers from death. Be righteous!
pada vigrahaH:
चत्वारः धन-दायादाः धर्म-अग्नि-नृप-तस्कराः ।
catvāraḥ dhana-dāyādāḥ dharma-agni-nṛpa-taskarāḥ ।
तेषां ज्येष्ठ-अवमानेन त्रयः कुप्यन्ति सोदराः ॥
teṣāṃ jyeṣṭha-avamānena trayaḥ kupyanti sodarāḥ ॥
The metaphorical meaning here is, that if wealth were to be used for unjust purposes which disrespect or humiliate virtue, it would have to face the wrath of 3 types of calamities—fire, king, and thief! These 3 will be the reason for the downfall of wealth that is not used for performing good deeds. Such wealth can get destroyed:
- by fire or another such natural calamity;
- a king or an official might annex it; or
- a thief might lay his hands on it.
Wealth, like happiness, is never attained when sought after directly. It comes as a by-product of performing virtuous deeds. Wealth is worthless when the curtains are closing down, but righteousness delivers from death. Be righteous!
pada vigrahaH:
चत्वारः धन-दायादाः धर्म-अग्नि-नृप-तस्कराः ।
catvāraḥ dhana-dāyādāḥ dharma-agni-nṛpa-taskarāḥ ।
तेषां ज्येष्ठ-अवमानेन त्रयः कुप्यन्ति सोदराः ॥
teṣāṃ jyeṣṭha-avamānena trayaḥ kupyanti sodarāḥ ॥
chatvaaro dhanadaayaadaaH dharmaagninRupataskaraaH ।
teShaaM jyeShThaavamaanena trayaH kupyanti sodaraaH ॥
- trishatIvyaakhyaa, nIti
chatvaaraH dhana-daayaadaaH dharma-agni-nRupa-taskaraaH ।
teShaaM jyeShTha-avamaanena trayaH kupyanti sodaraaH ॥
No comments:
Post a Comment