Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
शरीरपोषणार्थी सन् य आत्मानं दिदृक्षति ।
ग्राहं दारुधिया धृत्वा नदीं तर्तुं स गच्छति ॥
- विवेकचूडामणि
Transliteration:
śarīrapoṣaṇārthī san ya ātmānaṃ didṛkṣati ।
grāhaṃ dārudhiyā dhṛtvā nadīṃ tartuṃ sa gacchati ॥
- vivekacūḍāmaṇi
Meaning of the subhAShita:
He who tends the body desirous of seeing the ātmā (Self), is trying to hold on to a crocodile to cross the river, thinking of it as a log!
Commentary:
'Seeing' the Self is the goal. But the body is only a means to the end. It is not the goal in itself. The body is physically visible to the eye of perception. Ātmā is much more abstract and one needs to delve deeper into his vision to perceive this. It is very easy to get distracted by the beautification of the visible body.
However, learned people say, 'Anyone who indulges himself in body beautification with the hope of seeing the ātmā is fooling himself!' This is as sensible as one trying to cross a river by riding on a crocodile with the delusion that it is a log! Just because the rider is deluded into thinking that the crocodile is a log, it will not help him cross the river. The crocodile will attack nonetheless! Such a journey will not only prove dangerous but his path gets distracted as well.
Be careless in your attire if you must but keep a tidy soul! Diseases of the soul are more dangerous and more numerous than those of the body.
pada vigrahaH:
शरीर-पोषण-अर्थी सन् यः आत्मानं दिदृक्षति ।
śarīra-poṣaṇa-arthī san yaḥ ātmānaṃ didṛkṣati ।
ग्राहं दारु-धिया धृत्वा नदीं तर्तुं सः गच्छति ॥
grāhaṃ dāru-dhiyā dhṛtvā nadīṃ tartuṃ saḥ gacchati ॥
However, learned people say, 'Anyone who indulges himself in body beautification with the hope of seeing the ātmā is fooling himself!' This is as sensible as one trying to cross a river by riding on a crocodile with the delusion that it is a log! Just because the rider is deluded into thinking that the crocodile is a log, it will not help him cross the river. The crocodile will attack nonetheless! Such a journey will not only prove dangerous but his path gets distracted as well.
Be careless in your attire if you must but keep a tidy soul! Diseases of the soul are more dangerous and more numerous than those of the body.
pada vigrahaH:
शरीर-पोषण-अर्थी सन् यः आत्मानं दिदृक्षति ।
śarīra-poṣaṇa-arthī san yaḥ ātmānaṃ didṛkṣati ।
ग्राहं दारु-धिया धृत्वा नदीं तर्तुं सः गच्छति ॥
grāhaṃ dāru-dhiyā dhṛtvā nadīṃ tartuṃ saḥ gacchati ॥
sharIrapoShaNaarthI san ya aatmaanaM didRukShati ।
graahaM daarudhiyaa dhRutvaa nadIM tartuM sa gachChati ॥
- vivekachUDaamaNi
sharIra-poShaNa-arthI san yaH aatmaanaM didRukShati ।
graahaM daaru-dhiyaa dhRutvaa nadIM tartuM saH gachChati ॥
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