June 16th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
श्लोकेन वा तदर्धेन पादेनैकाक्षरेण वा ।
अबन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्यात् ध्यानाध्ययन कर्मभिः ॥

- चाणक्य नीति

Transliteration:
ślokena vā tadardhena pādenaikākṣareṇa vā ।
abandhyaṃ divasaṃ kuryāt dhyānādhyayana karmabhiḥ ॥
- cāṇakya nīti

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Every day, one should study a verse, or a half, or a quarter, or even a syllable. Never waste a day without contemplating and learning.

Commentary:
From learning to putting forth the first steps, to talking the first words, from school to college, from college to post-graduation, every new day is a new life with new learning! After these stages, life stagnates because learning stagnates! It is easy for people to succumb to their routines and mundane chores. The love for learning can be lost from sight.

The reason is not busy schedules, it is prioritization! If learning is a top priority, one will find a way to set aside some time for learning regularly. Learning is beneficial in many ways. Not only does the knowledge base improve, but it also keeps the brain younger and sharper. There is no better way to whet the appetite of the brain than keeping it active and alert!

The verse says one should learn a verse, or half, or a quarter, or at least a syllable. One of the reasons for this is that in the olden days, all knowledge was passed on in the form of verses.  They had methods to memorize easily and pass it on to future generations without errors. The very essence of life was captured and encapsulated into power-packed verses. Learning them meant not just chanting them, but contemplating their meaning and applying them to daily lives. Life is precious and short at the same time. Not a single day should be wasted without learning and contemplating the teachings extracted from these verses from the scriptures.

One should get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn.  This means one's whole lifetime! Someone very appropriately said, "I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma."  There is no ending to learning. Honestly, one's life is too short for all the learning, contemplating and pondering that there is. So, keep thinking, keep learning, keep growing...

pada vigrahaH:
श्लोकेन वा तत् अर्धेन पादेन एक-अक्षरेण वा ।

ślokena vā tat ardhena pādena eka-akṣareṇa vā ।

अबन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्यात् ध्यान-अध्ययन-कर्मभिः ॥
abandhyaṃ divasaṃ kuryāt dhyāna-adhyayana-karmabhiḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
shlokena vaa tadardhena paadenaikaakShareNa vaa ।
abandhyaM divasaM kuryaat dhyaanaadhyayana karmabhiH ॥
- chaaNakya nIti

shlokena vaa tat ardhena paadena eka-akShareNa vaa ।
abandyaM divasam kuryaat dhyaana-adhyana-karmabhiH ॥

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