July 10th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
पात्रापात्रविवेकोऽस्ति धेनुपन्नगयोरिव ।
तृणात्सञ्जायते क्षीरं क्षीरात्सञ्जायते विषम् ॥
- सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार

Transliteration:
pātrāpātraviveko'sti dhenupannagayoriva ।
tṛṇātsañjāyate kṣīraṃ kṣīrātsañjāyate viṣam ॥
- subhāṣitaratnabhāṇḍāgāra

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Discrimination between the deserving and undeserving is just as it is between a cow and a snake. From grass, milk is produced (in a cow); from milk, poison is generated (in a snake).

Commentary:

Whether it is an act of giving or offering aid, it is said that the person receiving must be a deserving candidate. But how does one differentiate between the deserving and the undeserving? Very simple. The difference between the two is just like the difference between a cow and a snake. A cow eats dry grass and gives back milk in return; whereas a snake feeds on milk and produces poison! Same goes for people. The deserving, when offered even the slightest assistance, make maximum use of it and give back more than they received to society. That keeps the goodness in the world alive. But those who take all that is given to them and apply it to harm those around were obviously undeserving, to begin with.

It is better to deserve yet not receive rather than to receive without deserving.  Be deserving!

pada vigrahaH:
पात्र-अपात्र-विवेकः अस्ति धेनु-पन्नगयोः इव ।
pātra-apātra-vivekaḥ asti dhenu-pannagayoḥ iva ।

तृणात् सञ्जायते क्षीरं क्षीरात् सञ्जायते विषम् ॥
tṛṇāt sañjāyate kṣīraṃ kṣīrāt sañjāyate viṣam ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
paatraapaatraviveko.sti dhenupannagayoriva ।
tRuNaatsa~njaayate kShIraM kShIraatsa~njaayate viSham ॥
- subhaaShitaratnabhaaNDaagaara

paatra-apaatra-vivekaH asti dhenu-pannagayoH iva ।

tRuNaat sa~njaayate kShIraM kShIraat sa~njaayate viSham ॥