July 16th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
आत्मनो मुखदोषेण बध्यन्ते शुकसारिकाः ।
बकास्तत्र न बध्यन्ते मौनं सर्वार्थसाधनम् ॥

- सुभाषितरत्नसमुच्चय


Transliteration:
ātmano mukhadoṣeṇa badhyante śukasārikāḥ ।
bakāstatra na badhyante maunaṃ sarvārthasādhanam ॥
- subhāṣitaratnasamuccaya

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Parrots and other talking birds get captured due to their own folly. (But) storks are not captured. Silence is instrumental in attaining all purposes!

Commentary:
Speech is silver, silence is gold!

Due to their chattering, parrots and other talking birds, attract unwanted attention. Hunters aspiring to cage a talking bird will spread nets to capture them. But the 'dumb' storks—so to say—keep their silence and hardly entice the hunters. Ever heard of a stork being captured to adorn a cage?  It is as if his silence saves him from the trouble!

It is equally true for humans as well. Time and again, one may regret letting words slip through his lips and say, 'Why ever did I open my mouth?!' The time to remind oneself that 'silence is instrumental in attaining all purposes!' is: before speaking.  Because sped arrows and spoken words can never be taken back.

Speak only when you feel that your words are better than your silence.  Meaning, use your words cautiously and only if you are sure about what you are saying. Equally important is to know when it is best to not use it at all!  

pada vigrahaH:
आत्मनः मुख-दोषेण बध्यन्ते शुक-सारिकाः ।
ātmanaḥ mukha-doṣeṇa badhyante śuka-sārikāḥ ।

बकाः तत्र न बध्यन्ते मौनं सर्व-अर्थ-साधनम् ॥
bakāḥ tatra na badhyante maunaṃ sarva-artha-sādhanam ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
aatmano mukhadoSheNa badhyante shukasaarikaaH ।
bakaastatra na badhyante maunaM sarvaarthasaadhanam ॥
- subhaaShitaratnasamuchchaya

aatmanaH mukha-doSheNa badhyante shuka-saarikaaH ।
bakaaH tatra na badhyante maunaM sarva-artha-saadhanam ॥

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