July 25th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
मूर्खस्तु परिहर्तव्यः प्रत्यक्षो द्विपदः पशुः ।
भिनत्ति वाक्यशूलेन अदृष्टः कण्ठको यथा ॥
- चाणक्य नीति


Transliteration:
mūrkhastu parihartavyaḥ pratyakṣo dvipadaḥ paśuḥ ।
bhinatti vākyaśūlena adṛṣṭaḥ kaṇṭhako yathā ॥
- cāṇakya nīti

Meaning of the subhAShita:

A foolish person should be shunned just like a two-legged animal. He pierces with verbal spears, just as an invisible thorn does.

Commentary:

When one is pricked with a thorn, it hurts alright! The first thing he would want to do is remove it. But what if it is an invisible one or so deep that he can't reach it? A foolish person is such a thorn, opines the poet! They are not easy to get rid of and also prick constantly. Similarly, an ignoramus person constantly attacks with rude words as if they were verbal spears. He keeps poking and prodding without respite, just to get a reaction. The poet even goes a step further and calls such a person an animal with only two legs. Animals generally have 4 legs, but this human with only 2 legs is just as equal to those 4-legged beings! An animal would not be coherent with the emotions and feelings of others and does whatever comes to its mind. Yet, many times, we get to see animals showing compassion under the strangest circumstances. But this two-legged animal has no remedy! The best route to take is avoiding such a person!

Man is called 'the cleverest living being'.  Let's keep that reputation and not convert it to 'the two-legged foolish being'!

pada vigrahaH:
मूर्खः तु परिहर्तव्यः प्रत्यक्षः द्विपदः पशुः ।
mūrkhaḥ tu parihartavyaḥ pratyakṣaḥ dvipadaḥ paśuḥ ।

भिनत्ति वाक्यशूलेन अ-दृष्टः कण्ठकः यथा ॥
bhinatti vākya-śūlena a-dṛṣṭaḥ kaṇṭhakaḥ yathā ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
mUrkhastu parihartavyaH pratyakSho dvipadaH pashuH ।
bhinatti vaakyashUlena adRuShTaH kaNThako yathaa ॥
- chaaNakya nIti

mUrkhaH tu parihartavyaH pratyakShaH dvipadaH pashuH ।

bhinatti vaakya-shUlena a-dRuShTaH kaNThakaH yathaa ॥