Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
मुक्तिमिच्छसि चेत्तात विषयान् विषवत्त्यजेः ।
क्षमाऽऽर्जवदयाशौचं सत्यं पीयूषवत् पिबेः ॥
- अष्टावक्रगीता
Transliteration:
muktimicchasi cettāta viṣayān viṣavattyajeḥ ।
kṣamā''rjavadayāśaucaṃ satyaṃ pīyūṣavat pibeḥ ॥
- aṣṭāvakragītā
Meaning of the subhAShita:
Oh son, if you desire freedom, shun 'objects of sense', as if poison. Drink forgiveness, honesty, compassion, cleanliness, and truth, as if (they are) divine nectar.
Commentary:
Pleasing the palate, indulging in material pleasures, possessions, etc., only make a person more miserable. It sucks him into a vicious circle that keeps him tangled up, wanting more and more. If one eats his favorite food, he won't be satiated with that one time. If he has a weakness for it, he will want to keep eating it. This is true for any type of possession, be it jewelry, land, money, or wealth. Any amount will not please him and he will keep slogging to attain more. At no point will such a person say 'no' to more wealth even if he is already spilling over with it. The biggest downside of this temperament is that it won't help one to attain the liberation he should be working towards. The poet hence says, "shun material pleasures that appease only the senses, as if they were poison". They truly are poison to one's spiritual growth!
On the contrary—forgiveness, honesty, compassion, cleanliness, and truth—clear up one's mind and prepare him for aiming toward a higher goal. Forgiveness and compassion teach him selflessness and how to feel for his fellow beings. This is one step closer to God. Truth and honesty are essentially what one must strive in life for. Cleanliness is Godliness. Each of these qualifiers takes one closer to the Supreme in their own unique way. The poet urges those on the quest for liberation to drink up these traits as if they were the divine nectar. None would say 'no' to the divine nectar. Then why not inculcate these attitudes with the same vigor when their benefits may even surpass the goodness of divine nectar?!
Freeing oneself from all shackles is nothing but liberation. Do not waste energy and tangle yourself in the cycle of desires!
pada vigrahaH:
मुक्तिम् इच्छसि चेत् तात विषयान् विषवत् त्यजेः ।
muktim icchasi cet tāta viṣayān viṣavat tyajeḥ ।
क्षमा-आर्जव-दया-शौचं सत्यं पीयूषवत् पिबेः ॥
kṣamā-ārjava-dayā-śaucaṃ satyaṃ pīyūṣavat pibeḥ ॥
On the contrary—forgiveness, honesty, compassion, cleanliness, and truth—clear up one's mind and prepare him for aiming toward a higher goal. Forgiveness and compassion teach him selflessness and how to feel for his fellow beings. This is one step closer to God. Truth and honesty are essentially what one must strive in life for. Cleanliness is Godliness. Each of these qualifiers takes one closer to the Supreme in their own unique way. The poet urges those on the quest for liberation to drink up these traits as if they were the divine nectar. None would say 'no' to the divine nectar. Then why not inculcate these attitudes with the same vigor when their benefits may even surpass the goodness of divine nectar?!
Freeing oneself from all shackles is nothing but liberation. Do not waste energy and tangle yourself in the cycle of desires!
pada vigrahaH:
मुक्तिम् इच्छसि चेत् तात विषयान् विषवत् त्यजेः ।
muktim icchasi cet tāta viṣayān viṣavat tyajeḥ ।
क्षमा-आर्जव-दया-शौचं सत्यं पीयूषवत् पिबेः ॥
kṣamā-ārjava-dayā-śaucaṃ satyaṃ pīyūṣavat pibeḥ ॥
muktimichChasi chettaata viShayaan viShavattyajeH ।
kShamaa..rjavadayaashauchaM satyaM pIyUShavat pibeH ॥
- aShTaavakragItaa
muktim ichChasi chet taata viShayaan viShavat tyajeH ।
kShamaa-aarjava-dayaa-shauchaM satyaM pIyUShavat pibeH ॥
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