August 11th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
प्रभूतं कार्यमल्पं वा यन्नरः कर्तुमिच्छति ।
सर्वारम्भेण तत्कार्यं सिंहादेकं प्रचक्षते ॥
- चाणक्य नीति


Transliteration:
prabhūtaṃ kāryamalpaṃ vā yannaraḥ kartumicchati ।
sarvārambheṇa tatkāryaṃ siṃhādekaṃ pracakṣate ॥
- cāṇakya nīti

Meaning of the subhAShita:

He (a wise man) who is desirous of doing a task, be it a significant or trivial one, looks it over once from start (to finish), in the very beginning. (Learn a thing or two) from the lion.

Commentary:

A lion first approaches stealthily, crouching silently as it watches every move of its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. This is its hunting style. Each time, it must remain equally cautious to avoid alerting its prey—whether it is hunting a massive elephant or a tiny hare. The lion’s focus is unwavering, its attention fully locked on the prey. It mentally runs through the entire process from start to finish before putting it into action.

There is a concept called siṃhāvalokana. A lion, while covering great distances, pauses occasionally to look back and assess how far it has traveled. It meticulously reviews the land it has crossed, reinforcing its understanding of the territory it has claimed.

Similarly, one should approach any task—be it grand or seemingly insignificant—with the same level of dedication and forethought. Whether the task earns global recognition or is carried out in solitude with no applause, it should be executed with fervor and prudence. Visualizing the plan beforehand makes execution smoother, while periodically looking back ensures no critical details are overlooked.

Dedication is not about meeting the expectations of others; it is about meeting one’s own standards and offering the best to others. True dedication encompasses forethought, vision, and careful judgment.

pada vigrahaH:
प्रभूतं कार्यम्-अल्पं वा यत् नरः कर्तुम् इच्छति ।
prabhūtaṃ kāryam-alpaṃ vā yat naraḥ kartum icchati ।

सर्व-आरम्भेण तत् कार्यं सिंहात् एकं प्रचक्षते ॥
sarva-ārambheṇa tat kāryaṃ siṃhāt ekaṃ pracakṣate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
prabhUtaM kaaryamalpaM vaa yannaraH kartumichChati ।
sarvaarambheNa tatkaaryaM siMhaadekaM prachakShate ॥
- chaaNakya nIti

prabhUtaM kaaryam-alpaM vaa yat naraH kartum ichChati ।

sarva-aarambheNa tat kaaryaM siMhaat ekaM prachakShate ॥