Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
निर्विषेणापि सर्पेण कर्तव्या महती फणा ।
विषमस्तु न चाप्यस्तु घटाटोपो भयङ्करः ॥
- चाणक्य नीति
Transliteration:
nirviṣeṇāpi sarpeṇa kartavyā mahatī phaṇā ।
viṣamastu na cāpyastu ghaṭāṭopo bhayaṅkaraḥ ॥
- cāṇakya nīti
Meaning of the subhAShita:
Even for a snake without poison, the hood has many duties. Whether there is poison or not, its noise (hissing) has to be scary!
Commentary:
This verse must be an extension of the story 'The Snake and the Hermit'. In this story, it is said that there was a snake who used to bite and injure passersby. People were scared to come wherever the snake might be. This made the snake sad. It thought, "why do people avoid my presence?" Once a hermit passing by told him that biting is not the right thing to do. He went away, only to come back after a few days, to see a very ailing and injured snake. Upon asking, the snake explained to him that acting upon the hermit's advice it had given up biting. When some children realized this, they started pelting stones at the snake. Therefore, he was weak and frail now. The hermit told him, "I certainly advised you not to bite, but never stopped you from hissing! That is your God-given defence mechanism and you need to use it for your own protection. Never forget that!"
Whether a snake bites or not, his hissing is scary enough to ward off offenders. Same holds good in society. One doesn't have to hurt others, but if he is bold enough to show the onlookers that, he has it in him to defend himself and his beliefs, he can be a survivor. These are survival skills. It is one's birthright to defend himself in adverse conditions!
It is not the strongest of the species nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is most adaptable that survives! He who can face any impending events fearlessly and tactfully is a survivor in this world.
pada vigrahaH:
निर्-विषेण अपि सर्पेण कर्तव्या महती फणा ।
nir-viṣeṇa api sarpeṇa kartavyā mahatī phaṇā ।
विषम् अस्तु न च अपि अस्तु घटाटोपः भयङ्करः ॥
viṣam astu na ca api astu ghaṭāṭopaḥ bhayaṅkaraḥ ॥
Whether a snake bites or not, his hissing is scary enough to ward off offenders. Same holds good in society. One doesn't have to hurt others, but if he is bold enough to show the onlookers that, he has it in him to defend himself and his beliefs, he can be a survivor. These are survival skills. It is one's birthright to defend himself in adverse conditions!
It is not the strongest of the species nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is most adaptable that survives! He who can face any impending events fearlessly and tactfully is a survivor in this world.
pada vigrahaH:
निर्-विषेण अपि सर्पेण कर्तव्या महती फणा ।
nir-viṣeṇa api sarpeṇa kartavyā mahatī phaṇā ।
विषम् अस्तु न च अपि अस्तु घटाटोपः भयङ्करः ॥
viṣam astu na ca api astu ghaṭāṭopaḥ bhayaṅkaraḥ ॥
nirviSheNaapi sarpeNa kartavyaa mahatI phaNaa ।
viShamastu na chaapyastu ghaTaaTopo bhaya~nkaraH ॥
- chaaNakya nIti
nir-viSheNa api sarpeNa kartavyaa mahatI phaNaa ।
viSham astu na cha api astu ghaTaaTopaH bhaya~nkaraH ॥
uttamam
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