Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
बलाद्दत्तं बलाद्भुक्तं बलद्यच्चापि लेखितम् ।
सर्वान् बलकृतानर्थान् अकृतान् मनुरब्रवीत् ॥
- मनुस्मृति
Transliteration:
balāddattaṃ balādbhuktaṃ baladyaccāpi lekhitam ।
sarvān balakṛtānarthān akṛtān manurabravīt ॥
- manusmṛti
Meaning of the subhAShita:
That which is given forcefully, that which is possessed (enjoyed) forcefully, also that which is written forcefully; all tasks extracted by force are wretched, said Manu.
Commentary:
Any action should be performed willingly! Force should not be the driving force behind any deed, or else it becomes futile.
Giving should be beneficial to the receiver. Giving something for the sake of giving and forcing the other to receive it 'no matter what' is a wasteful effort. It could be a material object, monetary help, or even a piece of advice for that matter—giving by force is not appreciated.
Taking by force is obviously not moral either. Nobody wants anything snatched from them for any reason! Even eating under force can come under this umbrella. No one relishes the food that he is forced to eat! Just the power struggle can put off even a hungry man from wanting to eat.
Using strength to make one write anything is not useful either. Forcing someone to write "I shall not lie" a hundred times, does not instill genuine value for honesty in that person. One can be forced to sign away their property, but such an action would not hold up in a court of law. True thoughts and emotions are expressed only when there is freedom, not when threatened by force.
The poet Manu says that any task achieved through force is wretched. No good results (karma-phala) can come from such actions. Pressuring someone to yield to another's strength only breeds contempt and fear, neither of which contribute to the betterment of either individual. Force transforms one into a tyrant and the other into the threatened, stifling spiritual growth in both. It curtails the blossoming of the soul. So, what is the point of using unnecessary force?
Force may be all-conquering, but its victories are short-lived! It is wiser to plan for the long term.
pada vigrahaH:
बलात् दत्तं बलात् भुक्तं बलत् यत् च अपि लेखितम् ।
balāt dattaṃ balāt bhuktaṃ balat yat ca api lekhitam ।
सर्वान् बलकृतान् अर्थान् अकृतान् मनुः अब्रवीत् ॥
sarvān balakṛtān arthān akṛtān manuḥ abravīt ॥
Giving should be beneficial to the receiver. Giving something for the sake of giving and forcing the other to receive it 'no matter what' is a wasteful effort. It could be a material object, monetary help, or even a piece of advice for that matter—giving by force is not appreciated.
Taking by force is obviously not moral either. Nobody wants anything snatched from them for any reason! Even eating under force can come under this umbrella. No one relishes the food that he is forced to eat! Just the power struggle can put off even a hungry man from wanting to eat.
Using strength to make one write anything is not useful either. Forcing someone to write "I shall not lie" a hundred times, does not instill genuine value for honesty in that person. One can be forced to sign away their property, but such an action would not hold up in a court of law. True thoughts and emotions are expressed only when there is freedom, not when threatened by force.
The poet Manu says that any task achieved through force is wretched. No good results (karma-phala) can come from such actions. Pressuring someone to yield to another's strength only breeds contempt and fear, neither of which contribute to the betterment of either individual. Force transforms one into a tyrant and the other into the threatened, stifling spiritual growth in both. It curtails the blossoming of the soul. So, what is the point of using unnecessary force?
Force may be all-conquering, but its victories are short-lived! It is wiser to plan for the long term.
pada vigrahaH:
बलात् दत्तं बलात् भुक्तं बलत् यत् च अपि लेखितम् ।
balāt dattaṃ balāt bhuktaṃ balat yat ca api lekhitam ।
सर्वान् बलकृतान् अर्थान् अकृतान् मनुः अब्रवीत् ॥
sarvān balakṛtān arthān akṛtān manuḥ abravīt ॥
balaaddattaM balaadbhuktaM baladyachchaapi lekhitam ।
sarvaan balakRutaanarthaan akRutaan manurabravIt ॥
- manusmRuti
balaat dattaM balaat bhuktaM balat yat cha api lekhitam ।
sarvaan balakRutaan arthaan akRutaan manuH abravIt ॥
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