October 29th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
नष्टं मृतमतिक्रान्तं नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ।
पण्डितानाञ्च मूर्खाणां विशेषोऽयं यतः स्मृतः ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्र, मित्रभेद

Transliteration:
naṣṭaṃ mṛtamatikrāntaṃ nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ ।
paṇḍitānāñca mūrkhāṇāṃ viśeṣo'yaṃ yataḥ smṛtaḥ ॥
- pañcatantra, mitrabheda

Meaning of the subhAShita:

(For) that which is lost, dead, or has passed—the intelligent do not bemoan.  It is deemed that is the difference between the intelligent and the foolish.

Commentary:

That which is lost cannot be brought back.  The dead cannot be revived nor can the past be changed!  That which is inevitable cannot be altered anyway. 

The only thing under one's control is his attitude.  Only the foolish invest their time in worrying about the past.  The poet says the intelligent do not bemoan and bewail such things.  That is what sets him apart from the rest.  The intelligent clearly understand that the past has passed and will stay there.  They do everything they can to make a difference in the present and take only the lessons from yesterday.   They take further steps with this resolve in their mind.  It takes a lot of strength, courage, and grace to move on into the future, despite one's past!

No man is rich enough to buy back the past!  No amount of fretting will put a dent in what is already history!  Don't make the future an experiment, and the past a regret.  Hence, keep the lessons from the past, live in the present, and shape a bright future!

pada vigrahaH:
नष्टं मृतम् अतिक्रान्तं न अनुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ।
naṣṭaṃ mṛtam atikrāntaṃ na anuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ ।

पण्डितानां च मूर्खाणां विशेषः अयं यतः स्मृतः ॥
paṇḍitānāṃ ca mūrkhāṇāṃ viśeṣaḥ ayaṃ yataḥ smṛtaḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
naShTaM mRutamatikraantaM naanushochanti paNDitaaH ।
paNDitaanaa~ncha mUrkhaaNaaM visheSho.yaM yataH smRutaH ॥
- pa~nchatantra, mitrabheda

naShTaM mRutam atikraantaM na anushochanti paNDitaaH ।

paNDitaanaaM cha mUrkhaaNaaM visheShaH ayaM yataH smRutaH ॥

October 22nd

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
स्वभावसुन्दरं वस्तु न संस्कारमपेक्षते ।
मुक्तारत्नस्य शाणाश्मघर्षणं नोपयुज्यते ॥
- दृष्टान्तकलिका

Transliteration:
svabhāvasundaraṃ vastu na saṃskāramapekṣate ।
muktāratnasya śāṇāśmagharṣaṇaṃ nopayujyate ॥
- dṛṣṭāntakalikā

Meaning of the subhAShita:

That which is beautiful by nature does not need further refinement.  For a pearl, grinding on a touchstone will do no good!

Commentary:

In its original form, a pearl is lustrous.  One does not have to scrub or polish it to make it shine brighter.  In fact, grinding only harms the pearl because it chips away its layers!  By its very nature, it has the shine that it has.  Any method of processing can neither make it shine less nor more!

That is true for the characteristics of a person as well.  They will shine all on their own, whether he is sitting on a king's throne or living in some obscure thatch, his originality, attributes, and nature will not change.  Just as sweetness is inseparable from sugar, just as saltiness is inseverable from salt, so are the intrinsic characteristics of anyone or anything.  No contentions about this.

Trust your nature and let it shine, all on its own accord!  At the same time, let the nature of others shine through in all their glories as well.

pada vigrahaH:
स्वभाव-सुन्दरं वस्तु न संस्कारम् अपेक्षते ।
svabhāva-sundaraṃ vastu na saṃskāram apekṣate ।

मुक्तारत्नस्य शाण-अश्म-घर्षणं न उपयुज्यते ॥
muktāratnasya śāṇa-aśma-gharṣaṇaṃ na upayujyate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
svabhaavasundaraM vastu na saMskaaramapekShate ।
muktaaratnasya shaaNaashmagharShaNaM nopayujyate ॥
- dRuShTaantakalikaa

svabhaava-sundaraM vastu na saMskaaram apekShate ।

muktaaratnasya shaaNa-ashma-gharShaNaM na upayujyate ॥

October 15th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
अणुभ्यश्च महद्भ्यश्च शास्त्रेभ्यः कुशलो नरः ।
सर्वतः सारमादद्यात् पुष्पेभ्य इव षट्पदः ॥
-भागवत

Transliteration:
aṇubhyaśca mahadbhyaśca śāstrebhyaḥ kuśalo naraḥ ।
sarvataḥ sāramādadyāt puṣpebhya iva ṣaṭpadaḥ ॥
-bhāgavata

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Whether the indoctrination is infinitesimal or ginormous, a skilled person learns the essence of everything, just as the bees collect nectar.

Commentary:

Bees do not discriminate.  Whether it is a huge sunflower or a tiny little jasmine, they suck the nectar from it with the same eagerness and alertness!  For the bee, each drop of nectar is precious irrespective of its origin.  In the end, each drop collectively makes the hive complete!

Such should be the interest, attentiveness, and curiosity while learning any kind of knowledge.  Be it a profound text or a small law of nature, each doctrine has its own special place and need.  Certainly, one must extract the essence of all knowledge with all eagerness.

Being conscious of one's own ignorance is the greatest step towards knowledge. Knowledge is power.  Get powerful!

pada vigrahaH:
अणुभ्यः च महद्भ्यः च शास्त्रेभ्यः कुशलः नरः ।
aṇubhyaḥ ca mahadbhyaḥ ca śāstrebhyaḥ kuśalaḥ naraḥ ।

सर्वतः सारम् आदद्यात् पुष्पेभ्यः इव षट्पदः ॥
sarvataḥ sāram ādadyāt puṣpebhyaḥ iva ṣaṭpadaḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
aNubhyashcha mahadbhyashcha shaastrebhyaH kushalo naraH ।
sarvataH saaramaadadyaat puShpebhya iva ShaTpadaH ॥
- bhaagavata

aNubhyaH cha mahadbhyaH cha shaastrebhyaH kushalaH naraH ।

sarvataH saaram aadadyaat puShpebhyaH iva ShaTpadaH ॥

October 8th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
गुणाः सन्ति नराणां चेत् विकसन्त्येव ते स्वयम् ।
न हि कस्तूरिकामोदः शपथेन निवार्यते ॥

Transliteration:
guṇāḥ santi narāṇāṃ cet vikasantyeva te svayam ।
na hi kastūrikāmodaḥ śapathena nivāryate ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:

If there are efficacies in people, they shall blossom on their own.  It is not possible to ward off the perfume of musk by any means.

Commentary:

What is inherent cannot stay hidden, nor can it be changed for any reason!  Can any amount of washing or drying strip away the innate fragrance of musk?  Can any amount of coaxing make a nightingale sing less sweetly?  Can any amount of bleaching peel the colors from the feathers of a peacock?

The inherent attributes of an object are ingrained in its very existence!  That is true for the nature of people as well.  The intrinsic nature of a person cannot be masked for very long.  It shall surface one day or the other.  Whether it is a person's good attributes or evil ones, they can't lay low forever.

The moral is—intrinsic characteristics need not be advertised.  True beauty is inherent and comes from character and strength.  They will shine on their own.  Nothing or nobody can dilute them!  Have faith in your innate strength and keep going!

pada vigrahaH:
गुणाः सन्ति नराणां चेत् विकसन्ति एव ते स्वयम् ।
guṇāḥ santi narāṇāṃ cet vikasanti eva te svayam ।

न हि कस्तूरिका आमोदः शपथेन निवार्यते ॥
na hi kastūrikā āmodaḥ śapathena nivāryate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
guNaaH santi naraaNaaM chet vikasantyeva te svayam ।
na hi kastUrikaamodaH shapathena nivaaryate ॥

guNaaH santi naraaNaaM chet vikasanti eva te svayam ।

na hi kastUrikaa aamodaH shapathena nivaaryate ॥

October 1st

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
कृतस्य करणं नास्ति मृतस्य मरणं तथा ।
गतस्य शोचनं नास्ति ह्येतद्वेदविदां मतम् ॥

Transliteration:
kṛtasya karaṇaṃ nāsti mṛtasya maraṇaṃ tathā ।
gatasya śocanaṃ nāsti hyetadvedavidāṃ matam ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:

There is no doing of that which is (already) done just as there is no death to the already dead. There is no sorrow for that which has passed—this is the opinion of those who are cognizant of the Vedas.

Commentary:

Do not cry over spilt milk!

Once a task is done, it cannot be undone. Once a seed sprouts, it cannot re-sprout. Once a child grows, they cannot grow again from the beginning. Similarly, there is no second death for someone who has already passed. If these truths are universally accepted, why not embrace the reality that there is no point in lamenting what is already gone?

When undoing or redoing is not an option, why waste time dwelling in sorrow? Those who understand the essence of the Vedas recognize this truth. They accept the past as it is and move forward, leaving their grief behind.

Truly, it is never worth crying over spilt milk.

pada vigrahaH:
कृतस्य करणं न अस्ति मृतस्य मरणं तथा ।
kṛtasya karaṇaṃ na asti mṛtasya maraṇaṃ tathā ।

गतस्य शोचनं न अस्ति हि एतत् वेद-विदां मतम् ॥
gatasya śocanaṃ na asti hi etat veda-vidāṃ matam ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
kRutasya karaNaM naasti mRutasya maraNaM tathaa ।
gatasya shochanaM naasti hyetadvedavidaaM matam ॥

kRutasya karaNaM na asti mRutasya maraNaM tathaa ।

gatasya shochanaM na asti hi etat veda-vidaaM matam ॥