January 28th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
यदशक्यं न तच्छक्यं यच्छक्यं शक्यमेव तत् ।
नोदके शकटं याति न नौका गच्छति स्थले ॥
- हितोपदेश, मित्रलाभ

Transliteration:
yadaśakyaṃ na tacchakyaṃ yacchakyaṃ śakyameva tat ।
nodake śakaṭaṃ yāti na naukā gacchati sthale ॥
- hitopadeśa, mitralābha

Meaning of the subhAShita:

That which is not possible, is not possible; that which is possible, is certainly possible!  A cart cannot go in the water, a boat cannot go on land!

Commentary:

There is a purpose for everything and everyone here in this world.  Each person or object has to cater to the world as per the attributes that come with them.  It is called a boat for a reason - it goes in the water.  One can not expect it to transport via land!  A buggy (cart) can move on land.  It cannot be expected to aid in water conveyance!  It is what it is.  It is its 'vastu-dharma', its basic attribute and cannot be otherwise.

There is no point fretting or exerting energies in the wrong directions.  But the problem in real life is that not everything comes with a tag about its attributes!  Sometimes, it is a thin line between possible and not possible.  It is for us to figure out what is doable and what is just plain impossible.  Another problem with real-life that it does not come with background music!  When watching a movie or a play, many times, the background music helps us comprehend the scenario.  In reality, such hints are not dropped here and there for us.  It is up to us to figure out what should be pursued and what should be given up!

May the Lord grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and..., the wisdom to know the difference!

pada vigrahaH:
यत् अशक्यं न तत् शक्यं यत् शक्यं शक्यम् एव तत् ।

yat aśakyaṃ na tat śakyaṃ yat śakyaṃ śakyam eva tat ।

न उदके शकटं याति न नौका गच्छति स्थले ॥
na udake śakaṭaṃ yāti na naukā gacchati sthale ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
yadashakyaM na tachChakyaM yachChakyaM shakyameva tat ।
nodake shakaTaM yaati na naukaa gachChati sthale ॥
- hitopadesha, mitralaabha

yat ashakyaM na tat shakyaM yat shakyaM shakyam eva tat ।

na udake shakaTaM yaati na naukaa gachChati sthale ॥

January 21st

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
यदेव तीव्रसंवेगात् दृढं कर्म कृतं पुरा ।
तदेव दैवशब्देन पर्यायेणेह कथ्यते ॥

- योगवासिष्ठ 

Transliteration:
yadeva tīvrasaṃvegāt dṛḍhaṃ karma kṛtaṃ purā ।
tadeva daivaśabdena paryāyeṇeha kathyate ॥
- yogavāsiṣṭha

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Whatever actions were performed with steadfast effort before, the same ones perhaps are alternatively referred to as 'destiny' today.

Commentary:

Someone once said, 'I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be!'  That is so true for all beings, only acknowledging it is essential.  Should one resign himself to fate and say that he had no influence?  Largely the place where one stands today is because of his prior actions.  He cannot have much of a say about it now.  But what he makes of the circumstances today dictates his fate for his tomorrow!  One needs to accept the situations to a certain level.  Along with that, making the best out of those scenarios and sowing seeds for a better tomorrow is entirely his making.  One person questioned, 'if I am destined to become rich, I will become.  Why should I work hard now?'  Another replied to him, 'what if you are destined to become rich if and when you work hard?  You would have lost the opportunity!' 

Actions are the seeds of fate that eventually grow into destiny! It is the choices, not chances, that form one's destiny.  Destiny is shaped in those decisive moments. So, it is certainly not beyond one's control.  Rather, it is very much in one's own restraint.  Make the best of today, for a better tomorrow!

pada vigrahaH:
यत् एव तीव्र-संवेगात् दृढं कर्म कृतं पुरा ।
yat eva tīvra-saṃvegāt dṛḍhaṃ karma kṛtaṃ purā ।

तत् एव दैव-शब्देन पर्यायेण इह कथ्यते ॥
tat eva daiva-śabdena paryāyeṇa iha kathyate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
yadeva tIvrasaMvegaat dRuDhaM karma kRutaM puraa ।
tadeva daivashabdena paryaayeNeha kathyate ॥
- yogavaasiShTha

yat eva tIvra-saMvegaat dRuDhaM karma kRutaM puraa ।

tat eva daiva-shabdena paryaayeNa iha kathyate ॥

January 14th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
तिलवत् स्निग्धं मनोऽस्तु वाण्यां गुडवन्माधुर्यम्
तिलगुडलड्‍डुकवत् सम्बन्धेऽस्तु सुवृत्तत्त्वम् ।
अस्तु विचारे शुभसङ्क्रमणं मङ्गलाय यशसे
कल्याणी सङ्क्रान्तिरस्तु वः सदाहमाशंसे ॥

Transliteration:
tilavat snigdhaṃ mano'stu vāṇyāṃ guḍavanmādhuryam
tilaguḍalaḍ‍ḍukavat sambandhe'stu suvṛttattvam ।
astu vicāre śubhasaṅkramaṇaṃ maṅgalāya yaśase
kalyāṇī saṅkrāntirastu vaḥ sadāhamāśaṃse ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:

May the mind be affectionate like sesame seeds, may there be sweetness in your words like in jaggery.
May there be goodness in your relations as there is in the relation of sesame and jaggery in a laddoo.
May there be a concurrence towards auspicious glory in your thoughts.
I always wish that the festival of saṅkrānti prove to be blessed and auspicious for one and for all.

Commentary:

The festival of harvest, saṅkrānti, is celebrated on January 14th generally.  (Occasionally, it falls on the 15th of Jan).  This is one of those festivals that follow the solar axis, so the date doesn't change much with every year, unlike other festivals that follow the lunar calendar.  It is the time when the axis of the Sun enters the zodiac sign Capricorn (makara).  Hence it is also referred to as 'makara saṅkrānti'.  Saṅkrānti literally means - proceeding well (samyak krānti iti saṅkrānti).

Celebration of harvest and crops is synonymous with the Sun. He is the basic originator of the entire food chain and it means without Him, there would be no energy for the plant sources and without plant sources, there would be no energy transmission to the herbivores or carnivores.  The Sun, being the sustenance for every life on Earth, is worshiped and thanked on this day.

Many people throw away old clothes and buy new ones to mark the beginning of good times.  Sharing til-guḍ (a mixture of sesame seeds and jaggery) is customary among many people who celebrate this festival.  The combination of til-guḍ is not only tongue tickling, but very enticing as well.  The poet beautifully wishes that kind of enticement into the spoken words and relationships of everyone!  When there is harmony in the mind, thoughts, actions, and words, then there is no stopping the unbound happiness one can attain.  What better can one wish for his near and dear ones!

May the Sun radiate health, happiness, and harmony into the lives of everyone, always!

pada vigrahaH:
तिलवत् स्निग्धं मनः अस्तु वाण्यां गुडवत् माधुर्यम्
tilavat snigdhaṃ manaḥ astu vāṇyāṃ guḍavat mādhuryam

तिल-गुड-लड्‍डुकवत् सम्बन्धे अस्तु सु-वृत्तत्त्वम् ।
tila-guḍa-laḍ‍ḍukavat sambandhe astu su-vṛttattvam ।

अस्तु विचारे शुभ-सङ्क्रमणं मङ्गलाय यशसे
astu vicāre śubha-saṅkramaṇaṃ maṅgalāya yaśase

कल्याणी सङ्क्रान्तिः अस्तु वः सदा अहम् आशंसे ॥
kalyāṇī saṅkrāntiḥ astu vaḥ sadā aham āśaṃse ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
tilavat snigdhaM mano.stu vaaNyaaM guDavanmaadhuryam
tilaguDalaDDukavat sambandhe.stu suvRuttattvaM ।
astu vichAre shubhasankramaNaM ma~ngalaaya yashase
kalyaaNI sa~nkraantirastu vaH sadaahamaashaMse ॥

tilavat snigdhaM manaH astu vaaNyaaM guDavat maadhuryam

tila-guDa-laDDukavat sambandhe astu su-vRuttattvaM ।

astu vichAre shubha-sa~nkramaNaM ma~ngalaaya yashase

kalyaaNI sa~nkrAntiH astu vaH sadaa aham aashaMse ॥

January 7th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ राजन् स्वर्गस्योपरि तिष्ठतः ।
प्रभुश्च क्षमया युक्तः दरिद्रश्च प्रदानवान् ॥
- विदुरनीति

Transliteration:
dvāvimau puruṣau rājan svargasyopari tiṣṭhataḥ ।
prabhuśca kṣamayā yuktaḥ daridraśca pradānavān ॥
- viduranīti

Meaning of the subhAShita:

O, king!  These two people surpass even heaven - a master associated with forgiveness (and) an impoverished one who is giving.

Commentary:

A master, a lord or a king has the power to do anything.  He could deal with his subordinates however he wishes.  But if he 'chooses' to forgive their follies, it makes him grander!  For, to forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was oneself.  When one holds resentment, he is bound by an emotional link stronger than steel! Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and break free.  One who can set himself and the other person free consciously, despite having it in his power to do otherwise,  indeed has an enormous heart.  His life becomes a lot simpler, happier and merrier.  Isn't such a person creating his own living heaven!

When someone impoverished who is barely surviving gives, it shows how big and generous his heart is!  To give despite his own reduction takes enormous selflessness.  It is this emotion that links one to humanity and humility.  Not only that, it is only this kind of attitude that brings internal and eternal peace as well.  Such a person experiences the deepest, truest joys of life now and beyond.  This raises him above all paradises even when here.

Heaven is both under our feet and above our heads.  Plant your feet on the heaven below, then reaching the one above will be a breeze!

pada vigrahaH:
द्वौ इमौ पुरुषौ राजन् स्वर्गस्य उपरि तिष्ठतः ।

dvau imau puruṣau rājan svargasya upari tiṣṭhataḥ ।

प्रभुः च क्षमया युक्तः दरिद्रः च प्रदानवान् ॥
prabhuḥ ca kṣamayā yuktaḥ daridraḥ ca pradānavān ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
dvaavimau puruShau raajan swargasyopari tiShThataH ।
prabhushcha kShamayaa yuktaH daridrashcha pradaanavaan ॥
- viduranIti

dvau imau puruShau raajan swargasya upari tiShThataH ।

prabhuH cha kShamayaa yuktaH daridraH cha pradaanavaan ॥