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 in the union 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 proves to be blessed and auspicious for one and for all.

Commentary:

Saṅkrānti, the festival of harvest, is celebrated 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). People from all walks of life celebrate this festival.  It marks the end of winter and the beginning of the harvest season. Farmers especially celebrate with great fervor, gathering new crops. 

Celebration of crops and harvest is synonymous with the Sun. He is the basic originator of the entire food chain, meaning without Him, there would be no source of energy for plants. Without plant sources, there would be no energy transmission to the herbivores and in turn, to the carnivores.  Hence, the Sun—the very 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 who celebrate this festival.  The combination of til-guḍ is not only tongue-tickling, and enticing, it is harmonious as well.  The poet beautifully wishes that kind of allure into the spoken words and relationships for everyone!  When there is harmony in the mind, thoughts, actions, and words, 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!

P.S: Saṅkrānti, is celebrated on January 14th while occasionally, it falls on the 15th of January.  Unlike many festivals that follow the lunar calendar, this is one of the few festivals that follows the solar axis.  Hence the date doesn't change much with every year. 

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 ॥