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 ॥