February 4th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
यदीच्छसि वशीकर्तुं जगदेकेन कर्मणा ।
परापवादसस्येभ्यः गां चरन्तीं निवारय ॥
- चाणक्य नीति

Transliteration:
yadīcchasi vaśīkartuṃ jagadekena karmaṇā ।
parāpavādasasyebhyaḥ gāṃ carantīṃ nivāraya ॥
- cāṇakya nīti

Meaning of the subhAShita:

If desirous of captivating the world with just one action, avert the cow grazing on the pastures of berating others.

Commentary:

Everyone desires to win the hearts of those around them. Imagine a magic trick—one that requires no money, talent, or effort to master—yet guarantees admiration, acceptance, and success in life. No need for prestigious degrees or trophies from elite institutions. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? But such a mantra does exist!

The secret? Simply avoid the tongue-tempting habit of criticizing, gossiping, or berating others. The poet beautifully compares this habit to the mindless grazing of a cow in pastures. Just as grazing is instinctive to a cow, for some, passing judgment on others feels natural. The poet urges: "Ward off that cow within you, the one that mindlessly grazes on the pastures of fault-finding!" The result? A life that blooms effortlessly, free from unnecessary conflict.

Criticizing others may feel easy, but it undermines one's ability to stay in the good books of others. Blame, after all, is the lazy person's escape from making sense of chaos. It’s said that a person can fail countless times, but they only truly become a failure when they start blaming others.

Take responsibility for your actions. The moment you do, you’ll see yourself—and the world around you—differently. Success isn't about pulling others down; it’s about rising while uplifting those around you. By aligning in harmony with others, you'll find yourself truly "on top of the world." Otherwise, you risk becoming a lonely soul, left with no one but yourself.

pada vigrahaH:
यदि इच्छसि वशीकर्तुं जगत् एकेन कर्मणा ।

yadi icchasi vaśīkartuṃ jagat ekena karmaṇā ।

पर-अपवाद-सस्येभ्यः गां चरन्तीं निवारय ॥
para-apavaada-sasyebhyaH gaaM charantIM nivaaraya ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
yadIchChasi vashIkartuM jagadekena karmaNaa ।
paraapavaadasasyebhyaH gaaM charantIM nivaaraya ॥
- chaaNakya nIti

yadi ichChasi vashIkartuM jagat ekena karmaNaa ।

para-apavāda-sasyebhyaḥ gāṃ carantīṃ nivāraya ॥