Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
एतावानेव पुरुषः कृतं यस्मिन्न नश्यति ।
यावच्च कुर्यादन्योऽस्य कुर्याद्बहुगुणं ततः ॥
- महाभारत, आदिपर्व
Transliteration:
etāvāneva puruṣaḥ kṛtaṃ yasminna naśyati ।
yāvacca kuryādanyo'sya kuryādbahuguṇaṃ tataḥ ॥
- mahābhārata, ādiparva
Meaning of the subhAShita:
He to whom a favor done does not dissipate right there, is the real (noble) man. Upon receiving benevolence from others, return it manifold.
Commentary:
Upon receiving generosity from others, it is not ethical to forget it and move on. Neither is it business, to return an equal or lesser favor. For, it is not a 'buy one, get one of equal or lesser value' sale :). Remembering and returning the favor in plentiful is a magnanimous attribute!
The scriptures are strewn with multitudes of such examples. In Mahābhārata, once when the Pāṇḍavas were in disguise (after the lākṣāgṛha (wax palace) incident), took shelter in a brahmin's house in Ekacakranagara. The people of the town had a pact with a rākṣasa (demon) named Bakāsura that one person would go to him from each family as food. When it was the turn of the brahmin's family, Kuntī (the mother of the Pāṇḍavas), offered to send her own son Bhīma, in return of their favor. They had given shelter to them in time of need, in turn, she offered to send her own son in place of a member of their family! That is nobility!
In Rāmāyaṇa too, after Hanumān's visit to lankaa upon receiving news about Sītā, Lord Rāma embraces Hanumān and pledges his friendship to him forever!! He does not diminish the immense favor He did with a simple 'Thank you'! That is nobility. In fact, interestingly enough, there is NO equivalent word for 'thank you' in Sanskrit! There is only कृतज्ञता भाव (kṛtajñatā bhāva) - कृतं जानामि इति भावः (kṛtaṃ jānāmi iti bhāvaḥ) - I acknowledge your favor, I am aware of your benevolence. There is nothing that can be done to repay that debt, I am greatly indebted to you!
An extension of this value is, not keeping track of the favors done nor expecting favors in return. Do your best at any given time to aid those in need and move on.
Don't these attributes make life much simpler and satisfactory? Don't they keep our hearts purer and lighter? No baggage, no regrets, no guilt...
The take-home point here is that the noble never forget what they receive nor remember what they give! Acquire nobility in its true sense.
The scriptures are strewn with multitudes of such examples. In Mahābhārata, once when the Pāṇḍavas were in disguise (after the lākṣāgṛha (wax palace) incident), took shelter in a brahmin's house in Ekacakranagara. The people of the town had a pact with a rākṣasa (demon) named Bakāsura that one person would go to him from each family as food. When it was the turn of the brahmin's family, Kuntī (the mother of the Pāṇḍavas), offered to send her own son Bhīma, in return of their favor. They had given shelter to them in time of need, in turn, she offered to send her own son in place of a member of their family! That is nobility!
In Rāmāyaṇa too, after Hanumān's visit to lankaa upon receiving news about Sītā, Lord Rāma embraces Hanumān and pledges his friendship to him forever!! He does not diminish the immense favor He did with a simple 'Thank you'! That is nobility. In fact, interestingly enough, there is NO equivalent word for 'thank you' in Sanskrit! There is only कृतज्ञता भाव (kṛtajñatā bhāva) - कृतं जानामि इति भावः (kṛtaṃ jānāmi iti bhāvaḥ) - I acknowledge your favor, I am aware of your benevolence. There is nothing that can be done to repay that debt, I am greatly indebted to you!
An extension of this value is, not keeping track of the favors done nor expecting favors in return. Do your best at any given time to aid those in need and move on.
Don't these attributes make life much simpler and satisfactory? Don't they keep our hearts purer and lighter? No baggage, no regrets, no guilt...
The take-home point here is that the noble never forget what they receive nor remember what they give! Acquire nobility in its true sense.
pada vigrahaH:
एतावान् एव पुरुषः कृतं यस्मिन् न नश्यति ।
etāvān eva puruṣaḥ kṛtaṃ yasmin na naśyati ।
यावत् च कुर्यात् अन्यः अस्य कुर्यात् बहु-गुणं ततः ॥
yāvat ca kuryāt anyaḥ asya kuryāt bahu-guṇaṃ tataḥ ॥
एतावान् एव पुरुषः कृतं यस्मिन् न नश्यति ।
etāvān eva puruṣaḥ kṛtaṃ yasmin na naśyati ।
यावत् च कुर्यात् अन्यः अस्य कुर्यात् बहु-गुणं ततः ॥
yāvat ca kuryāt anyaḥ asya kuryāt bahu-guṇaṃ tataḥ ॥
etaavaaneva puruShaH kRutaM yasminna nashyati ।
yaavachcha kuryaadanyo.sya kuryaadbahuguNaM tataH ॥
- mahaabhaarata, aadiparva
etaavaan eva puruShaH kRutaM yasmin na nashyati ।
yaavat cha kuryaat anyaH asya kuryaat bahu-guNaM tataH ॥
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