July 1st

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
प्रामाण्यबुद्धिः स्तोत्रेषु देवताबुद्धिरात्मनि ।
कीटबुद्धिर्मनुष्येषु नूतनायाः श्रियः फलम् ॥
- कलिविडम्बन

Transliteration:
prāmāṇyabuddhiḥ stotreṣu devatābuddhirātmani ।
kīṭabuddhirmanuṣyeṣu nūtanāyāḥ śriyaḥ phalam ॥
- kaliviḍambana

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Authoritativeness in one's own praises; perceiving oneself as the Almighty; discerning other humans as insects—these are the results of newfound wealth. 

Commentary:

Generally, people place great value on material wealth, often desiring an abundance of it to feel a sense of accomplishment. However, if such wealth comes overnight, it can drastically alter a person’s behavior. They may constantly boast about their possessions, rejoicing in self-praise—a trait that is far from admirable. This inflated sense of self-worth can lead them to view themselves as superior to others, eventually spiraling into even more bragging and delusions of grandeur. In extreme cases, they may begin to see themselves as godlike, dismissing the rest of humanity as insignificant.

There is a saying in another language, roughly translated as: "When a mediocre person suddenly gains wealth, he wakes up in the middle of the night and holds out an umbrella." The absurdity of the image lies in the fact that, even if torrential rain were pouring outside, there’s no need for an umbrella inside the home. Yet, he brandishes it, desperate to show off his newfound possession—his wealth.

As the saying goes, "Self-praise is almost slander." Why demean oneself with arrogance when newfound resources can instead be used to benefit society? Doing so requires great humility—a trait essential for walking the right path. Only humility can keep one grounded.

Someone born into wealth may develop the ability to handle affluence with ease. However, for someone who suddenly attains prosperity out of nowhere, strong morals are crucial to prevent arrogance. Keep your head firmly on your shoulders, no matter the circumstances, and everything else will follow.

pada vigrahaH:
प्रामाण्य-बुद्धिः स्तोत्रेषु देवता-बुद्धिः आत्मनि ।
prāmāṇya-buddhiḥ stotreṣu devatā-buddhiḥ ātmani ।

कीट-बुद्धिः मनुष्येषु नूतन-आयाः श्रियः फलम् ॥
kīṭa-buddhiḥ manuṣyeṣu nūtana-āyāḥ śriyaḥ phalam ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
praamaaNyabuddhiH stotreShu devataabuddhiraatmani ।
kITabuddhirmanuShyeShu nUtanaayaaH shriyaH phalam ॥
- kaliviDambana

praamaaNya-buddhiH stotreShu devataa-buddhiH aatmani ।

kITa-buddhiH manuShyeShu nUtana-aayaaH shriyaH phalam ॥