August 26th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
वलीभिर्मुखमाक्रान्तं पलितैरङ्कितं शिरः ।
गात्राणि शिथिलायन्ते तृष्णैका तरुणायते ॥

- वैराग्यशतक

Transliteration:
valībhirmukhamākrāntaṃ palitairaṅkitaṃ śiraḥ ।
gātrāṇi śithilāyante tṛṣṇaikā taruṇāyate ॥
- vairāgyaśataka

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Face encroached by wrinkles; head marked by grays; limbs frail/feeble; appetence alone is young!

Commentary:
Human beings possess body, mind and intellect.  Mind and intellect comprise of nothing but thoughts.  The deteriorating attributes of the body like graying hair, wrinkles on the face and feeble limbs are all signs of impending old age.  All organs lax and become fragile and incoherent because they have grown, matured, enjoyed being their best during youth and then ripened due to time and usage.  While the body shows signs of old age, there is one very powerful trait of the mind that doesn't undergo this cycle of growing, maturing, enjoying and ripening!  It definitely undergoes the first three stages.  But upon reaching its pinnacle, it remains there and keeps growing wider and deeper!  It is insatiable and infinitely expanding as well!!  'Appetence', 'thirst', 'intense craving', 'strong desire'...  Many are its names, but its effects are just the same!  It is insatiable at any age!  A new craving, a new thirst, a new desire.... once satisfied, there is some other craving, thirst or desire ready to take over.  This seems to have no end at any stage of life.  The poet observes that thirst is the only attribute of a person that gets stuck in its youth and never outgrows that stage. The attributes of the body show clear signs of dilapidation, but not the mind's desire!

The thirst of 'desire' can never be fulfilled nor fully quenched.  When drinking salty water, the thirst only increases after drinking.  Desire is just the same.  The more it is fed, the more it wants! Nipping it in the bud is the easiest way of conquering it.

pada vigrahaH:
वलीभिः मुखम् आक्रान्तं पलितैः अङ्कितं शिरः ।
valībhiḥ mukham ākrāntaṃ palitaiḥ aṅkitaṃ śiraḥ ।

गात्राणि शिथिलायन्ते तृष्णा एका तरुणायते ॥
gātrāṇi śithilāyante tṛṣṇā ekā taruṇāyate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
valIbhirmukhamaakraantaM palitaira~nkitaM shiraH ।
gaatraaNi shithilaayante tRuShNaikaa taruNaayate ॥
- vairaagyashataka

valIbhiH mukham aakraantaM palitaiH a~nkitaM shiraH ।
gaatraaNi shithilaayante tRuShNaa ekaa taruNaayate ॥

August 19th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
गृहं गृहमटन् भिक्षुः शिक्षते न तु याचते ।
अदत्वा मद्दृशो मा भूः दत्वा त्वं त्वद्दृशो भव ॥

- अज्ञात

Transliteration:
gṛhaṃ gṛhamaṭan bhikṣuḥ śikṣate na tu yācate ।
adatvā maddṛśo mā bhūḥ datvā tvaṃ tvaddṛśo bhava ॥
- ajñāta

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Roaming from home to home, the cadger is not begging but teaching: "do not become like me, by not giving; but remain like yourself, by giving."

Commentary:
Why does a beggar go from house to house begging for alms?  Does he go begging because he does not have enough?  The poet says, 'not really'!!  The poet opines that a cadger goes from home to home in order to teach the dwellers a very important value.  He wants to teach them, remain like yourself by giving alms, do not become like me by being close-fisted!  How does he justify that?  Hands that give shall also receive.  To lead a comfortable life in society, the person residing in a home sure has received many blessings and favors to lead the kind of life he does.  By giving to those in need, he will only better his chances of receiving generously later on in his own life.  Without giving, he is certain to run out of merits (good deeds) in his account and land up on the streets like the cadger himself!!  So the cadger is walking around as if, warning the avaricious that 'without giving, your fate will become the same as mine, sooner or later.'

By giving, one only makes his own life better. In giving, the bigger beneficiary is the giver really!  The contentment which comes from giving is far less than the satisfaction of receiving.  Give with all your heart!

pada vigrahaH:
गृहं गृहम् अटन् भिक्षुः शिक्षते न तु याचते ।
gṛhaṃ gṛham aṭan bhikṣuḥ śikṣate na tu yācate ।

अदत्वा मत् दृशः मा भूः दत्वा त्वं त्वत् दृशः भव ॥
adatvā mat dṛśaḥ mā bhūḥ datvā tvaṃ tvat dṛśaḥ bhava ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
gRuhaM gRuhamaTan bhikShuH shikShate na tu yaachate ।
adatvaa maddRusho maa bhUH datvaa tvaM tvaddRusho bhava ॥
- aj~naata

gRuhaM gRuham aTan bhikShuH shikShate na tu yaachate ।
adatvaa mat dRushaH maa bhUH datvaa tvaM tvat dRushaH bhava ॥

August 12th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
इदमेव हि पाण्डित्यं चातुर्यमिदमेव हि ।
इदमेव सुबुद्धित्वम् आयादल्पतरो व्ययः ॥

- समयोचितपद्यमालिका

Transliteration:
idameva hi pāṇḍityaṃ cāturyamidameva hi ।
idameva subuddhitvam āyādalpataro vyayaḥ ॥
- samayocitapadyamālikā

Meaning of the subhAShita:
This alone is erudition, this alone is dexterity, this alone is good intellect - expense less than revenue.

Commentary:
Not stretching beyond means!

What one possesses, only that he can expend.  What one owns, only that he can give.  What one earns, only that he can spend.  Isn't this a straightforward philosophy?  The poet opines that this alone is erudition, dexterity and good intellect.  Although all these are different facets of decision making, the emphasis here is 'all these have to give the same end result'.  There is no choice about it.  For, owing to someone is a burden of the heaviest kind.   The heaviest interest a debtor pays are his dignity and his self-respect!

The most sensible way to avoid getting into this scenario is by living within one's means.  Not stretching beyond what he can afford...  Always having some stored for a rainy day...  Even ants do that!  Shouldn't humans do this more ardently?

Spending is quick, earning is slow.  Beware!  Earn slowly, spend even more slowly.

pada vigrahaH:
इदम् एव हि पाण्डित्यं चातुर्यम् इदम् एव हि ।
idam eva hi pāṇḍityaṃ cāturyam idam eva hi ।

इदम् एव सु-बुद्धित्वम् आयात् अल्पतरः व्ययः ॥
idam eva su-buddhitvam āyāt alpataraḥ vyayaḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
idameva hi paaNDityaM chaaturyamidameva hi ।
idameva subuddhitvam aayaadalpataro vyayaH ॥
- samayochitapadyamaalikaa

idam eva hi paaNDityaM chaaturyam idam eva hi ।
idam eva su-buddhitvam aayaat alpataraH vyayaH ॥

August 5th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
घटं भिद्यात् पटं छिन्द्यात् कुर्याद्रासभरोहणम् ।
येन केनाप्युपायेन प्रसिद्धः पुरुषो भवेत् ॥


Transliteration:
ghaṭaṃ bhidyāt paṭaṃ chindyāt kuryādrāsabharohaṇam ।
yena kenāpyupāyena prasiddhaḥ puruṣo bhavet ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Destroy a pot, tear up a cloth(banner), (or) mount a donkey (too)!  By one means or another, become a famous person!!

Commentary:
"By hook or crook, achieve thy goal" - this seems to be the tagline that some people ardently believe in!  

The poet sarcastically says, to become famous, some will resort to any measure.  This could mean breaking things and making noise, tearing stuff and attracting attention, or even riding a donkey to make it to the headlines!  

This is appalling to some, whereas it comes naturally to a few others.  They create all kinds of melodrama around them to get the spotlight onto themselves.  It is like they say, people whose pictures are published in the newspaper are either famous or infamous. So, to claim the fame of whichever kind, one can either be a good cop or a great thief. Pictures of both people shall be published!­! 

It is up to oneself to choose his route of becoming (in)famous!  It is said that fame is the advantage of being known to people you don't know nor care to know about!  They are all ephemeral, famous people as well as their fame.  Why trade honesty and morality at the price of truth?  Should we run behind something so tentative and unreal?

Make your pick...

pada vigrahaH:
घटं भिद्यात् पटं छिन्द्यात् कुर्यात् रासभ-रोहणम् ।
ghaṭaṃ bhidyāt paṭaṃ chindyāt kuryāt rāsabha-rohaṇam ।

येन केन अपि उपायेन प्रसिद्धः पुरुषः भवेत् ॥
yena kena api upāyena prasiddhaḥ puruṣaḥ bhavet ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
ghaTaM bhidyaat paTaM Chindyaat kuryaadraasabharohaNam ।
yena kenaapyupaayena prasiddhaH puruSho bhavet ॥

ghaTaM bhidyaat paTaM Chindyaat kuryaat raasabha-rohaNam ॥
yena kena api upaayena prasiddhaH puruShaH bhavet ॥