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 ॥

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