December 8th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
वागर्थाविव सम्पृक्तौ वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये  ।
जगतः पितरौ वन्दे पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ ॥ 
- रघुवंश (कालिदास)

Transliteration:
vāgarthāviva sampṛktau vāgarthapratipattaye ।
jagataḥ pitarau vande pārvatīparameśvarau ॥
- raghuvaṃśa (kālidāsa)

Meaning of the subhAShita:

I pray to the progenitors of the universe, Pārvatī and Parameśvara, who are themselves interspersed like speech and meaning, for the attainment of articulation and understanding.

Commentary:

There can be no meaning without speech and be no speech without meaning.  When someone speaks, there is a meaning that accompanies it.  One may talk meaninglessly, but his speech always carries a meaning, whether it makes sense or not!  That means, speech and it's meaning are inseparable!  There is no existence of one without the other.  Once milk and honey are stirred together, one cannot be separated from the other.  Such is the union/camaraderie of Lord Shiva and Pārvatī.

The author here (Kālidaasa) is praying to be bestowed such inseparable articulation and understanding in the compositions he is about to compose.  This is the opening verse he wrote before composing the famous kāvya, 'Raghuvaṃśa' (Rāma's dynasty).

Meaningful speech is essential at any place, time or era.  The art of communication with others, as well as ourselves, ultimately determines the quality of our lives!  So, who wouldn't want to be bestowed the best skills from the Gods who are the very embodiment of these skills?!

pada vigrahaH:
वाक्-अर्थौ इव सम्पृक्तौ वाक्-अर्थ-प्रतिपत्तये  ।
vāk-arthau iva sampṛktau vāk-artha-pratipattaye ।

जगतः पितरौ वन्दे पार्वती-परमेश्वरौ ॥
jagataḥ pitarau vande pārvatī-parameśvarau ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
vaagarthaaviva sampRuktau vaagarthapratipattaye ।
jagataH pitarau vande paarvatIparameshvarau ॥
- raghuvaMsha (kaalidaasa)

vaak-arthau iva sampRuktau vaak-artha-pratipattaye  ।

jagataH pitarau vande paarvatI-parameshvarau ॥

October 24th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
गगनं गगनाकारं सागरः सागरोपमः ।
रामरावणयोर्युद्धं रामरावणयोरिव ॥
- रामायण

Transliteration:
gaganaṃ gaganākāraṃ sāgaraḥ sāgaropamaḥ ।
rāmarāvaṇayoryuddhaṃ rāmarāvaṇayoriva ॥
- rāmāyaṇa

Meaning of the subhAShita:

The vastness of the sky is equal to (that of) the sky; the ocean is analogous to the ocean; the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa is like the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa!

Commentary:

This verse looks like it is repeating itself!  Is that so?  Not really.  This figure of speech is called 'ananvaya' (comparison of an object with its own ideal).  In this verse, the poet is at a loss of words to describe or give comparisons.  He says the best analogy for the vastness of the sky is none other than the sky itself!  Can anything be as deep and vast as an ocean?  The only collation or resemblance one can give for an ocean is - the ocean itself!  Similarly, the one and only correlation one can come up with for the fierce battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa is..., the battle between Rāma and Rāvaṇa!!  They fought with such ferocity and strength that no comparison could suffice the description.  Finally, the poet just says that it was as unmatched as itself!  Lord Rāma was of great valor.  But Rāvaṇa could keep up with him.  (He was an equal match to Rāma in his physical strength.  But what brought him down was his weakness for sense pleasures and arrogance.) 

This very well depicts our inner demons.  The good thoughts are Rāma, the ignoble ones are Rāvaṇa.  Their internal battle is nothing short of the battle between Lord Rāma and Rāvaṇa themselves.  Just as there is no simile to the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, nothing can be compared to the inner turmoil each one of us goes through at our own crossroads either.  This brings to mind the story of the two wolves - the good one and the bad one.  When the grandson asks 'which one wins', the grandfather replies 'whichever you feed'!  Who we allow to win is entirely up to us.  It sure is not easy to win over the evil thoughts, just like Rāvaṇa who was quite invincible. But once the initial bombardment is overcome, the path for the good paves its way itself.  Physical strength, ignoble thoughts, and selfish motives can only survive so long.  If the thought that 'only the good and the ethical win eventually' is kept in mind, triumph comes sooner.

May Rāma's victory over Rāvaṇa inspire us to fight our inner war with the same tenacity as He did!  May everyone achieve noble merits in all their noble endeavors always!

P.S.:  This verse is an extraction from a four-line verse, but the subhāṣita aspect is covered in these two lines itself.  Hence the extraction from the full verse.

pada vigrahaH:
गगनं गगन-आकारं सागरः सागर-उपमः ।
gaganaṃ gagana-ākāraṃ sāgaraḥ sāgara-upamaḥ ।

राम-रावणयोः युद्धं राम-रावणयोः इव ॥
rāma-rāvaṇayoḥ yuddhaṃ rāma-rāvaṇayoḥ iva ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
gaganaM gaganaakaaraM saagaraH saagaropamaH ।
raamaraavaNayoryuddhaM raamaraavaNayoriva ॥
- raamaayaNa

gaganaM gagana-aakaaraM saagaraH saagara-upamaH ।

raama-raavaNayoH yuddhaM raama-raavaNayoH iva ॥

September 25th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
दशकूपसमा वापी दशवापीसमो ह्रदः  ।
दशह्रदसमः पुत्रः दशपुत्रसमो द्रुमः ॥  
- मत्स्यपुराण

Transliteration:
daśakūpasamā vāpī daśavāpīsamo hradaḥ ।
daśahradasamaḥ putraḥ daśaputrasamo drumaḥ ॥
- matsyapurāṇa

Meaning of the subhAShita:

A pond is equal to ten wells.  A dansk of water (reservoir) is worth ten (such) ponds.  (Then again) ten (such) reservoirs are the same as a son (offspring).  (But) a tree is equal to ten (such) sons.

Commentary:

Water is an integral part of life's existence.  In fact, we have known mankind to send spaceships out to different spatial objects just to detect the existence of water.  Existence of water leads to the presence of life.  When such is the case, a well obviously is an invaluable asset to living beings.  A well, after all, is a small body of water.  Without a doubt, a pond can easily be equated to ten such wells.

The water in ten ponds can be easily contained in a reservoir.  But then, a son (a good, cultured, educated one especially) is no match to even ten such reservoirs!   This is because, a child quenches the thirst of the parents in a similar way!!  However, there is something that can equal even ten such sons!!  That is none other than a 'tree'.

Why is that?  How can 1 tree equal 10 sons, a 100 reservoirs, a 1000 ponds or 10,000 wells?!!!  Well, here's the deal.  In its lifetime, brings clouds that can equal all of the above bodies of water.

How about a son?  How can a tree be better than him?  It sure is!  A son can only make his own family ecstatic.  He can prosper only his family's lineage.  But, a person who plants a plant today will never know how many people will benefit from it when it grows into a tree.  In reality, the true meaning of life is said to be 'to plant trees, under whose shade one does not expect to sit!'  Planting a sapling, not knowing whether one will be around to enjoy the fruit and shade from it is a selfless act.  The fruits the tree bears will satiate the hunger of birds/animal/people in the future.  It will bring many rain clouds and quench the thirst of those around it.  It will provide shade to the wary.  When one plants the sapling, he is actually doing service to many beings without realizing.  Moreover, the tree may live there for generations beyond the planter or his son and still keep serving, giving water, shade and fruit.

Hence, a tree is equated to so many things.  So what is the impact of felling a tree?  Theoretically, with our own bare hands, we are slaying so many sons and drying up so many water bodies and sources!

It is said that trees are the best antiques and the groves were God's first temples.  Strive to save those antique temples now and always!

pada vigrahaH:
दश-कूप-समा वापी दश-वापी-समो ह्रदः  ।
daśa-kūpa-samā vāpī daśa-vāpī-samo hradaḥ ।

दश-ह्रद-समः पुत्रः दश-पुत्र-समो द्रुमः ॥
daśa-hrada-samaḥ putraḥ daśa-putra-samo drumaḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
dashakUpasamaa vaapI dashavaapIsamo hradaH  ।
dashahradasamaH putraH dashaputrasamo drumaH ॥
- matsyapuraaNa

dasha-kUpa-samaa vaapI dasha-vaapI-samo hradaH ।

dasha-hrada-samaH putraH dasha-putra-samo drumaH ॥