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 for 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 analogy 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 simply implies that it was as unmatched as itself. Lord Rāma was of great valor, yet 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 his arrogance.
This very well depicts our inner demons. The good thoughts are Rāma, and the ignoble ones are Rāvaṇa. Their internal battle is nothing short of the battle between Lord Rāma and Rāvaṇa in the Rāmāyaṇa. Just as there is no simile to the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, nothing can be compared to the inner turmoil each of us goes through, at our own crossroads. This brings to mind the story of the two wolves—the good one and the bad one. When the grandson asked "Which one wins," the grandfather replied, "Whichever you feed!" Who we allow to win is entirely up to us. It sure is not easy to win over evil thoughts, just like Rāvaṇa who was quite invincible.
However, 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 prevail 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 merits in all their noble endeavors always!
P.S.: This verse is part of a four-line verse. Since the subhāṣita aspect is covered in these two lines already, only the extraction from the verse is taken.
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 ॥
gaganaM gaganaakaaraM saagaraH saagaropamaH ।
raamaraavaNayoryuddhaM raamaraavaNayoriva ॥
- raamaayaNa
gaganaM gagana-aakaaraM saagaraH saagara-upamaH ।
raama-raavaNayoH yuddhaM raama-raavaNayoH iva ॥
