February 12th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
न त्वहं कामये राज्यं न स्वर्गं नापुनर्भवम् ।
कामये दुःखतप्तानां प्राणिनाम् आर्तिनाशनम् ॥
- भागवत
Transliteration:
na tvahaṃ kāmaye rājyaṃ na svargaṃ nāpunarbhavam ।
kāmaye duḥkhataptānāṃ prāṇinām ārtināśanam ॥
- bhāgavata

Meaning of the subhAShita:

I certainly am desirous of neither sovereignty nor (want to attain) heaven nor mokṣa (salvation).  I yearn for the relinquishment of grief, of all beings afflicted with pain.  

Commentary:

Everyone wants to acquire land, reach heaven on passing, or better yet, attain mokṣa.  But then, the author says that he does not wish for any of these!  These may be of primordial importance on the agenda of all beings.  The underlying drive for wanting these is - attaining happiness.  One may acquire land, property, possessions or even want to attain mokṣa so that he can escape the bondage or burdens of life.  But then, there is something much more desirable for any existing creature.  It is - freedom from pain!  No pain is equated to happiness.

Pain is a strange thing.  It has such a tight grip on a being's mind.  From a newborn to a ripe old man, everyone avoids pain!  If the main cause for any kind of fear is death, the true source of that fear is the pain that one might have to go through during death!

Also, the fear of pain whether emotional, spiritual or physical, is the driving force behind many of the actions a person undertakes.  But then, the pain we deal with are merely through our thoughts!  Guess it is time to energize our thoughts!  Keeping positive thoughts shall banish half the pains one has.

What if one was assured that there would be no pain no matter what! What a wonderful place the world would be?!  Hence, the author is praying for this very essential ingredient in the life of all beings invariably afflicted with pain - painlessness.  This very well encompasses every creature that ever took a breath.  What a wonderful prayer this is!!  (In that case, who would want power, possessions, or dislike being born again and again for that matter?! :)  This would make heaven on earth!

pada vigrahaH:
न तु अहं कामये राज्यं न स्वर्गं न अपुनः भवम् ।
na tu ahaṃ kāmaye rājyaṃ na svargaṃ na apunaḥ bhavam ।

कामये दुःख-तप्तानां प्राणिनाम् आर्ति-नाशनम् ॥
kāmaye duḥkha-taptānāṃ prāṇinām ārti-nāśanam ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
na tvahaM kaamaye raajyaM na swargaM naapunarbhavam ।
kaamaye duHkhataptaanaaM praaNinaam aartinaashanam ॥
- bhaagavata

na tu ahaM kaamaye raajyaM na swargaM na apunaH bhavam ।

kaamaye duHkha-taptaanaaM praaNinaam aarti-naashanam ॥