Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
खल्वाटो दिवसेश्वरस्य किरणैस्सन्तापितो मस्तके
गच्छन्देशमनातपं द्रुतगतिस्तालस्य मूलं गतः ।
तत्राप्यस्य महाफलेन पतता भग्नं सशब्दं शिरः
प्रायो गच्छति यत्र दैवहतकस्तत्रैव यान्त्यापदः ॥
-नीतिशतक
Transliteration:
khalvāṭo divaseśvarasya kiraṇaissantāpito mastake
gacchandeśamanātapaṃ drutagatistālasya mūlaṃ gataḥ ।
tatrāpyasya mahāphalena patatā bhagnaṃ saśabdaṃ śiraḥ
prāyo gacchati yatra daivahatakastatraiva yāntyāpadaḥ ॥
-nītiśataka
Meaning of the subhAShita:
A bald man, scorched in the head due to the sun's rays, in search of a place of shade, rushed hurriedly to the base of a palm tree. There too, due to the falling of a huge palm fruit, his head was fractured with a huge noise! Alas! perils probably go wherever those cursed by destiny go...
Commentary:
This story exemplifies the fortune of the ill-fated. Imagine this: a bald man, without even a strand of hair to shield him from the scorching sun, finds himself in a barren, sunbaked land on a hot day. Desperately seeking respite, he spots a lone palm tree and hurries beneath it to claim whatever meager scraps of shade it offers. (After all, a palm tree isn’t known for its dense foliage or thick shadow.)
Just as he stood under the tree, fate delivered its cruel twist—a large palm fruit (unusually large, mind you) fell directly onto his exposed head. With a loud crack, his skull gave way!
Alas, he was truly ill-fated. This incident brings to mind the saying: “Sometimes, the road of life takes an unexpected turn, and you have no choice but to follow it, ending up where you’re supposed to be.” Otherwise, why would he, of all places, willingly stand beneath a palm tree and offer his vulnerable bald head to an oversized falling fruit? Surely, there were countless other places he could have been at that moment, but circumstances—and his own choices—led him here.
Such moments remind us that no matter how much one prepares or plans, life doesn’t always go as expected. When logic, rhyme, or reason fail to explain the turn of events, we inevitably attribute it to destiny. And rightly so! There is only so much the human mind can comprehend. Some things lie beyond our understanding and control—it’s just the way of the universe. Whatever must happen, happens. If we were capable of explaining every occurrence, wouldn’t that make us akin to God?
Yet, even with our finite understanding, humans are known for their complex egos. Imagine if we possessed the ultimate power to know and control why everything happens—would the universe find any peace?
While fate or luck often plays a role, one can still strive to improve their chances. But even then, the Lord may override all efforts. In such moments, one must embrace the age-old mantra: “What can’t be cured must be endured.”
pada vigrahaH:
खल्वाटः दिवसेश्वरस्य किरणैः सन्तापितः मस्तके
khalvāṭaḥ divaseśvarasya kiraṇaiḥ santāpitaḥ mastake
गच्छन् देशम् अनातपं द्रुत-गतिः तालस्य मूलं गतः ।
gacchan deśam anātapaṃ druta-gatiḥ tālasya mūlaṃ gataḥ ।
तत्र अपि अस्य महा-फलेन पतता भग्नं सशब्दं शिरः
tatra api asya mahā-phalena patatā bhagnaṃ saśabdaṃ śiraḥ
प्रायः गच्छति यत्र दैव-हतकः तत्र एव यान्ति आपदः ॥
prāyaḥ gacchati yatra daiva-hatakaḥ tatra eva yānti āpadaḥ ॥
khalvaaTo divaseshwarasya kiraNaissantaapito mastake
gachChandeshamanaatapaM drutagatistaalasya mUlaM gataH ।
tatraapyasya mahaaphalena patataa bhagnaM sashabdaM shiraH
praayo gachChati yatra daivahatakastatraiva yaantyaapadaH ॥
-nItishataka
khalvaaTaH divaseshwarasya kiraNaiH santaapitaH mastake
gachChan desham anaatapaM druta-gatiH taalasya mUlaM gataH ।
tatra api asya mahaa-phalena patataa bhagnaM sashabdaM shiraH
praayaH gachChati yatra daiva-hatakaH tatra eva yaanti aapadaH ॥
