Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
स्वभावो नोपदेशेन शक्यते कर्तुमन्यथा ।
सुतप्तमपि पानीयं पुनर्गच्छति शीतताम् ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्र, मित्रभेद
Transliteration:
svabhāvo nopadeśena śakyate kartumanyathā ।
sutaptamapi pānīyaṃ punargacchati śītatām ॥
- pañcatantra, mitrabheda
Meaning of the subhAShita:
It is not possible to change the intrinsic nature (of a person) through advice. Even after being boiled intensely, water goes back (to being) cold.
Commentary:
One may bring the water to a rolling boil for many hours! However, all that boiling is not capable of changing the inherent nature of water which is to be cold to the touch. The nature of water is to be colder than its surroundings. Water doesn't have to make an effort to be cold. It is designed that way! So, any amount of boiling will not change its innate attributes.
Similarly, one comes across people in life that may seem to be doing things differently. One may be intensely tempted to shake him up and tell him to do it in a more efficient way. What may seem very natural to him, may not be comprehended by the other in the same fashion. Giving sessions of advice will not help enlighten the person whose intrinsic nature is on a completely different platform. Just like one can't teach water to be hot or fire to be cold by intense education, a person's indelible nature can't be changed through counseling, be it good or bad. Just as a fish can't be counseled into flying like a bird, acknowledge that each one is the 'best version of themselves'!
Save your effort. It may just be beyond one's capacity to heed. Know when not to waste breath in futility or prepare to be disappointed due to another person's composition. Accept it and move on!
pada vigrahaH:
स्वभावः न उपदेशेन शक्यते कर्तुम् अन्यथा ।
svabhāvaḥ na upadeśena śakyate kartum anyathā ।
सुतप्तम् अपि पानीयं पुनः गच्छति शीतताम् ॥
Similarly, one comes across people in life that may seem to be doing things differently. One may be intensely tempted to shake him up and tell him to do it in a more efficient way. What may seem very natural to him, may not be comprehended by the other in the same fashion. Giving sessions of advice will not help enlighten the person whose intrinsic nature is on a completely different platform. Just like one can't teach water to be hot or fire to be cold by intense education, a person's indelible nature can't be changed through counseling, be it good or bad. Just as a fish can't be counseled into flying like a bird, acknowledge that each one is the 'best version of themselves'!
Save your effort. It may just be beyond one's capacity to heed. Know when not to waste breath in futility or prepare to be disappointed due to another person's composition. Accept it and move on!
pada vigrahaH:
स्वभावः न उपदेशेन शक्यते कर्तुम् अन्यथा ।
svabhāvaḥ na upadeśena śakyate kartum anyathā ।
सुतप्तम् अपि पानीयं पुनः गच्छति शीतताम् ॥
sutaptam api pānīyaṃ punaḥ gacchati śītatām ॥
svabhaavo nopadeshena shakyate kartumanyathaa।
sutaptamapi paanIyaM punargachChati shItataam॥
- pa~nchatantra, mitrabheda
svabhaavaH na upadeshena shakyate kartum anyathaa ।
sutaptam api paanIyaM punaH gachChati shItataam॥
