November 12th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
यस्तु सञ्चरते देशान् यस्तु सेवेत पण्डितान् ।
तस्य विस्तरिता बुद्धिः तैलबिन्दुरिवाम्भसि ॥ 
- समयोचितपद्यमालिका

Transliteration:
yastu sañcarate deśān yastu seveta paṇḍitān ।
tasya vistaritā buddhiḥ tailabindurivāmbhasi ॥
- samayocitapadyamālikā

Meaning of the subhAShita:

He who travels the world; he who serves the erudite - his acumen shall expand, just as a drop of oil on water!

Commentary:

It is said that the world is a book and those who do not travel, read only one page!  Travelling exposes a person to many varieties of cultures and many different perspectives as well.  Life is a journey in itself.  Travel gives a unique character of experience to one's knowledge.  He who resists travel holds off his own personal growth.

He who is in the company of the learned is always posed with an opportunity to learn.  Just by sheer proximity to the scholars, he gets a chance to see how they think.  Even the subtlest action of the wise teaches a thing or two. When interwoven into daily life, acquiring of wisdom never ceases and progress never freezes.

The very apt example given in the verse is of a drop of oil on water.  A tiny drop of oil placed on water just keeps spreading (till it reaches the edge of the water itself). Such would be the vastness of the wisdom of a person who has these two attributes - traveling and keeping company with the learned.  These two aspects broaden one's horizon and deepen his understanding of the world.

Read, travel, learn with the learned!

pada vigrahaH:
यः तु सञ्चरते देशान् यः तु सेवेत पण्डितान् ।
yaḥ tu sañcarate deśān yaḥ tu seveta paṇḍitān ।

तस्य विस्तरिता बुद्धिः तैल-बिन्दुः इव अम्भसि ॥ 
tasya vistaritā buddhiḥ taila-binduḥ iva ambhasi ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
yastu sa~ncharate deshaan yastu seveta paNDitaan ।
tasya vistaritaa buddhiH tailabindurivaambhasi ॥
- samayochitapadyamaalikaa

yaH tu sa~ncharate deshaan yaH tu seveta paNDitaan ।
tasya vistaritaa buddhiH taila-binduH iva ambhasi ॥