October 20th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
नागुणी गुणिनं वेत्ति गुणी गुणिषु मत्सरी ।
गुणी च गुणरागी च विरलः सरलो जनः ॥

Transliteration:
nāguṇī guṇinaṃ vetti guṇī guṇiṣu matsarī ।
guṇī ca guṇarāgī ca viralaḥ saralo janaḥ ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:
A person devoid of virtues does not cognize virtue (in others). Those with virtues are jealous of others with merit.  A person with simplicity who is virtuous and also appreciates virtue (in others) is rare to come by.    

Commentary:
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Simple people keep things simple. They honor in others what they value in themselves, free of double standards. 

But, in society, we often see those with merit viewing others as competition, pulling each other down instead of lifting each other up. In this struggle, merit often loses its own worth.

Those without excellence may fail to recognize it in others, leaving merit unrewarded in their eyes as well.

The poet laments that the truly virtuous—the rare few, who live in harmony with their values and admire virtue in others—are hard to find. 

True virtue, after all, lies in balance: the golden mean between excess and deficiency. A simple person is indeed rare, whose thoughts, words, and actions align.

pada vigrahaH:
न अगुणी गुणिनं वेत्ति गुणी गुणिषु मत्सरी ।
na aguṇī guṇinaṃ vetti guṇī guṇiṣu matsarī ।

गुणी च गुण-रागी च विरलः सरलः जनः ॥
guṇī ca guṇa-rāgī ca viralaḥ saralaḥ janaḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
naaguNI guNinaM vetti guNI guNiShu matsarI ।
guNI cha guNaraagI cha viralaH saralo janaH ॥

na aguNI guNinaM vetti guNI guNiShu matsarI ।
guNI cha guNa-raagI cha viralaH saralaH janaH ॥


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