October 24rd

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:

यद्यपि बहु नाधीषे पुत्र तथापि त्वं पठ व्याकरणम् ।

स्वजनः श्वजनो माऽभूत् सकलं शकलं सकृत् शकृत् ॥

Transliteration:

yadyapi bahu nādhīṣe putra tathāpi tvaṃ paṭha vyākaraṇam ।

svajanaḥ śvajano mā'bhūt sakalaṃ śakalaṃ sakṛt śakṛt ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Oh son, even if you don't study much, be sure to study grammar.  May your own people (svajana) never become dog people (śvajana), everything (sakalaṃ) become part (śakala), and instantly (sakṛt) become excreta (śakṛt)!  

Commentary:

With languages, one can truly feel at home anywhere!  Each language has a different vision of life.  Learning another language is to be able to see the world through a new window.  It is not just mastering different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things themselves.  

But, knowing a language is only half the battle. Learning it grammatically is crucial. Grammar, in any language, is the framework that supports everything else. Without it, the language collapses, much like a body without a skeleton. Grammar provides the structure, the logic of speech—and it can be as attractive as it is essential.

This lesson is humorously illustrated in this verse, where a teacher (or father) emphasizes the importance of correct speech. The verse plays on the subtle differences between three pairs of words that sound nearly identical in Sanskrit:

• svajanaḥ (one’s own people) vs. śvajanaḥ (dog people)
• sakalaṃ (everything) vs. śakalaṃ (a portion)
• sakṛt (immediately) vs. śakṛt (excrement)

Imagine the confusion—indeed, the hilarity—if the wrong word were used in the wrong context! It’s the same as the classic English example: "Let’s eat, Grandma!" vs. "Let’s eat Grandma!" The first invites Grandma to join the meal, and the second... suggests something far more alarming—eating Grandma herself as food! That little comma makes all the difference.

Thus, whether a person is highly educated or not, one should always be mindful of how they use words and grammar. Clear, precise speech is key. Accuracy in pronunciation and grammar doesn’t just refine his communication—it enriches it. 

In the end, language is more than a tool for conversation. It’s a doorway to wisdom. Let’s use it wisely, with careful attention to its rules and structure.

pada vigrahaH:

यदि अपि बहु ना अधीषे पुत्र तथा अपि त्वं पठ व्याकरणम् ।

yadi api bahu nā adhīṣe putra tathā api tvaṃ paṭha vyākaraṇam ।

स्वजनः श्वजनः मा अभूत् सकलं शकलं सकृत् शकृत् ॥

svajanaḥ śvajanaḥ mā abhūt sakalaṃ śakalaṃ sakṛt śakṛt ॥

Alternate Transliteration:

yadyapi bahu naadheeShe putra tathaapi tvaM paTha vyaakaraNam |

svajanaH shvajano maa.bhoot sakalaM shakalaM sakRut shakRut ||

yadi api bahu naa adheeShe putra tathaa api tvaM paTha vyaakaraNam |

svajanaH shvajanaH maa abhoot sakalaM shakalaM sakRut shakRut ||