October 26th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:

शक्यो वारयितुं जलेन हुतभुक् छत्रेण सूर्यातपो 

नागेन्द्रो निशिताङ्कुशेन समदो दण्डेन गोगर्दभौ ।  

व्याधिर्भेषजसङ्ग्रहैश्च विविधैर्मन्त्रप्रयोगैर्विषं 

सर्वस्यौषधमस्ति शास्त्रविहितं मूर्खस्य नास्त्यौषधम् ॥

- नीतिशतक

Transliteration:

śakyo vārayituṃ jalena hutabhuk chatreṇa sūryātapo

nāgendro niśitāṅkuśena samado daṇḍena gogardabhau ।

vyādhirbheṣajasaṅgrahaiśca vividhairmantraprayogairviṣaṃ

sarvasyauṣadhamasti śāstravihitaṃ mūrkhasya nāstyauṣadham ॥

- nītiśataka

Meaning of the subhAShita:

It is possible to restrain the fire with water; the Sun's heat with an umbrella; a rutting elephant with a sharp goad; cattle and donkeys with a stick; diseases with a plethora of medicines; and poison with mantras too.  There is a remedy for everything as per shāstras (books of knowledge), but none for a fool. 

Commentary:

It is often said, “Never argue with a fool, for they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.” 

This verse speaks of many scenarios that are difficult to deal with.  Fire is devastating.  Once it starts consuming things, it is almost unstoppable.  But, water can suppress it.  Though millions of miles away, the heat of the Sun can be unbearable.  Yet, it can be remediated with a handy umbrella.  It is not easy to restrain a rutting elephant.  But a sharp goad will calm it down.  Donkeys and cattle wander where they please.  A stick in the hand of their keeper is enough to restore order.  Diseases are treated with a variety of medicines.  Even poison is said to be cut with sacred syllables of specific mantras (viṣa-hṛnmantra - mantras that quell even snake poison).  

For everything, there seems to be a remedy. Each affliction, each challenge, has its antidote, its cure, its countermeasure. But there is one malady that no medicine can cure, no remedy can resolve, and no mantra can dispel. And that malady is the foolishness of fools.

Wise people have problems, whereas foolish people have patterns—repetitive, relentless, and unchanging. They keep repeating their mistakes and expect to get a different outcome.   Reason, logic, and persuasion hold no sway over them. 

To argue with a fool is to ensure that there are now two fools in the conversation, for, as the saying goes, "When you wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty, but the pig enjoys it." The best way to convince a fool is to let him have his own way! He will figure out his foolishness in his own time—if and when he chooses. 

Fools are beyond redemption—there is no swift cure for their delusions.  It is not easy to separate fools from their foolishness.   It is best to separate ourselves from the fools and better yet, to make sure we do not imbibe these traits that we so easily condemn in others.

pada vigrahaH:

शक्यः वारयितुं जलेन हुतभुक् छत्रेण सूर्य-आतपः

śakyaḥ vārayituṃ jalena hutabhuk chatreṇa sūrya-ātapaḥ

नागेन्द्रः निशित-अङ्कुशेन समदः दण्डेन गो-गर्दभौ ।

nāgendraḥ niśita-aṅkuśena samadaḥ daṇḍena go-gardabhau । 

व्याधिः भेषज-सङ्ग्रहैः च विविधैः मन्त्र-प्रयोगैः विषं

vyādhiḥ bheṣaja-saṅgrahaiḥ ca vividhaiḥ mantra-prayogaiḥ viṣaṃ

सर्वस्य औषधम् अस्ति शास्त्र-विहितं मूर्खस्य न अस्ति औषधम् ॥

sarvasya auṣadham asti śāstra-vihitaṃ mūrkhasya na asti auṣadham ॥

Alternate Transliteration:

shakyo vaarayituM jalena hutabhuk ChatreNa sooryaatapo

naagendro nishitaa~nkushena samado daNDena gogardabhau |

vyaadhirbheShajasa~ngrahaishcha vividhairmantraprayogairviShaM

sarvasyauShadhamasti shaastravihitaM moorkhasya naastyauShadham ||

- neetishataka

shakyaH vaarayituM jalena hutabhuk ChatreNa soorya-aatapaH

naagendraH nishita-a~nkushena samadaH daNDena go-gardabhau |

vyaadhiH bheShaja-sa~ngrahaiH cha vividhaiH mantra-prayogaiH viShaM

sarvasya auShadham asti shaastra-vihitaM moorkhasya na asti auShadham ||