August 12th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
इदमेव हि पाण्डित्यं चातुर्यमिदमेव हि ।
इदमेव सुबुद्धित्वम् आयादल्पतरो व्ययः ॥
- समयोचितपद्यमालिका

Transliteration:
idameva hi pāṇḍityaṃ cāturyamidameva hi ।
idameva subuddhitvam āyādalpataro vyayaḥ ॥
- samayocitapadyamālikā

Meaning of the subhAShita:

This alone is erudition, this alone is dexterity, this alone is good intellect—expense must be less than revenue.

Commentary:

Not stretching beyond means!

What one possesses, only that, he can expend.  What one owns, only that, he can give.  What one earns, only that, he can spend.  Isn't this a straightforward philosophy?  

The poet opines that this alone is erudition, dexterity, and good intellect.  Although these are different facets of decision-making, they have been mentioned individually to emphasize that 'all these have to give the same end result'—spending less than what is earned.  There is no choice about it.  For, owing to someone is a burden of the heaviest kind.   The heaviest interest a debtor pays is his dignity and his self-respect!

The most sensible way to avoid this scenario is: to live within one's means; not stretching beyond what he can afford, always having something stored for a rainy day...  Even ants do that!  Shouldn't humans do this more ardently?

Spending is quick, earning is slow.  Beware!  Earn slowly, and spend even more slowly.

pada vigrahaH:
इदम् एव हि पाण्डित्यं चातुर्यम् इदम् एव हि ।

idam eva hi pāṇḍityaṃ cāturyam idam eva hi ।

इदम् एव सु-बुद्धित्वम् आयात् अल्पतरः व्ययः ॥
idam eva su-buddhitvam āyāt alpataraḥ vyayaḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
idameva hi paaNDityaM chaaturyamidameva hi ।
idameva subuddhitvam aayaadalpataro vyayaH ॥
- samayochitapadyamaalikaa

idam eva hi paaNDityaM chaaturyam idam eva hi ।

idam eva su-buddhitvam aayaat alpataraH vyayaH ॥

August 8th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
इन्द्रियाणि च संयम्य बकवत् पण्डितो नरः ।
देशकालबलं ज्ञात्वा सर्वकार्याणि साधयेत् ॥
- चाणक्य नीति


Transliteration:
indriyāṇi ca saṃyamya bakavat paṇḍito naraḥ ।
deśakālabalaṃ jñātvā sarvakāryāṇi sādhayet ॥
- cāṇakya nīti

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Through restraining his senses like a stork, a learned person, aware of his space, time, and strengths, succeeds in all his tasks.

Commentary:

A stork stands still on one foot, without moving an inch, waiting patiently for its catch. Clearly, it is aware of the happenings around itself, yet restrains its senses. Its patience gets paid off eventually!

The same is done by an intelligent person. He is very aware of his surroundings but doesn't yield to the pleasures of his senses. He will not let his desires or weaknesses overpower his reasoning. He is flexible to changes, yet firm in his conviction. His awareness of his strengths and weaknesses, time and space—together contribute to his wisdom. His patience and perseverance pay off eventually!

Patience is waiting, not sitting still passively (that is laziness). To keep going when the going is slow and tedious, is patience. Patience is the companion of wisdom!

pada vigrahaH:
इन्द्रियाणि च संयम्य बकवत् पण्डितः नरः ।
indriyāṇi ca saṃyamya bakavat paṇḍitaḥ naraḥ ।

देश-काल-बलं ज्ञात्वा सर्व-कार्याणि साधयेत् ॥
deśa-kāla-balaṃ jñātvā sarva-kāryāṇi sādhayet ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
indriyaaNi cha saMyamya bakavat paNDito naraH ।
deshakaalabalaM j~naatvaa sarvakaaryaaNi saadhayet ॥
- chaaNakya nIti

indriyaaNi cha saMyamya bakavat paNDitaH naraH ।

desha-kaala-balaM j~naatvaa sarva-kaaryaaNi saadhayet ॥

March 19th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
ईप्सितं मनसः सर्वं कस्य सम्पद्यते सुखम् ।
दैवाऽयुक्तं यतः सर्वं तस्मात्सन्तोषमाश्रयेत् ॥
- चाणक्य नीति


Transliteration:
īpsitaṃ manasaḥ sarvaṃ kasya sampadyate sukham ।
daivā'yuktaṃ yataḥ sarvaṃ tasmātsantoṣamāśrayet ॥
- cāṇakya nīti

Meaning of the subhAShita:

How many (people) procure all the pleasures that are desired by the mind? Everything is as God appointed it to be. Hence, practice happiness (contentment).

Commentary:

Not everyone in this world gets all their desires fulfilled.  Or, must we say, NO ONE in this world fulfills all their desires! We wouldn't be called humans if every wish of ours would be a command and would be fruitful at every turn of life! Every outcome will be exactly as He, the Supreme Lord, desires it to be. His law is unquestionable as we are unaware of all the variables that go into an equation. A wish is either granted or rejected as per our efforts, our dedication, the lessons we need to learn, and also, per our deeds from previous births.

When an outcome can't be changed, one should learn to be happy with any result he gets. Because, no matter how much he frets, it won't change the end result. So, why not take it in stride and be happy always! That is why the poet says, 'practice happiness', 'take shelter in happiness'. Whether the result is desirable or not, happiness should remain unaltered.

Be Happy, no matter the outcome! Success is not the key to happiness; happiness is the key to success.   

pada vigrahaH:
ईप्सितं मनसः सर्वं कस्य सम्पद्यते सुखम् ।
īpsitaṃ manasaḥ sarvaṃ kasya sampadyate sukham ।

दैव-आयुक्तं यतः सर्वं तस्मात् सन्तोषम् आश्रयेत् ॥
daiva-āyuktaṃ yataḥ sarvaṃ tasmāt santoṣam āśrayet ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
IpsitaM manasaH sarvaM kasya sampadyate sukham ।
daivaa.yuktaM yataH sarvaM tasmaatsantoShamaashrayet ॥
- chaaNakya nIti

IpsitaM manasaH sarvaM kasya sampadyate sukham ।

daiva-aayuktaM yataH sarvaM tasmaat santoSham aashrayet ॥

March 10th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
ईर्ष्यी घृणी त्वसन्तुष्टः क्रोधनो नित्यशङ्कितः ।
परभाग्योपजीवी च षडेते दुःखभागिनः ॥
- हितोपदेश, मित्रलाभ


Transliteration:
īrṣyī ghṛṇī tvasantuṣṭaḥ krodhano nityaśaṅkitaḥ ।
parabhāgyopajīvī ca ṣaḍete duḥkhabhāginaḥ ॥
- hitopadeśa, mitralābha

Meaning of the subhAShita:

The jealous, the repugnant, the un-contented, the resentful, the ever-doubting, and those living off of other people's wealth—these six are eligible for sorrow.

Commentary:

Some people want to see everything go wrong for others because, in their heads, nothing is going right for them! 

1. Jealousy towards others yields no good. A jealous person is plotting constantly against his perceived enemy. Hence he can never be peaceful.
2. Repugnance, distaste, or aversion towards anyone or anything can breed no beautiful thoughts along with them. Such a person is always miserable.
3. One with no contentment is constantly working his mind towards acquiring something more to satisfy him. There is no calmness in such a mind.
4. A resentful and angry person is never happy with anything or anyone. He expresses displeasure every step of the way. How can pleasure even come near such a person?
5. A doubting Thomas, a skeptic, has no trust in any aspect of life. He needs constant assurance and physical evidence to make him believe every single dimension of his own life. Such an individual probably can't even sleep in peace.
6. A person living off of someone else's wealth has to constantly think of that someone literally! If the other person loses his source of income, so does he... The parasitic guilt that accompanies the scenario is a whole different issue to deal with. How can such a person be happy!

Any person who is—not at peace, always miserable, not calm, not happy, not pleasant nor satisfied—how can delight come near such an individual! The verse even says, such a person almost deserves to be sorrowful, meaning he can't escape sorrow.

Don't worry, be happy!

pada vigrahaH:
ईर्ष्यी घृणी तु असन्तुष्टः क्रोधनः नित्य-शङ्कितः ।
īrṣyī ghṛṇī tu asantuṣṭaḥ krodhanaḥ nitya-śaṅkitaḥ ।

पर-भाग्य-उपजीवी च षट् एते दुःख-भागिनः ॥
para-bhāgya-upajīvī ca ṣaṭ ete duḥkha-bhāginaḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
IrShyI ghRuNI tvasantuShTaH krodhano nityasha~nkitaH ।
parabhaagyopajIvI cha ShaDete duHkhabhaaginaH ॥
- hitopadesha, mitralaabha

IrShyI ghRuNI tu asantuShTaH krodhanaH nitya-sha~nkitaH ।

para-bhaagya-upajIvI cha ShaT ete duHkha-bhaaginaH ॥

February 13th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
इन्द्रियाणि पुरा जित्वा जितं त्रिभुवनं त्वया ।
स्मरद्भिरिव तद्वैरम् इन्द्रियैरेव निर्जितः ॥
- रामायण, युद्धकाण्ड

Transliteration:
indriyāṇi purā jitvā jitaṃ tribhuvanaṃ tvayā ।
smaradbhiriva tadvairam indriyaireva nirjitaḥ ॥
- rāmāyaṇa, yuddhakāṇḍa

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Formerly, after winning over your senses, the three worlds were conquered by you. As if in memory of that enmity you were defeated by those same senses.
(A verse by lamenting Maṇḍodarī to Rāvaṇa's cadaver).

Commentary:

In the great first epic Rāmāyaṇa, we see that Rāvaṇa was an exceptional scholar who had performed numerous penances. He had the intellect and the endurance required to perform them but for all wrong reasons. These achievements don't come easy. One has to win over his sense organs, defeat and restrain them to show them who the boss is—so to speak! But Rāvaṇa had achieved all of these quite easily.  He had become a jitendriya, by winning over his sense organs.  

Yet he gave in and yielded to his sense-pleasures when he heard about Sītā from his sister (Śūrpanakhā). Chastity was blown to the wind. He succumbed so much to his sense organs that he wouldn't listen to any advice from anyone, including his own brother (Vibhīṣaṇa), or his wife (Maṇḍodarī). Upon his death, Maṇḍodarī lamented saying, "To him who had won over them earlier, they became the cause for his downfall now.  He had conquered his senses earlier. Now it was as if his senses came back to avenge their defeat!" 

Sense pleasures are the entities that bring bondage. For example, if one yields to his sense organ—tongue, he will either like or dislike the food he eats. The minute there is राग-द्वेष (rāga-dveṣa, love or hate) there is a reaction to it. Along with that comes bondage constraints and so on. Hence, the objects of pleasure for the sense organs are nothing but harbingers of trouble. It is not an easy task to win over them. They are so powerful that if they are not kept under check constantly, even after winning over them once, they will return to strike harder than ever.

Awareness and incessant अनुष्ठान (anuṣṭhāna, practice) are keys to keeping a level head.  There are many traps along the way.  Hence, being vigilant of ourselves is very essential.  

pada vigrahaH:
इन्द्रियाणि पुरा जित्वा जितं त्रिभुवनं त्वया ।
indriyāṇi purā jitvā jitaṃ tribhuvanaṃ tvayā ।

स्मरद्भिः इव तत् वैरम् इन्द्रियैः एव निर्जितः ॥
smaradbhiḥ iva tat vairam indriyaiḥ eva nirjitaḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
indriyaaNi puraa jitvaa jitaM tribhuvanaM tvayaa ।
smaradbhiriva tadvairam indriyaireva nirjitaH ॥
- raamaayaNa, yuddhakaaNDa

indriyaaNi puraa jitvaa jitaM tribhuvanaM tvayaa ।

smaradbhiH iva tat vairam indriyaiH eva nirjitaH ॥

October 29th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
ईक्षणं द्विगुणं प्रोक्तं भाषणस्येति वेधसा ।
अक्षि द्वे मनुष्याणां जिह्वात्वैकेव निर्मिता ॥


Transliteration:
īkṣaṇaṃ dviguṇaṃ proktaṃ bhāṣaṇasyeti vedhasā ।
akṣi dve manuṣyāṇāṃ jihvātvaikeva nirmitā ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:

It is said by the learned that seeing should be double the amount of speaking. (After all,) humans were made with two eyes but only one tongue.

Commentary:

'Seeing', here is observing. The Lord made humans with two eyes and one tongue for a good reason. The hidden message behind this is - one should observe more than one speaks! Well..., talking should be cut to half the amount of seeing. Mathematically speaking, we have only one tongue and two eyes after all. This message is hence justified :).

Being a 'mūka prekṣaka' or sākṣī' (silent observer) without reacting to events instantaneously, takes a lot of willpower.

This is reminiscent of the statement - 'Speech is silver, silence is gold'!  So, the rule of thumb should be - have more than you show, speak less than you know.  

pada vigrahaH:

ईक्षणं द्विगुणं प्रोक्तं भाषणस्य इति वेधसा ।
īkṣaṇaṃ dviguṇaṃ proktaṃ bhāṣaṇasya iti vedhasā ।

अक्षि द्वे मनुष्याणां जिह्वा तु एका एव निर्मिता ॥
akṣi dve manuṣyāṇāṃ jihvā tu ekā eva nirmitā ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
eekShaNaM dviguNaM proktaM bhaaShaNasyeti vedhasaa ।
akShi dve manuShyaaNaaM jihvaatvaikeva nirmitaa ॥

eekShaNaM dviguNaM proktaM bhaaShaNasya iti vedhasaa ।

akShi dve manuShyaaNaaM jihvaa tu ekaa eva nirmitaa ॥