Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
वलीभिर्मुखमाक्रान्तं पलितैरङ्कितं शिरः ।
गात्राणि शिथिलायन्ते तृष्णैका तरुणायते ॥
- वैराग्यशतक
Transliteration:
valībhirmukhamākrāntaṃ palitairaṅkitaṃ śiraḥ ।
gātrāṇi śithilāyante tṛṣṇaikā taruṇāyate ॥
- vairāgyaśataka
Meaning of the subhAShita:
Face encroached by wrinkles; head marked by grays; limbs frail/feeble; appetence alone is young!
Commentary:
Human beings are composed of body, mind, and intellect. The mind and intellect are essentially a collection of thoughts. The signs of an aging body—graying hair, wrinkles, and weakening limbs—are clear indicators of approaching old age. Over time, the body’s organs grow fragile and lose coherence, having already gone through the stages of growth, maturity, peak performance in youth, and eventual decline due to time and use.
While the body shows inevitable signs of aging, there is one striking trait of the mind that does not follow this same cycle. It goes through the stages of growth, maturity, and enjoyment, but upon reaching its peak, it doesn’t decline. Instead, it remains insatiable, expanding ever wider and deeper. This trait is desire—known by many names: appetence, thirst, craving, longing. Regardless of the label, its effect is the same. Desire is insatiable at any stage of life.
A new craving, a fresh thirst, or an unexpected longing seems to arise endlessly. Once one desire is satiated, another takes its place, creating a perpetual cycle. Unlike the body, which visibly deteriorates with age, the mind’s thirst for more remains youthful and unrelenting. The poet insightfully observes that this unquenchable thirst is the one aspect of a person that remains frozen in its youth, defying the natural aging process that affects the body.
The yearning of desire is never fully quenched. Like drinking salty water, it only leaves one thirstier. The more desire is fed, the stronger it becomes. The easiest way to conquer it is to nip it in the bud—before it grows beyond control.
pada vigrahaH:
वलीभिः मुखम् आक्रान्तं पलितैः अङ्कितं शिरः ।
valībhiḥ mukham ākrāntaṃ palitaiḥ aṅkitaṃ śiraḥ ।
गात्राणि शिथिलायन्ते तृष्णा एका तरुणायते ॥
gātrāṇi śithilāyante tṛṣṇā ekā taruṇāyate ॥
वलीभिः मुखम् आक्रान्तं पलितैः अङ्कितं शिरः ।
valībhiḥ mukham ākrāntaṃ palitaiḥ aṅkitaṃ śiraḥ ।
गात्राणि शिथिलायन्ते तृष्णा एका तरुणायते ॥
gātrāṇi śithilāyante tṛṣṇā ekā taruṇāyate ॥
valIbhirmukhamaakraantaM palitaira~nkitaM shiraH ।
gaatraaNi shithilaayante tRuShNaikaa taruNaayate ॥
- vairaagyashataka
valIbhiH mukham aakraantaM palitaiH a~nkitaM shiraH ।
gaatraaNi shithilaayante tRuShNaa ekaa taruNaayate ॥
