November 1st

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:

यस्य चाप्रियमिच्छेत तस्य ब्रूयात् सदा प्रियम् ।

व्याधो मृगवधं कर्तुं गीतं गायति सुस्वरम् ॥

- चाणक्य नीति

Transliteration:

yasya cāpriyamiccheta tasya brūyāt sadā priyam ।

vyādho mṛgavadhaṃ kartuṃ gītaṃ gāyati susvaram ॥

- cāṇakya nīti

Meaning of the subhAShita:

To the one you wish harm upon, speak only words of sweetness.  A hunter with an intent to hunt the deer will sing a sweet song.  

Commentary:

This verse serves as a subtle and satirical warning, urging caution in the face of flattery. It calls the reader to be mindful of those who speak with honeyed tongues, for beneath the sweetness may lie a hidden danger. People, like sugar, can appear appealing on the surface but may harbor a deadly intent beneath. Those who constantly sing your praises might not have your best interests in their heart.

The analogy in the verse compares this deceptive flattery to a hunter who lures prey by mimicking bird calls or playing a sweet tune. Just as the melody draws the animals closer only to ensnare them, so too can the false praises of an enemy draw you in, masking their true intentions.

We must not be swayed by the smooth words of those who speak to please, for their actions may reveal a different, darker reality. 

Trust is not built in the sweetness of words alone but in the harmony between words and deeds. True trust is found where what is spoken matches what is done.

pada vigrahaH:

यस्य च अप्रियम् इच्छेत तस्य ब्रूयात् सदा प्रियम् ।

yasya ca apriyam iccheta tasya brūyāt sadā priyam ।

व्याधः मृग-वधं कर्तुं गीतं गायति सुस्वरम् ॥

vyādhaḥ mṛga-vadhaṃ kartuṃ gītaṃ gāyati susvaram ॥

Alternate Transliteration:

yasya chaapriyamichCheta tasya brUyaat sadaa priyam ।

vyaadho mRugavadhaM kartuM geetaM gaayati susvaram ॥

- chaaNakya neeti

yasya cha apriyam ichCheta tasya brUyaat sadaa priyam ।

vyaadhaH mRuga-vadhaM kartuM geetaM gaayati susvaram ॥

September 16th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
वृक्षान् छित्वा पशून्हत्वा कृत्वा रुधिरकर्दमम् ।
यद्येवं गम्यते स्वर्गं नरकः केन गम्यते ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्र, काकोलूकीय

Transliteration:
vṛkṣān chitvā paśūnhatvā kṛtvā rudhirakardamam ।
yadyevaṃ gamyate svargaṃ narakaḥ kena gamyate ॥
- pañcatantra, kākolūkīya

Meaning of the subhAShita:

After tearing down trees, massacring animals, (and) creating a bloody mire, if this is how heaven is attained,  (then) hell is attained by whom?! 

Commentary:

There is a story of a little boy who came to a tree.  The tree gave him leaves to play with.  He would then climb the trunk and swing from the branches.  When the boy grew up, the tree provided him with fruit and wood to build his home.  When the man wanted more, the tree gave more, until only a stump was left.  Even then, when the weary man came by, the stump propped itself up and gave him a place to sit on!  Such is the magnanimity of the tree.  

Instead of returning favors, man loots like there is no tomorrow and until nothing is left!  What to say about the massacre of animals?    Does man realize what a bloody quagmire he is creating and letting flow?  Does he understand that he is hurting himself in the long haul? Does he even comprehend that there are repercussions for his actions?

No one wants to go to hell.  All beings aim to reach heaven.  With these aspirations, if man's actions are so merciless, one can only imagine the brutality if the aim was to reach hell instead!!  The poet sarcastically says, if these beings want to reach the garden of Eden, who else shall make it to Hades?!!

Heaven and hell can be created here and now!  We can either make the earth a green heaven or one bloody hell!  It is all in our own hands.

pada vigrahaH:
वृक्षान् छित्वा पशून् हत्वा कृत्वा रुधिर-कर्दमम् ।
vṛkṣān chitvā paśūn hatvā kṛtvā rudhira-kardamam ।

यदि एवं गम्यते स्वर्गं नरकः केन गम्यते ॥
yadi evaṃ gamyate svargaṃ narakaḥ kena gamyate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
vRukShaan Chitvaa pashUnhatvaa kRutvaa rudhirakardamam ।
yadyevaM gamyate swargam narakaH kena gamyate ॥
- pa~nchatantra, kaakolUkIya

vRukShaan Chitvaa pashUn hatvaa kRutvaa rudhira-kardamam ।

yadi evaM gamyate swargam narakaH kena gamyate ॥

September 2nd

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
सदा वक्रस्सदारुष्टः सदा पूजामपेक्षते ।
कन्याराशिस्थितो नित्यं जामाता दशमो ग्रहः ॥

Transliteration:
sadā vakrassadāruṣṭaḥ sadā pūjāmapekṣate ।
kanyārāśisthito nityaṃ jāmātā daśamo grahaḥ ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Always crooked, always angry, always expecting veneration—established eternally in the 'kanyā-rāśi' (sun sign Virgo or daughter), the son-in-law is the tenth planet.

Commentary:

This verse is a warning of what not to be! 

It is a norm among some that a son-in-law should be given special care and treatment by the parents of the girl.  Such a son-in-law is known to be constantly angry and always finding faults with anything his in-laws do.  The parents of the girl are constantly anxious about providing the best possible care and attention to their son-in-law.  If not, their daughter will suffer the brunt of his displeasure!  They are weary from tending to him all the time.

Astrology uses sun signs and planet positions to predict a person's predispositions, present and future outcomes, etc.  A planet sitting in the wrong sun sign of a person continually poses hardships to him/her for a very long time!  This seems to be a verse emerging out of the plight of parents who have given their daughter in marriage to a very demanding man.  There are only nine planets in astrology.  These parents are expressing their sorrow satirically, naming the son-in-law to be the 'tenth planet' sitting in the 'kanyā-rāśi' (the word 'kanyā' means the zodiac sign 'Virgo' as well as 'daughter') and causing grief eternally!

Not all sons-in-law have this attitude, but then the few that do, bring the poet to saying such a verse.  A mundane issue is addressed with a blend of humor and satire here.

Pray no parent feels this sort of pain and no son-in-law earns this kind of name!

pada vigrahaH:
सदा वक्रः सदा रुष्टः सदा पूजाम् अपेक्षते ।

sadā vakraḥ sadā ruṣṭaḥ sadā pūjām apekṣate ।

कन्या-राशि-स्थितो नित्यं जामाता दशमः ग्रहः ॥
kanyā-rāśi-sthito nityaṃ jāmātā daśamaḥ grahaḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
sadaa vakrassadaaruShTaH sadaa pUjaamapekShate |
kanyaaraashisthito nityaM jaamaataa dashamo grahaH ||

sadaa vakraH sadaa ruShTaH sadaa pUjaam apekShate ।

kanyaa-raashi-sthito nityaM jaamaataa dashamaH grahaH ॥

August 5th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
घटं भिद्यात् पटं छिन्द्यात् कुर्याद्रासभरोहणम् ।
येन केनाप्युपायेन प्रसिद्धः पुरुषो भवेत् ॥

Transliteration:
ghaṭaṃ bhidyāt paṭaṃ chindyāt kuryādrāsabharohaṇam ।
yena kenāpyupāyena prasiddhaḥ puruṣo bhavet ॥

Meaning of the subhAShita:

Destroy a pot, tear up a cloth(banner), (or) mount a donkey (too)!  By one means or another, become a famous person!!

Commentary:

"By hook or crook, achieve thy goal" - this seems to be the tagline that some people ardently believe in!  

The poet sarcastically says, to become famous, some will resort to any measure.  This could mean breaking things and making noise, tearing stuff and attracting attention, or even riding a donkey to make it to the headlines!  

This is appalling to some, whereas it comes naturally to a few others.  They create all kinds of melodrama to get the spotlight onto themselves.  People whose pictures make it to the newspaper are either famous or infamous. So, to claim fame of any type, one can choose to be either a good cop or a great thief. Pictures of both people shall be published!­! 

 
It is up to each individual to choose their path to becoming famous or infamous. Fame, they say, is merely the advantage of being known to people you neither know nor care about. Both fame and famous people are fleeting. So, why compromise honesty and morality for the sake of illusion? Should we chase something so transient and unreal?

Make your pick!

pada vigrahaH:
घटं भिद्यात् पटं छिन्द्यात् कुर्यात् रासभ-रोहणम् ।
ghaṭaṃ bhidyāt paṭaṃ chindyāt kuryāt rāsabha-rohaṇam ।

येन केन अपि उपायेन प्रसिद्धः पुरुषः भवेत् ॥
yena kena api upāyena prasiddhaḥ puruṣaḥ bhavet ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
ghaTaM bhidyaat paTaM Chindyaat kuryaadraasabharohaNam ।
yena kenaapyupaayena prasiddhaH puruSho bhavet ॥

ghaTaM bhidyaat paTaM Chindyaat kuryaat raasabha-rohaNam ॥

yena kena api upaayena prasiddhaH puruShaH bhavet ॥

April 19th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
मर्कटस्य सुरापानं मध्ये वृश्चिकदंशनम् ।
तन्मध्ये भूतसञ्चारो यद्वा तद्वा भविष्यति ॥
- समयोचितपद्यमालिका


Transliteration:
markaṭasya surāpānaṃ madhye vṛścika daṃśanam ।
tanmadhye bhūtasañcāro yadvā tadvā bhaviṣyati ॥
- samayocitapadyamālikā

Meaning of the subhAShita:

A monkey who is drunk, stung by a scorpion amidst (all these), and invaded by ghosts in the thick of all this—anything can happen!

Commentary:

To begin with, he is a monkey. Then he is given alcohol to make him tipsy. (As if he needs alcohol to get jumpy :). On top of it, he gets stung by a scorpion. As if this wasn't sufficient, there is an invasion of ghosts!! What else can be expected but catastrophic chaos?!! No one can predict the outcome of such situations, and not to mention that the result will be different each time too!

This is a metaphor for the mind. The mind is already very unstable. What if it is provided with an ambiance where it can splurge on all of its whims and fancies?! To top that, what if it is provided with the means to fulfill them without any hurdles on the way?! Nobody to ask nor to question! What will be the outcome of such an individual?! Just as the verse satirically says, 'totally unpredictable!' 

Do not feed the monkey mind! Put a saddle on it and direct it in the right direction. Don't let it run wild and then end up repenting after situations go out of hand. Taming the mind is a full-time assignment. 

pada vigrahaH:
मर्कटस्य सुरापानं मध्ये वृश्चिक-दंशनम् ।
markaṭasya surāpānaṃ madhye vṛścika daṃśanam ।

तत् मध्ये भूत-सञ्चारः यत् वा तत् वा भविष्यति ॥
tat madhye bhūta-sañcāraḥ yat vā tat vā bhaviṣyati ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
markaTasya suraapaanaM madhye vRushchikadaMshanam ।
tanmadhye bhUtasa~nchaaro yadvaa tadvaa bhaviShyati ॥
- samayochitapadyamaalikaa

markaTasya suraapaanaM madhye vRushchika-damshanam ।

tat madhye bhUta-sa~nchaaraH yat vaa tat vaa bhaviShyati ॥