प्रतिदिनं सुभाषितम्

  प्रतिदिनं सुभाषितम् 

This is the 'un-edited' collection of Kedar's postings of प्रतिदिनं

सुभाशितं  (pratidinaM subhAshitaM A Subhashita A Day or shortened

as ASAD) on the sanskrit-digest mailing group archives. If you would

like to edit and format these, please write to sanskrit at cheerful.com.

ASAD (2)

किमपि शुभकार्यं गणेशवन्दनेन अथ वा सरस्वती वन्दनेन प्रारभ्यते ।

अतः एषः द्वितीयः श्लोकः सरस्वतिवन्दनाय समर्पयामि

Any good endeavour is begun by a prayer to Ganesh or Saraswati. Hence this

second subhhAshita of ASAD is dedicated to Saraswati :  

या कुन्देन्दुतुशारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता

या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना ।

या ब्रह्माच्युतशन्करप्रभृतिभिः देवैः सदा वन्दिता

सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा ॥

One who is as white as a garland of kunda flowers and waterdrops, who has worn

white apparel, whose hand is placed on the stem of the vINA, who is sitting on a

white lotus, and who is always worshipped by Gods such as Brahma, Achyuta

(Vishnu) and Shankara, that Sarasvati, who completely steals (one's) lethargy

may bless me ...

ASAD (3)

तृतीये अस्मिन् श्लोके गर्दभात् त्रीणि शिक्षेत

In this third verse of ASAD, learn three things from the donkey...

अविश्रामं वहेद्भारं शीतोष्णं च न विन्दति ।

ससन्तोषस्तथा नित्यं त्रीणि शिक्षेत गर्दभात् ॥

(He) carries loads without rest, is not deterred by the heat or cold, is always

content   these three things should be learnt from the donkey

ASAD (5)

एतस्मिन् सुभाशितं भवति शङ्करस्तवनाय । सुष्ठु कृतः खलु

शब्दप्रयोगः अस्मिन् । पठतु

This subhAshita is a prayer to Shankara. It has a nice verbal composition

पिनाक फणि बालेन्दु भस्म मन्दाकिनी युता ।

प वर्ग रचिता मूर्तिः अपवर्ग प्रडास्तु नः ॥

Equipped with a spear(pinAka), snake(phaNi), the crescent of the

moon(bAlendu), ashes and the ganga, may this idol composed from the

'pa varga' (the consonants pa, pha, ba, bha, ma) lead us to heaven

(apavarga).

ASAD (6)

अस्ति एषा  समस्यापुर्तिः

(here is a riddle   )

पानियं पातुमिच्छामि त्वत्तः कमललोचने ।

यदि दास्यसि नेच्छामि न दास्यसि पिबाम्यहम् ॥

The apparent meaning : O Lotus eyed, I wish to drink water from you. If you

give it to me, I do not want it, but if you dont give it, I shall drink

it !!! (which obviously makes no sense..) The solution : the trick is in

the word ``dAsyasi'' which has been interpreted above as the future tense form

of the verb 'dA' meaning to give. However it is correctly interpreted as

the sandhi dAsi + asi Hence the second line actually means, if you are a

dAsi, I dont want it, but if you are not a dAsi I shall drink it. Perhaps

this goes back to the times where brAhmins would note accept even water

if it was touched by untouchable dAsis..

ASAD (7)

भवन्ति बहवः श्लोकाः सज्जनसङ्गतिप्रशंसिनः । तस्मिनेतत्तु

मह्यम् सर्वेभ्योऽधिकं प्रियम् ॥

(There are many verses that praise the effects of good company. However

this is my favourite among them  )

सन्तप्तायसि संस्थितस्य पयसो नामापि न ज्ञायते

मुक्ताकारतया तदेव नलिनीपत्रस्थितं राजते ।

स्वात्यां सागरशुक्तिमध्यपतितं सन्मौक्तिकं जायते

प्रायेणोत्तममध्यमाधमदशा संसर्गतो जायते ॥

You cant even notice a hint of a drop of water fallen on hot iron. The     same

drop shines like a pearl on a lotus leaf. And in the

'swati' nakShatra fallen inside a sea shell, it becomes a pearl .. Usually

excellent, medium and bad states (of a person) are dependent on company.

Again as Marathi speaking people will recognise, this is exactly identical

to the following marathi verse :  

तोयाचे परि नाव ही न उरते सन्तप्त लोहावरी

ते भासे नलिनीदलावरि अह ! सन्मौक्तिकाचे परि ।

ते स्वातीस्तव अब्धिशुक्तिपुटकि मोती घडे नेतके

जाणा उत्तममध्यमाधमदशा संसर्गयोगे टिके  ॥

ASAD (8)

विद्यां प्रशंसिनं एनं श्लोकं मन्ये बहवो जानन्ति ।

(I think many people know this verse that praises knowledge)

न चोरहार्यं न च राजहार्यं न भ्रातृभाज्यम् न च भारकारी ।

व्यये कृते वर्धत एव नित्यं विद्याधनं सर्वधनप्रधानम् ॥

It cannot be stolen by thieves, cannot be taken away by the king, cannot     be

divided among brothers and does not cause a load. If spent, it always

multiplies. The wealth of knowledge is the greatest among all wealths.

ASAD (8 1)

परस्परविरोधे च वयं पञ्च च ते शतं   ।

अन्यैः साकं विरोधे तु वयं पञ्चाधिकं शतम् ॥

When in combat against each other we are 5 and they are hundred. But when

against others, we are a hundred and five ...

(obviously refers to Kauravas and Pandavas. I believe this is supposed to    be

said by Dharma.)

ASAD (9)

अजरामरवत्प्राज्ञो विद्यामर्थं च साधयेत् ।

गृहीत इव केशेषु मृत्युना धर्ममाचरेत् ॥

The wise man acquires knowldge and wealth as if he is never going to die.    And

he practices relegion as if he is tightly held in his hair by death.

ASAD (10)

अधिकमेकं मन्ये कालिदसेन रचितं

Here's another one I believe accredited to Kalidasa

कमले कमलोत्पत्तिः श्रूयते न तु दृश्यते ।

बाले तव मुखाम्भोजे कथमिन्दीवरद्वयम् ॥

The birth of one lotus on another has neither been seen nor heard of.    Little

girl, how is it that on your lotus face there are these two    lotuses ? (her

eyes)

ASAD (10 1)

One more subhashitam that starts with ``kamale''

कमले कमला शेते हरषेते हिमालये ।

क्षीराब्धौ च हरिषेते मन्ये मत्कुण शन्कय। ॥

On the lotus sits Goddess KamalA (LakShmi), Hara (Lord Shiva) resides in the

HimAlayAs. In the vortex of the churning ocean resides Hari (Lord VishNu), I

know this precisely.

  कमलासन   =  Brahma (seated on a lotus)

  कमलेक्षण  =  Vishnu (lotus eyed)

  कमलारिकिरीट  =  Shiva? (crowned by the enemy of the lotus (moon?))

  कमलबृत्       =  the sun (lit. husband of the lotus)

  नुत              =  praised

  स्तुत             =  praised ?

May Laxmi, whose lotus like feet are praised by the trinity and the

sun(?) make me her lotus (ie, abode)

your interpretation of kamalArikirITa is perfect. the moon is the enemy of

the lotus because when the moon rises, the lotus closes itself.

कमल्भृद्वाह :  

 भृद्  = =  to carry;

 वाह  = = carrier

hence kamalabhRidvAha is the carrier of the carrier of a lotus, which is    the

cloud   or the lord varuna.

there is no special reason for using both stuta and nuta .. stuta means

praised, and nuta means saluted..

however, the best part is ``karotu me kamalaM''

the word ka has many meanings. one among them is ``evil''. ``alaM'' means

enough. Hence karotu me kaM alaM means may she end all my evil ...

ASAD (11)

आकाशात् पतितं तोयं यथा गच्छति सागरम् ।

सर्वदेवनमस्कारः केशवं प्रतिगच्छति ॥

As all the water fallen from the skies goes to the sea, similarly

salutations to any God finally reach Keshava.

ASAD (12)

चिन्तनीया हि विपदामादावेव प्रतिक्रिया ।

न कूपखनन्ं युक्तं प्रदीप्ते वह्निना गृहे ॥

Reactions to calamities should be considered well in advance.

It is no good to start digging a well when the house is on fire !

ASAD (11 1)

यत्कोकिलः किलमधौ मधुरम् विरोति ।

तच्चारु चाम्र कलिका णिक्रैक् हेतुः ।

 किल  =  really

 मधु  =  spring

 मधुर  =  sweet

 विरोत्ति  = it should actually be virauti : means cries.

 चारु  =  beautiful

 चाम्र  =  cha + Amra (Amra = mango)

 कलिका  =  petal

 णिक्रैक  =  ??? (is this correctly transliterated ?)

 हेतुः  =  intention

overall meaning : the sweet crying of the cuckoo in spring has the intention of

the ``nikraika'' of the beautiful mango petal ..

This shloka was poorly transliterated.. please refer the following

transliteration guidelines when transliterating sanskrit into English. This will

result in others understanding your shlokas more easily .. and hence responding

quicker...

ASAD (13)

क्षमा शस्त्रं करे यस्य दुर्जनः किं करिष्यति ।

अतृणे पतितो वह्निः स्वयमेवोपशाम्यति ॥

What can a wicked person do to someone who has the weapon of fogivance in his

hands ? Fire fallen on ground without any grass extinguishes by itself.

क्षमा बलमशक्तानाम् शक्तानाम् भूशणम् क्षमा ।

क्षमा वशिक्रुते लोके क्षमया: किम् न सिध्यति । ॥

forgivance is the strength of the weak. forgivance is the ornament of the

mighty. if the  world is conquered by forgivance, what cannot be    accomplished

by forgivance ?

ASAD (13 1)

क्षमा बलमशक्तानाम् शक्तानाम् भूशणम् क्षमा।

क्षमा वशिक्रुते लोके क्षमया: किम् न सिध्यति । ॥

forgivance is the strength of the weak. forgivance is the ornament of the

mighty. if the  world is conquered by forgivance, what cannot be

accomplished by forgivance ?

wrong in the first half of second line of the above verse itself !

Even to get the meaning ``In the world, forgivance has the power of conquering'',

the words look odd ... Does ``vashikrute'' give this meaning ?

     वश  =  conquered. vashI+kRi = to conquer

     वशीकृत  =  conquered.

kShamAvashIkRite loke is a ``sati saptami'' usage. it is to be interpreted    as

yadA lokaH kShamAvashIkRitaH tada  (when the world is conquered by

forgivance) In the sati saptami usage, the saptami vibhaki is used to    denote

the temporal relationship between two successive events    so basically it

means, even when the world can be conquered by forgivance,    what else remains

??

ASAD (14)

कराग्रे वसते लक्ष्मीः करमध्ये सरस्वती ।

करमूले तु गोविन्दः प्रभाते करदर्शनम् ॥

Laxmi resides at the tip of the hand, sarasvati in the middle,  Govinda at the

root. Hence one should take ``darshan'' of one's hand in the morning.

कराग्रे वसते लक्ष्मीः करमध्ये सरस्वती ।

करमूले तु गोविन्दः प्रभाते करदर्शनम् ॥

If I rememeber the sloka it is ``karamule tu gouricha'' it's not govondaH.

Laxmi resides at the tip of the hand, sarasvati in the middle,  Gouri(Parvati)

at the root. Hence one should take ``darshan'' of one's hand in the morning.

Hi Padma.

glad to see you on the list. you are probably right about ``karamUle tu

gauri cha''   this makes a more consistent subhAshita   but sometimes there

are more than one versions of a subhAshita in existence with small

differences   and both of them are ``correct''   again, gauri makes a better

pATh than govindaH ....

thanks !

kedar

ASAD (13)

(fwd)

Thanks for the sholka.  This shoka about Kshama  and the line of thinking.

and other features that go with it were adopted by Gandhiji for our freedom.

There was the other group (jahal) who asked questions like what should be

done for the person who is determined to kill you regardless of what you

are thinking.  Examples were given from the 2nd war and how a cretain

group of people was removed by force etc.  So the jahals justified their

line of thinking.

ASAD (13)

कराग्रे वसते लक्ष्मीः करमध्ये सरस्वती ।

करमूले तु गोविन्दः प्रभाते करदर्शनम् ॥

If I rememeber the sloka it is ``karamule tu gouricha'' it's not govondaH.

Laxmi resides at the tip of the hand, sarasvati in the middle,  Gouri(Parvati)

at the root. Hence one should take ``darshan'' of one's hand in the morning.

Hi Padma.

glad to see you on the list. you are probably right about ``karamUle tu

gauri cha''   this makes a more consistent subhAshita   but sometimes there

are more than one versions of a subhAshita in existence with small

differences   and both of them are ``correct''   again, gauri makes a better

pATh than govindaH ....

I have come across ``karamulethu govinda'' in my child hood.

recently I heard even the other one `` karamu lethu gauri cha''.

So obviously the subhashitham was subjected to changes as time passed

, We cannot argue which is correct as we don't know the

exact source of this work.. Let us accept both, as both are having

good meanings.

कराग्रे वसते लक्ष्मीः  . ``At the top    of the hand resides LakShmi.

करमध्ये सरस्वती     .  In the middle of the hand resides Sarasvati.

करमूले वसेत् ब्रह्माः  .  At the bottom of the hand resides Brahma.

प्रभाते करदर्स्'अनं   .  In the morning, the sight of the hands

.  (is auspicious).''

समुद्रवसने देवी       . ``O goddess with the mantle of oceans.

पर्वतस्तन मण्डले     .  adorned with the breasts of mountains.

विष्णुपत्नी नम्स्तुभ्यं  .  O the consort of Vishnu, salutations to thee!

पादस्पर्शं क्षमस्वमे .  pardon me for touching thee with my feet.''

Note: The above prayers are generally recited as soon as one gets up    from the

bed.  In the first sloka, LakShmi stands for spiritual wealth,    Sarasvati for

spiritual knowledge and Brahma for spiritual wisdom.

According to the Hindu mythology, God Vishnu has two wives, Sri Devi

(LakShmi) and Bhoomi Devi (Earth).  They are supposed to be residing    on His

chest.  For defiling the Earth with our feet and also with our    body fluids,

we beseech Her pardon.

This concludes the Earth Day specials.

ASAD (15)

काकः कृष्णः पिकः कृष्णः को भेदः पिककाकयोः ।

वसन्तसमये प्राप्ते काकः काकः पिकः पिकः ॥

The crow is black, and the cuckoo is black. What is the difference between the

two ? It is when spring arrives that the crow is identified as the crow, and

the cuckoo, the cuckoo.

ASAD (16)

सज्जनस्य हृदयं नवनीतं यद्वदन्ति कवयस्तदलीकम् ।

अन्यदेहविलसत्परितापात् सज्जनो द्रवति, नो नवनीतम् ॥

Poets say that the heart of a good man is like butter, but that is not

correct. The heat (frustration/sorrow/ etc.) residing in another body does

not melt butter, but it does melt the good man.

ASAD (17)

I do not know whether the following two verses were indeed like a

sawAl jawAb, but it definitely seems so

काचं मणिं काञ्चनमेकसूत्रे मुग्धा निब्ध्नन्ति किमत्र चित्रम् ।

विचारवान् पाणिनिरेकसूत्रे श्वानं युवानं मघवानमाह ॥

शुनेव यूना प्रसभं मघोना प्रधर्शिता गौत्मधर्मपत्नी ।

विचारवान् पाणिनिरेकसूत्रे श्वानं युवानं मघवानमाह ॥

The first verse :   What is so strange about women tying glass, beads and

gold all on one thread ? Even the great thinker paNini tied the dog, the

youth and Indra on the same string .. (pun on the word sUtra)

The second verse : Gautam's wife was forcibly molested by the youth Indra.

(who acted) like a dog. the great thinker pAnini tied the dog, the youth

and Indra on the same string ...

I guess I should have clarified. the three words : shvA (dog) yuvA (youth) and

maghavA (indra) belong to the same grammatical class .. they are declined

identically, and there is a sUtra (rule) in Panini's grammar that ties them

together. ...

hence the pun on sUtra...

ASAD (18)

निःस्वो वष्टि शतं शती दशशतं लक्षं सह्स्राधिपः

लक्षेशः क्षितिपालतां क्षितिपतिश्चक्रेशतां वाञ्छति ।

चक्रेशः पुनरिन्द्रतां सुरपतिः ब्राह्मं पदं वाञ्छति

ब्रह्मा शैवपदं शिवो हरिपदं चाशावधिं को गतः ॥

The penniless man wishes  for a hundred, the onw who has hundred wants a

thousand, the one with a thousand , a lakh. The one with a lakh wants to be

the king, the king wants to be the emperor, and the emperor wants to be

Indra (king of Gods), Indra want's brahma's position, brahma shiva's and

shiva viShNu's ... who has ever been able to kill desire ?

ASAD (19)

निन्दन्तु नीतिनिपुणा यदि वा स्तुवन्तु

लक्ष्मीः समाविशतु गच्छतु वा यथेष्टम् ।

अद्यैव वा मरणमस्तु युगान्तरे वा

न्याय्यात्पथः प्रविचलन्ति पदं न धीराः ॥

Whether the philosophers praise him or criticize,  whether lakShmi enters

the house or goes away as she wishes, whether death is today itself or after

an eon, great men never step a foot away from the path of justice.

for marathi readers :  

निन्दोत वानोत सुनीतिमन्त चळो असो वा कमला गृहात      ।

हो मृत्यु आजिच घडो युगान्ती सन्मार्ग टाकोनि भले न जाती ॥

ASAD (20)

Hi.

Padma pointed out a typo I had made. Instead of pa~ncha, I had just

written pa~na ... The corrected shloka is as follows :  

स्वयं पञ्चमुखः पुत्रौ गजाननषडाननौ ।

दिगम्बरः कथं जीवेत् अन्नपूर्णा न चेद्गृहे ॥

five mouthed himself(Shiva), and sons   the elephant mouth (Ganesh)  and

the one with six mouths (Kartikeya)  .. how would shiva survive if

Annapurna (Parvati) was not at home ?

ASAD (21)

स्वयं महेशः शव्शुरो नगेशः सखा धनेशश्च सुतो गणेशः ।

तथापि भिक्षाटनमेव शम्भोः बलीयसी केवलमीश्वरेच्छा ॥

Himself the great lord, his father in law the king of mountains, his

friend the king of wealth, his and his son the lord of the gaNas.

even then roaming around begging for food is shiva's destiny   only god's

wish is powerful ...

ASAD (23)

गर्जसि मेघ न यच्छसि तोयं चातकपक्षी व्याकुलितोऽहम् ।

दैवादिह यदि दक्षिणवातः क्व त्वं क्वाहं क्व च जलपातः ॥

O cloud, you roar, but do not give water. I, the chatak bird am thirsty.

If fatefully the southern winds blow here, where shall you be , where

shall I be and where shall it rain ?

ASAD (22)

रे रे चातक ! सावधानमनसा मित्र क्षणं श्रूयतां

अम्भोदा बहवो वसन्ति गगने सर्वेऽपि नैकादृशाः ।

केचित् वृष्टिभिरार्द्रयन्ति धरणीं गर्जन्ति केचिद्वृथा

यं यं पश्यसि तस्य तस्य पुरतो मा ब्ऱूहि दीनं वचः ॥

O chatak, my friend, listen for a moment with an alert mind. there are many

clouds in the sky, not all of them are alike. Some wet the earth by their

showers, whereas some just roar. Dont beg pitifully in front of each and

every one you come across !

ASAD (24)

रात्रिर्गमिष्यति भविष्यति सुप्रभातं

भास्वान्  उदेश्यति हसिष्यति पङ्कजश्रीः ।

इत्थं विचिन्तयति कोषगते द्विरेफ़े

हा हन्त हन्त नलिनिं गज उज्जहार ॥

The night shall go away and it shall be dawn. The sun will rise and the

lotus will smile ! While the bumblebee trapped in the lotus was thinking

this, Alas ! an elephant uprooted the lotus !

ASAD (25)

मन्ये संस्कृते एतत् प्रथमं काव्यं वाल्मिकिना कृतं

I believe this is the first piece of verse in Sanskrit ; composed by Valmiki

मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वं अगमः शाश्वतीः समाः ।

यत्क्रौंचमिथुनादेकं अवधीः काममोहितम् ॥

O niShAda, you will not come to glory till the end of eternity. for you have

killed one from a pair of krauncha birds, enraptured in love.

This is the first shloka in Ramayana as Krishna told me some time ago. As the

meaning indicates, Valmiki was inspired to write this shloka when he saw a

hunter shooting one of two krauncha birds who were engaged in rati.

I believe this is the first piece of verse in Sanskrit ; composed by Valmiki

मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वं अगमः शाश्वतीः समाः ।

यत्क्रौंचमिथुनादेकं अवधीः काममोहितम् ॥

O niShAda, you will not come to glory till the end of eternity. for you have

killed one from a pair of krauncha birds, enraptured in love.

This is the first shloka in Ramayana as Krishna told me some time ago. As the

meaning indicates, Valmiki was inspired to write this shloka when he saw a

hunter shooting one of two krauncha birds who were engaged in rati.

This was one of the first shlokas that I learned in my Sanskrit class

in the 5th grade, and all the info below is based on what I learned

then. most of the people on this net may already be familiar with the

significance of this shloka. ever composed by Adikavi (first poet) vAlmIki.

He was in a peaceful

state of mind (either meditating or taking a walk) when this niShAda

(hunter) killed the male krauncha (swan?). vAlmIki got angry with

the actions of the hunter and this shloka came out of his mouth. After

vAlmIki emerged out of his rage, he realized that he had gone out of

the state of equanimity and cursed the hunter out.

It was then that someone else (nArada?) appeared and told him that he

had uttered the first piece of poetry and explained to him that there

was a second meaning behind the shloka.

I don't remember what the other interpretation of this shloka is

except that the hunter is rAma and the krauncha(s) are rAvaNa and

mandodarI, and that rAma kills rAvaNa. I don't remember what the

second interpretation of the shrApa (curse) is when applied to rAma.

So this is how the shloka fits into the rAmayaNa.

ASAD (26)

न हि कश्चित् विजानाति किं कस्य श्वो भविष्यति ।

अतः श्वः करणीयानि कुर्यादद्यैव बुद्धिमान् ॥

No one knows what will happen to whom tomorrow. So a wise man should do all of

tomorrow's tasks today.

(कल्ह् करै सो आज् कर् ॥॥)

 tomorrow  =  श्वह्

 day after tomorrow  =  परश्वह्

 2 days after tomorrow  =  प्रपरश्वह्

 yesterday  =  ह्यह्

 day before yesterday  =  परह्यह्

 2 days before yesterday  =  प्रपरह्यह्

ASAD (27)

प्रारभ्यते न खलु विघ्नभयेन नीचैः

प्रारभ्य विघ्नविहता विरमन्ति मध्याः ।

विघ्नैः पुनः पुनरपि प्रतिहन्यमानाः

प्रारब्धमुत्तमजना न परित्यजन्ति ॥

Inferior men do not start (any endeavor) with the fear of obstructions.

Average men , stop an endeavor when they are faced with problems. However.

even though they are struck  again and again by disaster, superior men

never give up an endeavor that they have undertaken.

ASAD (28)

सिंहः शिशुरपि निपतति

मद मलिन कपोल भित्तिषु गजेषु ।

प्रकृतिरियं सत्त्ववतां

तेजसां हि न वयः समीक्ष्यते ॥

The lion, even when a cub, attacks jumps upon the cheek of an intoxicated

elephant. It is  indeed the nature of the courageous :  the age of the

glorious ones is never relevant.

and for the marathi crowd, here's a marathi translation :  

सिंहाचा तो बाल तो हि चपेट

मारी त्याला जो करी मत्त् मोठा  ।

तेजस्वी जे वृत्ति ऐसीच त्यान्चि

तेथे काहि चाड नाहि वयाची  ॥

अपि अधिकम् एकम् सुभशितम् प्रारब्धवत् ``यथ'' शब्देन

यथ देशस्तथ भश यथ रज तथ प्रजः ।

यथ भुमिस्तथ तोयम् यथ बीजस्तथन्कुरः । ॥

a~Nkura means the first sprout. yathA bIjastathA~NkuraH is a very famous

proverb. it basically means as you sow, so you reap ...

न धैर्येण विन ळक्ष्मिः न शोउर्येण विन ज़यः ।

न दानेन विन मोक्षो न ग्यानेन विन यशः । ॥

ASAD (29)

यथा काष्ठं च काष्ठं च समेयातां महोदधौ ।

समेत्य च व्यपेयातां तद्वत् भूतसमागमः ॥

As two logs of wood come together in the ocean, and immediately go away

from each other, so much alike is mankind ...

and for the marathi people, another translation : this one from the geeta

rAmAyana by madgulkar in the song

``पराधीन आहे जगति पुत्र मानवाचा।

दोश ना कुणाचा॑' :  

दोन् ओन्दक्यान्चि होते सागरात भेट

एक लाट तोडि दोघां पुन्हा नाहि गाठ।

ASAD (30)

कस्यचित् किमपि नो हरणीयं

मर्मवाक्यमपि नोच्चरणीयम् ।

श्रीपतेः पदयुगं स्मरणीयं

लीलया भवजलं तरणीयं   ॥

One should not steal anything belonging to anyone, should not utter a

sensitive sentence, should remember (bow down to) Vishnu's feet, and thus

swim the ocean of life with ease.

ASAD (31)

This ASAD is a small tribute to my sanskrit teacher, Late Shri Vasant

Nanivadekar. He used to reside in Bombay, and was very well versed with the sanskrit

classics as well as conversational sanskrit. He was an active ``kAryakartA'' in

many sanskrit related projects and activities in Bombay. Above all, along with

my mother he was the one who had introduced me to this great world of Sanskrit

verse and literature.  (See his booklet amarasamvAadaH Sanskrit Prayer Arati Collection on the site.)

What follows is his translation of Tennyson's ``Home they brought her warrior

dead'' into sanskrit verse.

गेहानीतेऽप्यसुविरहिते वीरसिंहे स्वनाथे

मोहं प्राप्ता न च न च सखी क्रन्दितुं वा प्रवृत्ता ।

पश्यन् देवीं परिजन इदं  प्राह मर्माहतां तां

नो चेद् रुद्यात् इयमपि भवेत् प्राणहीनाचिरेण ॥

Home they brought her warrior dead

She nor swooned nor uttered cry

All her maidens watching said

``She must weep or she will die.''

लोकैर्मन्दं विनतहृदयैः संस्तुतो वीर एवं

स्नेहस्यासीत् खलु नरवरो भाजनं श्लाघनीयम् ।

संहार्दं वा नरतनुधरं शत्रुरौदार्यमूर्तिः

नोचे किङ्चित् तदपि किल सा नाल्पमात्रं चचाल ॥

Then they praised him soft and low

Called him worthy to be loved

Truest friend and noblest foe

Yet she neither spoke, nor moved.

स्वीयस्थानात् तदनु शनकैः कापि दासी तदानीं

प्राप्ता वीरं निभृतगमना कानि गत्वा पदानि

दूरीचक्रे नरवर मुखाच्छादि वस्त्रं कराभ्यां

किङ्चिन्मात्रं न हि विचलिता नापि वा सा रुरोद

Stole a maiden from her place

Lightly to the warrior stept

Took the face cloth from the face

Yet she neither moved, nor wept.

काचिद् वृद्धा नवतिशरदां दीर्घमायुर्दधाना

क्रोडे तस्याः प्रियतमशिशुं स्थापयामास धात्री

ग्ऱीष्मे वृष्टिं जलद इव सा बाष्पपूरं मुमोच

जात, प्राणांस्तव खलु कृते धारयामीत्युवाच !

Rose a nurse of nintey years

Set his child upon her knee

Like summer tempest came her tears

``Sweet my child, I live for thee !''

ASAD (32)

साहित्य संगीत कला विहीनः साक्षात् पशुः पुछ विषाण हीनः ।

तृणं न खादन्नपि जीवमानः तद् भागधेयं परमं पषूणाम् ॥

The man without (love of) literature music or the arts is indeed an animal

without a tail or horns. The fact that he survives even without eating

grass is indeed a great piece of luck for the other animals.

ASAD (33)

This one is similar to ASAD(32)

in meaning :  

येषां न विद्या न तपो न दानं

ज्ञानं न शीलं न गुणो न धर्मः ।

ते मर्त्यलोके भुविभारभूताः

मनुष्यरूपेण मॄगाश्चरन्ति ॥

Those who do not have learning, perseverence, are not charitable, do not

have wisdom, character, good qualities or relegion, are indeed a burden to

on the earth in the mortal world, and live as animals in the form of man.

ASAD (34)

अधिगत्य गुरोः ज्ञानं छात्रेभ्यो वितरन्ति ये ।

विद्या वात्सल्य निधयः शिक्षका मम दैवतम् ॥

The teachers who distribute knowledge among the students after getting it

from their gurus, and who are storehouses of love and knowledge, are

indeed like God to me.

ASAD (35)

अश्वस्य भूषणं वेगो मत्तं स्याद् गजभूषणम् ।

चातुर्यं भूषणं नार्या उद्योगो नरभूषणम् ॥

speed is the ornament of the horse, the intoxicated state is the ornament

of the elephant. Cleverness is the ornament of a woman, and

industriousness is the ornament of a man.

ASAD (37)

अहं नमामि वरदां ज्ञानदां त्वां सरस्वतीम् ।

प्रयच्छ विमलां बुद्धीं प्रसन्ना भव सर्वदा ॥

I bow to you, O Sarasvati who is the giver of boons and giver of knowledge.

Give me untainted wisdom and be pleased and all endowing (to me)

ASAD (40)

अपारे काव्यसंसारे कविरेकः प्रजापतिः ।

यथास्मै रोचते विश्वं तथा वै परिवर्तते ॥

In the boundless world of poetry, PrajApati (Brahma) is the only one poet.

He changes the universe as and when he thinks best ..

ASAD (41)

असितगिरिसमं स्यात् कज्जलं सिन्धु पात्रं

सुरतरुवरशाखा लेखनी पत्रमुर्वी ।

लिखति यदि गृहीत्वा शारदा सर्वकालं

तदपि तव गुणानां ईश पारं न याति ॥

The ink may be like a black mountain, the sea may be the inkpot, A branch

of the tree of gods (kalpataru / mandAra ...I believe there are five of

them) may be used as a pen, and the whole earth be used as the paper. If

even Sharada (Goddess Sarasvati) writes for all the time using all this

material, even then, O lord, she will not come to the end of describing

your good qualities.

ददाति प्रतिगृण्हाति गुह्यमाख्याति पृच्छति ।

भुङ्क्ते भोजयते चैव षड्विधं प्रीतिलक्षणम् ॥

I haven't heard this one before, so the following may be off the mark to

some extent

Giving, return of courtesy, sharing secrets, asking (for one's welfare?) eating

(with one?)  , feeding, these are six characteristics of love.

ASAD 

Need meaning of subhAShita

ददाति प्रतिगृण्हाति गुह्यमाख्याति पृच्छति । भुङ्क्ते

भोजयते चैव षड्विधं प्रीतिलक्षणम् ॥

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I believe this may be originally in some Purana; it's in

Pancha tantra as well as in UpadeSAmRita of RUpa Goswami.

``Six symptoms of affection are giving, receiving, explaining in

confidence and enquiring, accepting food and feeding.''

Henry Groover (AgrAhya dAsa)

ददाति प्रतिगृह्णाति

ददाति प्रतिगृण्हाति गुह्यमाख्याति पृच्छति ।

भुङ्क्ते भोजयते चैव षड्विधं प्रीतिलक्षणम् ॥

I haven't heard this one before, so the following may be off the mark to

some extent

Giving, return of courtesy, sharing secrets, asking (for one's welfare?) eating

(with one?) , feeding, these are six characteristics of love.

you are almost right. here is the accurate meaning :  

gives, takes, tells and asks secrets, eats (from you) and feeds (you) are    the

six characteristics of love ... (friendship would perhaps be more    appropriate

here .. )

क्षते प्रहाराः निपतन्ति अभीक्ष्णं

धनक्षये वर्धति जाठराग्निः ।

आपत्सु वैराणि समुद्भदंति

चिद्रेषु अनर्थाः बहुलीभवंति ॥

When the money is gone (become poor), the hunger increases

At the time of trouble, the enemities crop up

when you are divided (without unity),  problems become plenty.

I do not know the meaning of ``abhIkShNaM''. The meaning of first line

depends upon this word.

I think ``samudbhada.nti'' should be ``samudbhava.nti''.

Basically, the SubhAshita is trying to tell us that problems crop

up only when you are devoid of the solution !

(Murphy's law ?)

क्षते प्रहाराः निपतन्ति अभीक्ष्णं

I do not know the meaning of ``abhIkShNaM''. The meaning of first line

depends upon this word.

Dictionary gives the meaning of abhIkShaNam as ``every moment''; it fits

here, but is somewhat puzzling. With this meaning, the first pada means

When wounded, blows fall every moment (The wounded get hit repeatedly)

IF it is abhikShaNaM, the first line will not obey the meter of the

shloka. besides that  everything makes sense. (it is basically a version

of     `` when it rains, it pours `` ...

ASAD (keshavaM patitaM dR^iShTvA)

ख़ेशवम् पतितम् द्रुस्त्व, पन्दवह हर्श् निर्भरह

ऱुदन्ति कौरवह सर्वे, ह ख़ेशव् ह केशव गतह्

One of the  let me catch my breath shlokas?

Actually this is a fairly famous one. The ``correct'' interpretation :  

के शवं पतितं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवा हर्शनिर्भराः

रुदन्ति कौरवाः सर्वे हा हा के शव के शव

notive that ke and shava have been separated. The word ``ka'' means water

(among several other meanings). Hence ke means in water. pANDava also

means fish; kaurava also means crow. hence the interpretation is :  

Seeing the cadaver (shava) fallen in water, the fish were overjoyed. ALl

the crows however started crying .. `` O the cadaver in water !!''

ASAD (46)

वैद्यराज नमस्तुभ्यं यमराजसहोदर ।

यमस्तु हरति प्राणान् वैद्यो प्राणान् धनानि च ॥

O vaidya (doctor), brother of Yama, I bow down to you. Yama only steals    away

one's life, but the vaidya steals one's life as well as money !

ASAD (47)

अश्वं नैव गजं नैव व्याघ्रं नैव च नैव च ।

अजापुत्रं बलिं दद्यात् देवो दुर्बलघातकः ॥

Not a horse, not an elephant, and never a tiger. It is the son of a goat

that is sacrificed ! God is indeed a betrayer of the weak ... !

ASAD (49)

चिन्तनीया हि विपदां अदावेव प्रतिक्रिया       ।

न कूपखननं युक्तं प्रदीप्ते वह्निना गृहे ॥

The reaction to calamity must be considered before hand. IT is no use to

start digging a well after your house is afire !!

ASAD (51)

आयुशः क्षण एकोऽपि सर्वरत्नैर्न लभ्यते ।

नीयते स वृथा येन प्रमादः सुमहानहो     ॥

Even a single second in life cannot be obtained by alll precious jewels.

Hence spending it without purpose is a great mistake.

ASAD (54)

आत्मनः परितोषाय कवेः काव्यं तथापि तत् ।

स्वामिनो देहलीदीपसमं अन्योपकारकम् ॥

     आत्मन्  =  self

     परितोष  =  satisfaction

     कवि  =  poet

     काव्य  =  poetry

     स्वामि  =  master

     देहलि  =  doorstep

     दीप  =  light

     सम  =  similar

     अन्य  =  other

     उपकार  =  favour

The poetry of poets is always for their own satisfaction, However, like

the light on the porch of the master's house, it is also beneficial to

others. (light from the porch illuminates the  inside as well as the

outside of a house ... )

ASAD (56)

ईक्षणं द्विगुणं प्रोक्तां भाषणस्येति वेधसा ।

अक्षिणि द्वे मनुष्याणां जिंव्हा त्वैकेव निर्मिता ॥

 ईक्षण  =  seeing

 द्विगुण  =  twice

 प्रोक्त (प्र + उक्त)  =  said

 भाषण  =  speaking

 वेधस्  =  brahmA

 अक्षि  =  eye

 द्वे  =  two

 जिंव्हा  =  tongue

 निर्मित  =  created

Seeing is given twice as much importance as speaking by Brahma. Man has

two eyes, however, only one tongue was created.

ASAD (ASAD)

उद्यमेन हि सिध्यन्ति कार्याणि न मनोरथैः        ।

न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखं मृगाः ॥

 उद्यम  =  effort

 सिध्  =  to be accomplished

 कार्य  =  work

 मनोरथ  =  wish

 सुप्त  =  asleep

 सिंह  =  lion

 प्र + विश्  =  to enter

 मुख  =  mouth

 मृग  =  deer/animal

Work is accomplished by effort, not by wishing. Deer do not enter the mouth

of a sleeping lion.

Vivek Khare asked me the meaning of the word ``hi'' in the subhAshita :  

udyamena hi sidhyanti ....

The word hi means nothing. Perhaps it could be interpreted here as an

emphasizer, but otherwise, it means literaly nothing. The words cha vai tu

and hi are used in sanskrit by poets to fill up the meter. the words cha

and tu have meanings, (and and but respectively) but the word vai has no

meaning, and the word hi may be interpreted as something that emphasizes a

point.

In fact I am sure many of you know the famous first attempt by a quack

poet :  

उत्तिष्ठ उत्तिष्ठ राजेन्द्र मुखं प्रक्षालयस्व टः ।

प्रभाते रोदिती कुक्कु च वै तु हि च वै तु हि ॥

The poet thought up these three lines :  

O king, (rajendra), get up get up ! (uttiShTha) mukhaM prakShAlayasva

(wash your face !) The rooster cries out in the morning (prabhAte roditi

kukkuTaH )

the problem was after uttishThottiShTha rAjendra, mukhaM prakShAlayasva

left one letter less for the eight letter anuShTubh Chanda, and prabhAte

roditi kukkuTaH had one letter extra ! so this grandmaster took the ``TaH''

from kukkuTaH and placed it at the end of the first line ! And now he had

three out of four parts, and he just coud not think of anything for the

last part of the verse hence   cha vai tu hi cha vai tu hi !!!

ASAD (59)

उत्तमो नातिवक्ता स्यात् अधमो बहुभाषते ।

न काञ्चने ध्वनिस्तादृक् यादृक् कांस्ये प्रजायते ॥

 उत्तम  =  excellent

 अति  =  too much

 वक्तृ  =  speaker

 अधम  =  inferior

 भाष्  =  to speak

 काञ्चन  =  gold

 ध्वनि  =  sound

 कंस्य  =  bronze

 प्र + जा  =  to be born

The great man is rarely somone who talks too much, but the inferior man

talks too much. There is no sound from gold as there is from bronze.

चिन्तायास्तु चितायास्तु बिन्दु मात्रम् विशेशतः ।

चिता दहति निर्जीवम्, चिन्ता दहति जीवितम् ॥

Meaning:  

Between 'ChintA' (worry) and 'ChitA' (pyre) the only difference

is dot (anuswAra bindu in chintA, that 'n'). Pyre burns the

dead, while worry burns the living.  DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY :)

Ganapthi.

चिता चिन्ता समाप्रोक्ता बिन्दुमात्रं विशेषता ।

सजीवं दहते चिन्ता निर्जीवं दहते चिता ॥

The difference betn ``CHINTA'' and ``CHITA'' is just a dot.

``PYRE'' burns the dead, while ``WORRY''  burns the living.

उपकारो हि नीचानां अपकरो हि जायते ।

पयःपानं भुजंगाणां केवलं विषवर्धनम् ॥

 उप + कृ  =   to do a favor

 नीच  =  lowly

 अप + कृ  =  to harm

 पयस्  =  milk / water

 भुजंग  =  snake

 केवलं  =  only

 विष  =  posion

 वर्धन  =  increase

Even a good turn done to a bad man results in evil. Drinking of milk by

snakes is only going to result in increase of their poison.

ASAD (61)

uttamA AtmanA khyAtAH pituH khyAtAshcha madhyamAH .

adhaMA mAtulat khyAtAH shvashurAChAdhamAdhamAH ..

सन्धि विग्रःअ :  

उत्तमाः आत्मना ख्याताः पितुः ख्याताः च मध्यमाः ।

अधमाः मातुलात् ख्याताः शवशुरात् च अधमाधमाः ॥

shabdArtha

  उत्तम  =  most superior

  ख्यात  =  famous

  पितृ  =  father

  मध्यम  =  medium/average

  मातुल  =  maternal uncle

  श्वशुर  =  father in law

  अधम  =  inferior

  अधमाधम  =  the worst among the inferior

The great ones are famous by their own efforts, The average are famous

because of their father. The inferior men are famous because of their uncle.

and the worst among them are famous because of their father in law.

I Thought you may like this subhashitha.

अनुगंथुं सथं वत्स्मा कुत्सनं यदि नशक्यथे ।

स्वल्पमार्थनुगन्थव्यम्, मर्गस्थोव नवसीधथि     ॥

सुंदरोऽपि सुशीलोऽपि कुलीलोऽपि महढनह  ।

अकुलिनोऽपि विद्यावान्, देवैरपि स्।उपूज्यथे ॥

Bhavartha:  A scholor even if he is from a backword class, is recognised and

respected even in the company of the people who are most beautiful.

who have great family background, and even among the gods.

उत्तमा आत्मना ख्याताः पितुः ख्याताश्च मध्यमाः ।

अधंआ मातुलत् ख्याताः श्वशुराछाधमाधमाः ॥

सन्धि विग्रःअ :  

उत्तमाः आत्मना ख्याताः पितुः ख्याताः च मध्यमाः ।

अधमाः मातुलात् ख्याताः शवशुरात् च अधमाधमाः ॥

shabdArtha

   उत्तम  =  most superior

   ख्यात  =  famous

   पितृ  =  father

   मध्यम  =  medium/average

   मातुल  =  maternal uncle

   श्वशुर  =  father in law

   अधम  =  inferior

   अधमाधम  =  the worst among the inferior

The great ones are famous by their own efforts, The average are famous

because of their father. The inferior men are famous because of their uncle.

and the worst among them are famous because of their father in law.

I interpreted this in a different way. This shubhashita intends to convey the

wealth

Most respected weath is the one you earn

That you inherit from your father is just OK

One you get from your mother is not good

And, the one you aquire from wife is the worst

I am not sure if that were a different version of this shubhashita

ASAD (subhAshita sangrahaH   1)

उद्यमस्साहसं धैर्यं बुद्धिश्यक्तिः पराक्रमः ।

षडेते यत्र वर्तन्ते तत्र देवः सहायकृत्  ॥

 उद्यमः  =  effort           sAhasam = adventure

 धैर्यम्  =  courage       buddhiH = knowledge

 शक्तिः  =  strength         parAkramaH = bravery

 षट्  =  six              ete = these

 यत्र  =  where              vartante = exist

 तत्र  =  there              devaH = god

 सहायकृत्  =  helpful

God will help provided the six qualities   effort, adventure, courage.

knowledge, strength and bravery   exist.

ASAD 

आदित्यचन्द्रावनलानिलौ च

द्यौर्भूमिरापो हृदयं यमश्च ।

अहश्च रात्रिश्च उभे च

धर्मश्च जानाति नरस्य वृत्तम् ॥

 आदित्यः  =  Sun

 चन्द्रः  =  Moon

 अनिलः  =  air

 अनलः  =  fire

 द्यौः  =  sky

 भूमिः  =  earth

 आपः  =  water

 हृदयम्  =  soul

 यमः  =  Lord Yama

 च  =  and

 अहः  =  morning

 रात्रिः  =  night

 उभे  =  both

 धर्मः  =  righteousness

 जानति  =  knows

 नरस्य  =  man's

 वृत्तम्  =  character

Lord Sun, Lord Moon, Lord Vayu (air), Lord Agni (fire), the Sky, mother Earth.

the water (Lord Varuna), the soul, Lord Yama, both the Day and the Night.

and Dharma (the Righetousness)   each one of these will know a man's character.

Every moment, you are being watched atleast by one of the above !

The discussion is with reference to recent Subhashitam posted by Raghavendra

the one with UdyamasAhasaM .... etc..

Hemali Vyas   disagreed with the meaning of the two words Dhairyam and SAhasam

Ramakrishna from Tokyo disagreed with the Hemali's comments.

Here is my opinion for whatever it is worth.

DhairyaM  means Dheeratwa bhavaM   dhee is buddhi or intellect   so in contrast

to sAhasaM   dhairyaM must involve intellectual conviction.  So in a way Hemali

Vyas is right   Raghavendra's meaning that it is courage is also right   It

should be courage born of intellectual conviction not emotional outburst.  We

all know what is right but many a time we do not have the guts to follow what is

right   we do what we feel (emotional driven) like doing.  DhairyaM is the

courage to do what is based on right understanding.

sAhasaM   I will split as sa + a + hasam  ( I donot have a dictionary at my

computer desk   this may be my imagination).

has  if I remember rightly means to smile or to laugh at

with  a  in front it means opposite   to be serious   that one to take things

seriously not jokingly

with prefix sa   it could mean samyak that is total or with   seriously or

daringly jumping into action   there is no joking around

in that sense SAhasaM should imply serious adventurous pursuit   in contrast to

DhairyaM  sAhasaM need not involve intellectual conviction   it could be based

on just emotional outburst.  So there is a possibility of one getting burned if

it is not based on sound intellectual judgment.

Hence the subhashitaM says one needs both the DhairraM and SAhasaM

Just an intellectual curiosity   If I have all the six of them listed   why do I

need the help of the Deva

The truth of the matter is if I have all of them I already have the help of the

Deva.  Having  all the six of them itself is by the grace of Deva too.  In

Vedanta Shastra, there is a preceding deity for each of the faculties like Indra

for Bhuddi etc.  Hence having these qualities is  a grace of God too!

Hari Om!

Sadananda

What you have is His gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift

to Him.

ASAD (Subhashita Sangrah   3)

न त्वहं कामये राज्यं न स्वर्गं नापुनर्भवम् ।

कामये दुःखतप्तानां प्राणिनाम् आर्तिनाशनम् ॥

 न  =  no

 तु  =  Certainly

 अहम्  =  I am

 कामये  =  wish

 राज्यम्  =  kingdom

 स्वर्गम्  =  heaven

 अपुनर्भवम्  =  na + punarbhavam = salvation

 दुःखतप्तानां  =  for grief ridden

 प्राणिनाम्  =  for living beings

 आर्तिः  =  kaShTam, sorrow

 नाशनम्  =  destruction, removal

``Certainly I do not wish for kingdom. I do not wish for heaven.

I do not even want salvation. My humble wish is for removal of sorrow

from all the grief ridden living beings.''

King Rantideva asks this wish from the God. This is considered as the one of

the great shlokas representing our culture. I heard the story behing this

subhAshita from Sri Krishna Shastry during the ``Speak Sanskrit Classes''.

Will share with you someday soon.

ASAD 

विडम्भं पश्यतु अत्र !

(See the sarcasm here)

अजायुद्धमृषिश्राद्धं प्रभाते मेघडम्बरम् ।

दम्पत्योः कलहश्चैव परिणामे न किञ्चन ॥

 अजः  =  goat

 युद्धम्  =  fight

 ऋशिः  =  sage

 श्राद्धं  =  post death rituals

 प्रभाते  =  in the morning

 मेघः  =  cloud

 डम्बरम्  =  noise, thundering

 दम्पत्योः  =  of the couple

 कलहः  =  quarrel

 च  =  and

 एव  =  indeed

 परिणामे  =  in the result

 न  =  no

 किञ्चन  =  something

Fighting between the goats, post death rituals for the sages, the thundering

of clouds in the morning and the quarrel between the couple   there is no

useful outcome (result) in any one of these : )

(`Sages' refers to those who have already attained salvation.

Hence rituals for them are unnecessary.)

ASAD (Subhashita Sangraha   5)

क्षणशः कणशश्चैव विद्यामर्थं च साधयेत् ।

क्षण त्यागे कुतो विद्या कणत्यागे कुतो धनम् ॥

 क्षणः  =  minute

 क्षणशः  =  minute by minute

 कणः  =  grain, bit

 कणशः  =  bit by bit

 विद्याम्  =  knowledge

 अर्थम्  =  money

 च  =  and

 साधयेत्  =  accomplish, achieve

 त्यागः  =  abandon, renounce

 कुतः  =  from where

Knowledge should be persued with minute by minute efforts.

Money should be earned utilising each and every grain.

If you waste time, how can you get knowledge ?

If you waste resources, how can you accumulate the wealth ?

ASAD (Subhashita Sangraha   7)

अपि स्वर्णमयी लङ्का न मे लक्ष्मण रोचते ।

जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी ॥

 अपि  =  and, even though

 स्वर्णमयी  =  covered with gold, full of gold

 न  =  no

 मे  =  for me

 रोचते  =  appeal

 जननी  =  mother

 जन्मभूमिः  =  motherland

 स्वर्गः  =  heaven

 गरीयसी  =  grander, higher

O LakShmana, even though Lanka is a golden land, it does not appeal to me.

One's mother and motherland are greater than heaven itself.

( Said by Lord Rama upon viewing Lanka )

ASAD (Subhashita Sangraha   7)

परोपकाराय फलन्ति वृक्षाः परोपकाराय वहन्ति नद्यः ।

परोपकाराय दुहन्ति गावः परोपकारार्थमिदं शरीरम् ॥

 परोपकारः  =  assistance to others

 फलन्ति  =  give fruits (plural)

 वृक्षाः  =  trees

 वहन्ति  =  flow (plural)

 नद्यः  =  rivers

 दुहन्ति  =  give milk (plural)

 गावः  =  cows

 इदम्  =  this

 शरीरम्  =  body

Trees give fruits to assist others. Rivers flow to help others.

Cows produce milk to feed others. In the same way, our own human

body should also be employed for the assistance of others.

ASAD (Subhashita Sangraha   8)

अमन्त्रम् अक्षरं नास्ति नास्ति मूलमनौषदम् ।

अयोग्यः पुरुषो नास्ति योजकस्तत्र दुर्लभः ॥

 अमन्त्रम्  =  na + mantram, non mantra (mantra = divine poem).

 अक्षरम्  =  na + kSharam, imperishable, a letter of the alphabet

 न  =  no

 अस्ति  =  is

 मूलम्  =  root

 अनौषदम्  =  na + auShadam, non medicine

 अयोग्यः  =  useless

 पुरुषः  =  person

 योजकः  =  co ordinator (one who organizes, plans)

 तत्र  =  there

 दुर्लभः  =  difficult to get, scarce

There is no letter in the alphabet that cannot be used in divine poems

(mantra).  There exists no root which cannot be used as a medicine.

Likewise, there is no useless person. The scarcity is for the one.

who knows how to use them !

ASAD (63)

एकचक्रो रथो यन्ता विकलो विषमे हयाः ।

आक्रामत्येव तेजस्वी तथ्याप्यर्को नभस्तलम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

एकचक्रः रथः यन्ता विकलः विषमे हयाः ।

आक्रामति एव तेजस्वी तथापि अर्कः नभस्तलम् ॥

     एक  =  one

     चक्र  =  wheel

     रथ  =  chariot

     यन्तृ  =  charioteer

     विकल  =  disabled

     विषम  =  odd (as in odd or even)

     हय  =  horse

     आ + क्रम्  =  to attack

     एव  =  only

     तेजस्विन्  =  one who has tej (brilliance)

     अर्क  =  sun

     नभस्तल  =  sky

the bhAvArtha

He has a chariot with one wheel, a charioteer who is disabled

(it is believed that aruNa, the sun's charioteer was a cripple), and an odd

number (i think it is seven) of horses to drive the chariot. Even then the

briliant sun always attacks the sky !!

ASAD (subhAShita sangraha   9)

So, let me wind up this small series with a subhAshita I wrote.

Please excuse me for the mistakes.

भवदीयः।

मधुसिक्तो निम्बखण्डः दुग्धपुष्टो भुजंगमः ।

गंगास्नातोऽपि दुर्जनः स्वभावं नैव मुन्चति ॥

 मधु  =  honey

 सिक्तः  =  pasted with

 निम्बः  =  neem

 खण्डः  =  wooden piece, stem

 दुग्धः  =  milk

 पुष्टः  =  fed with

 भुजन्गमः  =  snake

 स्नातः  =  one who has taken bath

 अपि  =  too

 दुर्जनः  =  bad person

 स्वभावः  =  character, quality

 न  =  No

 एव  =  indeed

 मुन्चति  =  leave, discard

Honey paste on a bitter neem stem, milk feeding for a poisonous snake

and Ganga bath for a bad person   none will change their character.

The bad qualities do not vanish just by changing outer look. We had to

change our inner self.

ASAD (64)

एकेनापि सुवृक्षेण पुष्पितेना सुगन्धिना ।

वासितं तद् वनं सर्वं सुप्त्रेण कुलं यथा ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

एकेन अपि सुवृक्षेण पुष्पितेना सुगन्धिना ।

वासितं तद् वनं सर्वं सुप्त्रेण कुलं यथा ॥

shabdArtha

     अपि  =  also

     वॄक्ष  =  tree

     पुष्पित  =  one that has flowered

     सुगन्धिं  =  one that has a nice fragrance

     वासित  =  made fragrant

     वन  =  forest

     सुपुत्र  =  good son

     कुल  =  family

     यथा  =  As

bhAvArtha

Even by one good tree that has flowered and has a nice fragrance, the

whole forest is made fragrant, just as a whole fmaily is benefitted by one

good son.

ASAD (65)

ऋणशेषोऽग्निशेषश्च शत्रुशेषस्तथैव च ।

पुनः पुनः प्रवर्धन्ते तस्माच्छेषं न रक्षयेत् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

ऋणशेषः अग्निशेषः च शत्रुशेषः तथैव च ।

पुनः पुनः प्रवर्धन्ते तस्मात् शेषं न रक्षयेत् ॥

shabdArtha

     ऋण  =  debt

     शेष  =  remainder

     अग्नि  =  fire

     शत्रु  =  enemy

     पुनः  =  again

     प्र + वृध्  =  to grow fast

     तस्मात्  =  hence

     रक्ष्  =  protect / maintain

bhAvArtha

Any remainder of debt, fire and enemy grow rapidly again and again, hence

no remainder should be maintained.. (debts should be completely paid of.

and fire or enemies should be completely destroyed )

ASAD (66)

उदये सविता रक्तो रक्तश्चास्तमने तथा ।

सम्पत्तौ च विपत्तौ च साधुनामेकरूपता ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

उदये सविता रक्तः रक्तः चा अस्तमने तथा ।

सम्पत्तौ च विपत्तौ च साधुनां एकरूपता ॥

shabdArtha

 उदय  =  rise

 सवितृ  =  sun

 रक्त  =  red

 अस्त  =  fall (set)

 सम्पत्ति  =  prosperity

 विपत्ति  =  calamity

 साधु  =  great man

 एक  =  one

 रूप  =  form

bhAvArtha

The sun is red at sunrise and red at sunset : During prosperity as well as

calamity the great men have the same form.

ASAD (67)

उद्योगिनं पुरुषसिंहमुपैति लक्ष्मीः

दैवेन देयमिति कापुरुषा वदन्ति ।

दैवं निहत्य कुरु पौरुषमात्मशक्त्या

यत्ने कृते यदि न सिध्यति कोऽत्र दोशः ?

सन्धि विग्रह

उद्योगिनं पुरुषसिंहं उपैति लक्ष्मीः

दैवेन देयं इति कापुरुषा वदन्ति ।

दैवं निहत्य कुरु पौरुषं आत्मशक्त्या

यत्ने कृते यदि न सिध्यति कः अत्र दोशः ?

shabdArtha

 उद्योगिन्  =  industrious

 पुरुष  =  man

 सिंह  =  lion

 उप + ई  =  to approach

 दैव  =  destiny

 का पुरुष  =  contemptible fellow

 वद्  =  to speak

 नि + हन्  =  destroy

 कुरु  =  do

 पौरुष  =  manliness, virility, courage, effort

 आत्मन्  =  self

 शक्ति  strength

 यत्न  =  effort

 कृत  =  done

 यदि  =  if

 सिध्  =  to be accomplished

 अत्र  =  here

 दोष  =  fault

bhAvArtha

Laxmi goes to the industrious man like a lion. Only  contemptible

cowards say that destiny should give. Overcome your destiny  and excercise your

manliness. If there is no accomplishment inspite of effort where is the fault?

(If there is no success inspite of e ffort, it is not your fault )

ASAD (68)

उपसर्गेण धात्वर्थो बलादन्यत्र नीयते ।

प्रहाराहारसंहारविहारपरिहारवत् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

उपसर्गेण धातु अर्थः  बलात् अन्यत्र नीयते ।

प्रहार आहार संहार विहार परिहार वत् ॥

shabdArtha

 उपसर्ग prefix

 धातु verb

 अर्थ meaning

 बला  =  force

 अन्यत्र  =  somewhere else

 नी (नय)  =  to take away

 हृ (हरति)  =  to steal

 प्र + हृ  =  to  hit

 आ  + हृ  =  to eat

 सं  + हृ  =  to completely destroy

 वि  + हृ  =  to roam

 परि  + हृ  =  to abandon

bhAvArtha

The meaning of a verb is forcibly taken elsewhere by a prefix. Just

like the meaning of the verb hRi (to steal) is changed by the following

prefixes : pra, A, saM, vi, pari ... (meanings given above)

ASAD (69)

एते सत्पुरुषाः परार्थघटकाः स्वार्थान् परित्यज ये

सामान्यास्तु परार्थमुद्यमभृतः स्वार्थाविरोधेन ये ।

तेऽमी मानवराक्षसाः परहितं स्वार्थाय निघ्नन्ति ये

ये तु घ्नन्ति निरर्थकं परहितं ते के न जानीमहे ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

एते सत्पुरुषाः पर अर्थ घटकाः स्वार्थान् परित्यज ये

सामान्याः तु परार्थं उद्यम भृतः स्वार्थ अविरोधेन ये ।

ते अमी मानव राक्षसाः परहितं स्वार्थाय निघ्नन्ति ये

ये तु घ्नन्ति निरर्थकं परहितं ते के न जानीमहे ॥

shabdArtha

 एते  =  these

 सत्पुरुष  =  good man

 पर  =  foreign / other

 अर्थ  =  benefit

 घटक  =  component

 स्वार्थ  =  one's own purposes

 परि + त्यज्  =  to sacrifice

 ये  =  those who

 सामान्य  =  common

 उद्यम  =  effort

 भृत्  =  one who carries

 विरोध  =  opposition

 अविरोध  =  no opposition

 अमी  =  ??

 मानव  =  man

 राक्षस  =  demon

 हित  =  wellbeing

 नि + हन्  =  to destroy

 निरर्थकं  =  needlessly

 के  =  who

 ज्ञा (जानते, जानाति)  to know

bhAvArtha

These, who are engaged in benefitting others after sacrificing their

own purposes are the great men. Those who benefit others without opposing

their needs are the common men. Those who destroy others' well being for

doing good to themselves are demons in human form. However those who

destroy other peoples' well being without any cause whatsoever, we do not

know who they are !

Here is a marathi equivalent for the above shloka :  

he to satpuruSha svakArya tyajuni anyArta hI sAdhitI

he to madhyama je nijArtha karunI anyArtha sampAditI

he to rAkShasa je svakArya viShayI anyArtha vidhva.nsitI

je kA vyartha parArthahAni kariti te koNa kI durmatI ?

ASAD (70)

अनुदिनमनुतापेनास्म्यहं राम तप्तः

परमकरुण मोहं छिन्धि मायासमेतम् ।

इदमतिचपलं मे मानसं दुर्निवारं

भव्ति च बहु खेदस्त्वां विना धाव शीघ्रम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

अनुदिनं अनुतापेन आस्मि अहं राम तप्तः

परम करुण मोहं छिन्धि माया समेतम् ।

इदं अतिचपलं मे मानसं दुर्निवारं

भवति च बहु खेदः त्वां विना धाव शीघ्रम् ॥

shabdArtha

 अनु  =  following

 अनुदिनं  =  daily

 ताप  =  trouble

 तप्त  =  troubled, frustrated

 परम  =  highest, the utmost, most excellent

 करुणा  =  pity, sympathy

 मोह  =  temptation

 छिद्  =  to cut, cutoff

 माया  =  unreality; the illusion  by virtue of which one considers the

unreal

universe as really existent and distinct from the supreme spirit

 समेतं  =  come together with

 इदं  =  this

 अति  =  extremely

 चपल  =  fickle, unstable

 मानस  =  mind

 दुर्निवार  =  (roughly) not easy to control

 बहु  =  too much

 खेद  =  sorrow

 विन  =  without

 धाव्  =  to run

 शीघ्रं  =  immediately

bhAvArtha

O Rama, I am extremely tormented by the daily struggle of life. O

most sympathizing one, cut away the temptation that has come to me with mAyA.

This very fickle mind of mine is difficult to control. There is a lot of

sorrow  without you ! Run to me immediately !

And I am sure the marathi readers will recognize this as the sanskrit version

of this verse

अनुदिनि अनुतापे तापलो रामराय

परमदिनदयाळा नीरसी मोहमाया

अचपळ मन माज़े नावरे आवरीता

तुज विण शिण होतो धाव रे धाव आता !

न भूतपूर्वं न कदापि वार्ता हेम्नः कुरंगः न कदापि दृष्टः ।

तथापि तॄष्णा रघुनन्दनस्य विनाशकाले विपरीतबुद्धिः ॥

It had never happened before , or been heard of  before. A golden

deer had never been seen before. Inspite of that, Rama desired it : At the

time of destruction, one's judgement goes bonkers .. !

ASAD (71)

सौवर्णानि सरोजानि निर्मातुं सन्ति शिल्पिनः ।

तत्र सौरभ निर्माणे चतुरः चतुराननः ॥

shabdArtha

 सौवर्ण  =  golden

 सरोज (सरस् + ज)  =  lotus ( one that is born in a lake)

 निर्  + मा  =  to create

 शिल्पिन्  =  sculptor

 सौरभ  =  fragrance

 चतुरः  =  capable / skiled/ clever

 चतुस्  =  four

 आनन  =  face

bhAvArtha

The sculptors are there to create golden lotuses. But onlythe

four faced one (Brahma) is clever enough to produce fragrance in them !

ASAD (72)

स्वायत्तमेकान्तहितं विधात्रा विनिर्मितं छादनमज्ञतायाः ।

विषेशतः सर्वविदां समाजे विन्हूषणं मौनमपण्डितानाम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

स्वायत्तं  एक अन्त हितं विधात्रा विनिर्मितं छादनं अज्ञतायाः ।

विषेशतः सर्वविदां समाजे विन्हूषणं मौनं अपण्डितानाम् ॥

shabdArtha

 स्वायत्त  =  dependent only one onself

 अन्त  =  end

 हित  =  benefit

 विधातृ  =  the creator

 छादन  =  covering

 अज्ञता  =  ignorance

 विशेषतः  =  especiAly

 सर्वविद्  =  one who knows everything

 समाज   =  society / company

 विभूषण  =  ornament, asset

 मौन  =  silence

 अपण्डित  =  someone who is not a scholar

bhAvArtha

A selfdependent covering of ignorance has been created by the creator

with the one intention of benefitting. Especially in the company of the

knowledgeable silence is an asset to those who are ignorant.

And  again, a marathi version :  

विनिर्मिले ज़ाकण अज्ञतेचे स्वाधीन जे पद्मभवे फुकाचे ।

मूर्खास जे मौनचि फार साजे सभेस त्यान्च्या बहु जाणते जे ॥

ASAD (73)

गुरुशुश्रूशया विद्या पुष्कलेन धनेन वा ।

अथ वा विद्यया विद्या चतुर्थो न उपलभ्यते   ॥

shabdArtha

 गुरु  =  teacher

 शुश्रूशा  =  service

 विद्या  =  knowledge

 पुश्कल  =  a lot

 धन  =  money

 चतुर्थ  =  fourth

 उप + लभ्  =  to obtain

bhAvArtha

Knowledge (is  acquired) by serving the teacher, or by a lot of money

or by (exchange of) knowledge. A fourth (path) is not available

ASAD (74)

चलत्येकेन पादेन तिष्ठत्येकेन पण्डितः      ।

न समीक्ष्यापरं स्थानं पूर्वमायातनं त्यजेत् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

चलति एकेन पादेन तिष्ठति एकेन पण्डितः      ।

न समीक्ष्य अपरं स्थानं पूर्वं आयातनं त्यजेत् ॥

shabdArtha

 चल्  =  to walk

 स्था (तिष्ठति)  =  to stand

 एक  =  one

 पण्दित  =  the wise man

 सं + ईक्ष्  =  to examine

 अपर  =  other

 स्थान  =  place

 पूर्व  =  previous

 आयातन  =  abode, resting place

 त्यक्  =  to leave, sacrifice

bhAvArtha

The wise man walks with one foot and stands on one foot. (never

steps onto a new place without examining it ) Without examining the next

place, he does not leave the previous abode.

ASAD (75)

प्रिय मित्राणि ।

कल्पद्रुमः कल्पितमेव सूत् सा कामधुक् कामितमेव दोग्धि  ।

चिन्तामणिश्चिन्तितमेव दत्ते सतां तु संगः सकलम् प्रसूते । ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

कल्प द्रुमः कल्पितं एव सूते सा कामधुक् कामितं एव दोग्धि ।

चिन्तामणिः चिन्तितं एव दत्ते सतां तु संगः सकलं प्रसूते ॥

shabdArtha

 कल्प द्रुम  =  kalpa vRikSha : the tree that will give you anything you

can

imagine

 कल्पित  =  imagined

 सू  =  to produce

 कामधुक्  =  kAmadhenu : the cow who can milk out anything you wish

 कामित  =  something one has wished for

 दोग्धि  =  milks (from duh : to milk )

 चिन्तामणि  =  the gem that gives you anything you can think about

 चिन्तित  =  something one has thought about

 दा  =  to give

 सत्  =  the good men

 संग  =  company

 सकल  =  everything

bhAvArtha

The kalpavRikSha produces only what you can imagine, The kAmadhenu milks

only what you want. The chintAmaNi give you only what you have thought

about. However good company produces everything. (Its benefits are not

limited by your thoughts desires or imagination)

ASAD (76)

सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यमप्रियम् ।

प्रियं च नानृतं ब्रूयात् एष धर्मः सनातनः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यं अप्रियम् ।

प्रियं च न अनृतं ब्रूयात् एषः धर्मः सनातनः ॥

shabdArtha

 सत्य  =  truth

 ब्रू  =  to speak

 प्रिय  =  dear, nice

 अनृत  =  false

 धर्म  =  practice

 सनातन  =  ancient

bhAvArtha

One should speak the truth, and say nice things. One should not say

things that are true if they are not nice. And nor should one say nice things

if they are not true : This is the ancient practice

ASAD (77)

सम्पूर्णकुम्भो न करोति शब्दं

अर्धो घटो घोषमुपैति नूनं  ।

विद्वान् कुलीनो न करोति गर्वं

मूधास्तु जल्पन्ति गुणैर्विहीनाः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

सम्पूर्ण कुम्भः न करोति शब्दं

अर्धः घटः  घोषं उपैति नूनं  ।

विद्वान् कुलीनः न करोति गर्वं

मूढाः तु जल्पन्ति गुणैः विहीनाः ॥

shabdArtha

 सम्पूर्ण  =  full

 कुम्भ  =  pot

 शब्द  =  noise

 अर्ध  =  half

 घट  =  pot

 घोष  =  noise

 उप + ई  =  to go

 नूनं  =  really

 विद्वान्  =  learned

 कुलीन  =  one who is from a good family

 गर्व  =  pride

 मूढ  =  foolish person

 जल्प्  =  to babble

 गुण  =  quality

 विहीन  =  bereft of

bhAvArtha

A full pot does not make anynoise, however a half full pot really

makes noise. A learned respectable person  is never vain, but foolish

people bereft of any good qualities babble incessantly.

ASAD (78)

नारिकेलसमाकारा दृश्यन्तेऽपि हि सज्जनाः ।

अन्ये बदरिकाकारा बहिरेव मनोहराः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

नरिकेल समाकाराः दृश्यन्ते अपि हि सज्जनाः ।

अन्ये बदरिका आकाराः बहिः एव मनोहराः ॥

shabdArtha

 नारिकेल  =  coconut

 आकार  =  form

 दृश्  =  to look

 सज्जन  =  good man

 अन्य  =   other

 बदरिका  =  the jujube fruit (᳚bora᳚ in marathi)

 बहिः  =  outside

 मनोहर  =  beautiful

bhAvArtha

The good men seem to be like coconuts. (Tough on the outside but

soft inside). Others are like the jujube fruit, beautiful only on the outside

(but sour inside).

ASAD (79)

न भूतपूर्वं न कदापि वार्ता हेम्नः कुरंगः न कदापि दृष्टः ।

तथापि तॄष्णा रघुनन्दनस्य विनाशकाले विपरीतबुद्धिः ॥

shabdArtha

 भूत  =  happened

 पूर्व  =  previously

 वार्ता  =  news

 हेमन्  =  gold

 कुरंग  =  deer

 तृष्णा  =  desire

 रघुनन्दन्  =  Rama

 विनाश  =  destruction

 काल  =  time

 विपरीत  =  inverted, contrary to rule, wrong

 बुद्धी  =  intellect, judgement

bhAvArtha

It had never happened before , or been heard of  before. A golden

deer had never been seen before. Inspite of that, Rama desired it : At the

time of destruction, one's judgement goes bonkers .. !

As KEDAR S NAPHADE said:  

नारिकेलसमाकारा दृश्यन्तेऽपि हि सज्जनाः ।

अन्ये बदरिकाकारा बहिरेव मनोहराः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

नरिकेल समाकाराः दृश्यन्ते अपि हि सज्जनाः ।

अन्ये बदरिका आकाराः बहिः एव मनोहराः ॥

``drishyante api''

shabdArtha

   नारिकेल  =  coconut

   आकार  =  form

   दृश्  =  to look

    द्रिश्यन्ते  =  be seen

    अपि  =  also

   सज्जन  =  good man

   अन्य  =   other

   बदरिका  =  the jujube fruit (᳚bora᳚ in marathi)

   बहिः  =  outside

   मनोहर  =  beautiful

bhAvArtha

The good men seem to be like coconuts. (Tough on the outside but

soft inside). Others are like the jujube fruit, beautiful only on the outside

(but sour inside).

The phrase ``drishyante api'' means they (coconuts) are also seen. i.e.

if you look for them hard enough, you DO find them i.e. they are scare

to find. In contrast the ``bera'' (Hindi) or ``bora'' (Marathi) or berry

(English) is seen a lot. i.e. good people are like coconuts, hard

outside, soft inside and are scarce to find, bad people are like

berries, soft outside, hard inside, and are found a lot.

This is shlok 93 in HitopadeshaH's first chapter ``MitralAbh''

Another related shubhashita from HitopadeshaH in the related topic.

shloka 100 same chapter is:  

manasya anyat vachasya anyat karyam anyat durAtmanAm

mansya ekam vachasya ekam karmaNya ekam mahAtmanAm

i.e the evil people think something else, say something else and do

something else. The great (good) people think, say and do the same

thing.

Reminds me of a joke I read a long time back. A reporter asked the

political figure his secret of success, and the politician replied:  

``Well, we think something, say something else, do something else and

something else happens!! Beats me!!᳚ :))

ShashiKant Joshi

ASAD (80)

परान्नं प्राप्य दुर्बुद्धे मा प्राणेषु दयां कुरु ।

दुर्लभानि परान्नानि प्रानाः जन्मनि जन्मनि !!

shabdArtha

 पर  =  other's, foreign

 अन्न  =  food

 प्र + आप्  =  to get, obtain

 दुर्बुद्धि  =  stupid person, idiot

 प्राण्  =  life

 दया  =  pity

 कृ  =  to do

 दुर्लभ  =  rare

 जन्मन्  =  birth

bhAvArtha

You idiot, dont show any pity for your life if you are getting

food from someone else (free food). (Go on, stufff yourself ! fall sick !)

Free food is rare , whereas as far as lives are concerned, you will get one at

every

birth !! (I am sure all our fellow grad students will strongly agree with

this : )

ASAD (81)

न दुर्जनः सज्जनतामुपैति बहुप्रकारैरपि सेव्यमानः ।

भूयोऽपि सिक्तः पयसा घृतेन न निम्बवृक्षो मधुरत्वमेति ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

न दुर्जनः सज्जनतां उपैति बहु प्रकारैः अपि सेव्यमानः ।

भूयः अपि सिक्तः पयसा घृतेन न निम्बवृक्षः मधुरत्वं एति ॥

shabdArtha

 दुर्जन  =  wicked person

 सज्जन  =  good man

 उप + ई  =  to go to

 बहु  =  many

 प्रकार  =  way

 सेव्  =  to serve

 भूयः  =  repeatedly

 सिक्त  =  sprayed

 पयस्  =  milk

 घृत  =  ghee

 निम्ब  =  neem

 वृक्ष  =  tree

 मधुरत्व  =  sweetness

bhAvArtha

A wicked person shall never become good even if served in many ways.

A neem tree, even if repeatedly sprayed with milk and ghee shall

never become sweet.

ASAD (82)

केयूरा न विभूषयन्ति पुरुषं हारा न चन्द्रोज्ज्वलाः

न स्नानं न विलेपनं न कुसुमं नालंकृता मूर्धजाः ।

वाण्येका समलंकरोति पुरुषं या संस्कृता धार्यते

क्षीयन्ते खलू भूषणानि सततं वाग्भूषणं भूषणम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

केयूराः न विभूषयन्ति पुरुषं हाराः न चन्द्र उज्ज्वलाः

न स्नानं न विलेपनं न कुसुमं न अलंकृताः मूर्धजाः ।

वाणी एका समलंकरोति पुरुषं या संस्कृता धार्यते

क्षीयन्ते खलू भूषणानि सततं वाग्भूषणं भूषणम् ॥

shabdArtha

 केयूर  =  armlet (bracelet worn on upper arm)

 वि + भूश्  =  to decorate

 पुरुष  =  man

 हार  =  garland

 चन्द्र  =  moon

 उज्ज्वल  =  radiant

 स्नान  =  bath

 विलेपन  =  smearing

 कुसुम  =  flower

 अलंकृत  =  decorated / ornamented

 मूर्धन्  =  head

 मूर्धजा  =  hair (from the head)

 वाणी  =  language/ gift of speech

 संस्कृत  =  refined

 धृ (धरति; पस्सिवे   धार्यते)  = to hold, carry, bear.

 क्षी  =  to dimnish

 भूषण  =  ornament

 वाक्  =  speech

bhAvArtha

Armlets do not (really) decorate a person, neither do garlands

as radiant as the moon. Nor again, does the act of bathing or smearing, or

flowers, or ornamented hair. Bearing a gift of refined speech is the only one

thing that really ornaments a man. All other ornaments always diminish   the

ornament of speech is the (only) ornament (that counts).

ASAD (83)

अन्द् इन् चोन्त्रस्त् तो थे प्रेविओउस् सुभाशित हेरे इस् ओने :  

किं वाससेत्यत्र विचारणीयं  वासः प्रधानं खलु योग्यतायै ।

पीताम्बरं वीक्ष्य ददौ स्वकनां दिगम्बरं वीक्ष्य विषं समुद्रः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

किं वाससा इति अत्र विचारणीयं  वासः प्रधानं खलु योग्यतायै ।

पीताम्बरं वीक्ष्य ददौ स्वकनां दिगम्बरं वीक्ष्य विषं समुद्रः ॥

shabdArtha

 किं  =  what ?

 वासस्  =  apparel / clothes

 वि + चर्  =  to think

 प्रधान  =  important

 योग्यता  =  appropriateness

 पीत  =  yellow

 अम्बर  =  cloth

 ददौ  =  gave (from dA : to give)

 स्व  =  one's own

 कन्या  =  daughter

 दिक् (दिग्)  =  directions

 वि + ईक्ष्  =  to see

 समुद्र  =  sea

bhAvArtha

One should indeed ponder upon the question, ``What's in one's

apparel ?᳚. Apparel is indeed important for appropriateness. After looking

at the one dressed in a rich yellow cloth (vishnu), the sea gave him his

daughter (laxmi) and looking at the one dressedin nothing, (Shiva) the sea

gave poison ! (halAhala)

ASAD (84)

गुणैरुत्तुंगतां याति नोत्तुंगेनासनेन वै ।

प्रासादशिखरस्थोऽपि काको न गरुडायते ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

गुणैः उत्तुंगतां याति न उत्तुंगेन आसनेन वै ।

प्रासाद शिखर स्थः अपि काकः न गरुडायते ॥

shabdArtha

 गुण  =  qualities

 उत्तंगता  =  greatness

 या  =  to go

 उत्तुंग  =  tall

 आसन  =  seat

 प्रासाद  =  palace

 शिखर  =  tip, peak

 काक  =  crow

 गरुड  =  eagle

bhAvArtha

One achieves greatness because of one's qualities, not because

of a high position. Even  is placed at the top of the palace.

a crow does not become an eagle

ASAD (85)

अशनं मे वसनं मे जाया मे बन्धुवर्गो मे ।

इति मे मे कुर्वाणं कालवृको हन्ति पुरुषाजम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

अशनं मे वसनं मे जाया मे बन्धु वर्गः मे ।

इति मे मे कुर्वाणं कालवृकः हन्ति पुरुष अजम् ॥

shabdArtha

 अशन  =  food

 वसन  =  dwelling

 जाया  =  wife

 मे  =  mine

 कुर्वाण  =  one who  does

 काल  =  time

 वृक  =  wolf

 पुरुष  =  man

 अज  =  goat

भावार्थ

``The food is mine, the dwelling is mine, the wife is mine'' : The wolf of

time kills the man in the form of a goat who is always doing may may !

(mine ! mine !)

ASAD (SUBHASHITAM from GarudapurAna)

नाभिषेको न संस्कारः सिंहस्य क्रियते वने ।

विक्रमार्जितसत्त्वस्य स्वयमेव म्र्गेन्द्रता ॥

गरुदपुराण

For the lion, nobody need place him on the throne by performing certain

'saMskAras.'  By the power of his self won might alone, he has become the

lord of the animal kingdom.  This position has come naturally to the

lion.

The poet, through the example of the lion's might and natural abilities.

is simply giving us a simile to paint a picture of the great qualities of

great people (mahApurushAs).  They too, by their own strength, carry

themselves forward.  These people need no intermediaries to make their

case.

ASAD (86)

अल्पकार्यकराः सन्ति ये नरा बहुभाषिणः ।

शरत्कालिनमेघास्ते नूनं गर्जन्ति केवलम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

अल्प कार्य कराः सन्ति ये नराः बहु भाषिणः ।

शरत् कालिन मेघाः ते नूनं गर्जन्ति केवलम् ॥

shabdArtha

 अल्प  =  small, little

 कार्य  =  work

 कर  =  one who does

 नर  =  man

 बहु  =  a lot

 भाशिन्  =  one who talks

 शरद्  =  autumn

 मेघ  =  cloud

 नूनं  =  really

 गर्ज्  =  to roar

 केवलं  =  only

भावार्थ

Those men who talk too much are ones who do little work. THey are the

clouds of autumn; they really only roar. (but do not give any rain)

ASAD (87)

गते शोको न कर्तव्यो भविष्यं नैव चिन्तयेत् ।

वर्तमानेन कालेन वर्तयन्ति विचक्षणाः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

गते शोकः न कर्तव्यः भविष्यं न एव चिन्तयेत् ।

वर्तमानेन कालेन वर्तयन्ति विचक्षणाः ॥

shabdArtha

 गत  =  gone

 शोक  =  sorrow

 कर्तव्य  =  should be done

 भविष्य  =  future

 चिन्त्  =  to think / to worry

 वर्तमान  =  present

 वर्तय  =  to operate (causal from vart)

 विचक्षण  =  wise

भावार्थ

One should not be sorrowful about what is past, nor should  one worry

too much about the future. The wise men operate by the present times.

ASAD (89)

चित्ते भ्रान्तिर्जायते मद्यपानात् भ्रान्ते चित्ते पापचर्यामुपैति ।

पापं कृत्वा दुर्गतिं यान्ति मूधास्तस्मान्मद्यं नैव पेयं न पेयम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

चित्ते भ्रान्तिः जायते मद्यपानात् भ्रान्ते चित्ते पाप चर्यां उपैति ।

पापं कृत्वा दुर्गतिं यान्ति मूधाः तस्मात् मद्यं न एव पेयं न पेयम् ॥

shabdArtha

 चित्त  =  mind

 भ्रान्ति  =  confusion

 मद्य  =   liqour

 पान  =  drinking

 पाप  =  sin

 चर्या  =  practise / observance

 उप + ई  =  to approach

 दुर्गति  =  misfortune

 मूध  =  foolish man

 या  =  to go

 तस्मात्  =  hence

 पेय  =  should be drunk

भावार्थ

Drinking of liqour causes confusion of the mind. Once the mind is

confused one starts practising a sinful life. After practising sin, the

foolish men suffer misfortune. Hence liqour should not be drunk ! should

never be drunk !

ASAD ( Sanskrit saying)

It is supposed to be said by Rajasekhara in his kavya Mimamsa:  

प्रत्यक्ष कविकाव्यं च रूपं च कुलयोषितः ।

गृहवैद्यस्य विद्या च कस्मैचिद्यदि रोचते ॥

 प्रत्यक्ष  =  real, visible, directly in front

 कवि  =  poet

 काव्यं  =  Composition/poetry/literary work

 च  =  and

 कुलयोषितः  =  One who brightens the family(?) (meaning house wife?)

 रूपं च  =  Her beauty

 गृहवैद्यस्य  =  family doctor's

 विद्या  =  knowledge

 यदि  =  do they

 कस्मै चित्  =  ever

 रोचते  =  shine/please/appeal?

The composition of a contemporary poet and the beauty of one's own wife do not

appeal to man, and it is indeed true generally that neither a saint nor an

artist is ever recognized and honoured in his own time or clime.

ASAD (90)

Could not resist this one after having said ``tasmAt madyaM naiva

peyaM na peyaM᳚ in the previous shloka.

किन्तु मद्यं स्वभावेन यथौषधं तथा स्मृतम् ।

अयुक्तियुक्तं रोगाय युक्तियुक्तं यथा स्मृतम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

किन्तु मद्यं स्वभावेन यथा  औषधं तथा स्मृतम् ।

अयुक्ति युक्तं रोगाय युक्ति युक्तं यथा स्मृतम् ॥

shabdArtha

 किन्तु  =  but

 मद्य  =  liqour

 स्वभाव  =  nature

 औषध  =  medicine

 स्मृत  =  remembered

 युक्ति  =  utility ; proportion

 युक्त  =  used

 रोग  =  disease

भावार्थ

But liqour  is known to be medicinal by nature. If not taken in the

correct proportion it leads to disease ; taken in the correct proportion

it leads to what is known about it.. (that it is medicinal)...

ASAD (91)

वितर वारि द वारि दव आतुरे

चिर पिपासित चातक पोतके ।

प्रचलिते मरुति क्षणं अन्यथा

क्व च भवान् क्व पयः क्व च चातकः ॥

shabdArtha

 वि + तॄ  =  to distribute

 वारि  =  water

 वारिद  =  cloud (one who gives water)

 दव  =  water

 आतुर  =  anxious

 चिर  =  permanently

 पिपासित  =  thirsty

 चातक  =  chAtaka bird

 पोतक  =  young one of an animal

 प्रचलित  =  something that has started

 मरुत्  =  wind

 क्षणं  =  in a moment

 क्व  =  where

 पयस्  =  water

भावार्थ

O cloud, distribute water among the ever thirsty young ones of the

chAtaka bird ! Otherwise when in a moment the wind starts blowing.

where shall you be, where shall the water be and where the chataka

birds ?

ASAD (92)

वनानि दहतः वह्नेः सखा भवति मारुतः ।

स एव दीप नाषाय कृशे कस्य अस्ति सौहृदम् ॥

shabdArtha

 वन  =  forest

 दहत्  =  one that burns

 वह्नि  =  fire

 सखि  =  friend

 मारुत  =  wind

 दीप  =  lamp : here a small one wick light

 नाष  =  destruction

 कृश  =  weakness

 सौहृद  =  friendship

भावार्थ

The wind becomes the friend of fire that burns forests. The same

wind causes destruction of fire in the form of a lighted wick.

Who indeed has friends in times of weakness ?

ASAD (Another clipping from India D)

Today's Beautiful Gem: `The Passage of Time' by BhartRhari.

यत्रानेकः क्वचिदपि गृहे तत्र तिष्टत्यथैको

यत्राप्येकस्तदनु बहवस्तत्र नैकोऽपि चान्ते

इत्थम् नैयौ रजनिदिवसौ लोलयन् द्वाविवाक्षौ

कालः कल्यो भुवनफलके क्रीडति प्राणिसारैः

In a certain house, where there were once many, there is one now;

Where there were many, at the end none remains!

With night and day as two alternating pieces of dice.

On the chessboard of the world, Time plays with living beings as pawns.''

आदित्यस्य गतागतैरहरहः सङ्क्षीयते जीवितं

व्यापरैर्बहुकार्यभारगुरुभिः कालो न विज्नायते

दृष्ट्वा जन्मजराविपत्तिमरणं त्रासश्च नोत्पद्यते

पीत्वा मोहमयीं प्रमादमदिराम् उन्मत्तभूतां जगत्

``With the endless cycle of sunrise and sunset, life shortens;

Engrossed in mundane tasks, man fails to notice the passage of time!

Nor anxiety is felt at witnessing birth, advance of years, suffering

and finally death;

Oh, the world becomes intoxicated after drinking the wine of delusion!''

ASAD (93)

यदि वा याति गोविन्दः मथुरातः पुनः सखि ।

राधायाः नयन द्वन्द्वे राधा नाम विपर्ययः ॥

shabdArtha

 यदि  =  if

 या  =  to go

 गोविन्द  =  Lord KRishna

 मतुरा  =  the city of mathura

 सखि  =   friend

 राधा  =  rAdhA ?  : )

 नयन  =  eye

 द्वन्द्व  =  couple

 नामन्  =  name

 विपर्यय  =  inversion

 धारा  =  streams (of tears)

भावार्थ

If indeed does Govinda go away from Mathura, then from the eyes of

rAdhA will flow the inversion of rAdhA (  dhArA = streams)

ASAD (94)

रत्नैर्महार्हैस्तुतुशुर्न देवा न भेजिरे भीमविषेण भीतिम् ।

सुधां विना न प्रययुर्विरामं न निश्चिदार्थाद्विरमन्ति धीराः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

रत्नैः महा अर्हैः तुतुशुः न देवाः न भेजिरे भीमविषेण भीतिम् ।

सुधां विना न प्रययुः विरामं न निश्चित् अर्थात् विरमन्ति धीराः ॥

shabdArtha

 रत्न  =  precious stones

 महा  =  big

 अर्ह  =  deserving

 महार्ह  =  great (those that deserve to be called great)

 तुश्  =  to be satisfied

 देव  =  god

 भज्  =  to take recourse (my guess is that bhejire is a past tense

form from the root bhaj)

 भीम  =  terrible

 भीति  =  fear

 सुधा  =  the nectar of immortality

 या  =  to go

 विराम  =  stop

 निश्चित  =  determined, ascertained

 अर्थ  =  end, aim, objective

 वि + रम्  =  to stop

 धीर  =  courageous, steadfast

भावार्थ

(This sloka describes the churning of the ocean by the gods)

The gods did not get satisfied by great precious stones, nor

did they take recourse to fear because of the terrible poison. THey did not

go to a stop until they got the nectar of immortality. THe steadfast men do

not stop until they have  achieved the determined objective.

ASAD (95)

अद्य संक्रान्तिः । पठतु एतद् सुभाशितं मम गुरुणा श्री वसन्त

नानिवडेकर्महोदयेन् विरचितं

Today is Makar SankrAnti. Here is a subhAshita for the occasion

composed by my teacher Shri Vasant Nanivadekar

तिलवत् स्निग्धं मनोऽस्तु वाण्यां गुडवन्माधुर्यं

तिलगुडलद्दुकवत् सम्बन्धे अस्तु सुवृत्तत्त्वम् ।

अस्तु विचारे शुभसंक्रमणं मंगलाय यशसे

कल्याणी संक्रान्तिरस्तु वः सदाहमाशंसे ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

तिलवत् स्निग्धं मनः अस्तु वाण्यां गुडवत् माधुर्यं

तिल गुड लद्दुकवत् सम्बन्धे अस्तु सुवृत्तत्त्वम् ।

अस्तु विचारे शुभ संक्रमणं मंगलाय यशसे

कल्याणी संक्रान्तिः अस्तु वः सदा अहं आशंसे ॥

shabdArtha

 तिल  =  sesame seeds

 स्निग्ध  =  affectionate; also oily,greasy

 मनस्  =  mind

 वाणी  =  language

 गुड   =  jaggery

 माधुर्य  =  sweetness

 लद्दुक  =  laddoo, a sweet ball

 सम्बन्ध  =  relation

 सु वृत् तत्त्व  =  the principle of goodness

 विचार  =  thought

 शुभ  =  good, auspicious

 संक्रमण  =  concurrence, coming together

 मंगल  =  auspicious

 यशस्  =  glory

 कल्याण  =  blessedness, goodness, auspiciousness

 संक्रान्ति  =  the festival of makara sa.nkrAnt

 सदा  =  always

 आ + शंस्  =  to wish, to hope, to desire

भावार्थ

May the mind be affectionate like sesame seeds, may there be

sweetness  in your words as in jaggery and may there be goodness in

your relations as is in the relation of sesame and jaggery in a laddoo.

May there be in your thoughts a concurrence towards auspicious glory,  I

always desire that the festival of sankrant may prove to be blessed and

auspicious for you all.

ASAD (subhAshitam)

द्राक्षा म्लान मुखी जाता शर्करा चाश्मताम् गता ।

सुभाशित रसम् द्रुश्ट्वा सुधा भीता दिवम् गता ॥

pratipadArtha:  

 द्राक्षा  =  grapes

 म्लान  =  sullen / dry

 मुखी  =  (having) face (like)

 जाता  =  went / became

 शर्करा  =  sugar

 च  =  and

 अह्मताम्  =  stone

 गत  =  went / became

 सुभाशित  =  is meaning neede ??? subhAshita (good words)

 रसम्  =  taste / power / effect

 द्र्श्ट्वा  =  having seen / seeing

 सुधा  =  nectar / amrutA

 भीता  =  (being) afraid (of)

 दिवम्  =  (to) heaven

 गता  =  went

bhAvArthA:  

Seeing the taste of subhAshita, the grape became sullen faced (dry/wrinkled

face), sugar became stone (as in big sugar crystals) and the nectar was afraid

and ran to heaven.

mahesh

ASAD (96)

सर्वत्र देशे गुणवान् शोभते प्रथितः नरः ।

मणिः शीर्शे गले बाहौ यत्र कुत्र अपि शोभते ॥

shabdArtha

 सर्वत्र  =  everwhere

 देश  =  country

 गुणवान्  =  a man with good qualities

 शोभ्  =  to look beautiful

 प्रथित  =  famous, celebrated

 मणि  =  gem

 शीर्श  =  head

 गल  =  neck

 बाहु  =  arm

भावार्थ

A famous man with good qualities is considered an asset anywhere in

the country. (JUst as) a gem looks beautiful when worn anywhere :  

on the head, in the neck or on the arm..

ASAD (97)

येन केन प्रकारेण यस्य कस्यापि देहिनः ।

सन्तोशं जनयेत्प्राज्ञः तदेवेश्वरपूजनम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

येन केन प्रकारेण यस्य कस्यापि देहिनः ।

सन्तोशं जनयेत् प्राज्ञः तद् एव ईश्वर पूजनम् ॥

shabdArtha

 प्रकार  =  way

 देहिन्  =  man

 सन्तोश  =  satisfaction

 जन्  =  to to be born or produced

 जनयेत्  =  causal form from jan meaning ``should generate''

 प्राज्ञ  =  wise man

 ईश्वर  =  god

 पूजन  =  worship

भावार्थ

By some way or the other the wise man should cause the satisfaction of

some one or the other ; that itself is the worship of God.

id AA821902673; Wed, 17 Jan 96 10:17:37 EST

ASAD 

priaya samskruta bAndhavAh.

following is a subhAshita we studied in 10th grade (I think by bhartruhari)

which speaks the power of association with ritious people.

guNavarjana samsargAt yAsti nIchOpi gouravam .

pushpamAlA prasa.ngena sUtram shirasidhAryate ..

सन्धि विग्रह

गुणवत् जन संसर्ग अत् य अस्ति नीच अपि गोउरवम् ।

पुश्प माला प्रसंग एन सूत्रम् शिर असि धार्यते ॥

prati padAratha :  

 गुणवत्  =  virtuous (good) qualities

 जन  =  people

 संसर्ग  =  association

 नीच  =  rouge / person of poor(bad ?) quality

 गोउरवम्  =  respect

 पुश्पमाला  =  garland (of flowers)

 प्रसन्गेन  =  because of / along with

 सूत्रम्  =  thread

 शिरह्  =  head

 धार्यते  =  climbs / (being)worn

bhAvArtha

Just like the thread being worn in the head (respected) along with the flowers

in a garland, a rouge will also acquire respect (for himself) with the

association of (being with) good people (sajjana).

guNavarjana saMsargAt yAsti  nIchOpi gouravam .

guNavajjana           yAti   nicho.api (transliteration)

note : yAti means ``goes''

पुश्पमाला प्रसंगेन सूत्रम् शिरसिधार्यते ॥

shirasi dhAryate (two separate words)

सन्धि विग्रह

गुणवत् जन संसर्ग अत् य अस्ति नीच अपि गोउरवम् ।

पुश्पमाला प्रसंग एन सूत्रम् शिर असि धार्यते ॥

गुणवत् जन संसर्गात् याति निचः अपि गौरवम् ।

पुष्प माला प्रसंगेन सूत्रं शिरसि धार्यते ॥

prati padAratha :  

 गुणवत्  =  virtuous (good) qualities

 जन  =  people

 संसर्ग  =  association

 नीच  =  rouge / person of poor(bad ?) quality

 गोउरवम्  =  respect

 पुश्पमाला  =  garland (of flowers)

 प्रसन्गेन  =  because of / along with

 प्रसंग  =  close association. prasa.ngena = because of close association

 सूत्रम्  =  thread

 शिरह्  =  head

(original noun is shiras : shirasi is the locative singular, meaning on the

head)

 धार्यते  =  climbs / (being)worn

bhAvArtha

Just like the thread being worn in the head (respected) along with the flowers

in a garland, a rouge will also acquire respect (for himself) with the

association of (being with) good people (sajjana).

ASAD (116)

यः पठति लिखति पश्यति परिपृच्छती पण्डितान् उपाश्रयति ।

तस्य दिवाकरकिरणैः नलिनी दलं इव विस्तारिता बुद्धिः ॥

shabdArtha

 पठ्  =  to read

 लिख्  =  to write

 दृश् (पश्य)  =  to see

 परि+प्रच्छ्  =  to enquire

 पण्डित  =   learned man

 उप + आ + श्रि  =  to take shelter in

 दिवाकर  =  sun

 किरण  =  ray

 नलिनी  =  lotus

 दल  =  leaf

 विस्तारित  =  expanded

 बुद्धि  =  intellect

भावार्थ

One who reads, writes,  sees, enquires, lives in the company of learned

men, his intellect expands like the lotus leaf does because of the rays of the

sun.

ASAD (118)

बालस्यापि  रवेः पादाः पतन्त्युपरि भूभृताम् ।

तेजसा सह जातानां वयः कुत्रोपयुज्यते ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

बालस्य अपि  रवेः पादाः पतन्ति उपरि भूभृताम् ।

तेजसा सह जातानां वयः कुत्र उपयुज्यते ॥

shabdArtha

 बाल  =  child

 अपि  =  also

 रवि  =  sun

 पाद  =  foot

 पत्  =  to fall

 भूभृत्  =  mountain

 तेजस्  =  brilliance

 जात  =  born

 वय  =  age

 कुत्र  =  where

 उप + युज्  =  use

भावार्थ

Even the feet of a young sun can fall on the top of mountains ..

For those born with brilliance,  where indeed is age used (The age is not

relevant for great deeds by the brilliant)

ASAD (101)

यस्य अस्ति वित्तं स वरः कुलिनः

स पण्दितः स श्रुतवान् गुणज्ञः ।

स एव वक्ता स च दर्शनीयः

सर्वे गुणाः काञ्चनं आश्रयन्ते ॥

शब्दार्थ

 वित्त  =  money

 वर  =  bridegroom

 कुलीन  =  one from a good family

 श्रुतवान्  =  knowledgeable

 गुणज्ञ  =  one who knows qualities (one who is a patron of good qualities)

 वक्तृ  =  orator

 दर्शनीय  =  handsome

 सर्व  =  all

 गुण  =  quality

 काञ्चन  =  gold

 आ + श्रि  =  to take shelter

भावार्थ

The bridegroom who has a lot of money is the one who is from a good

family. He only is the one who is a scholar, who is knowledgeable and is a

patron of good qualities. He only is the great orator and he is the most

handsome : All qualities take refuge in gold... !( Once someone is known to

be rich he is praised for all other qualities whether or  not they really exist

in him)

ASAD (102)

पार्वती फणि बालेन्दु भस्म मन्दाकिनी युता ।

अपवर्ग प्रदा मूर्तिः कथं स्यात् तव शङ्कर ॥

shabdArtha

 फणिन्  =  snake

 बाल  =  child

 इन्दु  =  moon

 भस्म  =  ashes

 मन्दाकिनी  =  the ganges

 युत  =  equipped with

 अपवर्ग  =  heaven, liberation

 प्रदा (फ़्रोम् प्र+दा, तो गिवे)  =  one that bestows

 मूर्ति  =  idol

 कथं  =  how

 स्यात् (फ़्रोम् अस्)  =  may be

भावार्थ

shiva ! Your form is full of  pa varga. (Parvati, phaNi, bAlendu, bhasma and

mandAkinI) How shall that form be the bestower of a pavarga (mokSha) ?

He has no a pavarga. How will He give what He does not have? Now the sennse

of apavarga changes to mokSha. He is known to be the bestower of mokSha;

but how can he give that?

ASAD (103)

The king was walking by the shore of the ocean along with the court  poet who

was short. On hearing the sound of the waves, the poet addressed the ocean:  

सुमित्रा नन्दन आसक्तं इमं राजानं ईक्ष्य वा ।

अथ वा मां कृशतनुं जलधे रोदिषि स्वयम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 सुमित्रा  =  dasharath's wife, laxman's mother

 नन्दन  =  child

 मित्र  =  friend

 आनन्दन  =  happiness

 आसक्त  =  attached

 इमं  =  (from idaM) this

 राजन्  =  king

 ईक्ष्  =  to see

 कृश  =  weak

 तनु  =  body

 जलधि  =  sea/ ocean

 रुद्  =  to cry

भावार्थ

What fear makes you cry?

Is it because seeing the king who is ever intent on pleasing his good friends

(su mitrAnandana) or on seeing me the dwarf?

sumitrAnandana can also be broken up as su mitra Anandana (happiness of

good friends.

Why should the ocean cry  on seeing them? No, It is the king rAma, who is

attached (Asakta) to lakShmaNa (sumitrAnandana) and the dwarfish person is

agastya himself. The ocean mistakes the poet to be agastya.

Ocean is afraid of rAma as he once threatened to dry him up when attempting

to cross over to lanka. The dwarfish  sage agastya is said to have drank the

ocean. Hence the cause for fear.

Composer V. VAsuNNi moos (kerala)

ASAD (102)

This is a different version of the subhAshita sent as asad(5). This was kindly

provided by Shri Mahalingam.

पार्वती फणि बालेन्दु भस्म मन्दाकिनी युता ।

अपवर्ग प्रदा मूर्तिः कथं स्यात् तव शङ्कर ॥

shabdArtha

 फणिन्  =  snake

 बाल  =  child

 इन्दु  =  moon

 भस्म  =  ashes

 मन्दाकिनी  =  the ganges

 युत  =  equipped with

 अपवर्ग  =  heaven, liberation

 प्रदा (फ़्रोम् प्र+दा, तो गिवे)  =  one that bestows

 मूर्ति  =  idol

 कथं  =  how

 स्यात् (फ़्रोम् अस्)  =  may be

भावार्थ

shiva ! Your form is full of  pa varga. (Parvati, phaNi, bAlendu, bhasma and 

mandAkinI) How shall that form be the bestower of a pavarga (mokSha) ?

He has no a pavarga. How will He give what He does not have? Now the sennse

of apavarga changes to mokSha. He is known to be the bestower of mokSha;

but how can he give that?

ASAD (103)

The king was walking by the shore of the ocean along with the court  poet who

was short. On hearing the sound of the waves, the poet addressed the ocean:  

सुमित्रा नन्दन आसक्तं इमं राजानं ईक्ष्य वा ।

अथ वा मां कृशतनुं जलधे रोदिषि स्वयम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 सुमित्रा  =  dasharath's wife, laxman's mother

 नन्दन  =  child

 मित्र  =  friend

 आनन्दन  =  happiness

 आसक्त  =  attached

 इमं  =  (from idaM) this

 राजन्  =  king

 ईक्ष्  =  to see

 कृश  =  weak

 तनु  =  body

 जलधि  =  sea/ ocean

 रुद्  =  to cry

भावार्थ

What fear makes you cry?

Is it because seeing the king who is ever intent on pleasing his good friends

(su mitrAnandana) or on seeing me the dwarf?

sumitrAnandana can also be broken up as su mitra Anandana (happiness of

good friends.

Why should the ocean cry  on seeing them? No, It is the king rAma, who is

attached (Asakta) to lakShmaNa (sumitrAnandana) and the dwarfish person is

agastya himself. The ocean mistakes the poet to be agastya.

Ocean is afraid of rAma as he once threatened to dry him up when attempting

to cross over to lanka. The dwarfish  sage agastya is said to have drank the

ocean. Hence the cause for fear.

Composer V. VAsuNNi moos (kerala)

ASAD (102)

This is a different version of the subhAshita sent as asad(5). This was kindly

provided by Shri Mahalingam.

पार्वती फणि बालेन्दु भस्म मन्दाकिनी युता ।

अपवर्ग प्रदा मूर्तिः कथं स्यात् तव शङ्कर ॥

shabdArtha

 फणिन्  =  snake

 बाल  =  child

 इन्दु  =  moon

 भस्म  =  ashes

 मन्दाकिनी  =  the ganges

 युत  =  equipped with

 अपवर्ग  =  heaven, liberation

 प्रदा (फ़्रोम् प्र+दा, तो गिवे)  =  one that bestows

 मूर्ति  =  idol

 कथं  =  how

 स्यात् (फ़्रोम् अस्)  =  may be

भावार्थ

shiva ! Your form is full of  pa varga. (Parvati, phaNi, bAlendu, bhasma and

mandAkinI) How shall that form be the bestower of a pavarga (mokSha) ?

He has no a pavarga. How will He give what He does not have? Now the sennse

of apavarga changes to mokSha. He is known to be the bestower of mokSha;

but how can he give that?

ASAD (103)

The king was walking by the shore of the ocean along with the court  poet who

was short. On hearing the sound of the waves, the poet addressed the ocean:  

सुमित्रा नन्दन आसक्तं इमं राजानं ईक्ष्य वा ।

अथ वा मां कृशतनुं जलधे रोदिषि स्वयम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 सुमित्रा  =  dasharath's wife, laxman's mother

 नन्दन  =  child

 मित्र  =  friend

 आनन्दन  =  happiness

 आसक्त  =  attached

 इमं  =  (from idaM) this

 राजन्  =  king

 ईक्ष्  =  to see

 कृश  =  weak

 तनु  =  body

 जलधि  =  sea/ ocean

 रुद्  =  to cry

भावार्थ

What fear makes you cry?

Is it because seeing the king who is ever intent on pleasing his good friends

(su mitrAnandana) or on seeing me the dwarf?

sumitrAnandana can also be broken up as su mitra Anandana (happiness of

good friends.

Why should the ocean cry  on seeing them? No, It is the king rAma, who is

attached (Asakta) to lakShmaNa (sumitrAnandana) and the dwarfish person is

agastya himself. The ocean mistakes the poet to be agastya.

Ocean is afraid of rAma as he once threatened to dry him up when attempting

to cross over to lanka. The dwarfish  sage agastya is said to have drank the

ocean. Hence the cause for fear.

Composer V. VAsuNNi moos (kerala)

ASAD (105)

जीविते यस्य जीवन्ति लोके मित्राणि बान्धवाः ।

सफलं जीवितं तस्य को न स्वार्थाय जीवति ॥

शब्दार्थ

 जीवित  =  life

 जीव्  =  to live

 लोक  =  this world

 मित्र  =  friend

 बान्धव  =  relative

 सफल  =  fruitful

 स्वार्थ  =  one's own ends

भावार्थ

In this world, Only that man, because of whom

friends and relatives are able to live, has lived (in the true sense of the

word). Otherwise, who in this world does not live solely to meet one's own

ends ?

ASAD (104)

चातक धूम समूहं दृष्ट्वा मा धाव वारि धर बुद्ध्या ।

इह हि भविष्यति भवतः नयन युगादेव वारिणां पूरः ॥

शब्दार्थ

 चातक  =  the ever thirsty chAtaka bird that lives only on raindrops

 धूम  =  smoke

 समूह  =  group

 दृश्  =  to see

 धाव्  =  to run

 वारि  =  water

 वारि धर  =  water carrier(cloud )

 इह  =  here

 भव्  =  to be

 भवान्  =  you

 नयन  =  eye

 युग  =  couple

 पूर  =  flood

भावार्थ

O chataka, seeing the group of smoke clouds do not run to them thinking

they are water carriers ! Here there indeed shall flow from your own eyes  a

flood of water !

Subject: ASAD(106)

This verse is a compliment to the great sanskrit author BAnabhatta who

was known for his rather complex style of writing with sentences lasting for

pages together.

जाता शिखण्डिनी प्राक् यथा शिखण्डि तथावगच्छामि ।

प्रागल्भ्यमधिकमाप्तुं  वाणी बाणो बभूवेति ! ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

जाता शिखण्डिनी प्राक् यथा शिखण्डि तथ अवगच्छामि ।

प्रागल्भ्यं अधिकं आप्तुं  वाणी बाणः बभूव इति ! ॥

शब्दार्थ

 जात  =  born, become (from jan, to be born, or created)

 प्राक्  =  a long time ago

 अव + गम्  =  to comprehend, understand

 प्रागल्भ्य  =  development, depth, maturity

 आप्  =  to obtain

 वाणी  =  language

 बभूव  =  became (from bhU, to become)

भावार्थ

Just as shikandini, a long time ago became shikhandi, similarly I now

realize that in order to acquire more maturity, the language (of sanskrit)

itself became re incarnated as the author bANa !

ASAD (107)

दक्षिणे लक्ष्मणो यस्य वामे तु जनकात्मजा ।

पुरतो मारुतिर्यस्य तं वन्दे रघुनन्दनम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

दक्षिणे लक्ष्मणो यस्य वामे तु जनक आत्मजा ।

पुरतः मारुतिः यस्य तं वन्दे रघु नन्दनम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 दखिण  =  right side

 वाम  =  left side

 जनक  =  king Janaka (father of Sita)

 आत्मजा  =  daughter

 पुरतः  =  in front

 वन्द्  =  to pray

 नन्दन  =  child

भावार्थ

I bow down to that child of the Raghus to whose right is lakShmana.

to whose left is the daughter of Janaka and in front of whom is Maruti.

ASAD (109)

दातव्यं भोक्तव्यं धनविषये संचयो न कर्तव्यः ।

पश्येह मधुकरीणां संचितार्थं हरन्त्यन्ये ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

दातव्यं भोक्तव्यं धन विषये संचयः न कर्तव्यः ।

पश्य इह मधुकरीणां संचित अर्थं हरन्ति अन्ये ॥

शब्दार्थ

 दातव्य  =  shouold be given

 भोक्तव्य  =  should be used, enjoyed

 धन  =  money

 संचय  =  collection

 कर्तव्य  =  should be done

 पश्य  =  see (from dRish)

 इह  =  here

 मधुकरी  =  bee

 हृ (हरति)  =  to steal

 अन्य  =  other

भावार्थ

It should be given or enjoyed and spent. As far as money is concerned

it should never be stocked up. Look here,  the collected savings of the bees

are stolen by others.

ASAD (110)

त्यजन्ति मित्राणि धनैर्विहीनं दाराश्च पुत्राश्च सुहृज्जनाश्च ।

तं अर्थवन्तं पुनराश्रयन्ति अर्थो हि लोके पुरुषस्य बन्धुः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

त्यजन्ति मित्राणि धनैः विहीनं दाराः च पुत्राः च सुहृद् जनाः च ।

तं अर्थवन्तं पुनः आश्रयन्ति अर्थः हि लोके पुरुषस्य बन्धुः ॥

शब्दार्थ

 त्यज्  =  to leave

 मित्र  =  friend

 धन  =  money

 विहीन  =  bereft of

 दारा  =  wife

 सुःऋद्  =  affectionate

 अर्थवान्  =  one with money

 आ+श्रि  =  to take refuge in

 लोक  =  world

 पुरुष  =  man

 बन्धु  =  brother

भावार्थ

Friends leave the man without money, so do wives, sons and other

affectionate people. They all come back after the man is again wealthy : Wealth

is the only real brother of man in this world.

ASAD (111)

तृणादपि लघुस्तूलस्तूलादपि च याचकः ।

वायुना किं न नीतोऽसौ मामयं प्रार्थयेदिति ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

तृणात् अपि लघुः तूलः तूलात् अपि च याचकः ।

वायुना किं न नीतः असौ मां अयं प्रार्थयेत् इति ॥

शब्दार्थ

 तृण  =  grass

 तूल  =  air

 याचक  =  begger

 लघु  =  small / inferior / light

 वायु  =  wind

 नीत   =  taken

 असौ  =  him (from adas)

 अयं  =  him (from idaM)

 प्रार्थ्  =  to beg / pray

भावार्थ

Air is lighter (inferior to) grass, and a beggar is inferior to air.

Why indeed can then the beggar cannot be taken by the wind ? ``He will beg me

too ! `` (says the wind) ......

ASAD (113)

अयं निजः परो वा इति गणना लघु चेतसाम् ।

उदार चरितानां तु वसुधा एव कुटुम्बकम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 अयं  =  this (man)

 निज  =  one's own

 पर  =  foreign, distant

 गणना  =  consideration

 लघु  =  small

 चेतस्  =  mind

 उदार  =  generous

 चरित  =  nature

 वसुधा  =  earth

 कुटुम्बक  =  family

भावार्थ

``This man is mine and this one is not'' is a way of thinking adopted

only by the narrow minded. For those who are generous in nature, the whole

world is like their own family.

ASAD (113)

अयं निजः परो वा इति गणना लघु चेतसाम् ।

उदार चरितानां तु वसुधा एव कुटुम्बकम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 अयं  =  this (man)

 निज  =  one's own

 पर  =  foreign, distant

 गणना  =  consideration

 लघु  =  small

 चेतस्  =  mind

 उदार  =  generous

 चरित  =  nature

 वसुधा  =  earth

 कुटुम्बक  =  family

भावार्थ

``This man is mine and this one is not'' is a way of thinking adopted

only by the narrow minded. For those who are generous in nature, the whole

world is like their own family.

ASAD (112)

अतिपरिचयादवज्ञा सन्ततगमनादनादरो भवति ।

मलये भिल्लपुरन्ध्री चन्दनतरुकाष्ठमिन्धनं कुरुते ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

अति परिचयाय् अवज्ञा सन्तत गमनात् अनादरः भवति ।

मलये भिल्ल पुरन्ध्री चन्दन तरु काष्ठं इन्धनं कुरुते ॥

शब्दार्थ

 अति  =  excessive

 परिचय  =  familiarity

 अवग़्या  =  contempt

 सन्तत  =  repeated

 गमन  =  going

 अनादर  =  disrespect

 मलय  =  malaya mountain

 भिल्ल  =  tribal

 पुरन्ध्री  =  wofe

 चन्दन  =  sandal

 तरु  =  tree

 काष्ठ  =  log

 इन्धन  =  fuel

 कुरुते  =  does (from kRi)

भावार्थ

Excessive familiarity breeds contempt, Going repeatedly (to someone else's

house) causes disrespect to you. On malaya mountain (which is very rich in

sandalwood trees) the wife of a tribal uses sandalwood even for the daily fuel

needs.

ASAD (112)

अतिपरिचयादवज्ञा सन्ततगमनादनादरो भवति ।

मलये भिल्लपुरन्ध्री चन्दनतरुकाष्ठमिन्धनं कुरुते ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

अति परिचयाय् अवज्ञा सन्तत गमनात् अनादरः भवति ।

मलये भिल्ल पुरन्ध्री चन्दन तरु काष्ठं इन्धनं कुरुते ॥

शब्दार्थ

 अति  =  excessive

 परिचय  =  familiarity

 अवग़्या  =  contempt

 सन्तत  =  repeated

 गमन  =  going

 अनादर  =  disrespect

 मलय  =  malaya mountain

 भिल्ल  =  tribal

 पुरन्ध्री  =  wofe

 चन्दन  =  sandal

 तरु  =  tree

 काष्ठ  =  log

 इन्धन  =  fuel

 कुरुते  =  does (from kRi)

भावार्थ

Excessive familiarity breeds contempt, Going repeatedly (to someone else's

house) causes disrespect to you. On malaya mountain (which is very rich in

sandalwood trees) the wife of a tribal uses sandalwood even for the daily fuel

needs.

ASAD (114)

छायां अन्यस्य कुर्वन्ति तिष्ठन्ति स्वयं आतपे ।

फलानि अपि पर अर्थाय वृक्षाः सत्पुरुषा इव ॥

शब्दार्थ

 छाया  =  shade

 अन्य  =  others

 कुर्वन्ति  =  do (from kRi)

 तिष्ठनि  =  stand (from sthA)

 स्वयं  = themselves

 आतप  =  heat

 फल  =  fruit

 पर  =  others

 अर्थ  =  benefit

 वृक्ष  =  tree

 सत्  =  good

 पुरुष  =  man

भावार्थ

They make shade for others and stand in the heat  themselves. Even

fruits are for the good of others: Trees are indeed like good men.

ASAD (114)

छायां अन्यस्य कुर्वन्ति तिष्ठन्ति स्वयं आतपे ।

फलानि अपि पर अर्थाय वृक्षाः सत्पुरुषा इव ॥

शब्दार्थ

 छाया  =  shade

 अन्य  =  others

 कुर्वन्ति  =  do (from kRi)

 तिष्ठनि  =  stand (from sthA)

 स्वयं  = themselves

 आतप  =  heat

 फल  =  fruit

 पर  =  others

 अर्थ  =  benefit

 वृक्ष  =  tree

 सत्  =  good

 पुरुष  =  man

भावार्थ

They make shade for others and stand in the heat  themselves. Even

fruits are for the good of others: Trees are indeed like good men.

ASAD (115)

लालयेत् पंच वर्षाणि दश वर्षाणि ताडयेत् ।

प्राप्ते तु षोडशे वर्शे पुत्रे मित्रवद् आचरेत् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 लाल्  =  to  pamper

 पंच  =  five

 वर्ष  =  year

 दश  =  ten

 तड्  =  to hit

 प्राप्त्  =  reached

 षोडश  =  sixteen

 पुत्र  =  son

 मित्र  =  friend

 आ+चर्  =  to behave, interact

भावार्थ

One should pamper one's son for five years then discipline him for

ten years. However once he reaches the age of sixteen one should treat him

as a friend

ASAD ( VaidhyAn prati (On Doctors))

वैध्यराज नमस्तुभ्यम् यमराज सहोधर

यमो हरति प्राणान् वैध्यह् प्राणन् धनानि च

Salutations to you, Doctor, the brother of Yama (God of death)

Yama steals (takes away) the life; a Doctor  life and wealth as well.

चिताम् प्रज्वलिताम् द्रुस्त्वा वैध्यह् विस्मयमागतह्

नाहम् गतह् न मय् भ्राता कस्येदम् हस्तलागवम्

Seeing the burning pyre the Doctor became worried

(He thought) Neither did I attended to this person

Nor did my brother, whose handiwork is this

Dear Friends.

The real Humor or Joke is that the following verses are literally true.  The

practice and theory of medicine is completely wrong in its basis.  This is

true of all medicine, western, eastern, oriental or otherwise.  Because, as

you know, the nature follows an immutable cause and effect relationship for

everything that happens.  The disease is produced by its causes.  The

practice of medicine does not at all deal with the cause of a disease, but

it only deals with palliating the symptoms of a disease, further letting the

causes to continue.   Another, real but sad joke is that even very

intelligent people, who would otherwise investigate/reasearch everything

before they practice, subscribe to the practice of medicine without

questioning the logic.

ASAD (117)

यथैकेन न हस्तेन तालिका सम्प्रपद्यते ।

तथोद्यमपरित्यक्तं कर्म नोत्पादयेत् फलम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

यथा एकेन न हस्तेन तालिका सम्प्रपद्यते ।

तथा उद्यम परित्यक्तं कर्म न उत्पादयेत् फलम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 हस्त  =  hand

 तालिका  =  clap

 सम् + प्र + पद्  =  to become

 उद्यम  =  effort

 परित्यक्त  =  deprived of

 कर्मन्  =  work

 उत् + पद्  =  to obtain

 फल  =  fruit

भावार्थ

Just as a clap cannot happen  with just one hand, similarly any

work deprived of effort will not obtain fruit.

ASAD (117)

यथैकेन न हस्तेन तालिका सम्प्रपद्यते ।

तथोद्यमपरित्यक्तं कर्म नोत्पादयेत् फलम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

यथा एकेन न हस्तेन तालिका सम्प्रपद्यते ।

तथा उद्यम परित्यक्तं कर्म न उत्पादयेत् फलम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 हस्त  =  hand

 तालिका  =  clap

 सम् + प्र + पद्  =  to become

 उद्यम  =  effort

 परित्यक्त  =  deprived of

 कर्मन्  =  work

 उत् + पद्  =  to obtain

 फल  =  fruit

भावार्थ

Just as a clap cannot happen  with just one hand, similarly any

work deprived of effort will not obtain fruit.

ASAD (124)

प्रियः संस्कृतप्रियाः।

(Dear Sanskrit Lovers)

अष्टादश पुराणानां सारं व्यासेन कीर्तितम् ।

परोपकारः पुण्याय पापाय पर पीडनम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 अष्टादश  =  eighteen

 सार  =  essence

 कीर्त्  =  to tell

 परोपकार  =  benefitting others (para upakAra)

 पुण्य  =  purification acquired by virtuous deeds

 पाप  =  sin

 पर  =  other

 पीडन  =  harrasment

भावार्थ

The essence of the eighteen scriptures (purANas) is  stated by VyAsa :  

``Benefitting others leads to purification and harassing others leads to sin.

ASAD (125)

प्रियः संस्कृतप्रियाः।

(Dear Sanskrit Lovers)

अर्थागमो नित्यमरोगिता च प्रिया च भार्या प्रियवादिनी च ।

वश्यश्च पुत्रोऽर्थकारी च विद्या षड् जीवलोकस्य सुखानि राजन् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

अर्थ आगमः नित्यं अरोगिता च प्रिया च भार्या प्रिय वादिनी च ।

वश्यः च पुत्रः अर्थकारी च विद्या षड् जीव लोकस्य सुखानि राजन् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 अर्थ  =  money

 आगम  =  arrival

 नित्य  =  always

 अरोगित  =  diseaselessness

 प्रिय  =  dear

 वादिनी  =  she  who speaks

 वश्य  =  under control

 पुत्र  =  son

 विद्या  =  knowledge

 षड्  =  six

 जीव लोक  =  the mortal world

 राजन्  =  king

भावार्थ

O King, The arrival of money, incessant good health, a dear and sweet speaking

wife, a son under one's control (a son who has not strayed from the right

path), and knowledge capable of earning money are the six happinesses of the

mortal world.

ASAD (126)

प्रियः संस्कृतप्रियाः।

(Dear Sanskrit Lovers)

अकृत्वा पर सन्तापं अगत्वा खल मन्दिरम् ।

साधोः मार्गं अनुसृत्य यत् स्वल्पं अपि तद् बहु॥

शब्दार्थ

 अकृत्वा  =  without doing (from kRi)

 अगत्वा  =  without going (from gam)

 सन्ताप  =  harrasment

 खल  =  evil person

 मन्दिर  =  abode

 साधु  =  good man

 मार्ग  =  path

 अनु + सृ  =  to follow

 स्वल्प  =  little

 बहु  =  a lot

भावार्थ

Without harassing others, without going to the abode of evil men.

and following the path laid down by good men, whatever achieved, evem if

little, is indeed a lot.

ASAD (129)

प्रियः संस्कृतप्रियाः।

(Dear Sanskrit Lovers)

आपदि मित्र परीक्षा शूर परीक्षा रण अंगणे भवति ।

विनये वंश परीक्षा शील परीक्षा धन क्षये भवति ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

 Apad  =  चलमित्य्

 mitra  =  फ़्रिएन्द्

 parIkShA  =  तेस्त्

 shUra  =  वलिअन्त्

 raNa  =  बत्त्ले

 a.ngaNa  =  फ़िएल्द्

 vinaya  =  हुमिलित्य्

 va.nsha  =  फ़मिल्य्

 shIla  =  चरच्तेर्

 dhana  =  मोनेय्

 kShaya  =  लोस्स्, वेअकेनिन्ग्, स्चरिचित्य्

शब्दार्थ

A  friend's test is in calamity, the test of a valiant person is on

the battlefield. The test of a family is in its' humility and the test

of one's character is in poverty.

भावार्थ

ASAD (131)

प्रियः संस्कृतप्रियाः।

(Dear Sanskrit Lovers)

विद्वत्त्वं च नृपत्वं च न एव तुल्ये कदाचन ।

स्वदेशे पूज्यते राजा विद्वान् सर्वत्र पूज्यते ॥

शब्दार्थ

 विद्वत्त्व  =  scholarliness

 नृपत्व  =  The title of king

 तुल्य  =  comparable

 स्वदेश  =  one's own country

 पूज्  =  to worship

 राजन्  =  king

 विद्वत्  =  scholar

 सर्वत्र  =  everywhere

भावार्थ

Being a scholar and being a king are never ever comparable. A king is

worshipped in his own country whereas a scholar is respected everywhere.

ASAD (133)

प्रियः संस्कृतप्रियाः।

(Dear Sanskrit Lovers)

A couple of subhAshitas from the hard working farmers

गणयन्ति न ये सूर्यं वृष्टिं शीतं च कर्षकाः ।

यतन्ते सस्यलाभाय तैः साकं हि वसामि अहम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 गण्  =  to count, to consider

 सूर्य  =  sun

 वृष्टि  =  rain

 शीत  =  cold

 कर्षक  =  farmer

 यत्  =  to strive

 सस्य  =  grain

 लाभ  =  acquirement, acquisition

 साकं  =  with

 वस्  =  to live

भावार्थ

The farmers do not consider the heat from the sun or rain or the cold

winters but consistently strive for acwuiring grain. I (God ?) indeed

live with them.

For marathi readers : nase rAuLI vA nase mandirI

jithe rAbatI hAta tethe harI .... ?

ASAD (136)

प्रियः संस्कृतप्रियाः।

(Dear Sanskrit Lovers)

मूर्खस्य पंच चिह्नानि गर्वो दुर्वचनं तथा ।

क्रोधश्च दृढवादश्च परवाक्येष्वनादरः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

मूर्खस्य पंच चिह्नानि गर्वः दुर्वचनं तथा ।

क्रोधः च दृढवादः च परवाक्येषु अनादरः ॥

शब्दार्थ

 मूर्ख  =  fool

 पंच  =  five

 चिह्न  =  sign

 गर्व  =  vanity

 दुर्वचन  =  wicked statements

 क्रोध  =  anger

 दृढ  =  unrelenting

 वाद  =  argument

 पर  =  other

 वाक्य  =  sentence

 अनादर  =  lack of respect

भावार्थ

There are five signs of a fool : Vanity, wicked conversation, anger, stubborn

arguments, and a lack of respect for other people's opinions.

ASAD (139)

प्रियः संस्कृतप्रियाः।

(Dear Sanskrit Lovers)

अष्टौ गुणा पुरुषं दीपयन्ति प्रज्ञा सुशीलत्वदमौ श्रुतं च ।

पराक्रमश्चाबहुभाषिता  च दानं यथाशक्ति कृतज्ञता च ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

अष्टौ गुणाः पुरुषं दीपयन्ति प्रज्ञा सुशीलत्व दमौ श्रुतं च ।

पराक्रमः च अ बहु भाषिता  च दानं यथा शक्ति कृतज्ञता च ॥

शब्दार्थ

 अष्टौ  =  eight

 गुण  =  qualities

 पुरुष  =  man

 दीप्  =  to adorn, to grace

 प्रग़्या  =  intellect

 सुशीलत्व  =  good character

 दम  =  self control

 श्रुत  =  knowledge

 पराक्रम्  =  valor

 बहु  =  too much

 भाष्  =  to speak

 दान  =  the act of giving

 शक्ति  =  strength

 कृतज्ञता  =  gratitude

भावार्थ

Eight qualities adorn a man : Intellect, good character, self control.

knowledge, valor, not talking too much, being charitable as per his (financial)

strength and gratitude.

ASAD (141)

कः न याति वशं लोके मुखं पीण्डेन पूरितः ।

मृदंगः मुख लेपेन करोति मधुरं ध्वनिम् ॥

sandhi vigraha

 या  =  to go

 वश  =  control

 लोक  =  this world

 मुख  =  mouth

 पिण्ड  =  morsel of food

 पूर्  =  to fill

 मृदंग  =  drum

 मुख  =  mouth

 लेप  =  smearing

 मधुर  =  sweet

 ध्वनि  =  sound

शब्दार्थ

In this  world who indeed wont come under control once his/her

mouth is filled with food ? Even the mRida.nga makes a sweet sound after

its mouth is smeared.

ऐक्यं बलं समाजस्या तदभावे स दुर्बलः ।

तस्मात् ऐक्यं प्रशंसन्ति दृढं राश्त्र हितैषिणः ॥

शब्दार्थ

 ऐक्य  =  unity

 बल  =  strength

 समाज  =  society

 दुर्बल  =  weak

 प्र+शंस्  =  to praise

 दृढं  =  strongly

 राश्ट्र  =  nation

 हितैषिन्  =  one who wishes good

भावार्थ

Unity is the strength of any society and it (society) is weak without

it. Hence those who wish the good of the nation strongly praise unity.

ASAD (144)

We had a big thread on ``Ramayana in a Stanza'' Here is the bhAgavata

(life of Shri KRishna) in four lines :  

आदौ देवकिदेवगर्भजननं गोपीगृहे वर्धनं

मायापुतनजीवितापहरणं गोवर्धनोद्धारणम् ।

कंसच्छेदनकौरवादिहननं कुन्तीतनूजावनं

एतद्भागवतं पुराणकथितं श्रीकृष्णलीलामृतम् ॥१६॥

सन्धि विग्रह

आदौ देवकि देव गर्भ जननं गोपी गृहे वर्धनं

माया पुतन जीवित अपहरणं गोवर्धन उद्धारणम् ।

कंस च्छेदन कौरव आदि हननं कुन्ती तनूज अवनं

एतद् भागवतं पुराण कथितं श्री कृष्ण लीला अमृतम् ॥१६॥

शब्दार्थ

 आदौ  =  First

 गर्भ  =  womb

 जनन  =  birth

 गृह  =  house

 वर्धन  =  growing up

 जीवित  =  life

 अपहरण  =  stealing

 उद्धारण  =  lifting up

 छेदन  =  cutting

 हनन  =  killing

 तनूज  =  son

 अवन  =  protection

 कथित  =  told

 लीला  =  legend (?)

भावार्थ

First the birth of the lord in the womb of devaki, then the growing up in the

house of gopis, the stealing of life from the deceitful pUtana, the lifting up

of the

govardhana mountain, the cutting (beheading) of kansa,the killing of the

kauravas etc. and the protection of the sons of kunti : This is the BhAgavat

as told in the purANas and which is immortal because of the legends of

Shri Krishna.

ASAD (146)

गुरुर्बन्धुरबन्धूनां गुरुश्चक्षुरचक्षुषाम् ।

गुरुः पिता च माता च सर्वेषां न्यायवर्तिनाम् ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

गुरुः बन्धुः अबन्धूनां गुरुः चक्षुः अचक्षुषाम् ।

गुरुः पिता च माता च सर्वेषां न्यायवर्तिनाम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 गुरु  =  preceptor

 बन्धु  =  brother / kin

 अबन्धु  =  one who does not have any brothers / kinmen

 चक्षुस्  =  eye

 अचक्षुस्  =  one without an eye

 पितृ  =  father

 मातृ  =  mother

 सर्व  =  everyone

 न्याय  =  justice

 वर्तिन्  =  one who lives / behaves

भावार्थ

The teacher is the brother to those who dont have any kinmen, the

teacher is an eye through which the blind can see. The teacher is a father

and mother to everyone who lives on the path of justice.

ASAD (149)

गर्वाय परपीडायै दुर्जनस्य धनं बलम् ।

सुजनस्य तु दानाय रक्षणाय च ते सदा ॥

शब्दार्थ

 गर्व  =  vanity

 पर पीडा  =  harrasment of others

 दुर्जन  =  wicked person

 धन  =  money

 बल  =  power

 सुजन  =  good man

 दान  =  act of giving , charity

 रक्षण  =  protection

 सदा  =  always

भावार्थ

The wealth and power of a wicked person are for vanity and harrasment

of others respectively. However with a good man they are always (used) for

charity and for protection.

ASAD (155)

अम्बा यस्य उमादेवी जनकः यस्य शंकरः ।

विद्यां ददाति सर्वेभ्यः स नः पातु गजाननः ॥

शब्दार्थ

 अम्बा  =  mother

 उमा  =  pArvatI

 जनक  =  father

 विद्या  =  knowledge

 दा  =  to give

 पा  =  to bless

 गज  =  elephant

 आनन  =  mouth

भावार्थ

May the elephant faced one (Ganapati) whose mother is umA devi.

whose father is sha.nkara and who gives knowledge to everybody, bless us.

ASAD (156)

गौरवं प्राप्यते दानात् न तु वित्तस्य संचयात् ।

स्थितिः उच्चैः  पयोदानां पयोधीनां अधः स्थितिः ॥

शब्दार्थ

 गौरव  =  glory

 प्राप्  =  to obtain

 दान  =  giving

 वित्त  =  money

 संचय  =  collection

 स्थिति  =  position

 उच्चैः  =  up

 पयोद  =  cloud (one who gives water)

 पयोधी  =  sea (one that stores water)

 अधः  =  down

भावार्थ

Fame is obtained by giving money, not collecting it. Clouds (givers

of water) have a  high position whereas the seas (storers of water) have

a low position.

ASAD (160)

उद्यमः साहसं धैर्यं बुद्धिः शक्तिः पराक्रमः ।

षड् एते यत्र वर्तन्ते देवः तत्र सहायकृत् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 उद्यम  =  industriousness

 साहस  =  adventure

 धैर्य  =  courage

 बुद्धि  =  intelligence

 शक्ति  =  strength

 पराक्रम  =  adventurous accomplishment

 षड्   =  six

 वृत्  =  to exist

 देव  =  god

 सहाय  =  help

भावार्थ

God provides help where these siz qualities exist : industriousness, adventure.

courage, intelligence, strength and adventurous accomplishment.

ASAD (161)

उपदेशः हि मूर्खाणां प्रकोपाय न शान्तये ।

पयः पानं भुजंगानां केवलं विषवर्धनम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 उपदेश  =  advice

 मूर्ख  =  idiot

 प्रकोप  =  aggravation

 शान्ति  =  calmness

 पयस्  =  milk

 पान  =  drinking

 भुजंग  =  snake

 विष  =  poison

 वर्धन  =  growth

भावार्थ

Advising an idiot leads to more aggravation than peace. Feeding milk

to a snake only serves to increase its poison.

ASAD (163)

आत्मनः मुख दोषेण बध्यन्ते शुक सारिकाः ।

बकाः तत्र न बध्यन्ते मौनं सर्वार्थ साधनम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 आत्मन्  =  self

 मुख  =  mouth

 दोष  =  fault

 शुक  =  parrot

 सारिका  =  a bird (nightingale / cuckoo ? )

 बक  =  stork

 बध्  =  to trap, to tie down.

 मौन  =  silence

 सर्व  =  all

 अर्थ  =  objective

 साधन  =  instrument

भावार्थ

Nightingales and parrots are trapped because of the fault of their own mouths.

However, storks are not caught. Silence is indeed the instrument that

achieves all ends.

ASAD (169)

करोति स्वमुखेनैव बहुधान्यस्य खण्दनम् ।

नमः पतनशीलाय मुसलाय खलाय च ॥

भावार्थ

By his(its) own mouth he (it) injures (pounds) in many ways other

people (a lot of grain).  My salutations to the pestle and to the wicked

man whose character is to fall down.

(The first line is interpreted in two ways depending on how the sandhi

in bahudhAnyasya is broken)

First all of you must take a sigh of relief that I am not

translating this in Russian. I have a valid comment. The interpretation

is just not right. The word khala has two meanings. Kedar gives only

one a wicked man. The second is a mortar. Those partisans of this list

who were born in cities would not know what this article and its use

is/was. It is a piece of stone, preferably, granite which is carved like

a mortar. Mortar and pestle are two components of a commonly used

pounding mechanism used in ages all over the world. Pounding removes

chaff from grain. Its use in India declined after mechanical grain

brayers were made available in cities in British rule. The use continued

for some time in numerous villages or inaccessible regions. My father's

house and that of all my relations had at least one. My mom, auntie and

sisters would wake up early in the morning and do their chores with

mortar and pestle singing songs.

The meaning as given by Kedar lacks certain truth. Why would

poet, or for that matter, anybody thank a wicked man whose character is

to fall down?. In chaturvarNya scheme four classes were assigned certain

duties and responsibilities. When they performed such social obligations

they earned the social acceptance. On this background poet takes a case

of a habitually misbehaving person patanshIla and examines his

contributions to the society. Even though he lacks social acceptance due

to his nature, the poet opines, his peculiar behavior, actually

contributes to the social needs.

Ancient Indians were taught to be polite to each other.

respectful to each other, friendly and forgiving to each other. These

codes of conducts brought social harmony, but created a situation where

blunt, bold actions were frowned upon. People, therefore, would get away

with murder, so to say, and nobody would criticize or check their

actions. Remember politeness rules. Our patanshIla was exception to this

rule. Therefore, when he got mad at sombody or something he would lash

out at them and separate their true selves from their alter egos. In

other words he would tear the masks of dichotomous, contradictory.

personalities. Poet, obviously is paying compliments to such a person.

However, he cannot openly come out and praise such a man or his actions.

Therefore, the poet resorts to the double talk, ambiguity.

double entendre technique. Smart person would find the true meaning

behind the obvious.

Nobody writes a couplet praising mortar and pestle, they are so

unpoetic. So the true meaning of this couplet is:  

By his own mouth he, patanshIla, pounds most of the times people

hiding behind veneers and exposes their true nature, salutions to him

and his brute force 'musala'.

ASAD (170)

खलः करोति दुर्वृत्तं नूनं फलति साधुषु ।

दशाननोऽहरत् सीतां बन्धनं तु महोदधेः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

खलः करोति दुर्वृत्तं नूनं फलति साधुषु ।

दश आननः अहरत् सीतां बन्धनं तु महा उदधेः ॥

शब्दार्थ

 खल  =   wicked man

 दुर्वृत्तं  =  bad deed

 नूनं  =  really

 फल्  =  to bear fruit

 साधु  =  good man

 दश  =  ten

 आनन  =  face

 हृ  =  to steal

 बन्धन  =  retriction

 महत्  =  great

 उदधि  =  sea

भावार्थ

The wicked man does a bad deed and really it bears fruit among the

good. The ten faced one (Ravana) stole Sita, and it was the ocean that had to

be restriced ! (by Rama's bridge)

ASAD (170)

खलः करोति दुर्वृत्तं नूनं फलति साधुषु ।

दशाननोऽहरत् सीतां बन्धनं तु महोदधेः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

खलः करोति दुर्वृत्तं नूनं फलति साधुषु ।

दश आननः अहरत् सीतां बन्धनं तु महा उदधेः ॥

शब्दार्थ

 खल  =   wicked man

 दुर्वृत्तं  =  bad deed

 नूनं  =  really

 फल्  =  to bear fruit

 साधु  =  good man

 दश  =  ten

 आनन  =  face

 हृ  =  to steal

 बन्धन  =  retriction

 महत्  =  great

 उदधि  =  sea

भावार्थ

The wicked man does a bad deed and really it bears fruit among the

good. The ten faced one (Ravana) stole Sita, and it was the ocean that had to

be restriced ! (by Rama's bridge)

ASAD (201)

कार्यार्थी भजते  लोकः यावत् कार्यं न सिध्यति ।

उत्तीर्णे च परे पारे नौकायाः किं प्रयोजनम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

 कार्य अर्थिन्  =  one whose inent is getting one's work done

 भज्  =  to pray, propitiate

 लोक  =  the world

 कार्य  =  work

 सिध्  =  to be accomplished

 उत्तीर्ण  =  crossed

 पर  =  other

 पार  =  bank of a river

 नौका  =  boat

 प्रयोजन  =  use

भावार्थ

The world (men of the world) intending to get its work done.

prays (to you) only until the task is not accomplished. Once you have

crossed over to the other bank, what is the use of the boat ?

ASAD (203)

मनो मधुकरो मेघो मद्यपो मत्कुणो मरुत् ।

मा मदो मर्कटो मत्स्यो मकारा दश चंचलाः ॥

सन्धि विग्रह

मनः मधुकरः मेघः मद्यपः मत्कुणः मरुत् ।

मा मदः मर्कटः मत्स्यः मकाराः दश चंचलाः ॥

शब्दार्थ

 मनस्  =  mind

 मधुकर  =  bee

 मेघ  =  cloud

 मद्यप  =  drunkard

 मत्कुण  =  bed bug

 मरुत्  =  wind

 मा  =  the goddess of  wealth, Laxmi

 मद  =  pride, arrogance, conceit

 मर्कट  =  monkey

 मत्स्य  =  fish

 मकार  =  something starting with the letter ``ma''

 दश  =  ten

 चंचल  =  fickle, unsteady

भावार्थ

The mind, the bee, the cloud, the drunkard, the bed bug, the wind,

wealth, pride, the monkey and the fish are the ten things starting with

the letter ``ma'' that are always  unsteady.

These postings by Kedar have been taken from the older sanskrit-digest archives.

Some posts are missing.