January 17, 2011

Sanskrit Wisdom - 96

ipNDo ipNDo maitiBa-Ùaa kuNDo kuNDo navaM pyaÁ a
jaatÝ jaatÝ navaacaaraÁ navaa vaaNaI mauKo mauKo aa

Explanation
Each person (pinda) has an independent aptitude/opinion (no two minds are alike).
  Water in different ponds differs just as different communities have distinct lifestyles (they have their own norms, values, rules etc).

Sanskrit Wisdom - 95

vyaayaamaat\ laBato svaasqyaM dIGa-ayauYyaM balaM sauKma\ a
AaraogyaM prmaM BaagyaM svaasqyaM sava-aqa-saaQanama\ aa

Explanation
One can obtain health, strength, long life, and happiness from physical exercise (vyayama).
Indeed, good health is greatest blessing since health is the means of attaining everything (if you are healthy, nothing is impossible to you).

Sanskrit Wisdom - 94

ivaYaadPyamaRtM ga`a(M baalaadip sauBaaiYatma\ a
Aima~adip saWR%tM AmaoQyaadip kaMcanama\ aa

Explanation
Nectar is still acceptable even if it is found in poison; important insight might be found in child talk. Imbibe therefore good qualities even from a non-friend and accept gold even if it is found in grime.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 93

yasya naaist svayaM p`&a Saa~M tsya kraoit ikma\ a
laaocanaaByaama\ ivahInasya dp-Na: ikM kirYyaisa aa

Explanation
What is use of knowledge to a person who does not have intellectual capacity?
 What is use of mirror to a person who is blind? Here, the subhāşita provides an excellent analogy of the mirror. Knowledge is like mirror, which reflects worlds in it.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 92

]%saahao balavaanaaya- naas%yau%saaha%prM balama\ a
saao%saahsya ca laaokoYau na ikiMcadip dula-Bama\ aa

Explanation
A person with enthusiasm is a powerful person because nothing is mightier than enthusiasm. Nothing is unachievable (durlabha) to a person with commitment. The purport of this subhāşita is, "Where there is will there is way." 

Sanskrit Wisdom - 91

kusaumaM vaNa-saMpnnaMganQahInaM na SaaoBato a
na SaaoBato ik`yaahInaM maQaurM vacanaM tqaa aa

Explanation
A colorful flower without fragrance lacks grace. Similarly without supportive action only embellished talk is empty. The color of the flower is its external beauty while its fragrance is its inherent quality (guna). As Samartha Swami Ramdas observed, 'kriyevina vachalata vyartha ahe' - i.e. without action (kriya) mere talk is worthless.

January 15, 2011

Sanskrit Wisdom - 90

AVaip duina-vaarM stuitknyaa vahit naama kaOmaarma\ a
sad\Byaao na raocato saa Asant: Aip AsyaO na raocanto aa

Explanation
It is very difficult for the unmarried girl called Stuti to get married. The reason is good people (sajjana or sabhya) do not like her [they do not like if anybody praises them] and she herself does not like bad people (durjana) [since nobody praises a bad person].

Sanskrit Wisdom - 89

yastu saHcarto doSaana\ saovato yastu piNDtana\ a
tsya ivastairta bauiwstOlaibanduirvaamBaisa aa

Explanation
Intelligence of a person who travels to different countries and who enjoys the company of sages spreads and expands like the drop of oil on the surface of water.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 88

tyajanti mitraaNi Dhanairviheenam putraashcha daaraashcha sahajjanaashcha |
tamarthavantam punaraashrayanti artho hi loke manushasya banDhuh ||

%yajaint ima~aiNa QanaOiva-hInaM pu~aSca daraSca sa)jjanaaSca a
tmaqa-vantM punaraEayaint Aqaao- ih laaoko manauYasya banQau: aa

Explanation
Friends, sons, wife, and close relatives of leave a person without wealth. However, they all would return to him if gains wealth. Money/wealth, indeed, is man's best friend (refer to subhāşita # 54 which has a similar purport).

Sanskrit Wisdom - 87

naasti vidyaa samam chakshu naasti satya samam tapah |
naasti raaga samam duhkham naasti tyaaga samam sukham ||

naaist ivaVa samaM caxaU naaist sa%ya samaM tp: a
naaist raga samaM du:Kma\ naaist %yaaga samaM sauKma\ aa

Explanation
There is no sight better than knowledge (by knowledge one can see what cannot be seen by a naked eye). Knowledge gives the vision to see beyond some obvious things.
There is no better ardor than truth (satya). There is no greater sorrow than desire, and there is no higher happiness than renunciation (tyaga).