भवन्ति नम्रास्तरवः फलोद्गमैः
नवाम्बुभिर्भूरिविलम्बिनो घनाः ।
अनुद्धताः सत्पुरुषाः समृद्धिभिः
स्वभाव एवैषः परोपकारिणाम् ॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
On bearing fruits, trees bend (i.e. become humble),
with new [recently] gathered water, clouds hang very low,
wealthy good men maintain non-arrogant nature,
this is the nature of benevolent persons.
Sanskrit Quote for Andrew Galbraith
दानोपभोगरहिता दिवसा यस्य यान्ति वै।
स लोहकारभस्त्रेव श्वसन्नपि न जीवति॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
A person who passes his days without donations and enjoyments
is like a blacksmith's bellows, he breathes but does not live.
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Sanskrit Quote for Brenna Marcas Perez
गते शोको न कर्तव्यो भविष्यं नैव चिंतयेत्।
वर्तमानेन कालेन वर्तयंति विचक्षणाः॥
English translation of Sanskrit Quote:
One should not regret the past. One should not worry about the future.
Wise men act by the present time.
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Saskrit Quote for Chris Sigmon Patterson
Brihadaranyakopanishat 4.4.5
काममय एवायं पुरुष इति।
स यथाकामो भवति तत्क्रतुर्भवति।
यत्क्रतुर्भवति तत्कर्म कुरुते।
यत्कर्म कुरुते तदभिसंपद्यते॥
kāmamaya evāyaṃ puruṣa iti |
sa yathākāmo bhavati tatkratur bhavati |
yatkratur bhavati tat karma kurute |
yat karma kurute tad abhisaṃpadyate ||
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
You are what your deep, driving desire is
As your desire is, so is your will
As your will is, so is your deed
As your deed is, so is your destiny
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Sanskrit Quote for Vikram Bhuskute
यथा काष्ठं च काष्ठं च समेयातां महोदधौ।
समेत्य च व्यपेयातां तद्वद्भूतसमागमः॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Coming together of living beings is like the pieces of wood
that come together in ocean and having come together, separate.
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Sanskrit Quotes for Madhav Gopal
Hitopadesha:
यौवनं धनसम्पत्तिः प्रभुत्वमविवेकिता।
एकैकमप्यनर्थाय किमु यत्र चतुष्टयम् ॥१॥
काकस्य गात्रं यदि कांचनस्य
माणिक्यरत्नं यदि चंचुदेशे।
एकैकपक्षे ग्रथितं मणीनां
तथापि काको न तु राजहंसः॥२॥
[Manu Samhita 3.129]:
एकैकमपि विद्वासं दैवे पित्रे च भोजयेत्।
पुष्पकालं फलमाप्नोति न मंत्रज्ञं बहूनपि॥३॥
Mahabharata Book VI Chapter 52 Verse 19 and 22:
tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ vyatiṣakta rathadvipam
tāvakānāṃ pareṣāṃ ca nighnatām itaretaram
divaspṛn naravīrāṇāṃ nighnatām itaretaram
saṃprahāre sutumule tava teṣāṃ ca bhārata
Valmiki Ramayan Yuddha Kanda Sarga58:
ullikhantau sutiikSNaabhir damSTraabhir itaretaram |
simha shaarduula sadR^ishau simha shaarduula ceSTitau || 6-58-47
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.77.5:
evaḿ yadūnāḿ śālvānāḿ nighnatām itaretaram
yuddhaḿ tri-nava-rātraḿ tad abhūt tumulam ulbaṇam
Yaska: Nirukta:
2,15: kāsthā.upadiśo.bhavanti,.itaretaram.krāntvā.sthitā.bhavanty/
2,20:atha.ene.saṃstauti.samāna.bandhū.samāna.bandhana1d.amṛta1d.amarana.dharmānāv,.
anūcī.anūcyāv.iti.itaretaram.abhipretya,.''.dyāvā.varṇaṃś.caratas''.te.eva.dyāvau,.dyotanād/
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Sanskrit Quotes : Category ::
Accomplishment
रथस्यैकं चक्रं भुजगयमिताः सप्ततुरगाः
निरालंबो मार्गश्चरणविकलो सारथिरपि।
रविर्यात्यंतं प्रतिदिनमपारस्य नभसः
क्रियासिद्धिः सत्त्वे भवति महतां नोपकरणे॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Everyday the sun travels to the end of endless sky in a single wheeled
chariot having seven horses controlled by serpents on an unsupported road
with a charioteer having disabled foot. The actions of great people are
accomplished by their inner strength, not by the means of doing it.
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Sanskrit Quotes : Category :: Company of
Good Men
जाड्यं धियो हरति सिञ्चति वाचि सत्यं
मानोन्नतिं दिशति पापमपाकरोति।
चेत: प्रसादयति दिक्षु तनोति कीर्तिं
सत्संगति: कथय किं न करोति पुंसाम्।।
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
It removes the lethargy of the intellect, sprinkles (invests) truth in the
speech, enhances the greatness and casts off sin,it clarifies the mind and
spreads the fame all around;tell me what the company of the high-souled
persons does not provide the man?
English Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
As far as I know, no other Literature in the world has accorded the wisdom
the level of literature. Most of the languages categorize the words of wisdom
under morality. That way Sanskrit literature is unique in the sense it has
taken the Subhashithas to a new height and thereby grown unbelievably. Some
of the Subhashithas are pure gems of wisdom as well as pearls of poetry.
Here the poet Bharthrihari in his work "Neethishathaka" talks of
the company of high-souled persons. Indians have always provided a very high
place to a good company - no denying the hereditary its due place too. The
verses on the vitues of good company have their fair share in the Subhashitha
literature.
The poet lauds its achievement as follows. Countless are the virtues of a
good company. The dullness of intellect one accrues due to bad company is
undone in the first place and it is no mean achievement by itself. A habitual
liar finds himself speaking the truth much to his own amazement. The total
stature of a man reaches new heights as it adds greatness to it. It lessens
the negativity of the personality as the amount of sin is drastically
reduced. This leads to the clarity and happiness of the mind. The fame
reaches far and wide. So there is an all-round improvement of one's
personality. The question at the end is in fact, a positive assertion that
every conceivable good thing can be achieved by a good company. It remembers
me the saying "Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you what kind
of person you are."
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Sanskrit Quotes : Category :: Features of
Wise Man
क्षिप्रं विजानाति चिरं शृणोति
विज्ञाय चार्थं भजते न कामात्।
नासंपृष्टो व्यपयुंक्ते परार्थे
तत् प्रज्ञानं प्रथमं पण्डितस्य॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
He comprehends quickly and hears patiently. He understands things at hand and
acts accordingly and not according to his sweet will; he does not meddle with
others' business unless asked to. This is the prime feature of a wise person.
English Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
This is a stanza taken from the Epic Mahabharatha. This forms an advice
offered to he blind King Dhritharashtra by his own brother Vidura.
Dhritharashtra shared a strange relationship with his brother Vidura. Most of
the times Dhritharashtra bore it in mind that Vidura was not the royal blood.
It repelled him to think that Vidura was his brother. He hated this to the
core. But whenever he was in doubt or in trouble, he never flinched to ask
Vidura's help and praise him for his mature advises. It was a kind of
love-hate relationship. Here Vidura enumerates the salient features of a Wise
man.
A wise man is one who understands things quickly. His comprehension is fast
and he has an unending patience to listen to others. This forms the basis of
his wisdom. Most of us never bother to listen. Listening is a great virtue,
but it is lacking in most of us. Listening and comprehension form a
successful duo. Skills of comprehension are sharpened by patient listening
and it leads us to the right decision. A wise man also embarks on a work; he understands
it threadbare and then forms a strategy which guides him towards successful
completion. He does not depend on his compulsions. Another great virtue
enumerated here is remaining aloof from meddling into others’ affairs unless
asked to help. We harm others’ interests most of the times intending to help.
A meddlesome person is the most unwelcome among us. Combined, these features
are said to be indicative of a wise man.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category :: Aims of life
सन्तोषः परमो लाभः सत्सङ्गः परमा गतिः ।
विचारः परमं ज्ञानं शमो हि परमं सुखम् ॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Contentment is the highest gain,
Good Company the highest course,
Enquiry the highest wisdom,
and Peace the highest enjoyment.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category :: High-Souled
कुसुमस्तबकस्येव द्वयी वृत्तिर्मनस्विन:।
मूर्ध्नि वा सर्वलोकस्य विशीर्येत वनेऽथवा॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
High-souled persons have only two states like that of a bunch of flowers;
either they have to be on top of the whole world or they should wither away.
English Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
This couplet from the 'Neethishathakam' of Bharthrihari, extols the virtues
of those who are self-respecting. Self respecting persons have only two place
to adorn; either top or attain a nameless state. They simply don't fit in
every places. They carve out a niche for themselves. Otherwise they simply
vanish from this world without making much ado. It is simply not in their
blood to make compromises.
The poet rightly likens them to a bunch of flowers. They should either remain
on top of someone's head, keeping themselves high, apart from adorning the
head that bears it. They don't settle for a lesser state. If they cannot
attain this envious state, they prefer simply to wilt away in a forest shrub,
unnoticed by anyone.
This is said as and advice for those who, without aware of their high-status,
make compromises for all and sundry gains. It is really not worthy of their
status. Look at the beauty of the simile the poet has chosen; simple yet
potent
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Sanskrit Quote : Category :: Wandering mind
परिभ्रमसि किं व्यर्थं क्वचन चित्त विश्राम्यतां
स्वयं भवति यद्यथा तत्तथा नान्यथा।
अतीतमपि न स्मरन्नपि च भाव्यसङ्कल्पय-
न्नतर्कितगमनाननुभवस्व भोगानिह॥
English Translation of the quote:
Why do you wander, 'O' mind, rest somewhere. The natural course of thing to
happen cannot be altered. It is bound to happen. Therefore enjoy the
pleasures, whose arrival and departure cannot be ascertained, without
remembering the past and without expecting the future.
English commentary on Sanskrit quote:
I really don't know why i am so impressed by Bharthrihari's quotes!! -I
wonder sometimes. But answers are not far to seek. Perhaps i am impressed by
two great minds thinking alike. I am amazed by how close is Bharthrihari to
the Buddha when he says this.
The greatest finding of the Buddha according to me is the explanation of the
structure and functioning of the mind beyond any shred of doubt. The
negativity we acquire from our childhood days without our knowledge lead us
astray. The mind fools us by shuttling back and forth in time. We either
suffer in our mind regretting about what happened in the past or craving for
some pleasant thing to happen in future. This determines how we behave in the
present according to the predetermined mindset. This creates a vicious circle
and we act blindly, but unknowingly.
While the Buddha speaks in philosophical terms, Bharthrihari speaks common
parlance. What the Buddha realized through Insight-meditation, Bharthrihari
seems to have realized through the experience of suffering in life.
In the guise of addressing the mind, Bharthrihari seems to address himself.
The mind is weary wandering constantly with lightning speed. The body suffers
untold miseries because of this. So he suggests that the mind should stop
wandering and rest somewhere. Since unknowing of the mind's deeds we act with
predetermined mindset. Everything seems predetermined because of this. There
is no use struggling to mend what is to come. So it is the safe bet to accept
gracefully what comes in our life without opposing. So Bharthrihari seems to
suggest that we should neither worry about our past nor crave for the future.
For a lay person past has changed, and the future is yet to come. So it is
futile to resist the present. So why not welcome the present, in whatever way
it presents itself before us?
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Sanskrit Quote : Category :: Association of
learned men
यदा किञ्चिज्ज्ञोऽहं द्विप इव मदान्ध: समभवम्
तदा सर्वज्ञोऽस्मीत्यभवदवलिप्तं मम मन:।
यदा किञ्चित्किञ्चिद्बुधजनसकाशादवगतं
तदा मूर्खोऽस्मीति ज्वर इव मदो मे व्यपगत:॥
English translation of Sanskrit quote :
When I had little knowledge, I had become blind by pride like an elephant
(during rut). Then my mind was proud , thinking that I am an omniscient. As
and when I realized bit by bit in the association of wise men, my pride waned
like a fever, as I came to know that I was a fool, actually.
English commentary on Sanskrit quote:
This couplet by Bhirthrihari the celebrated author of 'Shatakatrayi', in fact
summarizes what is said in Sanskrit "अल्पविद्य:
महागर्वी" [little knowledge,
great pride.]
We all have it in us, in varying degrees: Vanity of knowledge. For those who
have a little bit of outspokenness in them, there is realization sooner or
later. This is narration of realization on the part of the author, which is not
different from our own stories of realization.
Possession of a bit of knowledge makes a man proud of his knowledge, by
nature. This short term "elation" makes him blind to the reality
about himself. He sees a large than life portrait of himself. This is likened
to the behavior of an elephant in rut, when it disobeys its own leader and
wanders off.
Of course, this is a short ride of the ego and lasts till his realization.
The association of the learned men which comes like a boon to everyone, is
enough to pin his inflated balloon of ego. A little bit of realization is
enough for him to know what is amiss. Once there is realization, it does not
take long of us to know the fact about us. The more we gain knowledge wise,
it should make us realize our own shortcomings and make us humble and meek.
Standing at the periphery of the vast ocean of Knowledge
man's vanity vanishes. That is what is said in another couplet " विद्या ददाति
विनयम्।"-Education is what
should humble us. If it doesn't, it is not worth the exalted name
"Education"
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Sanskrit Quote for Pratik Adhikari
अतिदानाद्बलिर्बद्धो ह्यतिमानात् सुयोधन:।
विनष्टो रावणो लौल्यादति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत्।
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
(The demon king) Bali was vanquished due to
his excessive charitable nature.
King Duryodhana was humbled for his excessive pride.
(Demon Emperor) Ravana was destroyed due to excessive womanising.
Hence one should shun excessiveness in all things.
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Saskrit Quote : Category :: Speech
लक्ष्मीर्वसति जिह्वाग्रे।
जिह्वाग्रे मित्रबान्धवा:।
जिह्वाग्रे बन्धनं प्राप्तं
जिह्वाग्रे मरणं ध्रुवम्।
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Prosperity resides on the tip of the tongue, friends are found there on it.
The tip of your tongue has the capacity to arrest you and verily death
resides on it for sure.
English Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
We use the facilities provided in our body so casually and in a matter of
fact manner, that we are sometimes rudely shocked to see the opposite of what
we expect. Man has the ability to make or mar his own future. He succeeds in
making it when he uses it cleverly, knowing the limits. When he uses it
indiscriminately he reaps the negative results.
There is a Kannada saying "ಊಟ ಬಲ್ಲವನಿಗೆ ರೋಗವಿಲ್ಲ,
ಮಾತು ಬಲ್ಲವನಿಗೆ
ಜಗಳವಿಲ್ಲ" - which means there is
no quarrel on the part of a man who knows his speech and one who knows his
limit in meals has no diseases.
There are thousands of successful men who are making a fortune using their
speech. We win friends based on our speech. On the negative side of the
picture- an acidic and venomous tongue can cause sufficient damage to a person.
Men who wag their tongue sometimes land in jail. We have read in newspapers
so frequently that a casual and unguarded speech has killed many.
The tongue is like a sword- a sword can kill a human as well as cut a fruit.
It is in our hands to use it wisely. A controlled and guarded speech is like
Alladin's lamp - a wish-yielding thing
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Sanskrit Quote Translation for Sachin Advait
- Prasaad
अमंत्रमक्षरं नास्ति नास्ति मूलमनौषधम्।
अयोग्यः पुरुषो नास्ति योजकस्तत्र दुर्लभः॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote :
There is no letter which doesn't have charm (curative property).
There is no root which doesn't have medicinal property.
There is no man who is not able.
Rare is a person who knows its proper application.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category :: Self-Respect
रे रे चातक सावधानमनसा मित्र क्षणं श्रूयतां
अम्बोधा बहवो हि सन्ति गगने सर्वेऽपि नैतादृशा:।
केचिद्वृष्टिभिरार्द्रयन्ति धरणीं गर्जन्ति केचिद्वृथा
यं यं पश्यसि तस्य तस्य पुरतो मा ब्रूहि दीनं वच:॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
'O' my friend, Chataka, listen to me for a while attentively. There are so
many clouds in the sky, but all are not alike. Some of them soak the earth
with showers, but some others rumble in futile. Don't say pathetic words
whoever you meet.
English Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
I have spoken of a variety of Subhashitas called 'Anyokti' elsewhere. It is a
verse which is addressed to someone, while it is intended for someone else.
This is so when the person addressed to is very sensitive and might feel hurt
easily. So it is a way of getting the message across cleverly.
Chataka is an imaginary bird conceived by the Sanskrit poets. It is said that
a Chataka is peculiar in the sense that it drinks water directly from the
clouds whenever it is thirsty. Once the rainy season is over, it hopefully
looks at the clouds with the intention of getting the much needed water, as
it does not drink from the reservoirs situated on the earth, however thirsty
it might be. Doing so it begs all the passing clouds whether black or white.
The person to whom this message is intended is a self-respecting and
high-ranking scholar, who is trying to get a patron for himself. He intends
to read out his scholarly poetic composition to a king, expecting in return
that he might be richly rewarded in return. But the king is not at all
benevolent as the poet imagines. Just as not all the clouds yield showers,
not all the kings are benevolent. Now, the poet needs to be advised not to
expect anything from this stingy king, without hurting his tender
self-respecting feelings. This is the background of this verse which
instructs us not to belittle ourselves.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category :: Love a many
splendoured feeling
चलत्कुचं व्याकुलकेशपाशं
स्विद्यन्मुखं स्वीकृतमन्दहासम्।
पुण्यातिरेकात्पुरुषा लभन्ते
पुम्भावमम्भोरुहलोचनानाम्॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
The extremely fortunate men obtain the male (daring) attitude of the lotus
eyed women, as characterized by swaying breasts, disheveled hair and a
perspiring face sporting a gentle smile.
English Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
Many a time i have encountered such arguments that Indians lack, when it
comes to Sex- in spite of such all-time favorites like Kamasutra and other
works and those revealing temple architectures. Sex has its due place in an
Indian's life- neither too exalting, nor denigrating. The line of demarcation
between Love and Sex is so thin, it is hardly observed one transforming as
the other. Personally I feel that there is nothing like exclusive feelings
pertaining to love and sex. Sex is when it is raw and lacks finesse. Just as
with body and mind- one transforming as the other, so it is with love and
sex. Love in its ecstasy needs contact- touch. Sex, when it matures, can
manifest in finest of the feelings. The all-time favorite play
"Abhijnana Shakunthalam" of Kalidasa is all about the raw bodily
arousal maturing into sharing, caring, sacrificing feeling, outdoing the
craving for touch and contact.
In personal life, as in Poetic compositions Indian men have portrayed women
as gentle, bashful beings, never demanding, never showing their delight. I
was just wondering as to how can one be so insensitive when it comes to
tender feelings of a partner in love. While it is always the man who
approaches or proposes, any such advances on the part of a woman was treated
as brash, uncultured, and edging on obscenity. I was happily surprised when I
came across this verse, which shows a different trend. Perhaps such mentality
or feeling never got reflected in the mainstream Sanskrit literature. Here
the poets feels that only an extremely lucky man gets such a bold and dashing
woman as the one described here. It admits openly that women too can have
their feelings and they can flaunt them too. Swaying breasts, unkempt hair,
perspiring face and a smiling face isn't taboo anymore, but it is a welcome
mark. It is a welcome attitudinal change which started early.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category :: Reasoning with
a fool
लभेत सिकतासु तैलमपि यत्नत: पीडयन्
पिबेच्च मृगतृष्णिकासु सलिलं पिपासार्दित:|
कदाचिदपि पर्यटन् शशविषाणमासादयेत्
न तु प्रतिनिविष्टमूर्खजनचित्तमाराधयेत्॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
One should crush the sands forcibly and extract oil;a thirsty person should
drink water from a mirage; wandering ceaselessly, obtain a hare's horn; but
one should never try to reason with a fool who is characterized by
stubbornness."
English Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
One or the other time in our life, we seem to meet a person whom we call a
fool. Dealing with a fool can drive you to the height of exasperation. It
seems to be next to impossible. Reasoning could work wonders when done with a
man of left with even a little discrimination. He who is not left with an
iota of reason, he who is unwilling to listen to the other person is better
left for himself. It would be a futile exercise to convince him.
Trying to reason with a fool seems to the poet to be as impossible as these
tasks listed above. We know that sands lack oil content in them and so no
amount of effort can extract oil from them. Mirage is an illusion. Likewise,
horns of a hare is a non entity. All these tasks seem easy when it comes to
convincing a fool who is characterized by stubbornness.
I don't agree with some who interpret this verse as an advice of hard work.
It is a tactic of the poet to drive home the point that working with a fool
is futile. I think it is another way of putting the plain statement -मूर्खस्य नास्त्यौषधम्।
-meaning there is no medicine to cure foolish persons since foolishness is
characterised by an incurable stubbornness.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category :: Rigors of
Studenthood
परुषमपि गुरूणां बुद्धिबोधार्थमुक्तं
वचनमनुसरन्याति शिष्यो महत्त्वम्।
खनितलगतरत्नं श्रेष्ठमप्यत्र शाणो-
त्कषणमधिगतं तद्भाति मौलौ नृपाणाम्।
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
A disciple attains prominence by carrying out the orders of his preceptors,
given with the intention of illuminating his intellect- however harsh they
might be. Even though a a gem found in a mine might be precious, it needs to
undergo the rigors of a grindstone, before it adorns the crown of monarchs.
English Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
Modern child-psychologists have proclaimed "Spare the rod and spoil the
child", which is widely being put in to practice. However Indian
thinkers had a different interpretation. Personally I think both represent
two extreme views. No one would undermine the necessity of instilling
discipline in the minds of youngsters when they are still still students,
learning. If the western thinkers are for giving them unbridled freedom at
such a young age, their Indian counterparts seem to think differently. It is
interesting to note that we are apeing the west without stopping to think if
it fits in our setup.
Here, the poet is aggrandizing the plus points of a bit of disciplining the
students at young age. He argues that it is for his benefit that he has to be
chastised. That would, in future, brings him a lot of glory. The simile is
that of an uncut diamond which has to be polished before it adorns the crown
of monarchs. Diamond has an innate value even at a crude, uncut and
unpolished stage. It won't in any way make it inferior and useless. But the
grind which the stone has to undergo before it is considered, makes a stone a
diamond.
We have seen that disciplined students have reached such heights of glory
which is to be envied by anyone, be it in any field. I am enamored of the
beauty of this simile which brings out the intention of the poet so clearly
and effortlessly.
I wish parents abroad and home will not miss the purport of this stanza and
its importance.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category :: Positive
things in negativity
विषादप्यमृतं ग्राह्यं अमेध्यादपि काञ्चनम्।
अमित्रादपि सद्वृत्तं स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Elixir of life is to be accepted even if comes from poison, a piece of gold
is to be accepted even from impure. A good conduct is to be learnt even from
an enemy and a good lady is to be accepted even from a bad community.
Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
This couplet teaches us to accept good things in life, even from unexpected
quarters. We, due to our negativities picked up from our childhood,
categorize things with clear demarcation as good and bad, beautiful and ugly,
useful and useless, wanted and unwanted and so forth. Whereas our experience
teaches us that we should not make such vertical splits, we are mostly guided
by our acquired negativity. Most of the times we never stop to think if we
are making the right choices in our life.
It is a known fact that a serpent-venom can kill humans and animals. We also
know that anti-venom serum is extracted from the snake venom. Gold is a
precious metal, valued since thousands of years throughout the world for its
sheen and it ductility and malleability when a bit of copper is mixed with
it. Golden ornaments are an inseparable world of women. So when a golden
ornament falls in a toilet pit, it is not to be ignored. No one cares where
it had fallen, once it is taken from the unclean place. Likewise, we must
appreciate a good quality or righteousness found even among those who hate
us. Whereas we can, and are, following the first two, are we ready for this?
We never accept this precept for its value.
The last one is the acceptance of a virtuous woman without caring for her
birth and nobility or otherwise. An indian plagued by the caste system never
goes beyond the narrow consideration of marriage alliance within his own
caste. We have instances of parents disowning their children, when they
married outside the caste, much against the wishes of their parents. But this
ancient wisdom is much against such inhuman practice. It has humanised our
society to the extent many parents are seeing the futility of demanding that
their children marry within their caste and religion. Economic independence
coupled with ancient wisdom has really set the stage for reformation. Let us
welcome it.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category ::
Goodness in bad men
अय:पिण्ड इवोत्तप्ते खलानां हृदये क्षणात्।
पतितापि नेक्ष्यन्ते गुणास्तोयकणा इव॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Just as a few drops of water falling on a red hot iron ball disappear (not
seen) in a matter of seconds, so also the a few good qualities entering the
heart of a villain's heart.
Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
As I said elsewhere, it is not that a good man is totally good and a bad man
is entirely bad. Good and bad things linger in everyone's heart. It is only a
wise man who controls the bad in him and exposes the good in him. This
couplet taken from the Sharngadharapaddhati from Sharngadhara, explains that
in order to matter, good qualities are to be in a considerable measure.
Otherwise the goodness of a good guesture is lost. Goodness has to overpower
the bad elements in us. Without our knowledge, we pose such a nasty face to
the society and still lament that no one recognizes our good. Good people can
see through the bad intentions of a man as if through a crystal ball.
Simile happens to be one of the most ancient of the figures of speech. Poets
have churned out hundreds of figures of speech in Sanskrit literature. Many
of them seem contrived. But the power of Simile seems undying. It is the
simplicity that lends such a grace and power to it. That is why the uncrowned
monarch of Sanskrit literature, Kalidasa excels and revels in it.
Here, in this couplet, the author compares the hearts filled with bad things
to a red hot iron ball. The moment a few water drops fall on it, the water
drops evaporate so quickly that one hardly notices any traces of it.
The message is loud and clear. If you want to be a good man, bath yourself in
goodness, so the goodness far outweighs the badness in you. That is the only
way to purge the unwanted elements in our heart. Either the heat overpowers
the coolness of a few drops of water, or the coolness and plentifulness of
water cools the iron.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category - Gluttony
and Garrulousness
जिह्वे प्रमाणं जानीहि भाषणे भोजनेऽपि च।
अत्युक्तिरतिभुक्तिश्च सद्य: प्राणापहारिणी।
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Know your limitations "O, tongue, regarding speech and eating .
Garrulousness and gluttony can cause instantaneous death.
Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
This is a special kind of Subhashita. This is called an 'Anyokti' or a
couplet containing a message addressed to someone whom it is not intended.
The sensitivity of the poets shown in addressing the messages is really
amazing. We have myriad kinds of people and none of them are the same when it
comes to categorising them according to their menatal makeup. When it comes
to instructing someone, each needs a different kind of approach. If someone
needs to be addressed to directly, someone else might just want a slight
hint.
This is addressed to a 'Tongue' on the fore. But it is really intended to be
conveyed to a person who is both glutton and garrulous. But a sensitive
person might feel hurt deeply when told so. Our poets were in a sense,
"Masters of Mind."
Most of us don't understand the value of talk, silence and less-speech. Most
of the times what we speak is sheer rubbish and useless. The core of our
intention would be lost in the jungle of expression. Most of us would be
better-off silent.
Both garrulousness and gluttony can assume dangerous proportions so as to
cause death. Limit in eating is also a very good habit. Strangely tongue is
involved in both. We would do well to keep the limits in both respects. I am
amazed at the likeness of the ideas expressed by poets belonging to different
times and locations. The same idea is expressed in a Kannada saying " ಊಟ ಬಲ್ಲವನಿಗೆ
ರೋಗವಿಲ್ಲ, ಮಾತು ಬಲ್ಲವನಿಗೆ ಜಗಳವಿಲ್ಲ." meaning - One who knows the
limit of eating never suffers a disease and he who knows the limits of speech
never picks up a quarrel.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category Love-
Disappointment- Heartburn
यां चिन्तयामि सततं मयि सा विरक्ता
साप्यन्यमिच्छति जनं स जनोऽन्यसक्त:।
अस्मत्कृते च परिशुष्यति काचिदन्या
धिक्ताञ्च तं च मदनं च इमां च मां च ॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
"She - of whom i am constantly thinking, has no love towards me. She
loves another person and he is interested in another woman. Some other lady
is longing for me. Fie her, him, the Cupid, that lady and me too."
Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
This couplet is taken from the Shatakatraya of Bhirthrihari. Simplicity is
the hallmark of Bhirthrihari's verses. How straightforward is the purport!!
This couplet is all about love and mutuality. We have heard about many
cornered love, but we have heard more of many cornered disappointment.
Without any exception, all of us have heard the saying " Love is
blind"- meaning Love is a sublime feeling which has no parochial
considerations. It transgresses all barriers like that of geographical
boundaries, languages, castes, creed, skin-color, economic disparity, culture
and religion. The young world loves to believe in it in a trice, but the big
message to be read between the lines,goes almost unnoticed. Love unnoticed
ends in a life-time bond. This deserves serious consideration and
deliberation. But the "feel-good factor" clouds our faculty of thinking
and we hardly stop to think about it. Everything else just
"happens" at first sight, paving the way for the marriage to go to
dogs.
When indulging in love we hardly care to think if the other person is also in
love with us. We take it for granted, as we are too selfish to think of that
angle. Whether we think of it or not, mutuality is the basis of love. Love
endures when it is mutual and mature. Here in this couplet we see a string of
disappointed lovers. Each case of love is one-sided and lack mutuality. The
resultant heartburn is negative in nature and it makes a person a cynic.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category
Self-Control
उदकान् हि नयन्ति नेत्तिका
उसुकार नमयन्ति तेजनम्।
दारुं नमयन्ति तच्चका
अत्तानं दमयन्ति पण्डिता॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Irrigators direct the water,Fletchers fashion the shaft, Carpenters bend the
wood,
The wise control themselves.
Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:-
This time I have sought to translate a pali couplet taken from
"Dhammapada". Dhammapada is said to be a compilation of the
Buddha's words spoken on various occasions. I am always moved by the
simplicity of the language of the Buddha. He concerned himself with the
wellbeing of the masses. Always simple and direct in his teachings, he
addresses, both your intellect and your heart. The heart seems to converse
with this sage who left us thousands of year ago. No one has ever spoken so
clearly, succinctly and directly as Him.
Just look at this simple but potent message for example. The mere
juxtaposition of the last line with the other three simple ones in the above
couplet, makes it all the more significant and forceful.
It is the profession of the irrigators to see that the water flows in the
right direction for the farmers to do cultivation. In the same way the duty
of the fletchers is to shape arrows, so they shoot easily and pierces the
target successfully. The carpenters are the ones who can bend the wood as
they like to fashion furniture. Likewise, the Buddha says it is the work of a
wise man to control himself.
Humans behave as if they are programmed to perform. They are conditioned to
act in a certain way like the robots. Unless they observe themselves and know
the truth about the world, they are bound to suffer untold miseries
infinitely. In his view, controlling oneself is the highest achievement that
can adorn a human being. An unawakened man is a bundle of negativities. These
negativities replicate themselves at the first opportunity that presents
itself.
It is the Buddha's crowning glory that he not only awakened himself, but
paved the way for the liberation (Nibbana) of millions and millions of souls
bound by the laws of karma. He perfected the "Insight meditation"
or "Vipassana" and through the lineage of ordained monks, made it
freely available for whosoever wishes to be liberated.
Through the couplet mentioned above, the Buddha means to say that for a wise
man, controlling himself must be a prime concern and not a hobby. Taking
refuge in the triad of Jewels, the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha is the first
step in the right direction.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category Fall in
morality - Satire
विप्रास्मिन्नगरे को महान् कथयताम् तालद्रुमाणां गणा:
को दाता? रजको ददाति वसनं प्रातर्गृहीत्वा निशि ।
को दक्ष:? परदारवित्तहरणे सर्वेऽपि दक्षो जन:
कस्माज्जीवसि हे सखे? विषकृमिन्यायेन जीवाम्यहम्॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:-
"Tell me, O Brahmin, who is the lofty person in this city. "It's
the clump of Palm trees." "Who is the philanthropist?". It's
the washer man who collects (soiled) clothes in the morning and delivers them
at night". " Is there a skilled man?" " Yes of course,
everyone is skilled in the art of snatching other man's wife and
riches." And pray, how do you live?" " I live by the maxim of
the "Poisonous Bacteria".
Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:-
This is an ironical way of depicting the falling moral standards among all
and specifically among the city dwellers. A stranger comes to a city and
approaches a Brahmin to gather vital information about the city. He himself
is a Brahmin and wants to know about the noble, the philanthropist, and the
expert persons of that city. See how cleverly the man answers that the
stranger should not entertain hopes of living in that city. Why???
The city-dweller suggests that there are no lofty or noble souls in that city
to pin his hopes on. The only lofty (physically) things are a cluster of Palm
trees.
The next question is, Is there any philanthropist in the city? The Brahmin
replies, "Unfortunately no. The only donor we have is the washer man. He
collects the soiled clothes of his customers in the morning and promptly
"Donates" (delivers) them during night.
Next the stranger asks him if there's anyone who is adept in (Brahminical)
Practices. The resident replies, "Yes, almost all the residents are
skilled- but only in the art of snatching things from others- their money and
wives."
Lastly the stranger asks "Being a Brahmin, how does he make a living in
a cursed city like that?"
The very prompt reply is that he is no different from others. He follows the
dictum " Be a Roman while in Rome."
"विषकृमिन्याय" is the maxim
of the "Poisonous Bacteria" which states that the Bacteria in the
poison cannot be different from the poison and they are not affected by the
poison.
What a skillful way of conveying things!!!!! Hats off to the author, whoever
he is.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category Money
त्यजन्ति मित्राणि धनैर्विहीनं
पुत्राश्च दाराश्च सुहृज्जनाश्च।
तमर्थवन्तं पुनराश्रयन्ति
ह्यर्थो हि लोके पुरुषस्य बन्धु:॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:-
Friends, sons, wives and those who are favorable to us, forsake a poor man.
They approach him again with his economic glory regained. Verily, money is a
man's well-wisher.
Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
Modernity is Money ruling the roost. International markets crashing to a
dismal low, makes an Indian read a subhashitha or two for an insight into the
behavior of money. Controlled, money is your humble slave, let loose, it is a
bull in a china-shop.
This makes me think of the good old days when we had barter system. People's
needs were limited. It was a two-way check- lack of transacting capacity
limited our needs to a healthy low level. Our limited needs kept the
money-monkey at bay. Now that we have let loose the Frankenstein's monster
called money, we are worried like hell about our financial future.
The poet here says, all relations are money based and not blood-based. It is
the money that makes or mars the relationships like friends, sons and wives.
The capacity of a man to generate money and spend it on his nearest and
dearest ones decides how stronger the familial bonds would be. With money
coming in and going out, the relatives and friends come and go too.
It does not need an economist to proclaim the economic truth. Even an ascetic
like Shankaracharya who rarely indulged in such activity spoke truth with
pristine clarity. He said in his "Bhaja Govinda Stotra"
यावद्वित्तोपार्जनशक्तस्तावन्निजपरिवारो रक्त:।
पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जरदेहे वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे।।
"Till the moment you are fit to earn money, your family is in love with
you. Later when you are feeble and weak, no one enquires even your wellbeing.
What a revelation!!!!
What do our Old-age homes tell us? Just think it over.
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Sanskrit Quote : Category Good
Speech
कटु क्वणन्तो मलदायका खला:
तुदन्त्यलं बन्धनशृङ्खला इव।
मनस्तु साधुध्वनिभि: पदेपदे
हरन्ति सन्तो मणिनूपुरा इव॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:-
Spewing dirty, harsh speech, the wicked, torture much, like an arresting iron
chain. The good, on the other hand, captivate the mind at each step,by their
nice (sweet) speech like bejeweled anklets."
Commentaryon Sanskrit Quote:
This time, it is about good and bad speech from Banabhatta. This is taken from
"Kadambari".
This seems so obvious and oft-written, but going by the way it is taken for
granted, the purport is usually missed. We hardly stop to think about our
daily speech and its consequences, before it is uttered. There is a proverb
in kannada to this effect- "ಮಾತು ಆಡಿದರೆ ಹೋಯ್ತು,
ಮುತ್ತು ಒಡೆದರೆ
ಹೋಯ್ತು." a speech is done when it
is uttered and a pearl is spoiled when it is broken- they can never be the
same.
Restraint over thought and speech is something hard to come by. Everything
happens in MIND as the Buddha says, before it is translated into deeds.
Tongues wag as if by force of habit. A little restraint goes a long way in
setting a salutary mood around. The quality of being taciturn or silent is
for the same reason extolled very much in every literature. They say
"Silence is Gold".
Our speech reveals so much about us- our mood and mindset, our upbringing and
our culture, our education and tolerance-level. It is interesting to note the
simile Banabhatta uses to denote harsh and healing speech. The harsh and
unwelcome speech is like an iron chain which can taint by rust. It also gives
out an unmusical clang when it is shaken. We speak such harsh words, most of
the times it makes a deep dent in the mind of the hearer. It also transfers
the dirt of thought to another person just as an iron chain showers rust.
A person with his sweet disposition and healing words is comparable to a
bejeweled anklet with its musical and timid -jingling sound. It pleases and
attracts, creating an ambience of friendship and love. You ask for more of
it.
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Sanskrit Quote : Help and
Thankfulness
प्रथमवयसि पीतं तोयमल्पं स्मरन्त:
शिरसि निहितभारा नारिकेला नराणाम्।
ददति जलमनल्पास्वादमाजीवितान्तं
न हि कृतमुपकारं साधवो विस्मरन्ति॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
The Coconut trees,remembering the little amount of water they were fed, when
they were saplings, carry loads of coconuts on their top and supply humans
with very-tasty and sweet water in abundance, for their life-span.
The Wise never forget a help received.
Commentary:
Our life itself is a blessing. Everyday we receive umpteen, unseen blessings
in various forms. An ordinary man feels good when the blessing he gets is
good enough to be perceived by him. Most of the blessings go un-thanked, for
we do not know whom to thank, for what we received. Even while thanking
someone for something our selfish motive will be working behind to see that
we do not thank more than we think we got. Most of the favors we receive, we
think, are too small to be thanked. This is narrow-mindedness.
Indian minds- Sanskrit writers in particular, derived a lesson for life to be
learnt from whatever they saw. Nature was their biggest teacher. Trees,
flowers, rivers, mountains, clouds, animals and birds are but a few of the
lengthy list from whom they saw goodness to learn from. Sometimes the lesson
was negative, but most of the times they were positive. It is a great virtue
one could learn from Sanskrit writers. Thankfulness is a great virtue. A
heartfelt thanks for whatever favors received drags us a bit away from the
domain of meanness.
Here, in this couplet, the Coconut tree represents a Good man. Man waters
fruit and flower-bearing trees for his selfish needs. As they attain
maturity, the trees never depend on him for their needs. It is the time for
repayment- and that too how??? Compared with what they give us till we are
alive and furthermore, the service rendered by man to them seems so trifle.
That is why the sanskrit writers call the Coconut trees a 'Kalpavriksha' or a
'Wish-yielding' tree. Imagine in how many ways the Coconut trees serve us and
you will never look at them with the same narrow outlook.
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Sanskrit Quote : Balance of Mind
गुणदोषौ बुधो गृह्णन् इन्दुक्ष्वेडाविवेश्वर:।
शिरसा श्लाघते पूर्वं परं कण्ठे नियच्छति॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
" A wise-man accepts (both) the good and the bad. He appreciates the
former by a nod of his head and resticts the latter in his throat, just as
Lord shiva adorned his head with the crescent moon and restricted the poison
in his throat."
Commentary:
As the puranic allusion goes, when the Gods and Demons churned the
mythological Milky
Ocean, many good and
bad things emerged from it. There was this moon who was very much in demand
because of his salutary rays. There also emerged fuming poison "हालाहल" (Halahala), whose vapours
swooned those who were in the vicinity. Both the Gods and demons abandoned
the churning and ran for their lives. No one except Ishwara was left to claim
it for himself. We see the crescent moon on the crest of Lord Shiva. He
allotted a lofty place for the moon. Though he accepted even the poison
"Halahala" he gave it a place it deserved. He restricted it in his
throat and never allowed it to pass down to his stomach.
We get a lot of good and bad things in our lives, depending upon the good and
bad decisions we make. The fruits of our actions are compulsory for us to
accept. We have no choice, other than to accept them. But the human tendency
is to reject what we don't like and crave for what we like. This makes our
life miserable. There is a way, by which we can neutralize the bad we get,
even as we keep it. The technique is to allot it a place where it is least
harmful.
We have a tendency to yell at others when they speak something unsavory. Bad
speech is a veritable poison which we should not allow to affect us. We are
helpless to entertain bad thoughts when we are in a lousy mood. At least we
can check ourselves, so that words of abuse are never uttered. The negativity
in our thoughts is the source of all bad thoughts and deeds.
It is equally important, how we make use of a little amount of good in us. It
should be given a prominent position so it gets due consideration. This way,
we can successfully avoid craving and hatred for things as they happen in our
life and have a balanced view which is so rare to find but so precious for a
healthy life.
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नैवाकृति: फलति नैव कुलं न शीलं।
विद्यापि नैव न च यत्नकृतापि सेवा
भाग्यानि पूर्वतपसा खलु सञ्चितानि
काले फलन्ति पुरुषस्य यथैव वृक्षा:॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
" Nothing fructifies beforehand-neither the form, nor the family
background, not even one's virtues, nor even the education, not also the
painstaking service rendered to the community. It is the fortune of a person
accrued by the performance of penance that yields fruits in due course, like
the tree which yields fruits when it is time."
Commentary:
This couplet exemplifies the typical Indian mentality. The indian mentality
is all-bearing. It takes to suffering as a swan takes to waters. This is the
underlying factor behind the typical Indian patience which is so obviously
absent among peoples of other cultures. We believe that nothing good or bad
ever happens however much one craves for it to happen. Everything has a
time-frame, after which no one can undo what fate has in store for us. It
also says that in order for the good fortune to fructify, one needs to have
the background of good deeds which amounts to doing penance.
People from the west wonder how an Indian patiently tolerates adverse things
like Corruption, Poverty, Nepotism, Bad Governance, Spate, Drought, Attacks
from vandals, Epidemics and what not?
This couplet answers such queries. In a sense, such thoughts have shaped our
national psyche.
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Sanskrit Quote : Good Poem
सुभाषितं हारि विशत्यधो गलान्न
दुर्जनस्यार्करिपोरिवामृतम्।
तदेव धत्ते हृदयेन सज्जनो
हरिर्महारत्नमिवातिनिर्मलम्॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
" A good poetic composition is not taken in ( lit: does not enter the
throat of) by a wicked man just as the nectar did not get down the throat of
( Rahu) the enemy of the Sun". A literary-connoisseur sports the same on
his chest (keeps it close to his heart) just as Lord Vishnu keeps sports the
purest of the gems Kausthubha on his chest"
Commentary:
This sloka occurs in Banabhatta's 'Kadambari'. Banabhatta is a brightest star
in the horizon of Sanskrit literature. He is an uncrowned monarch in the
field of Sanskrit prose-literature. His celebrated work "कादम्बरी" goes down in the history of
Sanskrit literature as unsurpassed in beauty and scholarship. Here, in one of
his shlokas, which precede his Kadmabari, he dwells on the idea of a poetic
composition being either accepted or rejected, depending on the literary
background of a person.
A good literary composition, in order to be appreciated, presupposes a good
number of Connoisseurs of literary art. Otherwise, it is an act in futility.
Those who are not acquainted with the the basics of literary appreciation
fail to grasp the core of the work. We find a puranic allusion here, where it
is described that the "wicked planet" Rahu had his throat cut off
when he tried to gobble up the nectar which emerged upon the churning of the
"Milky Ocean". It simply means that he
wasn't yet ready for the appreciation of a new thing.
On the other hand,there are those, who are fully equipped and qualified for
the occasion- those who have read, appreciated and composed literary
compositions of various types themselves. Lord Vishnu sports the purest gem
called Kausthubha on this chest, close to this heart. This is indicative of
the fact that good literary works are always treasured by cultured people.
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Sanskrit Quote for Raj Kumar K
स्वगृहे पूज्यते मूर्खः स्वग्रामे पूज्यते प्रभुः।
स्वदेशे पूज्यते राजा विद्वान्सर्वत्र पूज्यते॥
English translation of Sanskrit Quote:
A fool is worshipped at his home.
A chief is worshipped in his town.
A king is worshipped in his kigdom.
A knowledgable person is worshipped everywhere.
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Sanskrit Quote for Jenny Cao
दानेन तुल्यो निधिरस्ति नान्यो
लोभाच्च नान्योऽस्ति रिपु: पृथिव्याम्।
विभूषणं शीलसमं न चान्यत्
सन्तोषतुल्यं धनमस्ति नान्यत्॥
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Sanskrit Quote for Dimple Shah
पुराणमित्येव न साधु सर्वं न चापि काव्यं नवमित्यवद्यम्।
सन्त: परीक्ष्यान्यतरद्भजन्ते मूढ: परप्रत्ययनेयबुद्धि:॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Not all that is old, is good;
Not all that is new, is bad;
After examining wise men know the difference;
Dull-witted are lead by somebody else's intelligence.
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Sanskrit Quote for Someswara Rao
Irrinki
न भूप्रदानं न सुवर्णदानं न गोप्रदानं न तथान्नदानम्।
यथा वदंतीह महाप्रदानं सर्वेषु दानेषु जलप्रदानम्॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Not the donation of land, Not the donation of gold,
Not the donation of cows, Not even the donation of food,
Donation of water is called greatest of all donations in this world.
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Fame
घटं भिंद्यात्पटं छिंद्यात्कुर्याद्रारभरोहणम्।
येन केन प्रकारेण प्रसिद्धो पुरुषो भवेत्॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
[One] should break a pot, tear a cloth, ride a donkey.
By whatever means possible, a man should become famous.
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Sanskrit Quote Translation for
Devangi Chopra
यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यंते रमंते तत्र देवताः।
यत्र तास्तु न पूज्यंते तत्र सर्वाफलक्रियाः॥
English translation of Sanskrit quote:
Where women are worshipped, goddesses dwell.
Where they are not worshipped, all actions are fruitless.
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Sanskrit Quote for Manoj Sharma
अर्थेन हि विहीनस्य पुरुषस्याल्पमेधसः।
क्रियाः सर्वा विनश्यंति ग्रीष्मे कुसरितो यथा॥
English translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Of a person who has no money & a little intellect,
all his actions get destroyed like a small river in summer.
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Sanskrit Quote for Atmaram
Hattiangadi
न चोरहार्यं न च राजहार्यं न भ्रातृभ्राज्यं न च भारकारि।
व्यये कृते वर्धत एव नित्यं विद्याधनं सर्वधनप्रधानम्॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
It cannot be stolen by a thief.
It cannot taken away by a King.
It cannot be divided among brothers.
It does not cause load. It always increses when spent.
The wealth of knowledge is the greatest of all wealths.
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Mind
साधोः प्रकोपितस्यापि मनो नायाति विक्रियाम्।
न हि तापयितुं शक्यं सागरांभस्तृणोल्कया॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Even when instigated by others,
the mind of a pious person never hesitates (to take the right decision).
It is not possible to heat the water of ocean by a torch of dried grass.
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Virtues
गुणा: गुणज्ञेषु गुणीभवन्ति
ते निर्गुणं प्राप्य भवन्ति दोषा:
सुस्वादुतोया: प्रवहंति नद्य:
समुद्रमासाद्य भवन्त्यपेय:
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
With virtuous persons, virtues remain virtues. On reaching a non-virtuous
person, they become faults. (Just like) a river flowing with sweet water,
becomes salty on reaching ocean.
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Precaution
चिन्तनीया हि विपदां आदावेव प्रतिक्रिया
न कूपखननं युक्तं प्रदीप्ते वन्हिना गृहे
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
The effect of disasters should be thought of beforehand (i.e. before they
actually occur.) It is not appropriate to start digging a well when the house
is ablaze with fire.
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Sanskrit Quote requested by Mr. L.N.
Gupta, New York
इतरतापशतानि यदृच्छया वितर तानि सहे चतुरानन
अरसिकेषु कवित्वनिवेदनं शिरसि मा लिख मा लिख मा लिख
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote
Oh God, give me other hundreds of sorrows as you wish. I will bear them. But
don't write my destiny to recite a poem to an uninterested person. Never!
Never!! Never!!!
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Sanskrit Quote for Sanjay Datt
Category: Efforts
Sanskrit Quote:
उद्यमेन हि सिध्यंति कार्याणि न मनोरथै:।
न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मृगा:॥
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Work gets completed by efforts, not by thinking only.
Deer do not enter into the mouth of sleeping lion.
(He has to actively hunt them.)
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Virtues
श्रोत्रं श्रृतेनैव न कुन्डलेन दानेन पाणिर्न तु कंकणेन
विभाति काय: करुणापराणां परोपकारैर्न तु चन्दनेन
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
Of kind hearted people, (their) ear glows by (the knowledge) heard (by the
ear) & not by the ear ring (worn on ear), (their) hand glows by the
donation (given) by the hand & not by bracelet (worn on wrist), their
body glows by the selfless deeds done (by them to others) & not by
(anointment with) sandalwood (oil).
Commentary on Sanskrit Quote:
This is a Sanskrit quote which emphasizes the “real” ornaments of the human
body. The author has described the various virtues verses physical
embellishments. It gives us a message to cultivate these virtues within
ourselves. Generally, the physical ornaments that we wear to adorn the body
wear out with time. As opposed to this, with advancing age the mind matures.
A matured mind cultivates more virtues. Hence, with time these virtuous
ornaments do not wear out unlike the physical ornaments. To develop these
virtues one has to develop his mind & elevate one’s conscious to a higher
level. Only an elevated soul can realize the omnipresent power of the god,
the creative energy of this universe. With this comes the realization that
all living creatures are merely the reflections of a unique source of energy
that we call god & hence all are one & same. Hence when an elevated
soul does service to somebody else he is taking himself to the higher goal of
self realization. Try & “see through” the meaning of this quote.
“De-attach” yourself from this mundane world of physical beings & elevate
yourself to a world of eternal bliss & happiness.
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Humanity
अयं निज: परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम्।
उदारमनसानां तु वसुधैव कुटुंबकम्॥
English Translation of Sanskrit quote:
This is mine or (somebody) else’s (is the way) narrow minded people count.
But for broad minded people, (whole) earth is (like their) family.
Commentary:
Having abroad outlook towards the problem at hand, allows one to perceive
every perspective of the problem in totality. Many a time a problem presents
to us in one way but the actual root cause of the problem is something else.
If you treat the problem at its face value, you will get the quick result,
but often it is a short term gain. The actual problem may recur again at some
time in future. Treating the actual root cause of the problem may prove be a
tedious process. It involves a lot of investigational research which may
consume both time & money. But it is preferable to have a one time cost
of solving the problem than to incur the small cost of solving the problem
every time it recurs. By cost I don’t mean just money. Money, time,
productivity & even company’s or somebody else’s reputation may be at
stake. But while finding the solution, it is recommended that you do it once
& for all. There is another perpective to this which in the business
world, management gurus’ have already realized. “Think global, Act local” is
the mantra of today’s techno-savvy age. This is especially true in the field
of business finance. Every move of the financial strategy reflects on to the
changing scenario of global financial market. If you want to strengthen your
financial position you should do so in accordance with the global practices.
You are looking towards a global market in coming future. Aren’t you?
So do I already see you making a new year’s resolution to imbibe this
principle of Sanskrit quote in your business expansion plan?
Bon Voyage! Wish you a very happy & prosperous new year of 2006!
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Good
Sanskrit Quotes
द्राक्षा म्लानमुखी जाता शर्करा चाश्मतां गता
सुभाषितरसं दृष्ट्वा सुधा भीता दिवं गता
English Translation of Sanskrit quote:
Looking at the flavor of subhashitas (good Sanskrit quotes), grape turned
pale, sugar turned into crystals and amrita [elixir of life] ran away to
heaven.
Commentary on Sanskrit quote:
This is how the writers of Sanskrit literature have described the sweetness
of good Sanskrit quotes. To emphasize on this, the author has given three
striking (though imaginary) examples of the sweetest things we come across.
Grapes used to think they are the sweetest thing, but on encountering sweeter
flavor of Sanskrit quotes, they turned black with shame. The sugar was so
spell bound with the flavor of Sanskrit quotes that it stood stand still with
astonishment & turned cold into crystals. The nectar was so scared of the
flavor of Sanskrit quotes that it ran away to heaven. Such is the sweetness
of Sanskrit quotes & such is the importance of wisdom contained therein.
They act as a path setting example of how a good quote can stimulate a
depressed man into activity, of how they lift the morale of an unhappy lost
soul & convert him into a happier person. They teach us to look at the
world around us from a broader perspective & at a new angle. Happy
Living!
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Caliber of
a Man
आरभ्यते न खलु विघ्नभयेन नीचै:
प्रारभ्य विघ्नविहता विरमंति मध्या:
विघ्नै: पुन: पुनरपि प्रतिहन्यमाना:
प्रारभ्य चोत्तमजना: न परित्यजंति
English Translation of Sanskrit quote:
Those who do not start the work (at all) fearing the obstacles are (called)
men of low caliber. Those who start the work but stop on encountering
obstacles are (called) men of medium caliber. Those who even after being
destroyed again & again by obstacles do not leave the work once started
are (called) men of high caliber.
Commentary on Sanskrit quote:
On this particular day a middle aged respectable looking gentleman came to my
office. As an orthopedic surgeon by profession, I was to teach him
physiotherapeutic spinal exercises for his low backache. He was
symptomatically relieved of his backache but looked worried. I offered to
help him for his mental agitation. He was working as a senior project
management professional in human resource department of one of the corporate
multinational company. He was given to select the junior staff of three
persons from a short listed ten candidates. He had interviewed all the ten
candidates & found them all equally able intellectually. I told him to
run a search on their past performance & voila……. There came the
solution. Out of ten, five had left previous company because they thought
they were given the job which was out of their capability. Three had started
the projects but were told to give charge to somebody else on being unable to
negotiate with their clients successfully. Only two of them were found to
have completed all the projects allotted to them in spite of ever changing
work conditions. No prizes here for guessing whom the manager selected to be
his junior staff members. And me????? I got the manager of that corporate
multinational company as my client for ever. P. S. I hope you have somebody
from the human resource department who can benefit from this Sanskrit quote
& the above stated experience. You see…Top level business secrets are not
given away like this everyday.
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Wealth
सहसा विदधीत न क्रियां अविवेक: परमापदां पदम्
वृणुते हि विमृशकारिणं गुणलुब्धा: स्वयमेव संपद:
English Translation of Sanskrit quote:
One should not act suddenly (without judgment). Bad judgment is the seat of
greatest disasters. Liking the virtue (of good judgment) wealth, itself,
takes (goes) to them who think & act.
Commentary on Sanskrit quote:
I certainly remember the big bullish share market a few years ago. Anybody
who knew even a bit about the share markets & stock prizes was commenting
authoritatively about uptrend share market had & how much money they
should invest to benefit best from it. Those who were in a hurry to cash in
on their profits indiscriminately invested in the stocks, bonds &
securities only to know of their ill fates as the stock markets crashed a few
days later. A few wise men had gone to the stock market & financial
investment analyst & were told that this is only a bloated market &
not a real uptrend. They restrained from investing in stock markets &
probably invested in some other type of financial investment & got
assured returns on their investment. Those who had acted hurriedly had
nothing left with them. There goes the English saying “Let the bubbles settle
before you take the cup of tea.” So if one wants to prosper one should have a
discriminating mind which tells him what is good & what is bad for him
& his business. Only with the ability to take right decision at the right
time can one get along the path of success. So use your judgment properly
& to the best of your ability.
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Sanskrit Quote Category: Knowledge
Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta, Chapter 4, Verse 38
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते।
तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विंदति॥
English Translation of Sanskrit quotation:
Here (in this world), there is nothing as pure(sublime) as knowledge.
One who is accomplished in 'yoga', gets it within himself.
Commentary on Sanskrit quotation:
An old English saying has it "Fear arises from ignorance, Knowledge is
power." The word knowledge has deeper meaning here. It means the true
knowledge of the world. Adwait philosophy in the vedas says it is the
Chaitanya ,the productive power of the universe, which is ageless. Everything
else is temporary and perishable. One has to understand that the physical
body is "born" and "dies" but not the soul. When a person
reaches this level of consciousness through rigorous meditation, his fears
about the worldly matters disappear & he becomes fearless knowing that his
soul is imperishable & is one with god. This true knowledge serves as a
guiding star in the journey of life.
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