Sunday 29 December 2019


बोद्धारो मत्सरग्रस्ताः प्रभवः स्मयदूषिताः ।
अबोधोपहताश्चान्ये जीर्णमङ्गे सुभाषितम् ॥ ४३१

Boddharo matsaragrastah prabhavah smayadushitah
Abodhopahatashchanye jirnamange subhashitam

The learned are full of hate, the wealthy are full of arrogance
Others are steeped in ignorance, poor Subhashita is getting old without a body.

वरं कार्यं मौनं न च वचनमुक्तं यदनृतं
वरं क्लैब्यं पुंसां न च परकलत्राभिगमनम् ।
वरं प्राणत्यागो न च पिशुनवादेष्वभिरतिः
वरं भिक्षाशित्वं न च परधनास्वादनबलम् ॥ ४३२

Varam karyam maunam na cha vachanamuktam yadanrutam
Varam klaibyam pumsa na cha parakalatrabhigamanam
Varam pranatyago na cha pishunavadeshvabhiratih
Varam bhikshashitvam na cha paradhanasvadanabalam

Better be silent than tell lies. Better be impotent than be promiscuous. Better face death than be a rumour-monger. Better live on alms than have the power of others’ money

व्याघ्रीव तिष्ठति जरा परितर्जयन्ती
रोगाश्च शत्रव इव प्रहरन्ति देहम् ।
आयुः परिस्रवति भिन्नघटादिवाम्भो
लोकस्तथाऽप्यहितमाचरितीति चित्रम् ॥ ४३३

Vyaghriva tishtati jara paritarjanti
Rogashcha shatrava iva praharanti deham
Ayuh parisravati bhinnaghatadivambho
Lokastatha apyahitamacharatiti chitram

Old age is standing threatening like a tigress,
Diseases are striking the body like enemies,
Life is leaking out like water from a broken pot,
Strangely, people keep doing unpleasant things.

दाक्षिण्यं विरूपामपि स्त्रियं भूषयति
सुरूपामपि अदाक्षिण्यं दूषयति । ४३४

Dakshinyam virupamapi striyam bhushayati
Surupamapi adakshinyam dushayati
Civility adds grace even to an ugly woman
Absence of civility takes away grace even from a beautiful person.

नष्टं द्रव्यं लभ्यते कष्टसाध्यम्
नष्टा विद्या लभ्यतेऽभ्यासयुक्ता
नष्टारोग्यं सूपचारैः सुसाध्यम्
नष्टा वेला या गता सा गतैव ४३

Nashtam dravyam labhyate kashtasadhyam
Nashta vidya labhyate abhyasayukta
Nashtarogyam supacharaih susadhyam
Nashta vela ya gata sa gataiva

Money lost can be regained through hard work
Knowledge lost can be regained through re-education
Health lost can be regained with proper care
Time lost is lost forever.


Tuesday 24 December 2019


कायः सन्निहितापायः सम्पदः पदमापदाम् ।
समागमाः सापगामः सर्वमुत्पादि भङ्गुरम् ॥ ४२६

Kayah sannihitapayah sampadah padamapadam
Samagamah sapagamah sarvamutpadi bhanguram

The body is subject to dangers, wealth is the abode of misfortunes
Union is linked to disunion, everything created is transient.

यथाश्व रथहीनास्तु रथो वाश्वैर्यथा विना ।
एवं तपोऽप्यविद्यस्य विद्यवाऽप्यतपस्विनः ॥ ४२

Yathashva rathahinastu ratho vashvairyatha vina |
Evam tapo apyavidyasya vidyava apyatapasvinah ||

Just like horses without chariot and chariot without horses are useless,
Knowledge and doers of penance are useless without each other.

न स्तुयादात्मनाऽऽत्मानं न परं परिवादयेत् ।
न सतोऽन्यगुणान् हिंस्यान्नासतः स्वस्य वर्णयेत् ॥ ४२८

Na stuyadatmana atmanam na param parivadayet
Na sato anyagunam himsyannasatah svasya varnayet

Do not indulge in self-praise nor condemn others.
Do not hide other’s qualities or talk of your qualities that do not exist.

यो हि दत्वा द्विपश्रेष्ठं कक्ष्यायां कुरुते मनः ।
रज्जुस्नेहेन किं तस्य त्यजतः कुञ्जरोत्तमम् ४२

Yo hi datva dvipashreshtam kakshayam kurute manah
Rajjusnehena kim tasya tyajatah kunjarottamam

If a person is gifting away his elephant but his heart
is set on the rope used for tying the elephant,
of what use is his attachment to the rope
when he is giving away the elephant itself.

ज्ञात्वा कथञ्चिदपि मर्म परस्य नीचः ।
क्लिश्नानि धीरमपि तीव्रतरैर्वचोभिः ॥ ४३०

Jnatva kathanchidapi marma parasya nichah
Klishnani dhiramapi tivratarairvachobhih

A wicked fellow finding out others’ secrets causes
pain even to a strong person with his words.


Friday 20 December 2019


सर्वो दण्डजितो लोको दुर्लभो हि शुचिर्नरः ।
दण्डस्य हि भयात्सर्वं जगद् भोगाय कल्पते ॥ ४२१

Sarvo dandajito loko durlabhe hi shuchirnarah
Dandasya hi bhayatsarvam jagad bhogaya kalpate

In this world, everyone is controlled by punishment. an upright man is hard to find. It is through fear of punishment that it is possible to enjoy in the world.

वित्तमेव कलौ नृणां जन्माचारगुणॊदयः
धर्मन्यायव्यवस्थायां कारणं बलमेव हि ४२२

Vittameva kalau nrunam janmacharagunodayah
Dharmanyayavyasthayam Karanam balameva hi

In Kaliyuga, money is what determines the quality of the family one is born in, one’s character and qualities. One’s Dharma, justness and status are determined by the strength of money.

कौशेयं कृमिजं सुवर्णमुपलाद् दूर्वापि गोरोमतः
पङ्कात्तामरसं शशाङ्क उदधेरिन्दीवरं गोमयात् ।
काष्ठादग्निरहेः फणादपि मणिर्गोपित्ततो रोचना
प्रकाश्यं स्वगुणोदयेन गुणिनो गच्छन्ति किं जन्मना ॥ ४२३

Kausheyam krumijam suvarnamupalad durvapi goromatah
Pankattamarasam shashanka udadhondivaram gomayat
Kashtthadagniraheh phanadapi manirgopittato rochana
Prakashyam svagunodayena gunino gachchanti kim janmana

Silk from worms, gold from ore(stones), bent grass from cow hair,
Lotus from clay, moon from the ocean, blue lotus from mud,
Rochana(pigment) from cow’s bile. Meritorious persons shine because
of their qualities, what do they have to do with where they were born?

प्रस्तुतस्य विरोधेन ग्राम्यस्सर्वोऽप्युपक्रमः ।
वीणायां वाद्यमानयां वेदोद्गारो न युज्यते ॥ ४२४

Prastutasya virodhena gramyassarvo apyupakramah
Vinayam vadyamanayam vedodgaro na yujyate

Anything going against what is in progress is not appropriate.
When the Veena is being played, recitation of Vedas is not right.

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥ ४२५

Yadyadcharati shrestthastattadevetaro janah
Sa yatpramanam kurute lokastadanuvartate

Whatever a great person does other people try to do
The standards he sets, the world follows.

Tuesday 10 December 2019


त्यजेत् क्षुधार्ता जननी स्वपुत्रम् खादेत् क्षुधार्ता भुजगी स्वमण्डम् ।
बुभिक्षितः किं न करोति पापं क्षीणा जना निष्करूणा भवन्ति ॥ ४१५

Tyajet kshudharta Janani svaputram khadet kshudharta bhujagi svamandam
Bubhikshitah kim na karoti papam kshina jana nishkaruna bhavanti

A starving mother will leave her own son, a starving snake will its own eggs.
What sins will not commit a starving being, weak persons become merciless.

नहि वैरिण वैराणि शाम्यन्तीह कदाचन ।
अवैरिणैव शाम्यन्ति एष धर्मः सनातन ॥ ४१६

Nahi vairina vairani shamyantiha kadachana
Avairinaiva shamyanti esha dharmah sanatana

Hatred can never be cooled down by hatred. Only through love,
that is, lack of hatred can hatred be cooled down, says ancient wisdom

अङ्गणवेदी वसुधा कुल्या जलधिः स्थली च पातालम् ।
वाल्मिकः च सुमेरुः कृतप्रतिज्ञस्य धीरस्य ॥ ४१

Anganavedi vasudha kulya jaladhih sthali cha patalam
Valmikah cha sumeruh krutapratijnasya dhirasya

Sumeru mountain is like an anthill for a brave and aware person

आशया ये कृता दासाः ते दासाः सर्वदेहिनाम् ।
आशा दासिकृता येन तस्य दासायते जगत् ॥ ४१८

Ashaya ye kruta dasah te dasah sarvadehinam
Asha dasikruta yena tasya dasayate jagat

Those who are slaves of desire are slaves of everyone.
One has enslaved desires can enslave the world.

जीवने अस्माकं कामाः च बहुलक्ष्यानि एव च |
ब्रह्माण्डे जीवनमिदं क्षणसम्मानमेव च |
लक्ष्यान् अनुधवन्तोवयं त्यजन्ते शान्तिसुखं |
नृपदरिद्रसर्वेभ्यो अन्तं एकं तत् मरणं || ४१

Jivanam asmakam kamah cha bahulakshyani eva cha |
Brahmande jivanamidam kshanasammanameva cha |
Lakshyan anudhavantovayam tyajante shantisukham |
Nrupadaridrasarvebhyao antam ekam tat maranam ||

In this life our ours desires are many. In this universe, our lives are merely
fleeting seconds. Chasing desires, we lose peace and happiness.
For kings and beggars, the end is the same, death.

अग्निः सूते यथा धूमं धूमः सूतेऽसितद्युतिम् ।
अन्यायोऽपयशः सूते तद्वत् क्लेशश्च किल्बिषम् ॥ ४२०

Agnih sute yatha dhumam dhumah sute asitadyutim
Anyayo apayashah sute tadvat kleshashcha kilbisham

Injustice produces ill-fame, similarly, suffering produces sin