Tuesday 30 June 2020


सुभाषितेन गीतेन युवतीनां च लीलाया ।
मनो न भिद्यते यस्य स वै मुक्तोऽथवा पशुः ॥ ६०६

Subhashitena gitena yuvatinam cha lilaya
Mano na bhidyate yasya sa vai mukto athava pashuh

A man who is not charmed by good words, music or playfulness
of young women is either a realized soul or an animal.

गृहवैद्यस्य विद्या न कस्मैचित्यति रोचते ॥ ६०७

Pratyaksha kavi kavyam cha rupam cha kulayoshitah
Gruhavaidyasya vidya na kasmaichityati rochate

Poetry of a poet nearby, beauty of one’s wife, medicine
prescribed by the doctor in the house are hardly appreciated.

अश्वः शस्त्रं शास्त्रं वीणा वाणी नरश्च नारी च ।
पुरुषविशेषं प्राप्ता भवन्त्ययोग्याश्च योग्याश्च ॥ ६०८

Ashvah shastram shastram vina vani narashcha nari cha
Purushavishesham prapta bhavantyayogyashcha yogyashcha

Horse, weapon, scriptures, Veena, speech, man and woman –
All of them get moulded good or bad as per company.

मृदूनप्यवमन्यन्ते तीक्ष्णादुद्विजते जनः ।
मा तीक्ष्णो मा मृदुर्भस्त्वं तीक्ष्णो भव मृदुर्भव ॥ ६०९

Mrudunapyavamanyante tikshnadudvijate janah
Ma tikshno ma mrudrbhastvam tikshno bhava mrudurbhava

If one is mild, one is disregarded. If fierce, people keep away.
Do not be mild, do not be fierce. Be both mild and fierce.

नह्यतो धर्मचरणं किञ्चिदस्ति महत्तरम् ।
यथा पितरि शुश्रूषा तस्य वा वचनक्रिया ॥ ६१०

Nahyato dharmacharanam kinchidasti mahattaram
Yatha pitari shushrusha tasya va vachanakriya

There is no greater act of virtue than obedience
to one’s father and carrying out his wishes.

Friday 26 June 2020


नीतिज्ञा नियतिज्ञा वेदज्ञा अपि भवन्ति शास्त्रज्ञाः ।
ब्रह्मज्ञा अपि लभ्याः स्वाज्ञानज्ञानिनो विरलाः ॥ ६० 

Nitijna niyatijna vedajna api bhavanti shastrajnah
Brahmajna api labhyah svajnanajnanino viralah

People who know the law, right conduct, vedas and even those who have realized Brahman are easy to find. Rare are those people who are aware of their own ignorance.

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ६०

shreyansvadharmo vigunah paradharmatsvanushthitat
svadharme nidhanam shreyah paradharmo bhayavahah

It is better to perform one’s prescribed duty, though with faults, than to perform another’s duty diligently. It is preferable to die in the discharge of one’s duty than to do another’s duty fraught with danger.

पाठमात्र हि ये विप्रा द्विपदाः पशवो हि ते ॥ ६०३

Upadesham patthasyeva naivarthajno asi tattvatah
Patthamatra hi ye vipra dvipadah pashavo hi te

You only read the instructions but do not understand the meaning.
Brahmins who only read are akin to two legged animals.

ते बर्हेणेव स्फुरितरुचिना गोपवेषस्य विष्णोः ॥ ६०

 Yena shyamam vapur atitaram kantim apatsyate
Te barhaneva sphuritaruchina gopaveshasya vishnoh

The cloud with the rainbow across its dark grey body
appears like Lord Krishna with a peacock feather on his head

सर्वासामेव शुद्धीनां मनःशुद्धिः प्रशस्यते ।
अन्यथाऽऽलिङ्ग्यतेऽपत्यमन्यथाऽऽलिङ्ग्यते पतिः ॥ ६०५

Sarvasameva shuddhinam manahshuddhih prashasyate
Anyatha alingyate apatyamanyatha alingyate patih

Of all purities, mental purity is rated the highest.
A child is embraced in one way and husband in another.

Sunday 21 June 2020


कर्पूरधूलि रचिताऽऽलवालः कस्तूरिकाकुङ्कुमलिप्तदेहः ।
सुवर्णकुम्भैः परिषिच्यमानो निजं गुणं मुञ्चति किं पलाण्डुः ॥ ५९६

Karpuradhooli rachita alavalah kasturikakumkumaliptadehah
Suvarnakumbhaih parishichyamano nijam gunam muchyati kim palanduh

With a pot made of camphor dust, its body coated with musk and kumkum,
water sprinkled from a golden vessel, will an onion grown there give up its pungent nature?

अर्थहीनोऽपि मधुरः शब्दो लोकप्रियङ्करः ।
वीणावेणुमृदङ्गादीन्यत्रोदाहराणि नः ॥ ५९७

Arthahino api madhurah shabdo lokapriyankarah
Vinavenumrudangadinyatrodaharani nah

A sweet sound even devoid of meaning appeals to people.
Veena, flute, mrudanga are examples of this.

अकृत्वा पर सन्तापं अगत्वा खल मन्दिरम् ।
साधोः मार्गं अनुसृत्य यत् स्वल्पं अपि तद् बहु ॥ ५९८

Akrutva para santapam agatva khala mandiram
Sadhu margam anusrutya yat svalpam api tad bahu

Not causing others distress, not visiting evil people,
following the paths of good men, even a little achieved is a lot.

न प्राणेन नापानेन मर्त्यो जीवति कश्चन
इतरेण तु जीवन्ति यस्मिन्नेतावुपाश्रितौ ॥ ५९९

Na pranena napanena martyo jivati kashchana
Itarena tu jivanti yasminnetavupashritau

Mortals do not live by breathing or by passing wind.
They live because of other things on which these are dependent.

ज्ञानाढ्यमलोकज्ञं कृपणं धनिनं दरिद्रमभाजितम् ।
गुणवन्तं श्रुतहीनं कस्मात्कृतवान् कृतान्तस्सः ॥ ६००

Jnanaddhyamalokajnam krupanam dhaninam daridramabhajitam
Gunavantam shrutahinam kasmatkrutavan krutantassah

Why did the creator make a learned one unworldly, a miser rich,
a high bred person poor, a good one devoid of learning?

Monday 15 June 2020


दुर्जनः सुजनीकर्तुं यत्नेनापि न शक्यन्ते ।
संस्कारेणापि लशुनं कः सुगन्धीकरिष्यति ॥ ५९

Durjanah sujanikartum yatnenapi na shakyante
Samskarenapi lashunam kah sugandhikarishyati

With all effort it is not possible to change an evil person into
a good one. Who can, even with refining, make garlic fragrant?

अहो धनुषि नैपुण्यं मन्मथस्य महात्मनः ।
शरीरमक्षतं कृत्वा भिनत्त्यन्तर्गतं मनः ॥ ५९२

Aho! Dhanushi naipunyam manmathasya mahatmanah
Shareeramakshatam krutva bhinattyantargatam manah

Behold the skill of the great bowman, Manmatha.
Without injuring the body, he breaks the heart within.

हे जिह्वे कटुकस्नेहे मधुरं किं भाषसे ।
मधुरं वद कल्याणि लोकोऽयं मधुरप्रियः ॥ ५९३

He jihve katukasnehe madhuram kim na bhashase
Madhuram vada Kalyani loko ayam madhurapriyah

O Tongue, fond of bitter things, why don’t you utter sweet words?
Speak sweetly, auspicious one! This world loves sweet things.

शौर्यमदो भुजदर्शी रूपमदौ दर्पणदिदर्शी च ।
काममदः स्त्रीदर्शी विभवमदश्चैव जात्यन्धः ॥ ५९४

Shauryamado bhujadarshi rupamado darpanadarshi cha
Kamamadah stridarshi vibhavamadashchaiva jatyandhah

A man intoxicated, with bravery looks at his shoulders, with beauty looks at mirrors, with desire looks at women but the one intoxicated with wealth is born blind.

न कल्पमपि कृष्णेन लोकद्वयविरोधिना ॥ ५९५

Muhurthamapi jeeveta narah shuklena karmana
Na kalpamapi krushnena lokadvayavirodhena

Better to live just for a moment doing good work than live
for epochs doing evil deeds that are against both worlds.

Wednesday 10 June 2020


हीनाङ्गानतिरिक्ताङ्गान्विद्याहीनान्वयोऽधिकान् ।
रूपद्रव्यविहिनांश्च जातिहीनांश्च नाक्षिपेत् ॥ ५८६

Hinangantiriktanganvidyahinanvayo adhikan
Rupadravyavihinamshcha jatihinamshcha nakshipet

Do not insult ones without or with deformed limbs, uneducated,
elderly, those without beauty or wealth and the low born.

भोगाय पामराणां योगाय विवेकिनां शरीरमिदम् ।
भोगाय च योगाय च न कल्पते दुर्विदग्धानाम् ॥ ५८७

Bhogaya pamaranam yogaya vivekinam shariramidam
Bhogaya cha yogaya cha ba kalpate durvidgdhanam

This body is for enjoyment for common men, for salvation for wise men. Neither for enjoyment nor for salvation is the body for those who have lost their minds.

अपूर्वः कोऽपि कोपाग्निः सज्जनस्य खलस्य च ।
एकस्य शाम्यते स्नेहाद्वर्धतेऽन्यस्य तारितः ॥ ५८८

Apurvah ko api kopagnih sajjanasya khalasya cha
Ekasya shamyate snehatdvardhate anysya taritah

Unusual is the anger of a good person and that of the wicked person. A good
person’s anger comes down with friendliness whereas the wicked one’s increases.

प्रारभ्यते न खलु विघ्नभयेन नीचैः प्रारभ्य विघ्नविहिता विरमन्ति मध्याः ।
विघ्नैः पुनः पुनरपि प्रतिहन्यमानाः प्रारब्धमुत्तमगुणा न परित्यजन्ति ॥ ५८९

Prarabhyate na khalu vighnabhayena nichaih prarabhya vighnavihita viramanti madhyah
Vighnaih punah punarapi pratihanyamanah prarabdhamuttamaguna na parityajanti

People of low calibre do not start any activity fearing obstacles, people of middle calibre start but stop when faced with obstacles, people of high calibre never give up even when faced with obstacles time and time again.

प्राप्तानापि नो लभते भोगन्भोक्तुं स्वकर्मभिः कृपणः ।
द्राक्षाप्रपाक समये मुखपाको भवति काकानाम् ॥ ५९०

Praptanapi no labhate bhoganbhoktum svakarmabhih krupanah
Drakshaprapaka samaya mukhapako bhavati kakanam

Even after acquiring wealth, a miser is not able to enjoy it due to his miserliness. At the time when grapes are ripe, eager crows develop inflammation of the mouth.