Webinar: Success Management: Indian perspective from Mahabharata, Panchatantra, Chanakya and others.

Success Management: Indian perspective from Mahabharata, Panchatantra, Chanakya and others.

Come join me on Dec 11, in a webinar on Sanskrit wisdom on business and leadership!

Prior registration is required.

India has been a highly flourishing civilization for at least 3-5 thousand years, if not more. Material prosperity doesn’t come only from spirituality. A vast realm of Indian wisdom is untapped by modern thinkers and those in the making for the future.

In this short introductory series of four 1-hour sessions, we cover some ideas about economy, business, wealth, leadership, human motivations and mind as found in various popular Sanskrit works, which may not be very well known outside the Sanskrit circles. Guaranteed with informative and interesting tidbits as well as deep thought provoking wisdom, and viewpoints that you may not have thought at all.

Along with Language Curry, I am giving a webinar of 4 one-hour sessions over two weekends. 

Duration: 4 one-hour sessions.

When: Sat/Sun Dec 11 & 12, 18 & 19    at 8 PM

Registration: Required.

Medium of instruction: English

For further details and registration, please see Registration page at Language Curry.

Click on "Login to Enroll"

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Medium of instruction - English

In this short introductory session of four hours, we cover some ideas about economy, business, wealth, leadership, human motivations and mind as found in various popular Sanskrit works, which may not be very well known outside the Sanskrit circles.

What is the Indian take on wealth, prosperity, economy, commerce, hard work, industry, leadership, managers, tax, learning and earning? What are the identified qualities of a wise and successful person?

Session 1:

Introduction to the aspects of Indian literature and thoughts around the topic of management, leadership, wealth and attitude towards life. It will open with some tasty samplers from various works. It will kick off with a 10-step ladder that creates a comfortable and prosperous society by creating good leaders - something modern management and leadership gurus and psychologists also grapple with. It beautifully sums up the vision and mission of any economic project and policy.

Session 2:

Mahabharata is considered the greatest epic of the world. A treasure chest of ideas and information about its time, and perennial wisdom. The greatest empire of its time and Vidura is the prime minister and one of the wisest of its characters. This session will cover many ideas from Vidura regarding administration, management, leadership, projects, long term planning and the qualities of the wise and the fool.

Session 3:

Everyone has read the animal stories of Panchatantra and Hitopadesha, thanks to Amar Chitra Katha. This session will provide a peek into the real work, which is way beyond the kids comics, but meant for future pillars of administration and government. The street smart wisdom for managers, leaders, employees alike! We will see how Indian wisdom has treated the concepts of wealth, prosperity, earning, use or lack of it, business, entrepreneurship, hard work, tax, giving, happy and unhappy boss, knowledge and application, networking and planning.

Session 4:

We will look at various Sanskrit maxims or pithy sayings that have a deep impact on modern work ethics and attitude to life and leadership.

Opium eater and the boatman; position and responsibility; Slithering lizard and Ghajani; Arundhati star in leadership; Perched eagle; Of bees, flowers and grass; Threshold lamp; Planting a mango tree; Water wheel; Crow spoils the curd and many more maxims and how they apply to workplace and life.

For further details and registration, please see Registration page at Language Curry.

Click on "Login to Enroll"

(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

https://PracticalSanskrit.com/

https://facebook.com/PracticalSanskrit  

It is not what you say, but how you say it

Our conduct tells our upbringing, our speech tells our region, 

The company we keep tells our affections and health of our body tells about our diet.

आचारः कुलमाख्याति देशमाख्याति भाषणम् ।

सम्भ्रमः स्नेहमाख्याति वपुराख्याति भोजनम् ॥

āchāraḥ kulamākhyāti deśhamākhyāti bhāṣhaṇam |

sambhramaḥ snehamākhyāti vapurākhyāti bhojanam ||

[Chāṇakya-nīti-darpaṇa]

Conduct tells upbringing, speech tells region, 

Company tells affections, body tells diet.

It is not what you say, but how you say it

Conduct tells upon our upbringing.

There are times when we meet someone, man or woman, boy or girl, that just bowls us over with their perfect mannerism, due respect and humility. And we feel so good that still there are people who groom their kids well. We attribute it rightly to their parents and early upbringing - of good 'breeding' or upbringing. And same for the opposite behavior as well. "Is that what your mom taught you?" - would be a scolding misbehaving kids receive. And the same retort comes from youth/kids when they yell back - "You are not my mom (or dad)."

Our behavior betrays our upbringing. Or to say it positively, our behavior shines, tells upon our upbringing. The values of our family, our family traditions.

Speech/accent tells where one is from.

Language tells us from where some one comes. Even within the same language, accent tells more precisely where one was brought up. Within the small island of England, there are so many accents, and people can differentiate each one clearly! A vast country like India has so many accents, that a lot of them developed in their own language! Every 30 km of so, the accent changes out in the country.

There was once a multi-lingual person who cam to the court of Emperor Kṛiṣhṇadeva Rāi and challenged the court if anyone could tell his mother tongue. He spoke many languages flawlessly. None of the experts could figure it out. Tenālī Rāman, the wise, asked for a day or two to get to the answer. At night, the guest was put up in the royal guest house, feasting sumptuous dinner and sleeping on some of the most comfortable, soft beds ever. In the early hours of the morning, around 3 am, Tenālī had his attendant throw a bucket of cold water on him. Rudely woken up, the erudite guest some very choice words to yell, which he won't have wanted his high cultured parents to hear. The next day in the morning, when the court was set up, Tenālī Rāman could tell the guest's mother tongue easily. The surprised guest asked how did he figure this out. Tenālī said, "No matter how learned one is, in the time of distress or urgency, one reverts back to using mother tongue only!"

Our language, the accent tells about where we grew up.
And, it is not (only) what you say, but how you say it (that matters)!

Hanging out together tells of our affections/liking.

We usually hang around to pass free time, and there we usually have freedom to choose. We may not be able to choose our co-workers, boss, teacher in class, co-passenger in the local train etc, but we have full freedom in picking who we want to hang out with.

sam-bhramaḥ, moving about together, birds of the same flock. It tells our affinities, our liking.

The dictionary meaning of sambhrama also include respect and reverence. How and how much we respect someone, also tells about how we relate to them. Is it formal respect, informal friendly care, fake formal going-through-the-motions respect?

(Health of our) Body tells upon our diet/food.

The food we eat affects our body. While exercise shapes our body, it is the food that makes it. Literally. Every cell of the body is a result of us eating food. But, eating junk food affects the body in a certain way, obesity, reduced immunity and many other issues. How well is a body, tells us if the person eats healthy or not. We are what we eat.

There are three types. Types of food, people, giving, guṇa-s - sattva, rajas, tamas. Sāttvika food is that which gives great health, easy to digest, freshly prepared. It is eaten by people who think of the long term goodness of health over the short term goodness of taste. Rājasika food has both the quality and the presentation & taste to be good. The stress is also on taste and presentation, not just long term health. Tāmasika food has more to do with the act of eating, sometimes even the taste maybe forsaken just for the fact of eating. The food doesn't have to be fresh, well presented or anything. This is how fridges are cleaned up sometimes - Oh, I don't know how old this is, but I can't throw it. Let me finish it by putting it in my temple like pious body!

After thought.

So what may have been the reason for Chāṇakya to include this wisdom verse in his collection? Which one of these very different examples was his main concern?

Remember, he was a statesman. But he was well traveled. From Pātalīputra (modern Patnā) in eastern India to Takṣhashilā (Taxila) in modern Pakistan, a full 1654 km, was known to him like the back of his hand. (Google doesn't show a driving direction since it crosses international border, so had to choose walking route below!) He was also at a time when attacks on India were happening on the Western border, specially from the Greeks. He is credited for thwarting the attack by Alexander, and consolidating the kings into an empire. There was a lot of espionage involved, identifying foreigners, spies etc. So while telling this point about accent, he may also have added 3 more. It is like Buy one, get 3 free offer.

And now the language part:

आचारः āchāraḥ = conduct, behavior, manners

कुलमाख्याति kulamākhyāti  = kulam + ākhyāti = lineage/family + tells (ākhyāna = narration, a tale, famous story) 

देशमाख्याति deśhamākhyāti = deśham + ākhyāti = region/country + tells 

भाषणम् bhāṣhaṇam = speech, utterance, manner of talking.

Here, one may have the question that, since deśham and bhāṣhaṇam both are in dvitīyā vibhakti, which tells which? In this particular case, it is easier, because deśha in nominative case (prathamā) is deshaḥ, so we know this has to be accusative case. Hence, the other has to be kartā/prathamā/nominative. 

So, bhāṣhaṇam tells deśham. In case the word was phalam (fruit), in this case the words are same in their kartā and karma forms (nominative and accusative forms). Then, if common sense clarifies the doubt, good. For example, certain fruits are native only to certain region, so fruit tells the region. In cases when this doubt can't be cleared via common sense, the writer of the shloka should use some other unambiguous words. 

सम्भ्रमः sambhramaḥ = sam = together, bhrama = to move about. bhramaṇam = wandering, touring. 

स्नेहमाख्याति snehamākhyāti = sneham + ākhyāti = affection, tells 

वपुराख्याति vapurākhyāti = vapuḥ + ākhyāti = body, tells

भोजनम् bhojanam = food

(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

https://PracticalSanskrit.com/

https://facebook.com/PracticalSanskrit  

Take it easy. No one is perfect.

Take it easy. No one is perfect.
Focus on what you have, not on what you don’t have or could have.


कस्य दोषः कुले नास्ति व्याधिना को न पीडितः ।
व्यसनं केन न प्राप्तं कस्य सौख्यं निरन्तरम् ॥
= kasya doṣhaḥ kule nāsti vyādhinā ko na pīḍitaḥ |
vyasanaṃ kena na prāptaṃ kasya saukhyaṃ nirantaram || (IAST)
= kasya doShaH kule nAsti vyAdhinA ko na pIDitaH |
vyasanaM kena na prAptaM kasya saukhyaM nirantaram || (ITRANS)


Whose family doesn’t have faults? Who is never afflicted with disease?
Who has not got troubles? Whose happiness has been eternal?


The meaning of this shloka is pretty much straight forward. The main point is, everyone has troubles, no one is perfect, so don’t brood over faults, defects, shortcomings; focus on what can be done, achieved; what you have, rather than what you could have!


Remember Chanakya was a very practical person, so in every one of his utterances, there is an element of practical wisdom, urging to get up and achieve, be careful in the world of ambitions.





And now the language aspects -


kasya doṣhaḥ kule nāsti
vyādhinā ko na pīḍitaḥ |
vyasanaṃ kena na prāptaṃ
kasya saukhyaṃ nirantaram ||

After sandhi vichchheda and anvaya (rearranging) becomes:

kasya kule doṣhaḥ na asti
kaḥ na vyādhinā pīḍitaḥ |
vyasanaṃ kena na prāptaṃ
kasya saukhyaṃ nirantaram ||

kasya = whose? kaḥ/kā/kim = who (m/f/n)
kule = in (extended) family. kulam = family lineage
doṣhaḥ = doShaH = defect, abnormality, fault, bad quality
nāsti = nAsti = na asti = not is

vyādhinā = vyAdhinA = by disease (vyAdhi)
kaḥ = kaH = who
na = not
pīḍitaḥ = pIDitaH = afflicted, stricken by

vyasanaṃ = vyasanaM = bad time, trouble
kena = by whom
na = not
prāptaṃ = prAptaM = obtained

kasya = whose
saukhyaṃ = saukhyaM = happiness. sukha -> saukhyam
nirantaram = without gap, continuous, nir/niH/nis + antaram





(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

https://PracticalSanskrit.com/

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Give your best, be of some worth - अलसस्य कुतो विद्या

No effort

then,  No knowledge

then,  No money

then,  No friend

then,  No joy :(

अलसस्य कुतो विद्या अविद्यस्य कुतो धनम् ।

अधनस्य कुतो मित्रं अमित्रस्य कुतः सुखम् ॥

alasasya kuto vidyā, avidyasya kuto dhanam |

adhanasya kuto mitram, amitrasya kutaḥ sukham || (IAST)

alasasya kuto vidyA, avidyasya kuto dhanam |

adhanasya kuto mitram, amitrasya kutaH sukham || (ITRANS)

This is a very popular shloka, subhāṣhita (सुभाषित, subhAShita, well saying), which is misunderstood often. And the main objection seems to be coming from the rather crass assumption that 'no money, then no friends.' Is friendship supposed to be so shallow? This is not ancient Indian outlook; it is supposed to be all spiritual, goody-goody, well wishing for the world kind of 'mush'.

But, one forgets two things here. One, India has been the richest civilization in the world for the longest time. And you can't build civilizations, or corporations only on spirituality. Just like you cannot have a body without proper material care of it like food, medicine, exercise etc. Empires are not built on abstract spirituality. They can be guided by it, but not only by it.

Second, Sanskrit literature is not only about spirituality. Agreed, it is the most stressed topic, and most different from other civilizations, so the 'special' factor is there, which gets more media coverage, so to speak.

When confronted with sayings like this, how should we interpret it? Or should we just trash it?

Let us ponder upon a few aspects of interpretation like context (who said to whom under what conditions) and main point of the saying, the cause and effect chain and the differentiation between theory and reality.

Effort.
If you do not put effort, you cannot learn anything. And we are not talking about just bookish knowledge in a classroom with uniform and laboratories. Even to be a great painter, machinist, miner, athlete, dancer, car mechanic or what have you, you need to put effort in learning the 'trade'.

Look at a baby. It knows nothing at birth, except wailing. In two years, it has learned more than it will ever learn in a lifetime (proportionately). By age 2, it can stand, run, climb, eat, grasp, talk, make 10 different faces, focus eyes to see, figure out where a sound comes from, and some can even operate an iPad. If a baby were not to put effort, mommy will have to carry him/her around forever!

So, you must put enough effort. What area? What job you will get? That is all secondary. But whatever you choose, put in all you can.

Knowledge.
If you go for a job, any kind, permanent or temporary, Fortune 500 or mom-and-pop shop, housekeeping at a motel or a school teacher, the first question that is on the employer's mind is - 'What do you know? What can you do?'

Some are programmers, some technicians, some policy makers, some negotiators, some campaign managers, some maids, some plumbers, some doctors, some drivers - list is endless. But they all are supposed to know their job.

'Knowledge is power' is not over-stated. It indeed is.

Money.
Many good-hearted people get an uneasy feeling upon hearing the word money. Money is not important mostly to those who have already acquired enough, at least to cover the basic needs and wants of life. After eating, most people do not feel hungry. But that does not make food unimportant!

Other times, it has got an ill-repute. We think of scandals and corruptions, Occupy Wall Street and $1.6 trillion annually spent on military expenses by the world. Yes, that is $1.6 trillion. Imagine if it was used for development, all economic problems of the world can be solved!

Now, the last thought is the crux. Money is not good, bad or ugly. What you do with it, is. Money is a social contract, promise to pay the bearer in kind. You take money and can buy bread, milk or a gun. The barter system was not scalable for growing economies even as back as 5000 years back!

The highly revered Vishnu and Lakshmi both are divinity of preservation, sustenance and wealth and prosperity. How could resources, things, be bad? But the use can be. As a race, we now produce enough food to feed the whole earth, but still so many go hungry and die.

Friends.
Now comes the sticky part. How can we say that "No money? No friends!"

When do you make friends? In childhood, when you did not earn or have money; mind was less complicated without far reaching evil plans. You enjoyed someone's company and you were friends. The second time you made friends was as grown-ups when you had something in common - job, hobby, apartment complex, gym, yoga studio, friends etc.

But we make friends among equals. A very rich person (compared to us) did not make us their friend. Nor did we stoop down four economic levels below to make a friend.

But if you look at it, it says 'the poor does not make friends.' Poor is relative. Sure, poor people have friends. But they too are poor, so relatively they are peers, not poors. You may have made a friend in good times, and now you are having a bad time, friends will help. If you slip too much down, and if it is because you are lazy and unqualified, chances are even friends will start leaving you, or replace friendship with charity.

Friends may be with you in your poor times, but you will not make new, richer friends.

Happiness.
This should not need any explanation at all. We all want friends. To talk and share life experiences. That is why we date, marry, join clubs and societies, throw parties etc. That is the real reason for success of Facebook as well.


So, what is the context and who said it?
This is from Chāṇakya Nīti, and Chāṇakya was not interested in mushy spirituality. He was a statesman, economist, administrator first; and had real job to do, real problems to face - of human incompetency, jealousy, animosity, laziness etc. as part of his job.

What is the main point?
Put effort; be of some worth to the society. Only then will society want to give you a share of the pie.
Without pie, no party; without party, no friends.



And now the language aspects -

alasasya = of the lazy;
kuto = kutaḥ = where?
vidyā = knowledge (of anything);

avidyasya = of the un-knowledgeable;
kuto = kutaḥ = where?
dhanam = money, wealth;

adhanasya = of the poor;
kuto = kutaḥ = where?
mitram = friend;

amitrasya = of the without-friend;
kutaḥ = where;
sukham = happiness?


-sya suffix in the words indicates (of)




(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

https://PracticalSanskrit.com/

https://facebook.com/PracticalSanskrit  

Who really cares for you? the bonds of affection - bandhuH

We all seek friendship, companionship, company, support system. That is what humans are - social animals. Many words of wisdom abound on the importance of having a genuine friend circle, social status, useful connections. Warnings against keeping false friends or making company of people with bad habits or ill intentions are seen everywhere.

In this little gem of a shloka by chANakya चाणक्य, which has been liberally quoted by many, including hitopadesha हितोपदेशः , we see a compass, a guiding principle, a measuring stick if you will, of who is a good 'relative', bandhu बन्धु, one is bound to us with affection and concern.

As we saw in an earlier post, there are many criteria of considering someone a father, a father-figure. Not just by birth, but a giver of daughter, food, life, fearlessness, knowledge etc are all considered as father-like.

Similarly, relatives or people 'connected' to you, bound to you with affection are not just those by blood relation. Usually it is the other way around. But, just like for father, let us see the attributes of a 'relative'. That is what bandhuH बन्धुः and bAndhavaH बान्धवः means. Or in other words, a kinsman, relative is not just by blood, but by their support to and concern for us.



Ature vyasane prApte, durbhikShe shatru-sa~NkaTe |
rAja-dwAre shmashAne cha yas_tiShThati sa bAndhavaH ||

आतुरे व्यसने प्राप्ते, दुर्भिक्षे शत्रुसंकटे ।
राजद्वारे श्मशाने च यस्तिष्ठति स बान्धवः ॥

āture vyasane prāpte, durbhikṣe śatrusaṅkaṭe ।
rājadvāre śmaśāne ca yastiṣṭhati sa bāndhavaḥ ॥

In sickness, misfortune, famine, danger from enemy,
royal appearance, and mortality one who stands by [you] is [really] a relative.


In times of disease or sickness (aature)
When we are sick with mental concerns or physical disease, who helps us? Do they make fun of us, make excuses to not help, avoid us? Call us names behind our back? Or do they help us to the extent of even taking time off from work to see our immediate needs are met? Are they at least understanding of us? Do they have patience for our troubles? This is first sign of someone you can call a relative, someone you can rely upon. Someone you can have on the speed dial!

In times of troubles (vyasane prApte)
Then there are times of trouble, not necessarily of sickness, but other kinds of disaster or misfortune. Like the day when our socks don't match or there is a run in the stockings! Jokes apart, it could be a financial crisis, accident, losing a job, robbery anything. It could be when you run out of salt and dash to the neighbor for a spoonful of salt for cooking the dinner. Or when you miss the last connecting flight and don't have a hotel reservation for the night! I am sure, you can think of much better examples from your own life. We all have our favorites.

In times of famine (durbhikShe)
Famine may seem such a thing of the past today in urban settings when grocery stores and WalMarts are open round the clock. Where does one see a famine anymore? Well, as recent as 1943 there was one of the biggest famine of recorded history, the Bengal famine, caused in a big way by the imperial Britain! The death toll from that famine was more than that of the two World Wars and Partition of India combined! And there is one going on right now (July 2011) in Eastern Africa. For history of famine see Wiki link for famine. In the pre-industrial era famine was not that uncommon, since food could not be transported so easily.

But when there is scarcity of food, one who shares his food, helps you survive the hard times is a bandhu. If money can help, then by lending or giving money, or if money can't buy then by giving actual food. There was a time when people used to store a year's worth of grain (rice or wheat). Today they store a month's worth bought in van-loads from Sam's club and stored in mega refrigerators. In case of famine or acute shortage in the market, one may dip in the reserves and help a friend.

In times of enemy danger/national disaster
There are at least two versions of the shloka. One by chANakya चाणक्य says enemy-danger, the others quoted use rAShTra-viplave (national disaster, state of emergency) राष्ट्र-विप्लवे .

So we have seen mental anxiety or physical sickness, affliction; crisis times; and shortage of resources and food. Enemy danger can be from an individual physical assault on the street to attack from enemy elements of the society or country. A terrorist attack or a war (proxy or not) would be considered as national disaster. Or a tsunami, earthquake or nuclear reactor disaster in Japan. And we have seen how the Japanese people helped each other, in stark contrast of Hurricane Katarina!

In India of chANakya चाणक्य, the times were of many external attacks. Alexander was coming from Greece. He may have been the first but certainly not the last. The traditional notion of keeping the war and battle away from civilians was also being challenged with foreign norms of 'Everything is fair in war' coming in. Causing civil unrest was becoming acceptable strategy to put extra pressure on the enemy. This maybe a reason why we find mention of this as an exceptable practice by chANakya his monumental work artha-shAstra अर्थशास्त्र. People have called chANakya shrewd and merciless in his political tactics. I think, having seen the new waves of indiscriminate war tactics, he had to harden his stand. His hard stands are only towards enemy of the state - internal criminals, cheaters and tax-evaders or external invaders.

In times of royal summon
There were times when people had to approach the king or were summoned by him. Today's equivalent would be a court summon, government directive or when one wants to approach the government for some cause, help etc. Very much like the era of kings, even today it helps to know people in the great bureaucratic machinery.There is even a Sanskrit maxim to the effect that even the weak can stop the strong when they [the weak] are protected by the king, as in case of border officer.

If the court of the law or the king has summoned you, who stands by you? To give a character witness, or use his connections to protect you? Today many people don't even want to get in 'police hassle' and would avoid it, forget about coming to help you. In such difficult times, one who stands by you, supporting you, is indeed your kinsman!

In times of death
There is no dearth of friends in good times! If you are in India, advertisements of Kingfisher alcohol claim to bring in good times, with many to share it. But who is there for us in bad times? As bad as death. Who stands by us in the cremation ground when there is a death in the family? Or even when the ceremony is for our own departure?

When someone is standing by us, supporting us in sickness or disaster or shortage of resources or attack from enemies, court summons or in times of death, that person is indeed worthy to be called a kinsman, a relative, related by concern if not blood.


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And now the language aspects -

Ature = आतुरे = in sickness
AturaH = sickness, affliction, one who is anxious.
-e ending makes it in [the event of] sickness

vyasane prApte = व्यसने प्राप्ते = in [times of] getting misfortune
vyasana = misfortune. bad habits.
prApta = gotten
prApte -e ending makes it 'in' misfortune

durbhikShe = दुर्भिक्षे = in famine

shatru-sa~NkaTe = शत्रुसंकटे = in times of danger from enemies
shatru = enemy
sa~Nkata = danger, crisis
hanumAn is called sa~NkaTa-mochana - one who frees from danger and troubles.

rAja-dwAre = राजद्वारे = at the royal gates
rAja = royal, when used as in compounded words, like rAja-mahala (royal palace) rAjapatha (royal road, highway)
dwAra = door, gate.
here it means when one has to appear before the court, king.

shmashAne = श्मशाने = in the cemetery, cremation ground.

cha = च = and

yas_tiShThati = यस्तिष्ठति = yaH tiShThati = who stands [by]
yaH = [one] who
tiShThati = stands [by you]

sa = स = saH = he
the visarga disappeared due to sandhi rules

bAndhavaH = बान्धवः = literally one tied, bound due to attachment and affection. a kinsman, relative




(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Divine in Self - पुष्पे गन्धं तिले तैलं

पुष्पे गन्धं तिले तैलं काष्ठेऽग्निः पयसि घृतम् |

इक्षौ गुडं तथा देहे पश्यात्मानं विवेकतः ||

puShpe gandham tile tailam kAShThe'gnim payasi ghRitam |

ikShau guDam tathA dehe pashyAtmAnam vivekataH ||

[As] fragrance in flower, oil in sesame seeds, fire in wood (araNi wood), ghee (fat) in milk, sugar in sugarcane, so see the Supreme Divine in the body by the power of discrimination.

In this self-obvious shloka from chANakya, we see a way of guestimating the Divine. The one that is by definition beyond perception, is hinted here.

We can't see the fragrance of the flower, but can smell it. Similarly, we can't see the divine, but can see its effects.

The oil of the seeds is not obvious till you press them very hard.

The fire in wood is a very popular way of indicating the divine in us. This refers specially to the fire-sticks, called araNi wood, which when rubbed vigorously produce fire. This is how it is still done in 'real' camp trips!

The ghee or fat in milk is also not obvious till you boil it and churn it.

The sugar crystals we eat or the brown sugar (jaggery or guDa in India) is not so obviously in the sugar cane until we squeeze it out and process it.

Similarly, the Divine exists in us, enabling us to do all the things we do so effortlessly like breathing, thinking, or expressing ourselves through art or making new discoveries through science.

This is no angry old man, but a subtle principle, concept that can only be hinted at

A slightly different version goes -

पुष्पे गन्धं तिले तैलं काष्ठे वह्निः पयोघृतम् |

puShpe gandham tile tailam kAShThe vahniH payo-ghRitam |

 

This seems to be a later copy of the original.

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and now the language aspects of the shloka -

पुष्पे pushpe = in the flower (puShpam)
गन्धं gandham = fragrance

तिले tilE = in the sesame (tila) seeds
तैलं tailam = oil

काष्ठे kAShThe = in the wood (kAShTha)
अग्निः agniH = fire

पयसि payasi = in milk (payas)
घृतम् payo-ghRitam = ghee (ghRitam) of milk (payaH)

इक्षौ ikShau = in sugar cane
गुडं guDam = jaggery, brown sugar, sugar (guDa is the first stage of preparation)

तथा tathA = similarly, so is

देहे dehe = in the body (deha)
पश्यात्मानं pashyAtmAnam = see (pashya) the Self/Divine (AtmAnam)

विवेकतः vivekataH = by discrimination (viveka)
This discrimination is the discriminating faculty to realize the good from bad, truth from untruth etc.





(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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We are what we eat - दीपो भक्षयते ध्वान्तं

दीपो भक्षयते ध्वान्तं कज्जलं च प्रसूयते |
यदन्नं भक्षयेन्नित्यं जायते तादृशी प्रजा ||

dIpo bhakShayate dhvAntam kajjalam cha prasUyate |
yadannam bhakShayennityam jAyate tAdRishI prajA ||

Lamp eats darkness and produces [black] soot!
What food (quality) [one] eats daily, so will [one] produce.

This shloka is a simple one, appearing in "vRiddha-chANakya" (वृद्ध-चाणक्य), but it has deeper implications.

The lamp eats away the darkness. Light has always been a metaphor for good, and a lamp that of a person who does good even if it burns inside and causes its own extinction!

Taking this simple observation of every day life, the poet - yes, even prose in Sanskrit is poetic, for no writings are without metaphors and a second layer of vision, that is so essential to being a poet - picks up the other side of this example.

Chanakya (chANakya, चाणक्य), the wise and shrewd statesman of emperor Chandragupta (चन्द्रगुप्त) may not evoke an image of a poet in anyone, but that is because the English word poet is limited, and the Sanskrit word kavi (कवि) has been restricted in use to mean simply, 'word rhyming'. A kavi is one who has vision, s/he is a seer, feels and thinks beyond just the words!

चाणक्य says that a lamp 'eats' darkness. Figuratively we all know. But even literally, for the effect of eating away the darkness the result is that a black soot is what remains when it dies out.

We are what we eat
Similarly, he says, the food we eat affects our seeds directly, both men and women. Modern medicine has been doing clinical studies and they agree on how diet can impact fertility. Marketing, hype, economics of huge corporations and market segments may not allow simple truths to reach the public, but sometimes they do trickle down.

For long, among the young men, there has been a fashion of tight undergarments. A clinical correlation was established among many men with low fertility and their tight undergarments. It is simply biology, nothing else.

Similarly, food intake directly affects our body. After all, exercise doesn't make the body, food makes the body. Exercise shapes the body, not make it. While the fact that food impacts our own body directly is well understood, (whether implemented or not), the fact that our food and other intake may impact our next generation directly may not be so clear. There is enough evidence now that they are related, and intake of tAmasika (तामसिक, impure, unhygienic and negative) food, tobacco, alcohol can effect the quality of the reproductive cells.

We are what we do repeatedly
There is a third level of inference from here, which is metaphoric, which I think चाणक्य may have surely meant. If not, then I present this as my inferred interpretation as a poet. The critical term here is 'birth' hinted in all words - prasUyate, jAyate, prajA etc. One thing is the physical effects on the physical birth of children after impacting our physical body negatively through bad physical food.


The other is the mental food. What values we nibble for breakfast, eat for lunch and savor for dinner, what we imbibe, what we do everyday, what our children see us doing everyday, is what is going to be their mental food and making their character and value system. And the makeup and shape-up of the mind is equally important as the body, for worse than a strong mind in a weak body is a weak mind in a strong body. The latter can do much harm if gone out of control.

There is a famous saying 'yathA rAjA, tathA prajA', which means 'as the king, so the subjects' and in English it is called 'Like father, like son'. See again the change of king-subject to father-son. These are related.

The king, the leader is to his subjects like a father is to his children. He takes care of the food (physical needs) and character (value needs) through good effort and policies. You can see this in society or at home. It is just a matter of difference in scale.

Care with examples
This shloka also points out one more thing. Writer should take care to give appropriate example and reader should take care to interpret an example appropriately. There could be many readers jumping up and down for defaming the great lamp, the symbol of light, sacrifice and all. Some political parties may even call for national strike or street protests in India. And indeed lamp is such a symbol, we light it at any function as a symbol of enlightenment and all things positive.

In this sense, the writer, चाणक्य did not pick a good example. His example can be misinterpreted, misconstrued, and give the listener a reason to 'dismiss' the statement.

But here is the caution to the reader. When someone gives an example, and there are many facets to it, please don't debate on other aspects. Don't do ku-tarka (false logic) and try to 'defeat' the point. Debates get biased and are a win-lose situation. Discussions are productive. So, see only that aspect of an example that the writer wishes to bring in. Here e.g. he says the lamp begets the ill results of its ill-diet, then one should not say , "But look, what a sacrifice." The sacrifice of the lamp is not being questioned or brought in for discussion.

Here, the lamp eating darkness, hence producing dark soot is a different angle of the same physical phenomenon, and चाणक्य should be commended for this. Of course, he was not a big fan of being politically correct. Diplomacy was another thing.

So,
Eat good, keep the body and generations healthy.
Be good, keep the mind and generations healthy.
Do good, keep the society and generations healthy.

---

Did you notice that the word Chanakya (chANakya, चाणक्य ) appears only once in roman character? After that only appears as devanAgarI (देवनागरी). A small experiment in Sanskrit script and how fully are people reading the posts!

and now the language aspects of the shloka -

dIpo = dIpaH = lamp
-aH become -o due to sandhi rules

bhakShayate = eats

dhvAntam = darkness

kajjalam = black soot (also the kohl to be applied to eyes)

cha = and

prasUyate = begets, gives birth to, brings forth
prasUtA = a woman who has just given birth (still in the maternity section!)

yadannam = yat + annam = what/that food
yat = that which
annam = grain, cereal, food
yat-tat pair to indicate what you sow, so you reap.

bhakShayennityam = bhakShayet + nityam = [one] eats daily

jAyate = gives birth, begets

tAdRishI = tA + dRishI = that kind/type/like

prajA = people, children, citizens of a nation.
prajanan = giving birth.
prajA is the result of prajanan. in yathA rAjA, tathA prajA it is the citizens. there it means the subjects, not direct biological next generation.




(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Dear father, thank you - अन्नदाता भयत्राता

During my long stay in the US, I learned one thing. You don't have to take any 'nonsense' from anyone, even if they appear elder to you by a margin. You could simply say 'You are not my dad!' and yet there was a time when it took a village to bring up a child.

Now, the whole responsibility of raising a kid is on the dad, maybe even a single dad! How times change. And if you have a same-gender relationship, ahem, then who is the dad?

It has always been maintained, that karma कर्म, deeds, are all important. So, even if one contributes the genetic code for you, that is only one aspect of being a father, the biological father. But what about the roles and duties of a father? Can we define a father based on that?

chANakya चाणक्य says there are five types of father, yet another source, the brahmavaivarta purANa ब्रह्मवैवर्त पुराण says there are seven types of father. Some of their types are common. Yet other sources say thirty one types. We will just see the seven types for brevity and simplicity sake.

All of them have the basis of birth common to them, but what type of birth?

Giver of food (anna-dAtA अन्नदाता)

Food is life. Without food, no one can survive. Mother gives food in early years, but after that it is the father's role to provide the proverbial bread on the table. And even in early months, father provides for the mother. Anyone who provides for you, maybe in times of need, or a foster father, is like a father. Give him the respect a father deserves.

Remover of fear (bhaya-trAtA भयत्राता)

Fear is like death, you die every moment of fear. And if the fear is real, then the danger is real. One who removes the fear or the cause of fear has given you a new birth, another chance to live on. Such a caring person is also like a father and deserves all the perks of being a father, for being a protector.

Giver of daughter (kanyA-dAtA कन्यादाता)

There is a saying, 'child is the father of man.' What it means is that child comes first, father next. It is the child that makes a man into father. So, the child gave the title 'father' to a man. In that sense the child gave birth to the (concept of) father (for a man).

Man is reborn in the child. And how does one get a child? The most sacred of the 16 ceremonies of life is the marriage. This is the institution, bond that brings forth new life, and provides a home, prepares the new generation, gives new citizens to a nation, ... and what joy of this mortal world to have a beautiful, wise, skilled wife for a life partner to take care and share in the material and spiritual joys and sorrows? It is like a new life!

And how is this possible? By the man who gave his daughter to you. In giving you a good woman, he has given you the best of all charities you will ever get. Hence, kanyA-dAna कन्या-दान, or giving of a daughter in wedding is considered the highest of dAna दान, for it is the basis of someone else's home.

Such a giver of a second life, the father-in-law is also worthy of being respected as a father.

Giver of birth (janitA जनिता , janmadaH जन्मदः )

And of course, the literal sense of the meaning, the biological father, one who gives half his genetic code, and enables this biological, actual life on this planet. He sure has done the most important or the most initial of duties and is the father.

Giver of mantra मन्त्र (mantra-dAtA मन्त्र-दाता)

This applies on the spiritual growth path. mananam trAyate iti mantram मननं त्रायते इति मन्त्रम् - that which when meditated upon liberates, rescues is mantra. And the rescuer is already considered as father (remover of fear). mantra मन्त्र is a secret 'weapon', and giver of such important aide in life is a guru, and is also considered as a father.

Giver of knowledge (j~nAna-dAtA ज्ञानदाता)

The teacher, preceptor, guru, guide one who gives knowledge is also like a father, for knowledge enables all other things. Knowledge esoteric or worldly - both are important. knowledge is power, the power of knowing the right from wrong, good from bad, success from failure, friend from foe, ... giver of knowledge, wisdom has given you a very precious thing, that can change your life.

Giver of education (upanetA उपनेता)

upnetA उपनेता is one who does the sacred thread ceremony. The thread ceremony is considered the start of education, brahmacharya ब्रह्मचर्य, scholarship, student life and is one of the important 16 ceremonies of a person. It is considered second birth, a spiritual birth, the first one being a physical birth. One who has had the thread ceremony is called dwija द्विज (twice born). A similar but rudimentary ritual is that of 'born again' in Christianity.

Elder brother (jyeShTha-bhrAtA ज्येष्ठ-भ्राता)

Elder brother is considered like a father. And manusmRiti मनुस्मृति adds that an elder brother who performs the duties of a father, should be treated like a father.

In this post, I have kept the Sanskrit shloka part at the end. It seems there were those who get intimidated by the shloka at the front. and if it seemed the script was unreadable, who knows how hard the post maybe. so, let us see if it is less frightening this time. please let me know how you like the new format.

And now for the shloka-s -




anna-dātā bhaya-trātā, yasya kanyā vivāhitā ।
janitā copanetā ca, pañcaite pitaraḥ smṛtāḥ ॥

अन्नदाता भयत्राता, यस्य कन्या विवाहिता ।
जनिता चोपनेता च, पञ्चैते पितरः स्मृताः ॥

anna-dAtA bhaya-trAtA, yasya kanyA vivAhitA ।
janitA chopanetA cha, pa~nchaite pitaraH smRRitAH ॥

--------

kanyādātānnadātā ca jñānadātābhayapradaḥ ।
janmado mantrado jyeṣṭha-bhrātā ca pitaraḥ smṛtaḥ ॥

कन्यादातान्नदाता च ज्ञानदाताभयप्रदः ।
जन्मदो मन्त्रदो ज्येष्ठभ्राता च पितरः स्मृतः ॥

kanyAdAtAnnadAtA cha j~nAnadAtAbhayapradaH ।
janmado mantrado jyeShTh-abhrAtA cha pitaraH smRRitaH ॥

[Last edit: 19 Jun 2011]

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And now the language aspects of the shloka -

anna-dAtA = giver of food
anna = food, cereal, grain
dAtA = giver (dad root, to give)

bhaya-trAtA = rescuer from fear
bhaya = fear
trAtA = rescuer, savior

yasya = that whose (yaH = that who)
kanyA = daughter

vivAhitA (adj) = (one has) married
vivAha = marriage

janitA = giver of birth (mother is jananI)

chopanetA = and doer of sacred thread ceremony
cha + upanetA = and + doer of upanayan ceremony, preceptor, guru

cha = and
pa~nchaite = these five
pa~ncha + ete = five, these

pitaraH = fathers

smRRitAH = said, remembered

------

kanyAdAtAnnadAtA = kanyA-dAtA + anna-dAtA
giver of daughter (and) giver of food

j~nAnadAtAbhayapradaH = j~nAna-dAtA + abhaya-pradaH
giver of knowledge (and) giver of fearlessness)

janmado = janma-daH = giver of birth

mantrado = mantra-daH = giver of mantra

jyeShTha-bhrAtA = elder-brother



(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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stay in the present - गते शोको न कर्तव्यो

 

  Past is not worth mourning. Don't worry the inevitable.  The wise people live/engage/work by the present time.    गते शोको न कर्तव्यो भवितव्यं नैव चिन्तयेत् ।
वर्तमानेन कालेन प्रवर्तन्ते विचक्षणाः ॥

gate shoko na kartavyo bhavitavyaM naiva chintayet |
vartamAnena kAlena pravartante vichakShaNAH ||

gate śhoko na kartavyo bhavitavyaṃ naiva chintayet ।vartamānena kālena pravartante vichakṣhaṇāḥ ॥

The past is gone, you can do nothing about it but to learn from it. A grieving period is psychologically understood, but beyond that, mourning for the past is only counter-productive. Mourning can be taken to various degrees, worrying, missing, depressed, to a stage when you can't even function normally.

By mourning, you can't change the past.

The future, is not yet here, so what can you do by worrying? What you do is only in the present. what you can do for the future is to prepare for it. That can only happen in the present. And worrying surely doesn't help, just like mourning doesn't help.

By worrying, you can't avoid the future.

The clearheaded (vichakShaNaH), engages in the present, focuses in the present, where actions are performed. They don't day-dream in the future. Sure they see visions of the future and strive to make it better, but not just romanticizing the future or grieving for the past.

This is a practical gem by AchArya chANakya.

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And now the language aspects of the shloka -

gate = गते = in that which is gone
gam = (root verb) to go
gataH = gone, past, as in gata-kAle = in the past (time that is gone)
-e suffix denote 'in'

shoko = शोको = shokaH (shoko due to visarga sandhi) = mourning, mourn, grief

na = न = not

kartavyo = कर्तव्यो = from kartavyaH, duty, that which should be done
(kartavyo due to visarga sandhi)

bhavitavyaM = भवितव्यं = fthat which is bound to happen

naiva = नैव = na + eva = not also

chintayet = चिन्तयेत् = should worry

vartamAnena = वर्तमानेन = in present
vartamAna = present
-ena suffix for by, as instrument to do

kAlena = कालेन = by time
i.e. by present time

pravartante = प्रवर्तन्ते = engage in, (pravRitt)
vRit root meaning 'to be, present'

pra-vRit = to engage in work, to do
vartate = is present, lives
vartante = plural of vartate 
so, wise people engage in the present

vichakShaNAH = विचक्षणाः = clearheaded
root chakShuH = eyes.
vi- prefix = special
those with special vision, clear vision, clarity of thought

(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Aah water - अजीर्णे भेषजं वारि

water is curative in indigestion, water is nourishing after digestion;water is appetizing during food, and ill-affects immediately after food.

ajIrNe bheShajam vAri, jIrNe vAri balapradam |
bhojane chAmRitam vAri, bhojanAnte viShapradam ||

अजीर्णे भेषजं वारि, जीर्णे वारि बलप्रदम् ।
भोजने चामृतं वारि, भोजनान्ते विषप्रदम् ॥
Water - the least appreciated thing, right before air. We just take it for granted. There was a time, not too long ago, when you could drink water from pretty much any tap in india, or a well, river. There would be water sheds called 'pyaaoo' on road sides, sponsored by local businessman or charitable person, manned by local hands. You would get some of sweetest natural water, along with some jaggery and roasted grams (at least in hot and dry Rajasthan), easing your travel-related travails. Thanks to recent decades of industrial progress, even in india it is difficult to find drinkable water from free natural resources. And the rivers, the life line of any civilization, are terribly polluted as well like the gangA (गङ्गा) and yamunA (यमुना).

Water - different effects on the same body, depending upon how or when it is consumed.

Medicinal -
Sometimes, we get food poisoning, or an upset stomach and can't eat anything. We should not eat in such times but take enough of water. Today, there are electrolytes, earlier they had salt and sweet lime water or such home made drink that would act as electrolyte as well keep you hydrated. In such condition of upset stomach, drinking plenty of water flushes out the toxins, keeps the stomach light, and helps recover faster, almost like a medicine, a medicine that washes inside out!

One of the reasons for weekly fasting is to give the stomach some rest. The spiritual, religious meanings are also attached, but there is simple medicinal purpose as well. Various kinds of fasting are observed - fruits only, fruits and milk, only water. And then the modern exceptions added like tea, coffee, roasted peanuts etc. which ultimately defeat the purpose of fasting itself.

Appetizer -
During the meal, it is very nice to take a sip of some drink, maybe water or juice. Instead of cold juices, or cold water or cold drinks, one should sip water. It enhances the sense of eating, between two different tastes, a sip of water is great. Throat doesn't feel dry, or choking with a small sip in between. But this should be a sip.

Thanks to the incessant marketing by carbonated drinks, water is considered useless in many 'developed' countries, specially US. In all my long stay in US, I rarely saw any born-American drinking water at restaurants, it was always large coke or pepsi or sprite or something like that. Carbonated drinks upset the digestion, contrary to what advertisements make you believe, and they rot the teeth as well. Kids who get this habit early on at home, suffer from bad stomach and bad teeth, and consequently bad health. A simple solution is to not have it at home at all, don't stack the refrigerator with 12 pack of coke, just because it is cheap. Drink water when you need a drink. And that too not too cold.

Harmful -
If we drink a lot of water during the meal or immediately after a meal, then we are inviting for trouble. Stomach upset, indigestion (and subsequent gastro problems) is a common lament these days, next only to back-aches and cell-phone-induced ear-aches. What is the cause of this? Stress, lack of sleep, fast food, lack of exercise, lack of water in diet, and addition of carbonated drinks to add just a few.

But it is interesting that many people don't realize that drinking water immediately after meal is also bad for digestion. The reason is simple. Like a chemistry lab experiment, drinking water after meal, and that too cold, dampens the digestive juices and hinders proper digestion. Over the long run, the habit causes bad metabolism, bad digestion, bad absorption of nutrients.



Nourishing -
So when should we drink water? After a couple of hours of eating the full meal, is the best time to drink to your fill! That time water will actually help the body by not interfering with digestion and helping the movement as well.

So next time you see water, greet it with glee, and know when to drink and when not to, so it aids the body naturally.

Some more useful links about modern statements on the benefits of water -
https://bodyfitnesshealth.com/importance-and-benefits-of-drinking-water/
https://www.coquiwater.com/Water_Facts.html
https://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=B97AED14-1



And now the language aspects of the shloka -

This shloka appears in vRiddha-chANakya.

ajIrNe = अजीर्णे = a- prefix + jIrNa + -e suffix
jIrNa = old, broken down (structure), tattered (cloths), ruined (building), digested (food)
jIrNe = in (-e suffix) digestion
a-jIrNe = in indigestion

bheShajam = भेषजं = medicine.
the etymology for this word is - "bheSham rogamayaM jayati" which means one that wins over the fear of the sick.

vAri = वारि = water

jIrNe = जीर्णे = in digestion
balapradam = बलप्रदम् = strengthening, nourishing (for food)
bala = strength
pradam = that which gives. root 'da' (to give)

bhojane = भोजने = literally in food (i.e. during meal)
bhojanam = meal, food

chAmRitam = चामृतं = cha + amRitam = and nectar
appetizer, nourisher (and not literally nectar, ambrosia)

bhojanAnte = भोजनान्ते = in the end of the meal
bhojanam = food
anta = end; ante = in the end

viShapradam = विषप्रदम् = poison giving
viSha = poison. here ill effects, not fatal poison, but bad digestion
pradam = that which gives





(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Human or animal, what is the difference? आहार-निद्रा-भय-मैथुनं

Food, sleep, fear and mating, these acts of humans are similar to animals.  Of them (humans), dharma is the only special thing, without dharma humans are also animals ||

AhAra-nidrA-bhaya-maithunam cha
samAnam_etat_pashubhir_narANAm |
dharmo hi teShAm adhiko visheSho
dharmeNa hInAH pashubhiH samAnAH || [ITRANS]
āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṃ cha
samānam_etat_pashubhir_narāṇām |
dharmo hi teṣhāmadhiko visheṣho
dharmeṇa hīnāḥ pashubhiḥ samānāḥ || [IAST]

आहार-निद्रा-भय-मैथुनं च समानमेतत्पशुभिर्नराणाम् ।
धर्मो हि तेषामधिको विशेषो धर्मेण हीनाः पशुभिः समानाः ॥

The king Sudarshana, in the preface of Hitopadesha, out on a stroll had heard two shlokas that set him thinking about the foolish, young, wealthy and powerful sons. After all he had to leave the kingdom to them one day! (see previous posts.)

Then he thinks about this shloka, also attributed to Chanakya where he uses 'vidyA' (knowledge) instead of dharma (right conduct). Both are appropriate, since without being aware of right conduct, proper way to use the knowledge, it is mere collection of facts.

Biology teaches us, Darwin postulated, and the wisdom of Indian land always held that all living beings are of common stock, made from similar life units - cells, evolved, changed, mutated through time. Put in other words, at a gross material level, we are all similar. Basic functions of all life forms is breathing and digestion. Lord Krishna says in Gita - 'aham vaishvAnaro bhUtvA, prANinAm dehamAshritam| prANApAnasamAyuktaH pachAmyannam chaturvidham' i.e. armed with breath and digestion, residing in the life forms, I digest four types of foods.' All life forms are upheld by the divine force of Life.

Incarnation theory says that since life principle is same in all living forms, a soul can travel in various physical forms. Human body is the epitome of life perfection. Why? How? We see that we can not run faster, smell better, bite harder, swim deeper, hear better than animals. Nothing! Left alone in the forest, we won't survive for long.

Or would we?

Poison of the scorpion - वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे

poison of scorpion is in the tail, of the bee on her head |
poison of snake is in its fang, of the evil person in all its parts ||

वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे मक्षिकायाश्च मस्तके ।
तक्षकस्य विषं दन्ते सर्वांगे दुर्जनस्य च ॥

vRishchikasya viShaM puchchhe, makShikAyAshcha mastake |
takShakasya viShaM dante, sarvAMge* durjanasya cha ||

* sarvAGge or sarvAMge G is the nasal of the cha-group

while the poison of these deadly animals lies in the tail, head or fangs, only one part of the body, an evil person is poison head to toe! reminds on of the saying "the most dangerous animal is human being".

---

now the shloka at hand:

poison (viShaM) of scorpion (vRishchika) in its tail (puchchhe) (sting), of the fly/bee (makShikAyA) on her head (mastake) (tongue) |
poison of snake (takShakasya) is in its fang (dante), of the evil person (durjanasya)in all its parts (sarva-aMge) ||

vrashch = to bite, cut, tear
vrashchayati = verb. bites, cuts
vRishchika = scorpion, crab, centipede
vRishchikasya = of scorpion; -sya suffix = (masculine) of


viShaM = poison
viSha-dantakaH = poison teeth (fang), snake

puchchha = tail; puchchh-e = in the tail
puchchha-kaNTakaH = sting on tail, scorpion

makShikA = fly, honeybee
makShikAyAH = of the fly
mastaka = head; mastak-e = on/in head (-e suffix for in/on/over)

durjana = duH + jana = evil person
sarvAnge = sarva + ange = all parts





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Leave the country where the evil lives - शकटं पंचहस्तेन

(save yourselves) (from) a cart by being five hands (away), (from) a horse by ten hands, (from) an elephant by a thousand (hands), (and) (from) the evil person by leaving the country.

शकटं पंचहस्तेन दशहस्तेन वाजिनम् ।
हस्तिनं तु सहस्रेण देशत्यागेन दुर्जनम् ॥

shakaTaM panchahastena, dasha-hastena vAjinaM |
hastinaM tu sahasreNa, desha-tyAgena durjanaM ||

what precaution should one take when dealing with various hazards?
from a cart, keep a distance of five hands. avoid accidental cart toppling!

keep a distance of ten hands from a horse, avoid getting it nervous!

and an elephant, keep a thousand hands' distance, unless you are a trained mahout.

the inanimate, the smaller animal, and the larger animal with streaks of brute strengths have been considered, but did we miss something? what about the worst animal - human, and even among them - the evil person (durjanaM) !

nothing can save you from the evil person. you should simply leave the country itself! is that one of the reason why people from all over still like to go to USA?

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now the shloka at hand:

shakaTaM = cart
panchahastena = pancha = five, hasta = hand. technical it is not pancha but paJcha, where J is the 5th nasal of the cha-varga (ch, chh, j, jh, J)
panjAba = paJn + Abafive rivers' water.

dasha-hastena = by a measure of ten hands from a (new, stranger) horse.
vAjinaM = horse
hastinaM = elephant
sahasreNa = by the thousand hands
desha-tyAgena = desha - region, tyAga = renounce
durjanaM = evil person; duH = bad, janaM = person

the bad person is to be shunned so much, for they will bring some or the other trouble.

notice the -ena suffixes? that denotes 'by'.


PS: an error was in the original post, and has been corrected.
the word was shakaTaM and not shaTakaM
any RSS feeds would have the error. please consider this correcton.





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Give to the needy - वृथा वृष्टिः समुद्रेषु

rain in ocean is waste, food for the already-fed is waste |
charity to the opulent is waste, and lamp, even in daytime, is waste ||

वृथा वृष्टिः समुद्रेषु, वृथा तृप्तेषु भोजनम् ।
वृथा दानं धनाढ्येषु वृथा दीपो दिवापि च ॥

vRithA vRiShTiH samudreShu, vRithA tRipteShu bhojanaM |
vRithA dAnaM dhanADhyeShu, vRithA dIpo divApi cha ||

the act of giving has to be done to the needy.

another famous shloka from bhagawadgItA says - the giving that is done with a sense of duty, without chance of return favor, considering the time, place and need of the recipient is considered as the best type of giving.

so while it is true that one should give as if it is one's duty, a must chore, but the need of the recipient must be considered.

same is for a gift given for the sake of giving, not keeping in mind who is getting and whether s/he needs or not. lot of times, we give birthday gifts without considering if the child needs it, already has it or will even use it. that gift is truly wasted.

anyone remember how all state governments in india wanted to give prizes to abhinav bindra, the first solo gold medal in olympics 2008. why? because all wanted to come in the news, so and so has given an award of 5 lakhs, or 10 lakhs. one state government even announced 1 crore ($250,000)

and how poor is this star abhinav bindra? his dad gives him a multi-story five-star hotel as GIFT? does he really need $10,000 or $250,000 ? it would have been better if these entities who wanted to cash the publicity, made a sports complex in the name of abhinava bindra! that way, it wuld have been a full win-win situation! abhinav gets name, govt/entity gets press coverage, future sportsmen get facility!

but.
nope, वृथा दानं धनाढ्येषु (vRithA dAnaM dhanADhyeShu), charity to the opulent ...

note the alliterative use of vRi sound.

also, in writing धनाढ्येषु, the ढ्य has a weird looking य, it indicates the previous consonant is half, specially used for consonants that don't have the trailing bar of 'a' mAtrA, the vertical bar at the end, as in म प च etc.

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now the shloka at hand -

vRithA = in vain, waste, useless, pointless, meaningless
vRiShTiH = rain, showering of something
samudra = ocean; samudreShu = in the ocean

tRipta = content, well fed, well nourished (tRip - verb, to be content)
tRipteShu = in the satisfied; i.e. for the satisfied/well-fed person
bhojanaM = food

dAnaM = giving, charity, alms; from dad - to give
ADhya = rich;
dhanADhya = rich of wealth; dhana (wealth) + ADhya
guNADhya = rich of qualities; guNa (qualities) + ADhya
dhanADhyeShu = in the rich man; i.e. charity to the rich ... is a useless

dIpaH = lamp; from dIpta = brilliant; divya = illuminating; deva = the divine (illuminating light) being.
divA = day
api = also, even





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The four friends - knowledge, wife, medicine, dharma

knowledge is a friend in foreign lands, wife a friend at home |
medicine is a friend to the ill, and dharma is a friend to the dead ||

विद्या मित्रं प्रवासेषु, भार्या मित्रं गृहेषु च ।
व्याधितस्यौषधं मित्रं, धर्मो मित्रं मृत्तस्य च ॥

vidyA mitraM pravAseShu, bhAryA mitraM gRiheShu cha |
vyAdhitasyauShadhaM mitraM, dharmo mitraM mRittasya cha ||

for the one who is living away from home, knowledge is the best friend. one can read up on the place even before going, know the language, customs, do's and don'ts, customs, quirks, everything, and not be so left out like a stranger. (sure money is also a good friend, but you might get cheated out of it all, if you are aware of the new place. e.g. now in the city of bangalore in india, cops can't stop you just to check the paperwork, after a recent news. if one is from outside and doesn't know this, one may end up paying fine for not carrying insurance paper but driving perfectly fine.

(there is another shloka that goes "kaH videshaH savidyAnAM" - i.e. what is foreign to the knowledgeable)


at home, wife is the best friend. among her many roles, the wife plays the role of mother, friend, confidant, adviser, lover (just like a husband to the wife).

to the ill, medicines are the best friend!

but all these friends are only of this mortal world. one comes alone, goes alone. then who is the friend after life? in afterlife?

dharma. what we did here in this world. i.e. people will remember us by what we did herein this world, even after we are gone. our fame or ill-fame depends on what we do in this world. the merits earned here will also give us the various travel classes in the other world - platinum/gold/silver member (hopefully not the frequent flyer miles!) business, economy, coach.

so do good here, while you can, to the best of your ability. the only way you can be immortal for the short span of civilization's memory is with the impact of your deeds.


simple sanskrit. great ideas.

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now the shloka at hand

vidyA = knowledge
mitraM = friend; indra, the king of the divine gods, is also called mitraM, and so is the sun, both being friends of humans and life in general.

pravAseShu = in living away
vAsa = act of residing, AvAsa = residence, home, coming and/to reside
pra-vAsa = going out and residing, away from home, in foreign lands

bhAryA = wife
vyAdhi = illness
vyAdhitasya = of the one who is ill (-sya suffix for "of" in masc. gender)
auShadha = medicine

dharmaH = right deeds, actions; policy, duty, innate nature, defining characteristic
mRittasya = of the dead
mRittikA = soil. mRita = dead, that which has become soil again (back in the elements)





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