Lesson 25

Beginning Prayers:

• शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुम् - shuklaambaradharaM viShNum
• सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यम् - saraswati namastubhyam 
• गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः - gururbrahmaa gururviShNuH 

Topic Summary:

• Expansion of vocabulary
• Practice of concepts learnt
• Understanding 2 subhaashitaas based on the concepts learnt

Home Work:

• Write alphabet from अ 'a' -- ह 'ha'.  
• Vocabulary building - learn 5 new verbs and use them in sentences 

Topic Details:

Today, we will learn a couple of subhaaShitaas which are not only simple, but convey a profound meaning, like subhaaShitaas always do!

1.
काकः कृष्णः पिकः कृष्णः को भेदः पिककाकयोः
वसन्तकाले संप्राप्ते काकः काकः पिकः पिकः
- कुवलयानन्द

kaakaH kRuShNaH pikaH kRuShNaH ko bhedaH pikakaakayoH
vasantakaale saMpraapte kaakaH kaakaH pikaH pikaH
- kuvalayaananda

Crow is black, nightingale is black... what's the difference between the two. Come spring, a crow is a crow, a nightingale is a nightingale.

In appearance, a crow and a nightingale aren't very different. A crow is black and so is a nightingale. How can we tell the difference? It doesn't matter... Come spring, the difference automatically becomes evident! While a nightingale sings melodiously, a crow, well..., crows. The crow can hang out with the nightingale, try to eat like him or fly like him. These would be external imitations. But the true nature of a nightingale is its sweet voice. That is unimitable by a crow.  (A crow is special in its own way and contributes in ways he was made for!)

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2.

हंसः श्वेतः बकः श्वेतः को भेदः बकहंसयोः
नीरक्षीरविवेके तु हंसो हंसः बको बकः

haMsaH shvetaH bakaH shvetaH ko bhedaH bakahaMsayoH

nIrakShIraviveke tu haMso haMsaH bako bakaH

A swan is white, a stork is white. What's the difference between the swan and the stork? When it comes to the knowledge of water and milk, a swan is a swan and a stork is a stork.

Allegory says that, a swan has the capability of separating milk from water. If a bowl of milk and water is offered, it is supposed to have the ability to take only the milk particles and leave behind, the water! The stork obviously doesn't posses this skill. He might look like a swan, be with a swan, fly, walk or act like a swan. But it doesn't make him a swan.

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In both the above shlokas, the metaphors of birds (crow-nightingale; stork-swan) are given to people.  We have to be who we are. It doesn't do much good if we talk, walk or pretend like someone else... Each and every being is precious on this earth and God made each being with a purpose. The roles of 'others' are already taken..., by other people, obviously :). The only person left to be taken is - ourselves! Let's be ourselves instead of pretending to be someone, who we are not.

External appearances don't make the difference, what's inside is all that matters!
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Coming to the meanings of the words -

kaakaH - crow

kRuShNaH -  black

pikaH -  nightingale

ko - kaH (visarga sandhi) - what

bhedaH -  difference 

pikakaakayoH - between nightingale and crow

vasantakaale -  when spring time

saMpraapte - arrives

haMsaH - swan
shvetaH -  white
bakaH - stork
bakahaMsayoH -  between the stork and the swan
nIrakShIraviveke -  in the knowledge of water and milk
tu - however

Happy practicing!

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - aum pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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