Lesson 36

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• Revision
• 2 subhaaShita-s

Home Work:

• Learn by heart, the two subhaaShita-s from class.  Understand the words and the meanings.

Topic Details:

After a nice summer break, the classes are back in session.  Now is a good time to brush up the skills acquired so far, so that the lessons ahead do not seem overwhelming.  Cases and their purposes, verbs learnt, etc., were reviewed.  As a brush up as well as to give inspiration and set the expectations to ourselves, these two subhaaShita-s can prove helpful -

1.
पुस्तकस्था तु या विद्या परहस्तगतं धनम्
कार्यकाले समुत्पन्ने न सा विद्या न तद्धनम्

pustakasthaa tu yaa vidyaa parahastagataM dhanam
kaaryakaale samutpanne na saa vidyaa na taddhanam

On breaking the words, the verse becomes -
पुस्तकस्था तु या विद्या पर हस्त गतं धनम्
pustakasthaa tu yaa vidyaa para hasta gataM dhanam

कार्यकाले समुत्पन्ने न सा विद्या न तत् धनम्
kaaryakaale samutpanne na saa vidyaa na tat dhanam

Knowledge which is in the book, money which has passed on to another hand - in times of need, it is neither (your) knowledge nor money.

Book knowledge is no knowledge. One can't claim the knowledge, that is in his book, as his own! In a time critical situation, one can't refer to his book before acting. One's intellect should be the store house for his knowledge. Only then can he proclaim mastery over that vidyaa.

Similarly, one may be wealthy to the brim. But if he has given away the possession, he can't claim it back because he needs it again.

Store thy assets where they belong.  Or, they may not be thine in times of need!

2.
यः पठति लिखति पश्यति परिपृच्छति पण्डितानुपाश्रयति
तस्य दिनकरकिरणैर्नलिनीदलमिव विकास्यते बुद्धिः
- सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार

yaH paThati likhati pashyati paripRuchChati paNDitaanupaashrayati
tasya dinakarakiraNairnalinIdalamiva vikaasyate buddhiH
- subhaaShitaratnabhaaNDaagaara

After splitting the words,
यः पठति लिखति पश्यति परिपृच्छति पण्डितान् उपाश्रयति
yaH paThati likhati pashyati paripRuchChati paNDitaan upaashrayati

तस्य दिनकर किरणैः नलिनी दलम् इव विकास्यते बुद्धिः
tasya dinakara kiraNaiH nalinI dalam iva vikaasyate buddhiH

A person who reads, writes, sees, inquires, keeps the company of learned; his intelligence blooms like the petals of a lotus, on seeing the sun.

When a person wants to increase his knowledge base, there are many ways. But for a person who reads books, keeps notes in writing, observes the happenings around him, inquires about things he doesn't know and keeps company of the learned - his intelligence will expand effortlessly. The simile given is - as effortlessly as the lotus petals bloom, when rays of the sun touch them. If we have these basic traits needed, then knowledge will come naturally.

Final words based on the above subhaaShita-s, one should make his knowledge his own, by knowing it  in his mind (than leaving it in the books) and to do that, he has a 5 fold path of - reading, writing, seeing, inquiring and the company of the learned.

Until next class, happy learning and practicing.

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - aum pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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