Lesson 52

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• More verses on 'daanam'

Home Work:

• Learn all the 4 verse by heart, dealt in the last couple weeks.

Topic Details:

1.  Let's see the first verse for today -

शतेषु जायते शूरः सहस्रेषु च पण्डितः
वक्ता दशसहस्रेषु दाता भवति वा न वा
- व्यासस्मृति

shateShu jaayate shUraH sahasreShu cha paNDitaH
vaktaa dashasahasreShu daataa bhavati vaa na vaa
- vyaasasmRuti

Meaning:
In a hundred a brave is born and in a thousand a scholar; in ten thousand an orator, does a giver (even) exist or not.

Exposition:

Not everyone born is brave enough to tackle all kinds of tasks. People have phobias ranging from claustrophobia(fear of enclosed small spaces), to hydrophobia(fear of water), to a simple tricadecaphobia (fear of # 13)! A very brave person, is one in a hundred.

Everyone gets educated, but a true scholar is found one in a thousand.

Oratory, is a skill in itself. One could be the most knowledgeable person, but when asked to present his ideas, he could become speechless! Not everyone has the talent for public speaking. One in ten thousand, is born a good orator.

But the poet suspects if a true giver is even born. A true giver is one who 'gives and forgets', without any prejudices. If such people are born so rarely, then, how can one write any statistics as to - one in how many is born :).

No one has ever become poor by giving! So, give. This is one verse where the poet would be pleased to be disproved :).

pada vigrahaH:
शतेषु जायते शूरः सहस्रेषु च पण्डितः
shateShu jaayate shUraH sahasreShu cha paNDitaH

वक्ता दशसहस्रेषु दाता भवति वा न वा
vaktaa dashasahasreShu daataa bhavati vaa na vaa


2.  Now for the 2nd verse -

अन्नदानं महादानं विद्यादानमतः परम्
अन्नेन क्षणिका तृप्तिः यावज्जीवंच विद्यया

annadaanaM mahaadaanaM vidyaadaanamataH param
annena kShaNikaa tRuptiH yaavajjIvancha vidyayaa

Meaning:
Giving food to a person is a great deed, but giving vidyaa (education) is even better. The satisfaction (obtained) from food is momentary, but that from from vidyaa lasts a lifetime.

Exposition:
This probably was the source for the saying 'Give the man a fish, you feed him once. Teach him to fish and you feed him for life'. Indeed there is great satisfaction in giving. Giving food to the needy is essential, but a better daanam (giving) is the giving of education. One which is given selflessly, for the sake of giving knowledge to the other person. That way, the vidyaa doesn't end with us and is carried on to the generations to come. That was how our scriptures were passed down through the generations to us today. vidyaa daanam indeed is deemed as the greatest form of giving.

pada vigrahaH:
अन्न दानं महा दानं विद्या दानम् अतः परम्
anna daanaM mahaa daanaM vidyaa daanam ataH param

अन्नेन क्षणिका तृप्तिः यावत् जीवं च विद्यया
annena kShaNikaa tRuptiH yaavat jIvaM cha vidyayaa

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - aum pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

____________________________________________________

Lesson 51

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• Importance of 'giving' established through a verse on 'daanam'

Home Work:

• Learn by heart, the verse below and write in your own words, the exposition of the verse

Topic Details:

'Giving' truly depends on the attitude!  Giving with the wrong attitude negates the act of giving, where as, the right attitude, even towards loss beyond one's limitation shall be accredited as daanam!

अग्नौ दग्धं जले मग्नं हृतं तस्करपार्थिवैः |
तत्सर्वं दानमित्याहुः यदि क्लैब्यं न भाषते ||
- सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार

agnau dagdhaM jale magnaM hRutaM taskarapaarthivaiH |
tatsarvaM daanamityaahuH yadi klaibyaM na bhaaShate ||
- subhaaShitaratnabhaaNDaagaara

Meaning:
(Anything) burnt in the fire, drowned in water, snatched by the thieves or the kings - all these would be called 'daana' (giving), only if (one) doesn't speak woefully of it.

Exposition:
It is all in the attitude!

When an act of giving is performed, it is debited into one's account of virtues immediately. Giving is not necessarily what is donated. Even something lost to natural calamities like fire and water can be accounted for sacrifice, provided the approach is right. Even if possessions were stolen or annexed by the kings or law enforcers (could be as tax or in any other form), when tackled with grace, that could be accredited as giving too.

When a material possession is lost for any reason - if one doesn't lament about it and instead thinks that it was not meant to be his anymore - he gains more than he lost, in the form of virtues for his share! On the contrary, even if one gives generous charities but is emotionally attached to the object, his act of giving goes futile. Hence, attitude is what defines everything and every action in this world.

Bygones are bygones. Do not fret about them. Better times are yet to come!

pada vigrahaH:
अग्नौ दग्धं जले मग्नं हृतं तस्कर पार्थिवैः |
agnau dagdhaM jale magnaM hRutaM taskara paarthivaiH |

तत् सर्वं दानम् इति आहुः यदि क्लैब्यं न भाषते ||
tat sarvaM daanam iti aahuH yadi klaibyaM na bhaaShate ||

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - aum pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

____________________________________________________

Lesson 50

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• Importance of 'giving' established through a verse on 'daanam'

Home Work:

• Learn by heart, the verse below and write in your own words, the exposition of the verse.

Topic Details:

Giving is par none other deed one can do in one's life!  To establish that, let's see the verse below -

गौरवं प्राप्यते दानात् न तु वित्तस्य सञ्चयात्
स्थितिरुच्चैः पयोदानां पयोधीनामधः स्थितिः
- सुभाषितरत्नसमुच्चय

gauravaM praapyate daanaat na tu vittasya sa~nchayaat
sthitiruchchaiH payodAnAM payodhInaamadhaH sthitiH
- subhaaShitaratnasamuchchaya

Meaning:
Respectability comes from giving and not collecting. Clouds (attain) a higher position and the oceans, a lower position.

Exposition:
What kinds of teachings hasn't God given us? He has left us hints to all kinds of essentials, in the nature itself! Even the code of conduct is given to us in nature!

Naturally clouds exist high up in the sky and the oceans are down below. The reason, according to the poet is, because anyone who 'gives' attains a higher respect than one who 'collects' all for himself. The clouds give away all the water they contain and disintegrate themselves in the due course. Once they shower the rain in them, then even cease to exist. Whereas, the oceans collect all the water that come their way (even turning the fresh water, salty). That is why they haven't reached heights!

The essence here is, giving has more value than accumulating or pooling. It could be money, resources, knowledge, wealth or anything of the like. Sharing our knowledge, resources and wealth with our fellow beings, brings a higher permanence to the giver, as well as, what he is giving. For example, if one shares knowledge with others, the knowledge gets passed down for generations to come and will live for ever. If one shares his wealth, it not only benefits the receiver, it instills the spirit of giving in him too. Greed and stinginess have never been approved in any culture.

Giving is always an honorable act.

pada vigrahaH:
गौरवं प्राप्यते दानात् न तु वित्तस्य सञ्चयात् |
gauravaM praapyate daanaat na tu vittasya sa~nchayaat |

स्थितिः उच्चैः पयोदानां पयोधीनां अधः स्थितिः ||
sthitiH uchchaiH payodAnAM payodhInaaM adhaH sthitiH ||

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - aum pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

____________________________________________________