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

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