Beginning Prayers:
- शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुम् - shuklaambaradharaM viShNum
- सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यम् - saraswati namastubhyam
- गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः - gururbrahmaa gururviShNuH
Topic Summary:
- vocabulary practice through subhaaShita-s
Home Work:
- Find your own subhaaShita and try to decode it word by word. (Try not to look for the meaning online :)
Topic Details:
Strength of language comes with understanding and, better understanding comes from a strong vocabulary. Let's see a couple subhaaShita-s, build and strengthen the vocabulary along the way.1.
दशकूपसमा वापी दशवापीसमो ह्रदः।
दशह्रदसमः पुत्रो दशपुत्र समो द्रुमः ॥
- मत्स्य पुराण
dashakUpasamaa vaapI dashavaapIsamo hradaH|
dashahradasamaH putro dashaputra samo drumaH||
- matsya puraaNa
A pond is equal to ten wells. A dansk of water (reservoir) is worth ten (such) ponds. (Then again,) ten (such) reservoirs are same as a son (offspring). (But), a tree is equal to ten (such) sons.
Exposition:
Water is an integral part of life's very existence. Infact, we have known man to send out space ships to different spacial objects, just to detect the existence of water. When such is the case, a well obviously is an invaluable asset to living beings. A well after all, is a small body of water. Without a doubt, a pond can easily be equated to ten such wells.
The water in ten ponds can be easily contained in a reservoir. But then, a son (good, cultured, educated one specially), is no match to even ten such reservoirs! Because, a child quenches the thirst of the parents, in a similar way!! But then, there is something that can even equal ten such sons!! That is none other than a 'tree'.
Why is that? How can 1 tree equal 10 sons or 100 reservoirs or 1000 ponds or 10,000 wells?!!! Well... :), here's the deal. One tree in it's life time, holds in clouds that can equal all of the above bodies of water. How about a son. How can a tree be better than him? It sure is, because, a person who plants it today will never know how many people shall benefit from that tree. In reality, the true meaning of life is said to be - to plant trees, under whose shade one does not expect to sit! The many fruit the tree bears, shall satiate the hunger of birds/animal/people. Many a rain clouds it might bring to the neighborhood and quench the thirst of the needy. When he plants the sapling, he is actually doing service to many beings without realizing. Moreover, the tree may live there for generations beyond the planter and his son and still keep serving the people, giving them water, shade and fruit.
Hence a tree is equated to so many things. Then what does felling a tree mean? It means we are, with our own bare hands, although theoretically, slaying so many sons and drying up so many water sources!
It is said that trees are the best antiques and the groves were God's first temples. Strive and save those antique temples now and always!
pada vigrahaH:
दश-कूप-समा वापी दश-वापी-समो ह्रदः।
dasha-kUpa-samaa vaapI dasha-vaapI-samo hradaH|
दश-ह्रद-समः पुत्रो दश-पुत्र समो द्रुमः ॥
dasha-hrada-samaH putro dasha-putra samo drumaH||
2.
क्षमा शस्त्रं करे यस्य दुर्जनः किं करिष्यति
अतृणे पतितो वह्निः स्वयमेवोपशाम्यति
- महाभारत, उद्योग पर्व
kShamaa shastraM kare yasya durjanaH kiM kariShyati
atRuNe patito vahniH swayamevopashaamyati
- mahaabhaarata, udyoga parva
What can an evil doer do, to one whose weapon is forgiveness. A spark of fire falling where there is no grass, burns itself out.
Exposition:
A spark of fire can flare into a blaze easily, provided the circumstances are in its favor. If the spark comes in contact with things that can fuel it's rage then, sure, it will turn fierce. But, for a spark falling on ground where there is no grass or any other kind of fuel, there is no choice but to extinguish itself.
Similarly, a trouble maker can't do much harm to a person armed with a weapon called forgiveness. If one keeps forgiving the evil doer, he can't last much longer than the fire falling on empty ground.
Isn't this the best way to resolve conflicts!
pada vigrahaH:
क्षमा शस्त्रं करे यस्य दुर्जनः किं करिष्यति
kShamaa shastraM kare yasya durjanaH kiM kariShyati
अतृणे पतितो वह्निः स्वयम् एव उपशाम्यति
atRuNe patito vahniH swayam eva upashaamyati
Happy practicing!
Ending prayer:
- ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam
