Lesson 65

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• इव usage
• Revision of previous two topics

Home Work:

• Write 5 examples using इव 

Topic Details:

The word इव is used to express similarities between two things.  So it is widely used in making similes to connect the compared and the comparable.

Ex:
राम इव कृष्णः
नाग इव वेणी
कमल इव मुखम्

Let's see how it is used in a couple verses here -
1.
अनेकानि च शास्त्राणि स्वल्पायुर्विघ्नकोटयः
तस्मात्सारं विजानीयात् क्षीरं हंस इवाम्भसि
- गरुडपुराण

anekaani cha shaastraaNi svalpaayurvighnakoTayaH
tasmaatsaaraM vijaanIyaat kShIraM haMsa ivaambhasi
- garuDapuraaNa

Many a scriptures, minuscule a lifespan, ten million hurdles! Hence, understand the quintessence, like a swan (takes) milk from water.

There are multitudes of scriptures and books of knowledge. It is very difficult for one, to know and learn all of it. And there is no point in it either. Any knowledge or scripture that is just learnt, is not sufficient. It needs to be applied and put to use as well. With the limited lifespan one is bestowed with and the innumerous hurdles life throws at him, it is practically impossible to know everything that there is. Especially in today's world, bombarded with various modes of information and the world shrinking faster than ever, it is extremely hard to keep up.

Allegorically, a swan can separate milk from water and take just the milk! Similarly, the poet encourages one to get the gist of the knowledge than trying to dig into all the arenas and end up with nothing much in any field.

Consolidate your knowledge. Be selective about what and how many things you want to do in the given amount of time. Both the time and effort will prove to be productive.

अनेकानि च शास्त्राणि स्वल्प आयुः विघ्न कोटयः
anekaani cha shaastraaNi svalpa aayuH vighna koTayaH

तस्मात् सारं विजानीयात् क्षीरं हंस इव आम्भसि
tasmaat saaraM vijaanIyaat kShIraM haMsa iva aambhasi


2.
अनाहूताः स्वयं यान्ति रसास्वादविलोलुपाः
निवारिता न गच्छन्ति मक्षिका इव भिक्षुकाः

anaahUtaaH svayaM yaanti rasaasvaadavilolupaaH
nivaaritaa na gachChanti makShikaa iva bhikShukaaH

Those desirous of food come uninvited. Like the flies, beggars do not leave even when deterred.

When hunger strikes, self esteem is thrown to the wind. Just like the flies that keep swarming around the fruit, despite being shooed; a beggar keeps coming back asking for alms, although he is shunned many times.

When desire or greed blinds one's thought, without his knowledge, he behaves like the beggar.

Know when to give up.

अनाहूताः स्वयं यान्ति रस अस्वाद विलोलुपाः
anaahUtaaH svayaM yaanti rasa asvaada vilolupaaH

निवारिता न गच्छन्ति मक्षिका इव भिक्षुकाः
nivaaritaa na gachChanti makShikaa iva bhikShukaaH

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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Lesson 64

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• More examples for upasarga-s, avyaya-s and opposites

Home Work:

• Write pairs of opposites adding अ or अन् (5 for each one)

Topic Details:

Let's see the verse from previous home work.

Here अकृत्वा and अगत्वा get the क्त्वा pratyaya.  Although they have अ as a prefix, अ is NOT an upasarga.  Only the 22 prefixes seen in the upasarga list, qualify to apply any upasarga rules. Hence अ or अन्, that make opposites do not influence and call for the use of ल्यप्.

The next avyaya in the verse is, अनुत्सृज्य.  अन् is NOT an upasarga.  Then, why did ल्यप् come into play?  That is because of उत्.  उत् IS an upasarga and hence calls for ल्यप्.  This word has 2 prefixes - one makes it an opposite (अन्), another is an upasarga (उत्) => अन्-उत्-सृज्य = अनुत्सृज्य

Let's see the overall meaning of the verse -
अकृत्वा परसन्तापम् अगत्वा खलनम्रताम् |
अनुत्सृज्य सतां मार्गं यत्स्वल्पमपि तद्बहु ||

अ-कृत्वा पर-सन्तापम् अ-गत्वा खल-नम्रताम्
a-kRutvaa para-santaapam a-gatvaa khala-namrataam

अन्-उत्सृज्य सतां मार्गं यत् स्वल्पम् अपि तत् बहु
an-ut-sRujya sataaM maargaM yat swalpam api tat bahu

Without tormenting others, without putting forth false modesty, without giving up the path of the noble, any little (achieved) is more.

Tormenting other beings, being dishonest, showing false submissiveness, trading off the very essence of dharma, one may think he has achieved everything in life. That might make him rich and comfortable too. But these benefits do not stay for long. Moreover, they do not bring any peace of mind. The mind is constantly busy, churning up devious plans to fool and cheat others.

Keeping the values, one may not climb mountains or reach the pinnacles of the noble, all at once. But any little achieved (without the above influences), is more! That gives him more clarity, purity and piety! Isn't that a much better reward than riches?

Keep thy path of virtue, morality and nobility.


Another verse on similar lines -
अनुगन्तुं सतां वर्त्म कृत्स्नं यदि न शक्यते ।
स्वल्पमप्यनुगन्तव्यं मार्गस्थो नावसीदति ॥

अनुगन्तुं सतां धर्म कृत्स्नं यदि न शक्यते ।
anugantuM sataaM dharma kRutsnaM yadi na shakyate |

स्वल्पम् अपि अनुगन्तव्यं मार्गस्थो न अवसीदति ॥
swalpam api anugantavyaM maargastho na avasIdati ||

अनुगन्तुं here, is a तुमुन् अन्त अव्यय, अनु being the उपसर्ग.  Meaning of the verse -

If following the righteous path of the noble is difficult and seems impossible, in spite, if one follows - even a little bit, he does not perish.

No need of elephantine sized steps!  If one wants to tread on the path of the noble and tries to do so, there may be many a hurdles he may face on the way.  It may not only be difficult, but seem impossible!  In spite, if one continues to grasp at least a little bit and persist on the same path, he shall not perish.

It is said that even an ant can traverse miles by just keeping at it.  Just the fact that it is moving, means that it is covering ground and reaching some place else.  Finally, due to persistence, it would have left its starting point miles behind!  Similar would be a person on the path of dharma.  If he keeps doing righteous acts (however small in size or caliber,) in a lifetime, he would have accumulated so much virtue to his credit that he would be amazed!  How can one with virtue in his account ever perish?!

Great acts are made up of small deeds.  In reality, true happiness comes from the joy of deeds that are done well, with good intentions.  These are the things that shape one's fate.  True winners are not people that never fail but people that never quit.

So, let's take charge of our fate and give it the direction we want it to be in!

pada vigrahaH:
अनुगन्तुं सतां धर्म कृत्स्नं यदि न शक्यते ।
anugantuM sataaM dharma kRutsnaM yadi na shakyate |

स्वल्पम् अपि अनुगन्तव्यं मार्गस्थो न अवसीदति ॥
swalpam api anugantavyaM maargastho na avasIdati ||

Until next lesson, happy practicing.

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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Lesson 63

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• Opposites 

Home Work:

• Write the meaning of the verse below -

अकृत्वा परसन्तापम् अगत्वा खलनम्रताम् |

अनुत्सृज्य सतां मार्गं यत्स्वल्पमपि तद्बहु ||

Topic Details:

One easy way to get opposites is by adding 'अ' or 'अन्' to the beginning of the word.  If the word begins with a consonant, it would take अ.  If the word begins with a vowel, it takes अन्.

Ex:
धर्म x अधर्म
कर्म x अकर्म
कर्ता x अकर्ता
शुभ x अशुभ
प्रकृति x अप्रकृति
निश्चित x अनिश्चित
हित x अहित

इष्ट x अनिष्ट
अर्थ x अनर्थ
उपमा x अनुमपमा
एक x अनेक
उचित x अनुचित

One important point to note - although 'अ' and 'अन्' are used in the prefix position, they are not treated as upasarga-s.  The upasarga rules apply to ONLY the 22 upasarga-s in the upasarga list (previous lesson).

Happy practicing!

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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