श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 14



औत्सुक्यमात्रमवसाययति प्रतिष्ठा
क्लिश्नाति लब्धपरिपालनवृत्तिरेवम्।
नातिश्रमापनयनाय न च श्रमाय

राज्यं स्वहस्तधृतदण्डमिवातपत्रम् ।।
(अभिज्ञानशाकुन्तलम् (5, 6))

autsukyamātramavasāyayati pratiṣṭhā
kliśnāti labdhaparipālanavṛttirevam
nātiśramāpanayanāya na ca śramāya
rājyaṁ svahastadhṛtadaṇḍamivātapatram
(abhijñānaśākuntalam - 5 - 6)

The above verse is from the fifth act sixth verse of the drama ‘abhignAna sAkuntalam’ of kAlidAsa. These are the words of king Dushyanta-
The attainment of royal power simply removes the longing for it. The task of maintaining what has been achieved is difficult. Attainment of Kingship, neither removes the worry nor cause worry. An analogy is furnished for the same. Kingship is like an umbrella whose handle is held by one with his own hand conduces neither much to the removal of hardship nor to hardship.

प्रतिष्ठा- status or power, अवसाययति-removes or reduces, औत्सुक्यमात्रम् – only the excitement, लब्धपरिपालनवृत्तिः – maintenance of what has been achieved , एवं क्लिश्नाति- is taxing, राज्यं – kingship, न अतिश्रम अपनयनाय- Is not for removing worry, न च श्रमाय – Not for causing worry, (kingship is like) स्वहस्तधृतदण्डमिवातपत्रम् – Like an umbrella whose handle is held by oneself.

It is difficult to maintain the status or fame that is attained. To explain this verse with a current example- A.R. Rahman might have had the excitement till he received the oscars and now he has to maintain his standard. Hence, the award received by him neither removes the worry nor causes him worry. Only his anxiety level is reduced.

संस्कृतसम्भाषणप्रयत्नः

शुक्रवासरे रैल्-याने यदा उपविशन्ती आसम् तदा इदं पोस्ट् लेखितुम् आरब्धं मया। अग्रिमं किं लिखामीति चिन्तायां निमग्ना च अभवम्। तस्मिन् समये पूर्वतनप्रयाणमेकं स्मरणे आगतम्। वर्षेभ्यः पूर्वम् दशाधिकजनैः सह अहं उडुपीक्षेत्रम् अगच्छम्। वयं त्रीणि मित्राणि मद्रपुरीतः अगच्छाम। उडुपीक्षेत्रे अस्माकं निवासः तत्रस्थजनानां गृहे आसीत्। प्रत्येकस्मिन् गृहे भिन्नप्रदेशीयाः एव भवितव्या इति व्यवस्था कृता। तदाशयश्च सर्वे मातृभाषायां मा भाषयेयुरिति, अपि च, संस्कृते भाषणं कुर्युः। तस्मात् संस्कृतभाषणकौशल्यं प्रवर्धेत इति व्यवस्थापकानाम् आशा।

Conversing in Sanskrit has always been prevalent among scholars and those attending "vidvat sadas". With a global reach in mind, Speak Sanskrit movement began sometime in 1981. In 1993/1994 there was an All India Sanskrit Students Conference (?) in Udupi. Three of us from Queen Marys College joined a group of about 10-15 people from various parts of Madras and went to the place. We learnt that the whole town was quite geared up to organize the conference and contributed in their own way.

Living arrangements had been made at the houses of locals. In an effort to promote conversation in Sanskrit, girls from different states were put up together in one house. Other than Sanskrit (and English) we had no common language. This forced us to practise talking in Sanskrit.

The whole exercise made me realise that learning a language and conversing are very different. Thinking in the language is the toughest part. You know the words. You can think and write. But speaking? That involves a different process alltogether. Studying the techniques of a language improves the quality of your conversation but does nothing to improve the speed of conversation.

To use the oft-quoted proverb - Practise makes perfect.

मञ्जुरामायणम् - 2

ज्यां मातरं प्राप्य निजप्रियायाः रामः प्रणामं जनकाय चक्रे।
जामातरं प्राह मुनिस्तमस्मै ' ज्यामातरं प्राप्य कथं ह्ययं स्यात् ' ?।।

jyāṁ mātaram prāpya nijapriyāyāḥ rāmaḥ praṇāmaṁ janakāya cakre
jāmātaraṁ prāha munistamasmai "jyāmātaram prāpya katham hyayam syāt ?"

प्राप्य = after reaching
मातरं ज्यां = motherland
निजप्रियायाः = of his spouse,
रामः = Srirama
प्रणामं चक्रे = bowed
जनकाय = to Janaka
मुनिः = Sage (Visvamitra)
प्राह = told/introduced
अस्मै = to him(Janaka)
तम् = him (Rama)
जामातरं = (as) son in law
स्यात् = become
प्राप्य = after having
ज्यां= bow string
आतरं = as a fare/fee
कथं = how
अयं = this(rama)
(जामातरं) स्यात् = can become (my son-in-law)?

The context here is - Visvamitra brings Rama and Lakshmana to Mithila and introduces Rama to King Janaka as his son-in-law-to-be. Rama bows to King Janaka.

ज्यां मातरं प्राप्यनिजप्रियायाः रामः प्रणामं जनकाय चक्रे।
He does the साष्टाङ्गनमस्कार of falling down before the king on the ground, thus doing namaskAra for both Sita's father (Janaka) and her mother (bhUma devI).

When Sage Visvamitra introduces Rama to the King, he wonders how Rama could become his son-in-law (जामाता). This thought arises because he King Janaka had announced that to win Sita, one should be strong enough to string Lord Siva's bow. ज्या is the string that is tied on the bow. ज्या is the आतर or fee to win the hand of Sita.
Note:
1. The words जामातरम्, ज्यां मातरम् and ज्यामातरम् have been used with different meanings.
2. आतर according to Monier Williams is "fare for being ferried over a river". Thus the meaning has been extended to mean "fee/fare".

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 13



ओष्ठप्रभापटलविद्रुममुद्रिते ते
भ्रूवल्लिवीचिसुभगे मुखकान्तिसिन्धौ।
कामाक्षि वारिभरपूरणलम्बमान-
कालाम्बुवाहसरणिं लभते कटाक्षः॥ मूकपञ्चशती, कटाक्षशतकम्, श्लो 55॥

oṣṭhaprabhāpaṭalavidrumamudrite te
bhrūvallivīcisubhage mukhakāntisindhau
kāmākṣi vāribharapūraṇalambamāna-
kālāmbuvāhasaraṇiṁ labhate kaṭākṣaḥ mūkapañcaśatī - kaṭākṣa śatakam - 55

O kAmAkShI! lustre emanating from your face is like an ocean. Your lips are red like coral (present in the ocean). Your eyebrows are beautiful like the waves. Your kaTAkSha or grace is like a dark cloud that has come to drink from the ocean of your face.

Her eyes are dark hence the grace is also described as dark. A cloud is dark only when it is filled with water. In comparison, Her kaTakSha is dark because it is filled with karuNA that arises from her face which is a reflection of what she feels for her devotees.

The concept of kAmAkShI is very beautiful and endearing. She represents icchA shakti and kAma pITha.

कामाक्षी पदस्य तत्वस्य च केचन अर्थाः - some meanings of kAmAkShI
1. कामः अक्ष्णोः यस्याः One who has kAma, manmatha in her eyes. After manmatha was destroyed by Siva, pArvatI attracted Siva with love in her eyes. As a result, manmatha was reborn in Siva's mind and manmatha took over Siva thereby ultimately defeating Siva. Kanchi is known as शिवजित् क्षेत्रम् - the place where Siva was defeated.
2. कः - ब्रह्मा, अः - रुद्रः, मः - विष्णुः इति त्रयः देवाः यस्याः अक्षिभ्यः सम्भूताः From whose eyes brahma, rudra and viShNu came out, thus She becomes the reason for the world's origin, maintenance and dissolution.
3. का - सरस्वती, मा - लक्ष्मीः चेत्युभे अपि अक्षिणी यस्याः One who has her eyes as sarasvatI and lakShmI. kAmAkShI has sarasvatI and lakShmI as her attendants (सचामररमावाणी सव्यदक्षिणसेविता)

(The preface in tamizh to mUkapanchashatI by Shri S.V. Radhakrishna Shastri gives a detailed explanation of kAmAkShI, kAmakoTI and kAnchIkshetra)

शास्त्रं वदति – 8

Saastram speaks – 8

The following sentence is from the sixth chapter, fourth brAhmaNa and seventeenth passage of ‘BrhadAraNyaka upanishad’.
It describes, that a couple, desirous to have a female child, may cook sesame and rice together and eat it along with ghee.
अथ च इच्छेत् दुहिता मे पण्डिता जायेत सर्वमायुरियादिति तिलौदनं पाचयित्वा सर्पिष्मन्तमश्नीयताम् (6, 4 ,17)

atha ca icchet duhitā me paṇḍitā jāyeta sarvamāyuriyāditi tilaudanaṁ pācayitvā sarpiṣmantam aśnīyatām
(6, 4 ,17)

We are aware of the rituals like ‘pumsavanam’ which is performed during the pregnancy period. The above ritual is also mentioned in our scriptures.
Female foeticide is a sad and heart breaking practice in our country where the scriptures quote a separate ritual to have a female child. Shamefully it prevails even in the educated group. The age old and stereotyped views are always quoted as one of the reasons for the female foeticide. I have not come across any scripture corroborating the same.

कविः -2

भर्तृहरिः

‘भर्तृहरिणा कृतं शतकत्रयं मानवजीवनस्य मार्गदर्शकः’ इति लोकोक्तिः अस्ति। तेन कृत ग्रन्थः प्रसिद्धिं अलभत, परन्तु तस्य जीवनविषये सप्रमाणयुक्तिः न लब्धा। भर्तृहरिः जन्मना राजवंशीयः, तथापि सः राज्यभोगान् त्यक्त्वा वनम् अगच्छत्, यत्र सः नीतिशतकम्, श्रृङ्गारशतकम्, वैराग्यशतकम् इति त्रीन् ग्रन्थान् अरचयत्।
शीर्षकस्य समर्थनानुसारेणैव नीतिशतके नैतिक अथवा धर्मप्रतिपादनविषयाः उक्ताः, तथा च
श्रृङ्गारशतके विषयसुखम् अधिकृत्य लिखितं कविना।
मोक्षप्राप्तिरेव मानुषजन्मनः प्रयोजनम्। संसारे विरक्तिः, ईश्वरे अनुरक्तिः, ततः ब्रह्मणि अनुध्यानेन परमं पदं लभ्यते। संसारस्य अनित्यत्वं तथा आत्मनः अमृतत्वं च रमणीयश्लोकेषु वर्णितं कविना।

Poet -2
Bhartrhari

It is very difficult to settle the dates of ancient writers generally and it is specially so with the Indian writers. The date of birth and the date of death of great poets like kalidAsa, BhavabhUti, SrIharshA etc. were not recorded in books. It is the same with the poet Bhartrhari, whose date and time are still under dispute.
Tradition weaves plenty of stories round an old, reputed personage, and the tales may be based on fact or fancy. Bhartrhari belonged to a royal family and renounced the world later on in life to become a yogi. He then retired to the forest where he is said to have composed the three satakams. They are the nIti satakam, sringAra satakam and vairAgya satakam. Satakam means hundred. So, there are hundred slokas in each text.
Among the works of the poet, nIti satakam is the collection of wise sayings, morals etc.

In the ‘mUrkha paddhati’ of nIti satakam, the poet says- ‘Those who have knowledge are affected by jealousy, those who hold high position are spoiled by arrogance, and the rest are overpowered by ignorance. Therefore, the good sayings said in this work remain absorbed in the body of its possessor. Even if there is no one to appreciate, my work will continue.

बोद्धारो मत्सरग्रस्ताः प्रभवः स्मयदूषिताः।
अबोधोपहृताश्चान्ये जीर्णमङ्गे सुभाषितम्।।


boddhāraḥ matsaragrastāḥ prabhavaḥ smayadūṣitāḥ
abodhopahatāścānye jīrṇamaṅge subhāṣitam

The verses of sringara satakam are generally sensual. The effect of moon-light, cool breezes etc. on the minds of lovers are well depicted.
The vairaagya satakam or the hundred slokas of renunciation. They are written with the full enthusiasm and determination of an ascetic who has renounced the world.
Personally I feel, a student of Sanskrit must read two books. One is Adi sankara’s ‘Bhaja Govindam’ and undoubtedly the second one is Bhartrhari’s ‘vairAgya satakam’.

शास्त्रं वदति- 7

Saastram speaks -7
The following verse is from the ninth chapter of Manu smriti.

It says- Let a girl wait for three years, though she is of marriageable age. After that period she can choose a husband by herself who can be of equal caliber.

त्रीणि वर्षाण्युदीक्षेत कुमारी ऋतुमती सती।
ऊर्ध्वं तु कालात् एतस्मात् विन्देत सदृशं पतिम् ।। (9- 90)

trīṇi varṣāṇyudīkṣeta kumārī ṛtumatī satī
ūrdhvaṁ tu kālāt etasmāt vindeta sadṛśaṁ patim (9- 90)

कुमारी – A girl, ऋतुमती सती – after attaining the suitable age, त्रीणि- three, वर्षाणि- years, उदीक्षेत- wait, ऊर्ध्वं – above, एतस्मात् – that, कालात् – time or period, सदृशं- suitable or equal, पतिम्- husband, विन्देत –select or choose.

मञ्जुरामायणम् -1


ब्रह्मर्षिराजर्षिसमागमं तं समागतो द्रष्टुमपीह लोकः ।
शशाक दृष्टिं पतितां विधर्तुं ब्रह्मण्यहो राजनि तत्र रामे ।।

brahmarṣirājarṣisamāgamaṁ taṁ samāgato draṣṭumapīha lokaḥ|
śaśāka dṛṣṭiṁ patitāṁ vidhartuṁ brahmaṇyaho rājani tatra rāmaḥ||

द्रष्टुम् = to see
तं = that
समागमं = union
ब्रह्मर्षिराजर्षि = between brahmarshi (Viswamitra) and rajarshi ( Janaka)
इह = here (In the palace)
लोकः = people
समागतः = gathered
न शशाक = but they were unable
विधर्तुं = to remove
पतितां दृष्टिं = their sight which had fallen
तत्र =there
रामे = on Rama
ब्रह्मणि = who is brahman the supreme being
राजनि = and king

Oh alas ! The people who were gathered there (In the palace of Janaka) to see the meeting of Brahmarshi –Vishwaamitra and Rajarishi- Janaka , were not able to take their eyes off Rama who was Brahman the supreme being and Raja, a king as well.

वैराग्यशतकम् आशा - 6

निवृत्ता भोगेच्छा पुरुषबहुमानोऽपि गलितः
समानाः स्वर्याताः सपदि सुहृदो जीवितसमाः ।
शनैर्यष्ट्युत्थानं घनतिमिररुद्धे च नयने
अहो मूढः कायस्तदपि मरणापायचकितः ।।

nivṛttā bhogecchā puruṣabahumāno'pi galitaḥ
samānāḥ svaryātāḥ sapadi suhṛdo jīvitasamāḥ|
śanairyaṣṭyutthānaṁ ghanatimiraruddhe ca nayane
aho mūḍhaḥ kāyastadapi maraṇāpāyacakitaḥ||

प्राणतुल्याः सुहृदः बन्धवश्च जरावस्थायाः प्रागेव पुण्यलोकं गताः। विषयानुस्पृहा निर्गता। पुरुषाणां सम्मानः, सोऽपि गलितः। दृष्टिः तु जरया नष्टा। शरीरसंचारे तु शक्तिः नास्ति। तथापि, ज्ञानहीनः मम देहः मरणेन को अपायो जायते इति भीतः।

My friends, dear to me as life, have all taken the fast lane towards heaven before the onset of (old) age. The interest in accomplishing the worldly enjoyments has reduced and I have lost respect from my relatives. My vision is obstructed by deep blindness and the body can raise slowly only with the support of a Staff. Despite all these, my body is still scared of the very thought of death.

सुहृदो- Friends, समानाः – of equal age, जीवितसमाः – dear to me as life, सपदि- immediately (before the onset of old age), स्वर्याताः – reached the heaven, भोगेच्छा- desire for enjoyment, निवृत्ता – has gone, पुरुषबहुमानोऽपि – the respect from people, गलितः- has also gone, नयने च- and my eye sight, रुद्धे- obstructed by, घनतिमिर- deep blindness, कायः- Body , शनैः –slowly, उत्थानं- gets up, यष्टिः – with a help of a Staff or stick, तदपि- even after all these, कायः – (my) body is, मरणापायचकितः- scared of death, अहो- alas (surprising).

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 12


ऐश्वर्यम् इन्दुमौलेः ऐकात्म्यप्रकृति काञ्चिमध्यगतम्।
ऐन्दवकिशोरशेखरम् ऐदंपर्यं चकास्ति निगमानाम्॥

aiśvaryam indumauleḥ aikātmyaprakṛti kāñcimadhyagatam|
aindavakiśoraśekharam aidaṁparyam cakāsti nigamānām||

इन्दुमौलेः ऐश्वर्यम् – She is the form of Shiva’s (who has the moon on his head) supremacy
ऐकात्म्यप्रकृति – She is the shakti who is present as united with Shiva
ऐन्दवकिशोरशेखरं – She has the crescent moon on her forehead
निगमानाम् ऐदंपर्यं – She is the essence of Vedas
काञ्चिमध्यगतम् चकास्ति – She shines in the middle of kAnchi

This sloka is the 7th sloka in the AryAshataka of mUkapanchashati written by mUka kavi.

Shiva does not act without Shakti nor does Shakti act without the presence of Shiva. Shiva’s Ishvaratva or aishvarya or supremacy is dependent on the presence of Shakti within. This anyonya bhAva is beautifully represented by a physical resemblance too – both, Shiva and Shakti have a crescent moon on their head. Kavi describes kAmAkShI as the purport of Vedas residing in the city of kAnchi.

शास्त्रं वदति – 6

Saastram speaks -6
The following verse is from the ninth chapter of Manu smriti.

It says - A girl can remain in her father’s place or stay alone for her life time, if she did not get a suitable husband. The father should not give her to a man, who is devoid of good qualities.

काममामरणात् तिष्ठेत् कन्या ऋतुमत्यपि ।
न चैवैनां प्रयच्छेत्तु गुणहीनाय कर्हिचित् ।। (9- 89)

kāmamāmaraṇāt tiṣṭhet kanyā ṛtumatyapi
na caivaināṁ prayacchettu guṇahīnāya karhicit (9- 89)

कन्या – A Girl , ऋतुमत्यपि – Even after coming to a marriageable age, कामम् – according to her wish , आमरणात्- till the end of her life , तिष्ठेत् – remain.
च – and, न कर्हिचित् - never to , प्रयच्छेत्- give, एनां – her, गुणहीनाय – to a person devoid of good qualities,

Sanskrit and computer?

कलाशालायां यदा वयं पठन्त्यः आस्म, तदा प्रसिद्धतया संस्कृतजनैः एवमुक्तमासीत् संस्कृतं गणकयन्त्राय उचिता भाषा इति। अनया चिन्तया भृशं प्रभाविता अहं पठनात् परं हैदराबाद् नगरम् अगच्छम्। तत्र 15 दिनानि यावत् उषित्वा CALTS विभागे विषये किञ्चित् अपठम्। तत्तु प्रायः 1% एव भवेत् यतः तेषां कार्यं बहोः कालात् प्रचलन्नस्ति। नैजस्थितिहेतोः (due to personal reasons) तस्मिन् विभागे संशोधनं कर्तुम् अक्षमा अभवम्। ततः परं मम दृष्टिः व्याकरणे आसीत्। न केवलं शब्दानां रूपनिष्पत्तिः ज्ञातव्या, परन्तु सम्पूर्णव्याकरणशास्त्रस्य स्वरूपं ज्ञातव्यमिति आशा उत्पन्ना।

In my college days, I was completely taken by the idea which was floating around that Sanskrit is the most compatible language for computers because its grammar is very structured. This link, though 41/2 years old, gives a very beautiful look at why Sanskrit was ever considered as a computer language. There are further discussions on this topic to say whether Sanskrit can actually be used as a programming language though it seems to be a far cry from reality. Yes, it can be used for a few tasks but a programming language?

We as students of Sanskrit should face reality and try to highlight only points that can be relevant and viable to the modern world. Anything beyond that is a classic case of pulling wool over one’s eyes. Medicinal info, psychological aspects, management strategies, linguistics, arts and above all, philosophy of life are some of the areas I would personally choose to talk about.

कविः -1

(मूककविः)

मूककविः मूकपञ्चशती इति ग्रन्थस्य रचयिता। अस्य कवेः जन्मादि विषये युक्तिपूर्वकाः विषयाः न लब्धाः। कश्चित् मूकः काञ्चीपुरे कामाक्षीं ववन्दे। एकदा देव्याः कामाक्ष्याः अनुग्रहेण सः वक्तुम् आरभत। ततः, देव्याः नमस्काररूपेण मूकपञ्चशती इति पञ्चशतं श्लोकयुक्तम् इदं ग्रन्थम् अरचयत् सः कविः। सः प्रथमं मूकः आसीत् तस्मात् तेन नाम्ना एव प्रसिद्धिम् अलभत।

अयमेव मूककविः काञ्चीकामकोटिपीठाचार्येषु एकः आसीत्। सः मूकशङ्करः इति नाम्ना अपि प्रकीर्तितः। तस्य आचार्यपीठारोहणं 398 A.D. मध्ये आसीत्। ततः 437 A.D. मध्ये सः शिवलोकपदवीम् अलभत इति तस्य जीवनविषये अभिप्रायो वर्तते।
तेन कृत मूकपञ्चशती ग्रन्थे पञ्च भागाः सन्ति, तथा च प्रति भागे शतश्लोकाः वर्तन्ते। ते भागाः आर्याशतकम्, पादारविन्दशतकम्, मन्दस्मितशतकम्, कटाक्षशतकम्, स्तुतिशतकम् च। प्रतिभागस्य वर्तमानानां श्लोकानां वृत्तानि भिन्नानि भवन्ति। अस्मिन् ग्रन्थे, कामाक्षीम्, एकाम्रनाथं, कामकोटिपीठं, काञ्चीपुरं तथा कम्पानदीं च अवर्णयत् कविः।

Poet -1
Mooka Kavi

Our ancients gave less prominence in mentioning about their biographical background. Reason could be the humility that those great men had of themselves. But still, we are eager to know the origin and lineage of those great men. ‘Mooka kavi’ is one among them who has not mentioned anything about his own self in his work. He is second only to Adi Sankara in composing slokas on the goddess kAmAkshI.
There are no authentic proof available on the date and life of ‘Mooka kavi’. There lived a man in kAnchIpuram, who was speech impaired from birth. He was regularly visiting ‘kAmAkshi’ temple and was prostrating before the goddess. One day He saw the lips of the goddess and after that he started to speak and wrote a work called ‘mooka pancha sati’ or five hundred slokas in praise of the goddess. The word ‘mooka’ means ‘a person who cannot speak’ in Sanskrit, hence his name remained as ‘mooka kavi’.

This ‘mooka kavi’ was one of the AchAryAs of the kAnchI kAmakotI peetam and was called as mooka sankara. The date of his becoming the AchArya is approximately stated as 398 A.D. and he attained siddhi at 437 A.D.

His work ‘mooka panca sati’ has five sections; they are, AryA satakam, pAdAravinda satakam, manda smita satakam, katAksha satakam and stuti satakam. Each section consists of hundred slokas. The metre or the vrittam in which these slokas were written is different in each section. In this text, the poet describes goddess kAmAkshi, kAmakoti peetam, EkamranAtha, kAnchIpuram and the river kampA. Some Slokas have similarity with the text ‘soundarya laharI’ of Adi Sankara.

शास्त्रं वदति-5

saastram speaks- 5
यत्किञ्चित् धवलं पुष्पं यत्किञ्चिदनुलेपनम्।
अलक्ष्मीपरिहाराय नित्यं कुरु युधिष्ठिर।।

yatkiñcit dhavalaṁ puṣpaṁ yatkiñcidanulepanam|
alakṣmīparihārāya nityaṁ kuru yudhiṣṭhira||

युधिष्ठिर = Oh yudhistira यत्किञ्चित् = little धवलं पुष्पं = bright flower (preferably white) यत्किञ्चित् = little अनुलेपनम् = perfume अलक्ष्मीपरिहाराय = to avoid poverty or the inauspicious नित्यं = daily कुरु = do (wear)

This sloka is an advice given by Bhishma pitAmaha to Yudhishtira in Mahabharatam.
A person who wants to maintain his financial status must wear a white flower and mild perfume daily. It is an age old practise for even men to wear flowers. Kings, in particular, used to have garland or flower crown and sandal paste applied over their body.

शास्त्रं वदति -4

Saastram speaks -4

A person who learns veda should have a disciplined life. Dedication is needed to maintain the purity of veda. The following verse says that how a learner of veda should be -

शिखां पुण्ड्रञ्च सूत्रञ्च समयाचारमेव च ।
पूर्वैराचरितं कुर्यात् अन्यथा पतितो भवेत् ।।

śikhāṁ puṇḍrañca sūtrañca samayācārameva ca
pūrvairācaritaṁ kuryāt anyathā patito bhavet

शिखां - A Lock of hair, पुण्ड्रञ्च- sandal paste or vibhUti should be applied always on the forehead, सूत्रञ्च- sacred thread, च – and, समयाचारमेव – conventional practice, कुर्यात् – must do or follow, पूर्वैराचरितं – our ancestors, अन्यथा – otherwise, पतितो भवेत् – will fail.

p.s. this sloka is taken from the book ‘AchArya’s call’. This book has the discourses of kAnchi mahAswAmigal

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 11


एकैकस्यापि उपकारस्य प्राणान् दास्यामि ते कपे।
शेषस्य उपकाराणां भवाम ऋणिनो वयम् ।।

ekaikasyāpi upakārasya prāṇān dāsyāmi te kape
śeṣasya upakārāṇāṁ bhavāma ṛṇino vayam

The above verse is from ‘vAlmIki rAmAyaNam’.
The context is – The battle between rAMa and rAvaNa was over, rAma with his family and friends reached ayodhyA.
During the coronation ceremony rAma said this to HanumAn, ‘Hanuman, you have not only saved the life of sItA, but you have guarded the pride and respect of raghukula. The help rendered by you to raghukula cannot be re-paid even if I give my life. The whole family owes lot of gratitude to you.’

कपे – Hanuman,एकैकस्यापि- for every, उपकारस्य- help done by you,
दास्यामि – (I) give my, प्राणान्- Life, शेषस्य-for the remaining, उपकाराणां- of the help, वयम्- we (The whole of Raghukula), भवाम- will, ऋणिनो- owe gratitude, ते- to you.

Personal note: We might have heard this sloka at least hundred times from our Professor Dr. N. Veezhinathan. We owe a lot to our gurus.

वैराग्यशतकम् आशा - 5

वलीभिः मुखमाक्रान्तं पलितेन अङ्कितं शिरः।
गात्राणि शिथिलायन्ते तृष्णा एका तरुणायते।।

valībhiḥ mukhamākrāntaṁ palitena aṅkitaṁ śiraḥ|
gātrāṇi śithilāyante tṛṣṇaikā taruṇāyate||

जरया मुखं तु वैरूप्यं प्राप्तम्। केशादयः धवला जाता। गात्राणि तु शिथिलानि अभवन्। जरया प्रतिक्षणं सर्वाणि अङ्गानि क्षीयन्ते परन्तु तृष्णा एका तु बलिष्ठा भवति तथा वर्धते च।

The face is fully covered with wrinkles, the hair is completely grey, the limbs became weak. Body is ageing but there seems to be no abating of desire.

मुखम् – Face ; आक्रान्तम् – attacked ; वलीभिः– wrinkles; शिरः – head ; पलितेन – grey hair ; अङ्कितं – painted ; गात्राणि – limbs ; शिथिलायन्ते – weak; तृष्णा – desire ; एका – only one ; तरुणायते – young or rejuvenating.