श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 68

ती
तीर्थे तोयव्यतिकरभवे जह्नुकन्यासरय्वो-
र्देहत्यागादमरगणनालेख्यमासाद्य सद्यः।
पूर्वाकाराधिकचतुरया सङ्गतः कान्तयासौ
लीलागारेष्वरमत पुनर्नन्दनाभ्यन्तरेषु॥ रघुवंशः ८-९५॥
tīrthe toya-vyatikara-bhave jahnu-kanyā-sarayvo-
rdeha-tyāgād-amaragaṇanā-lekhyam-āsādya sadyaḥ।
pūrvākārādhika-caturayā saṅgataḥ kāntayāsau
līlāgāreṣvaramata punar-nandanābhyantareṣu॥

अजविलापसर्गे अन्तिमश्लोकः अयं मया विश्रान्तिपूर्वं पठितः आसीत्।

सर्गेऽस्मिन् इन्दुमत्याः मरणं सम्भवति अजश्च तस्याः अदर्शनं स्वस्य तया विना जीवनमिति द्वेपि स्थिती षड्विंशति श्लोकेषु वर्णिते। यद्यपि लघ्वी सा कथा पठितॄणां मनसि गाढं भावम् जनयति। विलापानन्तरं वसिष्ठमहर्षिः शिष्यद्वारा लघुसन्देशं प्रेष्यति -
मरणं प्रकृतिः शरीरिणां विकृतिर्जीवितमुच्यते बुधैः।
क्षणमप्यवतिष्ठते श्वसन्यदि जन्तुर्ननु लाभवानसौ॥
आत्मनात्मविवेकी त्वम् समाश्वसिहीति। तदनन्तरम् अजस्तु दशरथे राज्यधुरं न्यस्य गङ्गासरय्वोः तीरे देहं तत्याज। यदि कालिदासः एवं समापयिष्यत् तर्हि रसविच्छित्तिः अभविष्यत्। अतः अजः इन्दुमत्या सह स्वर्गनन्दवने अरमत इत्युक्त्वा सर्गं समापयति। "Happy Ending" इत्यतः प्रथमम् अवदम् "विश्रान्तिपूर्वं मया पठितः श्लोकः" इति।

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 67

ति

तिसृभिस्त्वमवस्थाभिर्महिमानमुदीरयन्|
प्रलयस्थितिसर्गाणामेकः कारणतां गतः॥ २-६॥ कुमारसम्भवः॥

tisṛbhistvamavasthābhirmahimānamudīrayan |
pralayasthitisargāṇāmekaḥ kāraṇatāṁ gataḥ || 2-6॥ Kumarasambhava

एकः त्वम् = Existing as only one (before creation)

तिसृभिः अवस्थाभिः = with the help of 3 states

महिमानम् = greatness

उदीरयन् = showing, manifesting

प्रलय-स्थिति-सर्गाणाम् = for destruction, sustenance and creation

कारणताम् = causal factor

गतः = became

Manifesting your might by the three forms, you who existed alone before creation became the cause of the creation, protection and destruction of the worlds.

In Kumarasambhava 2nd Canto, the devas approach Lord Brahma to seek a solution for the atrocities done by Tarakasura. This sloka is one of the many slokas in praise of Lord Brahma. The greatness of Kalidasa is that he sees the brahman is all deities - Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. The advaitin that he was, Kalidasa describes Siva as the Brahman in the same canto sl. 58

 स हि देवः परं ज्योतिस्तमःपारे व्यवस्थितम्।

परिच्छिन्नप्रभावर्द्धिर्न मया न च विष्णुना॥ २-५८॥ 

and Vishnu as the cause for creation, protection and destruction of the world, in Raghuvamsa canto 10 sl. 16

नमो विश्वसृजे पूर्वं विश्वं तदनु बिभ्रते।

अथ विश्वस्य संहर्त्रे तुभ्यं त्रेधास्थितात्मने॥ १०-१६॥

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 64

ज्ञ

ज्ञाने मौनं क्षमा शक्तौ त्यागे श्लाघाविपर्ययः ।

गुणाः गुणानुबन्धत्वात्तस्य सप्रसवा इव ॥

jïäne mounam kçamä çaktou tyäge çläghä viparyayaù

gunäù guëänubandhatvät tasya saprasaväù iva

The above verse is from the 1^st canto of kälidäsa’s raghuvamça that describes the great qualities of king dilépa.

Opposite qualities remained naturally with one another, like good brothers, in the case of king dilépa. First let’s see the behaviour and attitude of people possessing great virtues in general.

A ज्ञानिन् or a knowledgeable person usually tempted to show off his knowledge when needed and at times even out of turn; a strong person likes to punish severely the inferior ones; a charitable person loves to boast of his charities.

But in the case of king dilépa it is totally different. The king though learned he was, was shy like a maiden, though powerful and courageous, he forgave his enemies and though generous and liberal while giving gifts he averse to refer them.

ज्ञाने- in knowledge , मौनम् - silence, शक्तौ- in power, क्षमा-forgiveness, त्यागे- charity, श्लाघाविपर्ययः - absence of boasting, तस्य गुणाः- His qualities, गुणानुबन्धत्वात् – associated with other qualities (of an opposite nature),

सप्रसवा इव – like brothers (born from the same source).

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 63

जे

जेतारं लोकपालानां स्वमुखैरर्चितेश्वरम् ।

रामस्तुलितकैलासमरातिं बह्वमन्यत ॥

jetäram lokapälänäm svamukhairarciteçvaram

rämastulitakailäsamarätim baùvamanyata

The above çloka is from the 12^th canto of raghuvamça of kälidäsa.

räma thought highly of his enemy rävaëa, the conqueror of the guardians of the worlds, who had worshipped Lord çiva by offering his own heads and who had balanced the kailäsa mountain.

लोकपालानां – lokapäla or dik päla who guard the eight quarters, जेतारं - conqueror , स्वमुखैरर्चितेश्वरम् – who offered his head to lord çiva , तुलितकैलासमरातिं – enemy rävaëa ( who could move the kailäsa mountain itself), रामः - räma , बह्वमन्यत - consider great.

Why räma considered rävaëa as a great person, though he abducted sita.

Here poet kälidäsa quotes three incidents that justify räma’s thought process.

1 the lokapalas or dikpaalas are the eight, guarding the eight quarters. They are the इन्द्रो वह्निः पितृपतिर्नैर्ऋतो वरुणो मरुत्।

कुबेरः ईशः पतयः पूर्वादीनां दिशां क्रमात्॥ The great rävaëa conquered them easily.

2 The ten- headed rävaëa performed penance at gokarna for ten thousand years, offering one head at the end of a thousand years. When he was about to cut off his tenth head, Brahma appeared before him and gave him the boon that he will not be killed by divine or semi- divine beings. So Vishnu has to come to the earth as räma, a human being, to kill rävaëa.

3 Once rävaëa had gone to kailäsa to seek the blessings of lord çiva. Nandin, the guard, stopped the entry of rävaëa. rävaëa enraged, wanted to lift the whole of kailäsa mountain, but çiva by merely pressing his thumb down kept kailäsa in its place.

It is also said –‘Never underestimate your enemy’.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 62

जु


जुगोप आत्मानम् अत्रस्तो भेजे धर्मम् अनातुरः।
अगृध्नुः आददे सः अर्थम् असक्तः सुखम् अन्वभूत्॥(रघुवंशः सर्गः‍ 1 श्लोकः 21)
Jugopa ātmānam atrasto bheje dharmam anāturaḥ
Agṛdhnuḥ ādade saḥ artham asaktaḥ sukham anvabhūt

जुगोप – protected
आत्मानम् – himself
अत्रस्तो – without fear
भेजे – adhered
धर्मम् – dharma
अनातुरः – without being worried
अगृध्नुः – without being greedy
आददे – took
सः – He
अर्थम् – wealth
असक्तः – without attachment
सुखम् – happiness
अन्वभूत् – experienced

King Dilipa protected himself, not out of fear. Protecting oneself is the first and foremost duty of king.
He adhered to dharma not because he was worried. Performing dharma is inherently good and hence he adhered to the path of righteousness.
He took wealth not out of greed. He wanted to serve his people with the taxes that they paid him.
Further, he experienced happiness without attachment. In सांख्य philosophy, purusha or the soul is described as पुष्करपलाशवत् निर्लेपः – as unattached as a water droplet on palasha.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 59

जा

जाने विसृष्टां प्रणिधानतस्त्वां मिथ्यापवादक्षुभितेन भर्त्रा ।

तन्मा व्यथिष्ठा विषयान्तरस्थं प्राप्तासि वैदेहि पितुर्निकेतम् ॥ (14, 72)

jäne visåñöäm praëidhänatastväm mithyäpaväda kñubhitena bharträ

tanmä vyathiñöhä viñayäntarastham präptäsi vaidehi piturniketam

The above sloka is from ‘Raghu vamsam’ of kaalidaasa.

The context here is : After the fourteen years exile Rama returns to the kingdom along with lakshmana and Sita and adorns the throne. One day Rama hears a scandal about Sita. Later on, she was abandoned near vaalmiki’s hermitage by Lakshmana, as directed by Raama.

Seeing Sita at the midst of the forest sage Vaalmiki says the following words- ‘ I know by the power of my meditation that you have been abandoned by your husband who is agitated by the false slander. Oh! Vaidehi do not be disturbed by any worries, you have come to the house of the father situated in another country.

त्वां- you, मिथ्या- false, अपवाद- blame, क्षुभितेन- agitated, भर्त्रा- by the husband, विसृष्टां- abondeoned, प्रणिधानतः – by his holy powers, जाने- I know, वैदेहि- O! Vaidehi,तत् मा व्यथिष्ठाः- do not be upset, विषयान्तरस्थं- in another place, पितुः – father’s निकेतं- house, प्राप्ता असि- have reached.

Firstly, Sage Vaalmiki tells Sita not to worry herself. As for her, he is in the same position as janaka. Sita can consider his abode as janaka’s abode itself, the only difference being that it was situated in a different country.

भर्त्रोपेक्षितानां पितृगृहवास एव उचित इति भावः – Father’s abode will be the safest place for a lady who was abandoned by her husband.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 48

चि
चित्रकूटवनस्थं च कथितस्वर्गतिर्गुरोः ।
लक्ष्म्या निमन्त्रयाञ्चक्रे तमनुच्छिष्टसंपदा ॥

The above verse is from the 12th canto of kAlidasa’s ‘raghuvamsa’.

Bharata after hearing the news of Dasaratha’s death and rama’s exile proceeded towards chitrakuta to bring back rama along with Lakshmana and sita.
Bharata also wanted to give the kingdom back to rama and he wanted rama to enjoy the royalty whose glory had not been enjoyed by another.

गुरोः – father’s (of Dasaratha), कथितः – was informed, स्वर्गतिः- the death ,भरतः – Bharata, चित्रकूटवनस्थं- rama who stays in chitrakuta, तम् (रामम्) - to rama, अनुच्छिष्टसंपदा – kingdom which was not enjoyed by another, लक्ष्म्या- and wealth, निमन्त्रयाञ्चक्रे - invited.

poet- 6

कविः - 6
कालिदासः
पञ्चमहाकाव्येषु द्वयोः महाकाव्ययोः रचयिता कालिदासः। क्व कालिदासस्य महिमा क्व च मे अल्पामतिः एतदपि तस्य उपमया एव वर्णयितुम् इच्छामि, ‘प्रांशुलभ्ये फले उद्बाहुः वामनः इव’ इति । तथापि श्रीवेदान्तदेशीकाचार्येण उक्तप्रकारं ‘अमृतं यदि लभ्यते किं न गृह्येत मानवैः’ इति कालिदासस्य कीर्तिं कि़ञ्चित् इव लिखितुम् इच्छामि।
यद्यपि कालिदासस्य जन्मादि विषये सप्रमाणयु्क्तयः न लब्धाः तथापि संस्कृतसाहित्ये सर्वाधिकप्रसिद्धिप्राप्तः महाकविः स एव। तस्य महाकवेः रचनासु रघुवंशः, कुमारसंभवश्च इति द्वे महाकाव्ये अपि च अभिज्ञानशाकुन्तलम्, विक्रमोर्वश्यम्, मालविकाग्निमित्रमिति त्रीणि नाटकानि तथा मेघदूतः ऋतुसंहारः च इति द्वे खण्डकाव्ये। तस्य अतिसरलशैलीयुक्तचनाः अस्मान् मोहयन्ति।
‘उपमा कालिदासस्य’ इति प्रसिद्धा सूक्तिः तस्य उपमा प्राशस्त्यं प्रकटयति। रघुवंशमहाकाव्ये ‘संचारिणी दीपशिखेव रात्रौ’ इति पद्ये तस्य उत्कृष्टोपमाकौशलेन विस्मितवन्तः पण्डिताः दीपशिखा कालिदासः इति विरुदेन तं सम्मानितवन्तः।
तस्य रघुवंशमहाकाव्यस्य मङ्गलश्लोके कविः पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ स्तौति। श्लोकश्च यथा –
‘वागर्थाविव संपृक्तौ वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये। जगतः पितरौ वन्दे पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ’॥ देवी सरस्वती ज्ञानस्वरूपिणी, तां विहाय कालिदासः किमर्थं पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ शब्दस्वरूपम् अर्थस्वरूपमिति वर्णयति?
उक्तञ्च वायवीयसंहितायाम् – ‘शब्दजातमशेषं तु दत्ते शर्वस्य वल्लभा । अर्थजातमशेषं तु दत्ते मुग्धेन्दुशेखरः’ ॥
तस्मात् शब्दाधिदेवता पार्वती तथा अर्थाधिपतिः परमेश्वरः इति कारणात् कविः कालिदासः वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ नमति। अनिर्वर्णनीयो हि तस्य वाक्विशेषः।

कालिदासस्य कीर्तयः श्रोतृणां कर्णेषु मधुनः धारां प्रवाहयति। तस्य वाग्विशेषेण तत्काव्यस्य नायकः नायिका च सजीवौ साकारौ एव अस्माकं पुरतः उपस्थितौ इव भवतः ।
अधरः किसलयरागः कोमलविटपानुकारिणौ बाहु।
कुसुममिव लोभनीयं यौवनमङ्गेषु सन्नद्धम् ॥
इयमधिक मनोज्ञा वल्कलेनापि तन्वी ।
किमिव हि मधुराणां मण्डनं नाकृतीनाम्॥

इति दुष्यन्तमुखात् आगतं शकुन्तलायाः वर्णनं न केवलं तस्याः सौन्दर्यं द्योतयति किन्तु कविकालिदासस्य अनुपमवर्णनसामर्थ्यं तस्य सरला शैलीं वाङ्माधुर्यं च प्रकाशयति।

कालिदासस्य कवित्वगुणाः अवर्णनीयाः। तस्य स्वाभाविकी प्रतिभा अऩुपमा। प्रसादगुणगुम्फिता तस्य शैली अतिमधुरा उत्कृष्टा च। स एव भारतीयसंस्कृतेः प्रतिनिधिः। सः अप्रतिमः कविः अस्माकं भारतदेशम् अलङ्कृतवान् इति विषये न कोऽपि सन्देहः।

Poet - 6
kAlidAsa

Please see the link below to know about the poet kAlidAsa.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C4%81lid%C4%81sa

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 36

ग्री
ग्रीवाभङ्गाभिरामं मुहुरनुपतति स्यन्दने बद्धदृष्टिः
पश्चार्धेन प्रविष्टः शरपतनभयाद्भूयसा पूर्वकायम्।
दर्भैरर्धावलीढैः श्रमविवृतमुखभ्रंशिभिः कीर्णवर्त्मा
पश्योदग्रप्लुतत्वाद्वियति बहुतरं स्तोकमुर्व्यां प्रयाति॥

gréväbhangäbhirämam muhuranupatati syandane badhadrñtiù

paçcärdhena praviñtaù çarapatanabhayät bhüyasä pürvakäyam

darbhairardhävaléòaiù çramavivrtamukhabhramçibhiù kérëavartma

paçyodagraplutatvät bahutaram stokamurvyäm prayäti

The above verse is from kAlidAsa’s drama abhignAna sAkunthalam.
The context here is: King Dushyanta with a bow and arrow in hand follows a deer.
Dushyanta describes the deer that is frightened by seeing him and the deer runs very fast to save his life.--- ‘The deer, while running, beautifully bends back his neck and casting his eyes often at the chariot. He shrinks the back portion of his body to the front half due to the fear of the fall of arrows. His mouth was filled with the dharbha grass. He ate only half of it and the remaining grass slipped from his mouth due to fatigue and the path was scattered with dharbha grass. He runs very fast because of which he jumps high and seems to travel more in the sky and runs very less on the earth.’

ग्रीवाभङ्गाभिरामं- neck is beautiful because of bending, अनुपतति- falls, मुहुः - again, स्यन्दने- in the chariot, बद्धदृष्टिः- casting his eyes, पूर्वकायम्- the front portion of the body , शरपतनभयाद्भूयसा- due to the fear of the fall of arrows (शर- arrow, पतन-fall, भयात्-fear ,भूयसा-again) पश्चार्धेन प्रविष्टः- the deer shrinks the back portion , अर्धावलीढैः – half eaten, दर्भैः –with the dharbha grasses,श्रम – due to fatigue,विवृत - opened, भ्रंशिभिः – falling from the, मुख – mouth, कीर्णवर्त्मा- spreads the path,and पश्य- see the deer, उदग्रप्लुतत्वात्- as he jumps high ,वियति –in the sky ,बहुतरं – travels more ,स्तोकम्- very less, उर्व्याम् – in the earth ,प्रयाति- runs.

The above verse gives a beautiful and true presentation of a deer fleeting in fear of a hunter pursuing him. This is a very simple scene but the narration makes us visualize the whole scene. And there are no words to describe the simple style of the author kAlidAsa. In the text kAvya prakAsa , this verse is illustrated as an example for bhayaanaka rasa.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 33

गा
गान्धर्वेण विवाहेन बह्वयो राजर्षिकन्यकाः ।
श्रूयन्ते परिणीतास्ताः पितृभिश्चाभिनन्दिताः ।। (3, 20)

The above sloka is from the third act of Abhignaana sAkuntalam of maha kavi kAlidAsa.

The context here is: Sakuntala is afflicted by love towards Dushyanta and at the same time she has the fear for elders. Dushyanta says the following words to her- “It is heard that the daughters of royal sages are married under the gAndharva form of marriage and they have also been approved by their fathers”.

बह्वयो –Many ; राजर्षिकन्यकाः – daughters of royal sages , परिणीताः – married under the , गान्धर्वेण- Gandharva form of, विवाहेन – marriage, श्रूयन्ते – heard. च – and , ताः – They are, अभिनन्दिताः – accepted , पितृभिः – by the fathers.

GAndharva is one of the eight forms of marriage recognized by the Hindu Law.

ब्राह्मो दैवस्तथैवार्षः प्राजापत्यस्तथासुरः ।
गान्धर्वो राक्षसश्चैव पैशाचश्चाष्टमोऽधमः ।।

Among these the voluntary union of the maiden and her lover is said to be the GAndharva form of marriage.

इच्छया अन्योन्यसंयोगः कन्यायश्च वरस्य च गान्धर्वः स तु विज्ञेयो ।

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 22

के
केनाभ्यसूया पदकाङ्क्षिणा ते नितान्तदीर्घैर्जनिता तपोभिः ।
यावद्भवत्याहितसायकस्य मत्कार्मुकस्यास्य निदेशवर्ती ।। (3, 4)

kenābhyasūyā padakāṅkṣiṇā te nitāntadīrghairjanitā tapobhiḥ|
yāvadbhavati āhitasāyakasya matkārmukasyāsya nideśavartī||

तारकासुरस्य पीडाम् असह्यमानाः देवाः ब्रह्मदेवस्य समीपं जग्मुः। सोऽपि ब्रह्मदेवः, ‘शिवपार्वत्योः तनयः कुमारः एव तम् असुरं हनिष्यति’ इत्युवाच। ततः, सदा तपसि आसक्तस्य परमशिवस्य मनः तपसः बहिः आनयनार्थं, मन्मथः देवैः आहूतः। मन्मथस्तु इन्द्रः महेन्द्रपदवीं रक्षणायैव आत्मानम् आहूतवानिति मत्वा – ‘हे राजन् यः तपसा भवतः पदवीं लब्धुम् इच्छति सः इदानीमेव मम बाणस्य लक्ष्यं भविष्यति ‘ इत्यवदत् ।

The above verse is from the third canto of the mahAkavyam kumArasabhavam written by mahAkavi kAlidAsa.

The story of kumArasambhavam is: pArvatI, by doing severe penance, marries lord shiva. To them was born kumara or subrahmanya, who destroys the asura tAraka and releases the devas from his tortures.

The context here is: The devas, unable to bear the torture of tAraka, seek brahmas help to save them. Brahma replied that kumara, who will be born to siva and pAravtI, can only destroy the asura. But siva is completely involved in meditation and he is totally disinterested in pArvatI. So in order to bring him out of meditation indra calls manmatha or cupid. But manmatha, unaware of the situation, thinks that indra called him to protect his kingship and says –‘Oh! indra tell me who is desire of taking your position by performing severe penance. With the help of my bow and arrow I will stop his penance and make him a slave of love.’

पद-काङ्क्षिणा- one who desires to take your place, केन – by whom, नितान्त-दीर्घैः- prolonged, तपोभिः- by the penances, ते – for you, अभ्यसूया - jealous, जनिता- occurred, आहित-सायकस्य – that which is ready with an arrow, अस्य-मत्कार्मुकस्य- my bows, निदेश-वर्ती- aim, यावत् भवति – he will become.

Manmatha or the god of love has a bow made of sugarcane and has five arrow of flowers. Whenever a rishi, rAkshasa or whoever does a severe penance, their penance and meditation will be disturbed by the devas by sending manmatha. But here, when manmatha hits shiva with his arrow of flowers, immediately the next moment manmatha was turned into ashes by the mere sight of shiva.

A person strong at heart cannot be disturbed by anything or anybody and it is the mind that controls the sense organs.