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 – 61

जी

जीवितावधि वनीयकमात्रैर्याच्यमानमखिलैः सुलभं यत् ।

अर्थिने परिवृढाय सुराणां किं वितीर्य परितुष्यतु चेतः ॥ (5, 81)

jévitävadhi vanéyakamätrairyäcyamänamakhilaiù sulabham yat ।

arthine parivåòhäya suräëäm kim vitérya parituñyatu cetaù ॥

दमयन्तीस्वयम्वरार्थं गच्छन्तः सुराः, मार्गे नलं दृष्ट्वा तमुद्दिश्य प्रार्थितवन्तः । तदा तेषां वचनानि श्रुत्वा नलः एवम् अचिन्तयत्- 'समस्तैरपि पात्रलक्षणरहितैः याचकैः प्राणपर्यन्तं याचितं यद्वस्तु मत्सकाशात् सुलभतया लभ्यते । परन्तु इदानीं याचकाय सुराणां प्रभवे इन्द्राय किं दत्वा मम च अन्तःकरणं सन्तुष्टं भवतु।'

The above verse is from sri Harsa’s Naishadham.

The gods meet Nala on the way as he proceeds to the city of kundina to attend Damayanti’s svayamavara. They greet Nala and announce that they have a favour to ask him. Nala’s heart overflows with sentiments of generosity and self sacrifice at the thought of gods coming to him as suppliants.

He says – ‘As anybody who seeks a favour from me will easily receive anything that he asks for up to my life, but now by giving which gift will my heart be content when the suppliant is the lord of gods?’

अखिलैः – By all, वनीयकमात्रैः – those who beg, याच्यमानं- by seeking, सुलभं यत्-easily , जीवितावधि – up to one’s life ,अर्थिने – one who seeks , सुराणां – of the gods, परिवृढाय- to the lord , किं वितीर्य- by giving , चेतः – my mind , परितुष्यतु – will be happy.

Sanskrit Quiz - 5 (Answers)

1. Markandeya/मार्कण्डेयः
2. Satyavan/सत्यवान्
3. Nachiketas/नचिकेताः
4. Yudhishtira/युधिष्ठिरः
5. Nala/नलः

Sanskrit Quiz - 5

भारतीय-ऐतिहासिक-कथासु पञ्च जनाः एव मृत्युदर्शनात् परं जीवन्तः आसन् इति प्रसिद्धम्। के ते?

In Indian mythological stories only five people are famous for being alive even after meeting death. Who are they?

Send the answers to aarathi.bala@gmail.com

शास्त्रं वदति -33

Saastram speaks – 33

प्रियो भवति दानेन प्रियवादेन चापरः ।

मन्त्रं मूलबलेनान्यो यः प्रियः प्रिय एव सः ॥

priyo bhavati dänena priyavädena cäparaù

mantram moolabalenänyo yaù priyaù priya eva saù

In this world, people remain dear to us either by receiving gifts or by our pleasing words and can also make them dear to us by the force of ritual recitation of verbal charm or spell. But people who genuinely like us will always be close to us.

दानेन- by gifts, प्रियो भवति- are close, च - and, प्रियवादेन- by pleasing words, अपरः-Others, मन्त्रं मूलबलेन – by the magic spell, अन्यः - others, यः प्रियः – one who is close, प्रिय एव सः – will always be close.

We can relate ourselves to each and every verse of the text vidura neeti

शास्त्रं वदति- 32

Saastram speaks – 32

यान्ति न्यायप्रवृत्तस्य तिर्यङ्कोऽपि सहायताम् ।

अपन्थानं तु गच्छन्तं सोदरोऽपि विमुञ्चति ॥

yänti nyäyapravåtasya tiryaìkopi sahäyatäm

apanthänam tu gacchantam sodaropi vimuïcati

If a person walks in the path of dharma even the animals would support him. But if he adopts the path of adharma, then his own brothers will desert him.

न्यायप्रवृत्तस्य- One who walks in the path of dharma or righteousness, तिर्यङ्कोऽपि- even the animals, (This word refers to animals as they go horizontally).

सहायताम् यान्ति – go for help , अपन्थानं तु- in the adharma way, गच्छन्तं- goes, सोदरोऽपि- even his own brothers, विमुञ्चति- leave.

The story of rämäyaëa will be the correct example for the above verse.Räma followed the path of virtue, hence the monkeys helped him. rävaëa adopted the wrong path so he lost the support of his own brother.

Sanskrit Quiz- 4 (Answers)

Sakuntala, Anasuya, Priyamvada, Gowtami.

शकुन्तला , अनसूया , प्रियम्वदा , गौतमी

These five are the female characters from kaalidasa's Abhignyana sakuntalam .

शास्त्रं वदति-31

Saastram speaks- 31

(This sloka is the continuation of the previous sloka)

सोऽस्य दोषो न मन्तव्यः क्षमा हि परमं बलम् ।

क्षमा गुणो ह्यशक्तानां शक्तानां भूषणं तथा ॥

soasya doño na mantavyaù kñamä hi paramam balam

kñamä guëo hi açaktänäm çaktänäm bhüñaëam tathä

That defect, however, should not be taken into consideration, as, forgiveness is a great power. Forgiveness is a virtue of the weak, and an ornament of the strong.

सः – That man(who has a forgivable nature) , अस्य- for him, दोषः- this fault or defect न मन्तव्यः- should nor care or consider, हि- because, क्षमा- forgiveness, परमं- great, बलम् – power or strength, हि – but, अशक्तानां- for an incapable or a weak person, क्षमा- forgiveness, गुणो- is virtue or a quality, शक्तानां- for capable people or for strong ones, क्षमा- forgiveness, भूषणम् – is an ornament (that embellishes or brightens their character)

‘क्षमा शस्त्रं करे यस्य दुर्जनः किं करिष्यति’ – ‘What can a wicked person do to him who carries the weapon of forgiveness in his hand.’

शास्त्रं वदति-30

Saatram speaks- 30

एकः क्षमावतां दोषो द्वितीयो नोपलभ्यते ।

यदेनं क्षमया युक्तमशक्तं मन्यते जनः ॥ (47)

ekaù kçamavatäm doñaù dvitéyo nopalabhyate

yadenam kçamayä yuktam açaktam manyate janaù

The above verse is from ‘vidura neeti’

There is only one defect in forgiving persons—‘the quality of forgiveness present in them is wrongly assumed as incapability by others’.

क्षमवतां- a person who is of a forgivable nature, एकः- only one, दोषो- defect , द्वितीयो-second , नोपलभ्यते- is not to be seen, क्षमया युक्तं - with the quality of forgiveness , एनं- him, अशक्तं- incapable , मन्यते-assume, जनः – people

.

But, great men never bother or even consider the words of those inferior men. As they very well know that the ‘positives outweigh the negatives’.

Sanskrit Quiz- 4

The letters are jumbled here:

श अ प्रि गौ कु न य त न् सू म् व मी त या दा ला

Clue: These are the four female characters from kaalidaasa’s famous drama.

Send the answers to gai1876@gmail.com

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 60

जि

जितरोषरया महाधियः सपदि क्रोधजितो लघुर्जनः ।

विजितेन जितस्य दुर्मतेर्मतिमद्भिः सह का विरोधिता॥ (16, 26)

jitaroñarayä mahädhiyaù sapadi krodhajito lagurjanaù

vijitena jitasya durmatermatimadbhiù saha kä virodhitä

पण्डितः स्वज्ञानेन अथवा पाण्डित्येन सर्वान् जयति। परन्तु गर्वेणालम्बितः मूर्खः प्रथमं स्वक्रोधेन जितः भवति परं रिपुणापि। एवं स्थितस्य मूर्खस्य मतिमद्भिः पण्डितैः सह का स्पर्धा भवेत्। मूर्खपण्डितयोः मैत्रीव स्पर्धापि न संगता इत्यर्थः ।

The above verse is from the 16^th canto of mägha’s çiçupälavadham.

The plot of this mahäkävyam is taken from the sabhä parva of the epic mahäbhäratam.

The story of this kävyam is: Lord Krishna was given the prime respect during the räja süya yagnya performed by King yudhiñöra. çiçupäla, who was also present in the court, was unable to accept the way in which Lord Krishna was worshipped and regarded by the paandavas. So, He at the outburst of his anger started abusing çri kriñëa. Finally, Kriñëa, who was patiently listening to him, killed him with the sudarçana cakram.

In this canto, çiçupäla sent a messenger who spoke insulting words addressing lord Krishna. But çri kriñëa did not react for any situation.

At this context the poet mägha gives a general statement that “an intelligent person always controls his anger and wins over it. But a foolish man is always controlled by anger and is defeated by anger at every stage. Hence, it is impossible to even conceive a friendship or enmity between the learned and the ignorant.”

Poet mägha further says that not only friendship even enmity can never exist between Lord çri kriñëa and çiçupäla.

महाधियः- Intelligent or a great person, जितः - win, रोषरया- by anger (Great men faces the force of anger and win over it) , लघुर्जनः - an ignorant person , सपदि – immediately , क्रोधजितो- loses himself to anger, विजितेन- An ignorant who is won by anger , जितस्यदुर्मतेः –an ignorant who is a looser, मतिमद्भिः सह –with an intelligent person , का विरोधिता – where is the enmity?

An Epitome of virtue and an embodiment of vice can there ever be a meaningful conversation?

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 – 58

ज

जरेयं पिशाचीव हा जीवतो मे

वसामत्ति रक्तं च मांसं बलं च ।

अहो देव सीदामि दीनानुकम्पि

न्किमद्यापि हन्त त्वयोदासितव्यम् ॥

jareyam piçäcéva hä jévato me

vasämatti raktam ca mämsam balam ca

aho deva sédämi dénänukampin

kimadyäpi hanta tvayodäsitavyam

The above verse is from Adi Sankara’s ‘Vishnu bhujanga prayaata stotram’.

Adi Sankara says – The old age is attacking me like a demon and destroys my blood, bones, flesh and strength. And oh god! You are compassionate towards the distressed, but how come you seem to be not bothered at all?

इयं – This ,जरा – Old age , पिशाचीव – like a demon, हा जीवतो- When I am alive, मे – my ,वसाम् – अत्ति- eats the bone, रक्तं- blood, मांसं- flesh, बलं- strength, च- and, अहो देव- Oh god, सीदामि- trembling, दीन- distress, अनुकम्पिन्- merciful, अद्यापि – even now, हन्त त्वया – by you उदासितव्यम्- ignore me ( You should not ignore me) ।