Friday, October 31, 2014

You are being watched!

आदित्यचन्द्रावनिलोऽनलश्च
द्यौर्भूमिरापो हृदयं यमश्च ।
अहश्च रात्रिश्च उभे च सन्ध्ये
धर्मश्च जानाति नरस्य वृत्तम् ॥
- हितोपदेशः

The sun, the moon, the wind, the fire, the sky, the earth, the water, the heart, the death, the day, the night, both the twilights, and the dharma know all the activities of a man.

Yes, you are being watched all the time.

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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Health is the greatest wealth

अपि क्रियार्थं सुलभं समित्कुशम्
जलान्यपि स्नानविधिक्षमाणि ते ।
अपि स्वशक्त्या तपसि प्रवर्तसे
शरीरमाद्यं खलु धर्मसाधनम् ॥
- कुमारसम्भवम्

Are Samit sticks and Kusa grass required for rituals, easily available? Is the water here suitable for your bathing? Are you practising austerities according to your strength? For, human body is the chief means of pursuing Dharma.
(This verse is from Kalidasa's Kumarasambhava. Parvati starts a severe Tapas to please Shiva and marry him. To test her devotion, he appears in disguise of a sage and begins conversation with this verse.)

He who has health, has hope.
And he who has hope, has everything.

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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Greed knows no bounds

जीर्यन्ति जीर्यतः केशाः
दन्ता जीर्यन्ति जीर्यतः ।
चक्षुःश्रोत्रे च जीर्येते
तृष्णैका तु न जीर्यते ॥
- महाभारतम्

As a person gets older, the hairs get whitened and fall out while the teeth lose their strength and wear out. The eyes and ears too get weaker. Despite all this, the greed of a person is not satisfied and never decreases with age.

Greed knows no bounds.
Age is no guarantee of maturity.
Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age.

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Beware of evil doers

तक्षकस्य विषं दन्ते
मक्षिकायाश्च मस्तके ।
वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे
सर्वाङ्गे दुर्जनस्य च ॥

The poison of a snake is in its fangs, and that of a bee, in its head. A scorpion has poison in its tail, but an evil person has poison in all parts of his body!

Beware of evil doers.

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Monday, October 27, 2014

Appearances are often deceiving

काकः कृष्णः पिकः कृष्णः
को भेदः पिककाकयोः ।
वसन्तकाले सम्प्राप्ते
काकः काकः पिकः पिकः ॥
- कुवलयानन्दः

Crow is black, and so is a cuckoo. But then, what is the difference between the two? With the arrival of spring, (we realize that) a crow is just a crow, and a cuckoo is a cuckoo indeed.

Appearances are deceptive.
Do not judge a book by its cover.

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Sunday, October 26, 2014

Rome wasn't built in a day

अटनेन महारण्ये
सुपन्थाः जायते शनैः ।
वेदाभ्यासात् तथा ज्ञानम्‌
शनैः पर्वतलङ्घनम्‌ ॥

By wandering through the woods, the right path is discovered gradually. Similarly, wisdom is acquired gradually by studying the Vedas. Likewise, a mountain is gradually surpassed step by step.

Rome wasn't built in a day.
The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground.

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Saturday, October 25, 2014

Familiarity breeds contempt

अतिपरिचयादवज्ञा
सन्ततगमनादनादरो भवति ।
मलये भिल्लपुरन्ध्री
चन्दनतरुकाष्ठमिन्धनं कुरुते ॥

Excessive familiarity breeds contempt. Repeated visits (to anyone) result in disrespect. For instance, on the Malaya mountains (rich in sandalwood trees), the tribal housewife uses sandalwood as a fuel.

Familiarity breeds contempt.
A constant guest is never welcome.

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Friday, October 24, 2014

You cannot wash charcoal white

स्वभावो नोपदेशेन
शक्यते कर्तुमन्यथा ।
सुतप्तमपि पानीयम्
पुनर्गच्छति शीतताम् ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

It is impossible to change the inherent nature of people by advice. Even though water is heated to boiling, it gradually turns cold by its nature.

You cannot wash charcoal white.
Advice is least heeded when most needed.

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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Practise what you preach

परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यम्
सर्वेषां सुकरं नृणाम् ।
धर्मे स्वीयमनुष्ठानम्
कस्यचित्तु महात्मनः ॥
- हितोपदेशः

It is easy for everyone to acquire skills for preaching others. But to practise the righteous principles oneself is a quality of few that are great.

Practise what you preach.
To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.

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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Money can't buy happiness

अर्थानामर्जने दुःखम्
अर्जितानां च रक्षणे ।
आये दुःखं व्यये दुःखम्
धिगर्थाः कष्टसंश्रयाः ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

Acquiring wealth is difficult. Also, it is difficult to protect the acquired wealth. Wealth results in unhappiness while acquiring it as well as while spending it. Fie on such a wealth which is the cause for all miseries.

Money is a headache, and money is the cure.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy you the kind of misery you prefer.

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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

All sunshine makes a desert

अतिदानाद्बलिर्बद्धो
ह्यतिमानात्सुयोधनः ।
विनष्टो रावणो लौल्यात्
अति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत् ॥

Excessive generosity lead to the capture of Bali.
Excessive pride lead to the downfall of Suyodhana.
Excessive infatuation lead to the destruction of Ravana.
Thus, excess should be avoided in every aspect.

All sunshine makes a desert.
Too much of anything is good for nothing.

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Monday, October 20, 2014

Knowledge, the only everlasting asset

हर्तुर्याति न गोचरं किमपि शं पुष्णाति यत्सर्वदा
ह्यर्थिभ्यः प्रतिपाद्यमानमनिशं प्राप्नोति वृद्धिं पराम् ।
कल्पान्तेष्वपि न प्रयाति निधनं विद्याख्यमन्तर्धनम्
येषां तान् प्रति मानमुज्झत नृपाः कस्तैस्सह स्पर्धते ॥
- नीतिशतकम्

Invisible to those who try to steal, the treasure which forever provides ineffable happiness, which increases the most even when given to those that seek, which is eternal and does not perish even at the end of the world, is the intrinsic wealth called knowledge. O kings, get rid of your pride, for who indeed can match those who possess the wealth of knowledge.

Knowledge is power.

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Sunday, October 19, 2014

Vision without action is merely a dream

यथैकेन न हस्तेन
तालिका सम्प्रपद्यते ।
तथोद्यमपरित्यक्तम्
कर्म नोत्पादयेत् फलम् ॥

It is not possible to clap with just one hand. Similarly, an effortless activity never results in success.

As you sow, so shall you reap.
Vision without action is merely a dream.
A free lunch is found only in mousetraps.
He that would have the fruit must climb the tree.
Success is a ladder you cannot climb with hands in your pockets.

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Saturday, October 18, 2014

A show of envy is an insult to oneself

न शरन्मेघवत्कार्ये
वृथैव घनगर्जितम् ।
परस्यार्थमनर्थं वा
प्रकाशयति नो महान् ॥
- हितोपदेशः

One should not roar in vain like the thundering of autumn clouds (which don't rain). A great person never proclaims the gains or losses of others.

A show of envy is an insult to oneself.

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Friday, October 17, 2014

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder

किमप्यस्ति स्वभावेन
सुन्दरं वाप्यसुन्दरम् ।
यदेव रोचते यस्मै
भवेत्तत्तस्य सुन्दरम् ॥
- हितोपदेशः

Is there anything that is beautiful or ugly by its nature? Whatever pleases a person gets recognized by him as being beautiful.

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

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Thursday, October 16, 2014

Birds of a feather flock together

मृगा मृगैः सङ्गमनुव्रजन्ति
गावश्च गोभिस्तुरगास्तुरङ्गैः ।
मूर्खाश्च मूर्खैः सुधियः सुधीभिः
समानशीलव्यसनेन सख्यम् ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

Deer are accompanied by deer, cows by cows and horses by horses. Similarly, fools befriend fools and wise people enjoy the company of wise. Friendship is natural among like-minded people with similar hobbies.

Like likes like.
Birds of a feather flock together.

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Wednesday, October 15, 2014

You get what you deserve

वृक्षांश्छित्वा पशून्हत्वा
कृत्वा रुधिरकर्दमम् ।
यद्येवं गम्यते स्वर्गे
नरके केन गम्यते ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

Despite cutting trees, killing animals and spilling blood, if one goes to heaven, who goes to hell!

You get what you deserve.
As you sow, so shall you reap.

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Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Distance lends enchantment to the view

दूरस्थाः पर्वताः रम्याः
वेश्या च मुखमण्डने ।
युद्धस्य तु कथा रम्या
त्रीणि रम्याणि दूरतः ॥

Mountains look spectacular from a distance.
A prostitute looks very beautiful when she puts on makeup.
The story of a war is very interesting.
These three are impressive only from a distance.

Distance lends enchantment to the view.
Appearances are deceptive.

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Monday, October 13, 2014

Life is a mirage

आदित्यस्य गतागतैरहरहः संक्षीयते जीवितम्
व्यापारैर्बहुकार्यभारगुरुभिः कालो न विज्ञायते ।
दृष्ट्वा जन्मजराविपत्तिमरणं त्रासश्च नोत्पद्यते
पीत्वा मोहमयीं प्रमादमदिरामुन्मत्तभूतं जगत् ॥
- वैराग्यशतकम्

Life shortens day by day as the sun rises and sets. Subject to the pressure of several mundane activities, one fails to see how time flies. One is not afraid despite beholding birth, misery, old age, and death. In fact, the world is intoxicated by the mysterious wine of delusion.

Life is a mirage.

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Sunday, October 12, 2014

True coral needs no painter's brush

स्वभावसुन्दरं वस्तु न संस्कारमपेक्षते ।
मुक्तारत्नस्य शाणाश्मघर्षणं नोपयुज्यते ॥

That which is naturally beautiful needs no refinement. Polishing stone does not add any more shine to a precious jewel.

True coral needs no painter's brush.

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Saturday, October 11, 2014

Fire is the test of gold, adversity, of strong men

व्यसने मित्रपरीक्षा
शूरपरीक्षा रणाङ्गणे भवति ।
विनये भृत्यपरीक्षा
दानपरीक्षा च दुर्भिक्षे ॥

A friend is tested in times of trouble.
A brave warrior is tested on battlefield.
A servant is tested in his obedience.
A generous person is tested in times of scarcity.

Adversity is the touchstone of virtue.
Fire is the test of gold, adversity, of strong men.

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Friday, October 10, 2014

Eggs cannot be unscrambled

नष्टं मृतमतिक्रान्तम्
नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ।
पण्डितानाञ्च मूर्खाणाम्
विशेषोऽयं यतः स्मृतः ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

The wise never grieve over what is lost, dead or has passed. This is deemed an aspect that distinguishes wise from the unwise.

Let bygones be bygones.
Waste not fresh tears over old griefs.
What's done cannot be undone.
It's no use crying over spilt milk.
Eggs cannot be unscrambled.

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Thursday, October 9, 2014

Know thyself

आत्मानमनभिज्ञाय
विवेक्तुं योऽन्यदिच्छति ।
तेन भौतेन किं वाच्यम्
प्रश्नेऽस्मिन् को भवानिति ॥

One aspires to understand the world without knowing self. What does such a person answer to the question 'Who are you?'

Know thyself.

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Wednesday, October 8, 2014

May there always be peace

सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः
सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु
मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ॥

May we all be happy.
May we all be free from diseases.
May we all see the good.
May none suffer from miseries.

May there always be peace, love and happiness in every house.

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Tuesday, October 7, 2014

In youth we learn, in age we understand

आचार्यात् पादमादत्ते
पादं शिष्यः स्वमेधया ।
पादं सब्रह्मचारिभ्यः
पादं कालक्रमेण च ॥

A student acquires a fourth of his knowledge from his teacher, another fourth from his own intelligence, the third quarter from his fellow students, and the rest of his knowledge through experience in due course of time.

In youth we learn, in age we understand.

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Monday, October 6, 2014

Think before you act

दृष्टिपूतं न्यसेत्पादम्
वस्त्रपूतं जलं पिबेत्‌ ।
शास्त्रपूतं वदेद्वाक्यम्
मनः पूतं समाचरेत्‌ ॥

One should place the foot only after carefully watching.
One should drink water only after passing it through a filtering cloth.
One should speak only those words that agree with scientific scriptures.
One should act only after careful deliberation.

Look before you leap.
Think before you act.
Vision without action is a daydream.
Action without vision is a nightmare.

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Sunday, October 5, 2014

You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar

प्रियवाक्यप्रदानेन
सर्वे तुष्यन्ति जन्तवः ।
तस्मात्तदेव वक्तव्यम्
वचने का दरिद्रता ॥
- चाणक्यनीतिः

Sweet words bring pleasure to everyone. So, one should use only pleasing words as there is no scarcity of such words.

Speech is a mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so he is.
Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

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Saturday, October 4, 2014

Sanskrit

संस्कृतं देवभाषास्ति
वेदभाषास्ति संस्कृतम् ।
प्राचीनज्ञानभाषा च
संस्कृतं भद्रमण्डनम् ॥

Sanskrit is a divine language.
Sanskrit is the language of Vedas.
It is also the language of ancient knowledge.
Sanskrit is a language which adorns prosperity.

Sanskrit is the mother of all languages.

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