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.