Saturday, February 28, 2015

Live in the present

गते शोको न कर्तव्यः
भविष्यं नैव चिन्तयेत् ।
वर्तमानेन कालेन
वर्तयन्ति विचक्षणाः ॥
- चाणक्यनीतिः

Past should not be repented for. Future should never be worried about. Wise men act in the present.


Live in the present.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present.
A good well-lived today makes every yesterday a dream of a good future, and every morning a vision of hope.

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Friday, February 27, 2015

Knowledge is the key to self-realization

न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशम्
पवित्रमिह विद्यते ।
तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः
कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥
– भगवद्गीता

Nothing in this world is as pure as knowledge. One who has attained perfect spiritual insight and tranquility (through the paths of knowledge, action and devotion), sees the eternal truth within himself in due course.


Knowledge is power.
Knowledge is the food of the soul.

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Thursday, February 26, 2015

Where there is a will, there is a way

उत्साहो बलवानार्य
नास्त्युत्साहात्परं बलम् ।
सोत्साहस्य च लोकेषु
न किञ्चिदपि दुर्लभम् ॥

Enthusiastic person is always powerful. There is nothing stronger than enthusiasm. Nothing in this world is impossible for an enthusiastic person.


Where there is a will, there is a way.
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves

उद्योगिनम् पुरुषसिंहमुपैति लक्ष्मीः
दैवेन देयमिति कापुरुषा वदन्ति ।
दैवं निहत्य कुरु पौरुषमात्मशक्त्या
यत्ने कृते यदि न सिध्यति कोऽत्र दोषः ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्रम्
- हितोपदेशः

Riches go to that lion among men, who is industrious. Mean people say that wealth is to be given by fate. Overcome your destiny and put in best efforts by working hard. Who is there to blame if there is no accomplishment despite your efforts?


Fortune favors the brave.
Success is a journey, not a destination.
Each man is the architect of his own future.
It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.

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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Anger ends in shame

क्रोधो हि शत्रुः प्रथमो नराणाम्
देहस्थितो देहविनाशनाय ।
यथा स्थितः काष्ठगतो हि वह्निः
स एव वह्निः दहते शरीरम् ॥

Anger is foremost enemy of humankind, which inherently resides within oneself only to destroy him, just like fire which is enkindled by a piece of wood ends up burning the piece.


Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame.
Anger is just one letter short of danger!

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Monday, February 23, 2015

Barking dogs seldom bite

सम्पूर्णकुम्भो न करोति शब्दम्
अर्धो घटो घोषमुपैति नूनम् ।
विद्वान् कुलीनो न करोति गर्वम्
गुणैर्विहीनाः बहु जल्पयन्ति ॥

A pot fully filled (with water) never makes any noise. However a half filled pot definitely makes a lot of noise. A learned person is never vain, as opposed to people devoid of qualities who keep babbling.


Barking dogs seldom bite.
Great talkers are little doers.
An empty vessel makes the most noise.

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Sunday, February 22, 2015

A silent fool is counted wise

दुर्बलस्य बलं राजा
बालानां रोदनं बलम् ।
बलं मूर्खस्य मौनित्वम्
चौराणामनृतं बलम् ॥

King is the strength of the weak.
Crying is the strength of kids.
Silence is the strength of a fool.
Lying is the strength of thieves.


(It is the duty of a king to protect the weak.
Kids can have their demands fulfilled, by crying.
A fool can remain silent and create an impression of being wise.
Thieves can get away with their crimes by lying)


A silent fool is counted wise.

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Saturday, February 21, 2015

A true king needs no crown

नाभिषेको न संस्कारः
सिंहस्य क्रियते वने ।
विक्रमार्जितसत्त्वस्य
स्वयमेव मृगेन्द्रता ॥

No coronation ceremony or any such formality is held to crown a lion as the king of jungle. It attains the position merely by its power and heroism.


A true king needs no crown
Bravado may stir the crowd, but courage needs no audience.

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Friday, February 20, 2015

Never argue with a fool

प्रसह्य मणिमुद्धरेन्मकरवक्त्रदंष्ट्रान्तरात्
समुद्रमपि सन्तरेत्प्रचलदूर्मिमालाकुलम् ।
भुजङ्गमपि कोपितं शिरसि पुष्पवद्धारयेत्
न तु प्रतिनिविष्टमूर्खजनचित्तमाराधयेत् ॥
- नीतिशतकम्

It may be possible to forcibly snatch a jewel from the midst of powerful jaws of a crocodile. It may also be possible to cross a raging sea swimming across its high-running violent waves. One may even wear a furious snake around his head as if it is a garland of flowers. But it is impossible to win over a conceited fool!


Every evil has its remedy, except folly.
Never argue with a fool; people might not be able to tell the difference.

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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Better safe than sorry

चिन्तनीया हि विपदाम्
आदावेव प्रतिक्रिया ।
न कूपखननं युक्तम्
प्रदीप्ते वह्निना गृहे ॥

One should foresee the effects of a problem and decide how to react to them well in advance. It is improper to dig a well when the house is on fire.


Prevention is better than cure.
A danger foreseen is half avoided.
Better safe than sorry.

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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

A man is as old as he feels

एकोऽहमसहायोऽहम्
कृशोऽहमपरिच्छदः ।
स्वप्नेऽप्येवंविधा चिन्ता
मृगेन्द्रस्य न जायते ॥

"I am alone and helpless. I am old and destite." Such thoughts do not worry a lion even in its dreams.


A man is as old as he feels himself to be.

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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Idleness is the root of all evil

अलसस्य कुतो विद्या
अविद्यस्य कुतो धनम् ।
अधनस्य कुतो मित्रम्
अमित्रस्य कुतः सुखम् ॥

How can one attain education, if he is lazy?
How can one acquire wealth, if he is uneducated?
How can one make friends, if he is not wealthy?
How can a person without friends, be happy?


Idleness is the root of all evil.
An idle brain is devil's workshop.

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Monday, February 16, 2015

Look before you leap

चलत्येकेन पादेन
तिष्ठत्येकेन पण्डितः ।
न समीक्ष्यापरं स्थानम्
पूर्वमायतनं त्यजेत् ॥
- हितोपदेशः

A wise man walks using one foot and stays using the other. Without examining the next position, he never steps on to it. (A wise person always analyzes future prospects, before making any significant decision in his life)


Think before you act.
Look before you leap.
Better safe than sorry.

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Sunday, February 15, 2015

All that is not given is lost

दानं भोगो नाशस्तिस्रो
गतयो भवन्ति वित्तस्य ।
यो न ददाति न भुङ्क्ते
तस्य तृतीया गतिर्भवति ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्रम्
- नीतिशतकम्

Money possessed by a person ends up in one of these three states.
  • being donated to the needy,
  • having spent for basic needs or
  • getting destroyed.
One who neither donates nor spends, will have all his wealth ultimately ended up in the third state.


Spend your money wisely. Happy Shopping!

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Saturday, February 14, 2015

You cannot love without giving

ददाति प्रतिगृह्णाति
गुह्यमाख्याति पृच्छति ।
भुङ्क्ते भोजयते चैव
षड्विधं प्रीतिलक्षणम् ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

Giving and accepting gifts, disclosing and inquiring about confidential information, accepting food (from you) and feeding (you) are the six characteristics of love.

Where there is love, there is happiness.
You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.

Make your 'someone special' feel extra special this Valentine's Day. Order a gift that will make his/her day!

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Friday, February 13, 2015

As you sow, so shall you reap

यथा धेनुसहस्रेषु
वत्सो विन्दति मातरम् ।
तथा पूर्वकृतं कर्म
कर्तारमनुगच्छति ॥
- पञ्चतन्त्रम्
- चाणक्यनीतिः

Even in a herd of thousands of cows, a calf recognizes its mother easily. In the same way, all previous deeds always follow the doer.

A Translation by Arthur W. Ryder is as follows.

A calf can find its mother cow
Among a thousand kine.
So good or evil done, returns
And whispers: 'I am thine'

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Thursday, February 12, 2015

When money speaks, the truth remains silent

यस्यास्ति वित्तं स नरः कुलीनः
स पण्डितः स श्रुतवान् गुणज्ञः ।
स एव वक्ता स च दर्शनीयः
सर्वे गुणाः काञ्चनमाश्रयन्ते ॥
- नीतिशतकम्

Whoever has lot of money, he has a great family background. He is a well-educated scholar, a great orator and a patron of good qualities. He is handsome too. Affluence is self-contained with all good qualities.


Money makes the world go round.
When money speaks, the truth remains silent.

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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Haste makes waste

सहसा विदधीत न क्रियाम्
अविवेकः परमापदां पदम् ।
वृणुते हि विमृश्यकारिणम्
गुणलुब्धाः स्वयमेव सम्पदः ॥
- किरातार्जुनीयम्
- हितोपदेशः

One should never act in a hurry. Bad decisions lead to great disasters. Wealth loves good qualities of a person and by itself goes to the one who thinks and acts.


Haste makes waste.
Unreasonable haste is the direct road to error.

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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Sharing is caring

काक आह्वयते काकान्
याचको न तु याचकान् ।
काक याचकयोर्मध्ये
वरं काको न याचकः ॥

Whenever it finds some food, a crow calls other crows so that they can enjoy it together. But, a beggar never does so. That's why, crows are superior to beggars.

Sharing is caring.
There is no delight in owning anything unshared.

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Monday, February 9, 2015

Fortune favors the bold

उद्यमस्साहसं धैर्यम्
बुद्धिः शक्तिः पराक्रमः ।
षडेते यत्र वर्तन्ते
तत्र देवः सहायकृत् ॥

Diligence, audacity, courage, intelligence, strength and bravery -wherever these six qualities exist, there is divine assistance.

Fortune favors the bold.
Every man is the architect of his own future.

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Sunday, February 8, 2015

Each man is the architect of his own future

यथा मृत्पिण्डतः कर्ता
कुरुते यद्यदिच्छति ।
एवमात्मकृतं कर्म
मानवः प्रतिपद्यते ॥
- हितोपदेशः

As a workman produces whatever he wishes from a lump of clay, so does a man meet the destiny shaped by himself.

Fortune favors the brave.
Each man is the architect of his own future.
Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is 'determinism'. The way you play it is 'free will'.
A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD.

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Saturday, February 7, 2015

Never argue with a fool

पयःपानं भुजङ्गानाम्
केवलं विषवर्धनम् ।
उपदेशो हि मूर्खाणाम्
प्रकोपाय न शान्तये ॥
- हितोपदेशः

The milk fed to a snake only increases its venom. Similarly, advice given to a fool leads to aggravation and not peace.

Advice is least heeded when most needed.
Every evil has its remedy, except folly.
Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish.

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Friday, February 6, 2015

A constant guest is never welcome

विना कार्येण ये मूढाः
गच्छन्ति परमन्दिरम् ।
अवश्यं लघुतां यान्ति
कृष्णपक्षे यथा शशी ॥

Those who visit others (frequently) without any reason, definitely have their dignity and status lowered gradually, very similar to how the moon loses its luminance from its full phase to new phase.

A constant guest is never welcome.
Familiarity breeds contempt.

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Thursday, February 5, 2015

Don't speak unless you can improve on the silence

स्वायत्तमेकान्तगुणं विधात्रा
विनिर्मितं छादनमज्ञतायाः ।
विशेषतः सर्वविदां समाजे
विभूषणं मौनमपण्डितानाम् ॥
- नीतिशतकम्

The creator has gifted human with a natural cloak to conceal his ignorance, with which he can cover himself at all times, for it is always at hand. Silence is indeed the gifted asset, which serves as a peculiarly befitting ornament for the ignorant, especially in an assembly of scholars.

A silent fool is counted wise.
Don't speak unless you can improve on the silence.

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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Flattery is the infantry of negotiation

यस्माच्च प्रियमिच्छेत्तु
तस्य ब्रूयात्सदा प्रियम् ।
व्याधो मृगवधं कर्तुम्
गीतं गायति सुस्वरम् ॥
- चाणक्यनीतिः

We should always speak sweet words that please the person from whom we expect a favor. To hunt for a deer, the hunter sings a melodious song first.


Keep your words soft and sweet.
Flattery is the infantry of negotiation.

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Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Hard work is its own reward

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते
मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूः
मा ते सङ्गोस्त्वकर्मणि ॥
– भगवद्गीता

Your right is only to perform your duty. You do not have right to expect any consequences thereof. You should neither be motivated by the fruits of your action, nor should they encourage you to be inactive.

The reward of a thing well done, is to have done it.

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Monday, February 2, 2015

Stay away from a fool

वरं पर्वतदुर्गेषु
भ्रान्तं वनचरैः सह ।
न मूर्खजनसम्पर्कः
सुरेन्द्रभवनेष्वपि ॥
- नीतिशतकम्

It is better to live with wild beasts wandering in the mountains, than with fools even in the comfortable and heavenly halls of the Lord of Gods.


Stay away from a fool.
Never argue with a fool; people might not be able to tell the difference.

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Sunday, February 1, 2015

Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing

मुखं पद्मदलाकारम्
वाचा चन्दनशीतला ।
हृदयं क्रोधसंयुक्तम्
त्रिविधं धूर्तलक्षणम् ॥

A lovely face as beautiful as a lotus petal, pleasing words as attractive as the fragrances of sandalwood, a furious heart filled with violent rage; these are the three characteristic qualities of cunning people.


All that glitters is not gold.
Appearances can be deceptive.
Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing.

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