SABDA CHITRAM

Subhashitham : 024

जामाता  जठरं जाया जातवेदो जलाशय : I

पूरिता नैव पूर्यन्ते जकारा: पञ्च दुर्भरा:  II

Son-in-law, stomach, Wife, Fire (Agni ), Water bodies all these five starting “jha” (in Sanskrit ) can never be pleased completely.

गीता गङ्गा च गायत्री गोविन्देति ह्रुदिस्स्तिते

चतुर्गकार संयुक्ता पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते  II

 'Geeta Ganga cha gayatri govindeti hrudi sthite chaturgakaara samyukta punarjanma na vidyate'...This means that one who recites these four names and bears these four names begining with 'Ga' will never fall in birth and death cycle

We have many great slokas in Vedanta Desika’s “paduka sahasram “ where using letters repetitively , he paints ‘ subdha chithram ‘  ( They are considered as Manthras ). Here is one such example where a single letter “ YA” kara is used:

936. yAyAyAyAyAyAyAyA yAyAyAyAyAyAyAyA

     yAyAyAyAyAyAyAyA yA yA yA yA yA yA yA yA

SlOkam 936: This sabdha chithram is known as

Ekaswara Vyanjanam or that which is revealed by

one intonation (Swaram). The split of the slOkam

into individual words to bring out  the meaning are:

" Yaayaayaayaa , aaya , aayAya , ayAya , ayAya ,

ayAya , ayAya , ayAya , yAyAya , aayAyAya ,

aayAyA; yaa, yaa, yaa, yaa, yaa , yaa, yaa, yaa ".

That Paaduka, which collected revenue, being in the throne, which

ensures auspices for the devotees, which is the benefactor of True

Wisdom on devotees, which kindles a yearning for the good things of

life (which makes the devotee look to itself as the Supreme Deity),

which wipes out enemies (also the sins of the devotees), which after

attaining the Lord's Feet is for His travels, which helps bring the

Lord to us, and which is the Supreme Aid for the jivas reaching the

Highest Goal, that Paaduka has the distinction of solely being for

the Lord.

 ( Readers are advised to approach a guru to understand  the meaning of this sloka )

Sri Krishnaya thubyam nama:

HELP EVER HURT NEVER

Subhashitham : 023

अनन्त शास्त्रं बहुवेदितव्यं अल्पस्च कालो भहवश्च विग्ना: I

यद्सारभुतं तदुपासितव्यं  हंसो यथा क्षीर मिवाम्बुमिश्रं II

Anantasastram bahu veditavyam, Svalpascha kalo bahavascha vighnah,

Yat sarabhutam tadupasitavyam, Hamso yatha ksheeramivambumisram.

The Sastras are endless; there is much to be known; time is short, obstacles are many; that which is essence should be grasped, just as the swan does in the case of milk mixed with water. "

The swan is often used to symbolise the nature of satvic mind , as we can see from the ensuing sloka:

रागादि दूषिते चित्ते नास्पदी महुसूदन: I

न बध्नाति रतिं हंस: कदाचित  कर्दमांभसि II

Sri Krishna distances himself  from  those whose mind is filled with lust and anger. Just as a swan doesn’t reside in  muddy waterbodies.

In the gita Arjuna asked Krishna : “ dragged on by what does a man commit sin , unwillingly though, constrained as it were by force? ” . The reply is given in BGCH3-Verse 37

काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भव: ||

महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् || 37||

kāma eṣha krodha eṣha rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ

mahāśhano mahā-pāpmā viddhyenam iha vairiṇam

BG 3.37: The Supreme Lord said: It is lust alone, which is born of rajo guna , and later transformed into anger. Know this as the sinful, all-devouring enemy here on earth.

Having seen the root cause of the problem, how do we get to the essence of all sastras for a solution?  Two slokas, one by Tulsi das and the other by Vyasa bhagavan  might be of  use.

भक्तिं प्रयच्छ रघुपुङ्गव निर्भरम् मे  I

कामादि दोष रहितं कुरु मानसं च  II   Tulsi Das

“ Please give me the fullness of devotion and empty my mind of evils like Lust and Anger . “

Two statements can summarise all the eighteen Puranas composed by Vyasa.

अष्टादश पुराणेषु व्यासेन वचनद्वयम  I

परोपकारं पुण्यानां पापाय पर पीडनं  II

“Do good to others; avoid doing harm," Help ever, Hurt Never”

Sri Krishnaya thubyam nama:

QUALITIES OF A GOOD STUDENT

SUBHASHITHAM- 022

“काक चेष्टा, बको ध्यानं, श्वान निद्रा तेथैव्चा

अल्पहारी, गृहत्यागी विद्यार्थी पञ्च लक्षणं”

This sloka prescribes the following five important qualities of a good student:

1. Perseverance of a crow   2.  concentration of a crane  3.   light/alert sleeper like a dog

4.  frugal eater  5.  readiness to staying  away from home for learning pursuits

Basically, this shloka tells us the 5 essential qualities desired out of an ideal student. A student should be very agile, alert and  energetic like a crow. At the same time, he should have concentration like a crane. A crane can sit still for hours together waiting & concentrating on his prey. Sleep should be a like a dog. A dog wakes up at the slightest of sounds and is ever alert.  Also very important is the quality of alpaahaari... i.e. light eater. Students should not be stuffing their stomachs to the brim, since it affects their agility and  concentration.

We have from Vidura niti,a sloka on the qualities  of a successful individual ( students included ):

  बुद्धि: प्रभाव: तेजश्च सत्वमुत्थानमेवच |

व्यवसायश्र्च यस्यास्ति तस्य वॄत्तिभयं कुत: ||      विदुरनीति

One who has intelligence , chivalry, poise, power, enthusiasm and willingness to work; why he/she has to worry about progress in life ? ( Implication is success is definite )  

We have from Bhagavad Gita :

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया |     उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिन: || 34||

tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśhnena sevayā     upadekṣhyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśhinaḥ 

Learn thou this by discipleship, by investigation, and by service. The wise teachers will  instruct thee in wisdom.

 Now, we will also see , what are the qualities a good student should avoid :

आलस्यं मदमोहञ्च चपलं गुष्टि रेवच I    स्तभ्दता चाभिमानित्वं तथा अत्यागित्वं एव च  I ll

एते वै सप्त दोष: स्यू: सदा विध्यार्थिनां मत:II

Aalasyam mada mohancha chapalam gushtirevacha I     Sthabdatha cha abhimaanitvam thatha athyagitvam eva cha I     Ete vai sapta dosha: syu : sada vidhyaartinam matha: II

Laziness, pride, ignorance, fickle mindedness, gossiping , idleness, possessiveness are the seven drawbacks found in students.    

Sri Krishnaya thubhyam nama:                                        

NATURE OF AVIVEKA

Subhashitham : 021
यौवनं धनसम्पत्तिः प्रभुत्वमविवेकिता ।

एकैकमप्यनर्थाय किमु यत्र चतुष्टयं ॥

yauwanaM dhana-sampattiH, prabhutwamavivekitA |

ekaikamapyanarthAya kimu yatra chatuShTayaM ||

youth, abundance  of wealth, unbridled  authority and indiscretion;

each one is enough to cause havoc,  what to mention  where all four are present.

In this, it is to be noted that the first three are not bad by themselves. Only in association with the fourth ( indiscrimination ) they become defects . Bhagavad gita describes briefly the nature of evil minded:

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोध: पारुष्यमेव च |

अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम् || 4||

dambho darpo ’bhimānaśh cha krodhaḥ pāruṣhyam eva cha

ajñānaṁ chābhijātasya pārtha sampadam āsurīm

Hypocrisy , arrogance ,conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance are the qualities of those who possess a demoniac nature –BG 16.4

Also, srutis and smrutis mention of three types of egos , arising out of erudition, wealth and nobility.

विद्यामदो धनमदस्तृतीयोऽभिजनो मदः ।

 मदा एतेऽवलिप्तानामेत एव सतां दमाः ॥

 Vidya mado dhana mado thrithiyo abhijana mada: I

Mada ethe avalipthaanaametha eva satham dhamaa: II

It is only those who are without intelligence , that suffer from ahankara due to vidya,dhana, or high-birth. Men of wisdom, through sense- control ( dama; ) they subdue the ahankara totally. 

मर्कटस्य सुरपानं मध्ये वृश्चिकदंशनं

तन्मध्ये भूतसंचारो यद्वा तद्वा भविष्यति ॥

markatasya surapaanam madhye vrshcikadamshanam |

tanmadhye bhuutasamcaaro yadvaa tadvaa bhavishyati ||
The state of those who have no sense-control are compared to a monkey, that has consumed toddy, bitten by a scorpion, and to top it all, possessed by a ghost.

The difference between the good and the evil is dramatically represented by Pandavas and the kauravas in the Mahabharata.

Sri Krishnaya thubyam nama

AAHAARA SUDDHI

Subhashitham:020

  आहार  शुद्धौ   सत्त्व  शुद्धिः     सत्त्व शुद्धौ ध्रुवा स्मृतिः          

   स्मृति लम्भे   सर्व ग्रन्थीनां    विप्र  मोक्षः ||            

"Ahara suddhau sattva-suddhih     Sattva-suddhau dhruva smrtihi

smrti-lambhe sarva-granthinam    vipra-moksah"        [Chandogya Upanishad 7.26.2]

“By the purity of food, follows the purification of the inner nature, on the purity of the inner nature the memory becomes firm and on the strengthening of memory follows the loosening of all ties, and the wise get liberation thereby.”

This verse mentiones "ahara suddhi" or purification of food as a crucial element in spiritual progress. The smrtis  proclaim that one of the greatest of purifiers is pure food.

Chandhogya upanishad ordains

“अन्नमशितं त्रेदा विधीयते तस्य य: स्थविष्टो धातुस्तत्पुरीषं भवति

यो मध्मयस्तन्मांसं यो अणिस्ष्ट तत् मन: II “ Chandogya 6.5.1

  The nature of food that we eat manifests as nature of our mind. :   Upanishad points out that the food we eat has three layers; sthula amsa, madhyama amsa and sukshuma amsa.

“Food when eaten , becomes divided into three parts. What is its grossest part that is refuse matter; the middling part is flesh ;  and what is the subtlest part ,that is mind.”

 ( Sankaracharya gives a wider l import to this word 'food'. Anything we take in through our five senses, i.e., Rupa, Rasa, Sabda, Gandha, Sparsa is also  'food'.  Anything we receive through the senses should also  be pure. Food eaten alone will not suffice.)

TheBhagavad  Gita teaches that extremes should be avoided at all costs in all spheres of life. A healthy mind and body are required for successful performance of any spiritual practice. Therefore, it is required that a sadhaka  should regulate his daily bodily functions, such as eating, sleeping, bathing, resting and recreation.

नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नत: |

न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन || 16||

nātyaśhnatastu yogo ’sti na chaikāntam anaśhnataḥ

na chāti-svapna-śhīlasya jāgrato naiva chārjuna

BG 6.16: O Arjun, those who eat too much or eat too little, sleep too much or too little, cannot attain success in Yoga.

युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु |

युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दु:खहा || 17||

yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-cheṣhṭasya karmasu

yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā

BG 6.17: But those who are temperate in eating and recreation, balanced in work, and regulated in sleep, can mitigate all sorrows by practicing Yoga.

उरस्यार्धं अन्नस्य तृतीयं उदकस्यतु I

वायो: संचरनार्थं तु चतुर्थं अवशोशयेत् II

 It is recommended to fill half of the stomach with food, one fourth with water, and leave the rest empty for air.

DIVINE WILL AND SELF- EFFORT

Subhashitham : 019

·      विहाय पौरुषं यो हि दैवमेवावलंबते  I

प्रासाद सिंहवत् तस्य मूर्ध्नि तिष्टन्ति वायसा: II

If one avoids self-effort and relies only on favourable fate, he will face the same predicament of a  lion (statue) placed on top of a compound  wall. Crows will sit on his head.

·      काकतालीयवत् प्राप्तं दृष्ट्वापि निधिमग्रत: I

न स्वयं दैवमादत्ते पुरुषार्थं अपेक्षते  II

Even if out of sheer luck, you find a treasure in front of you, destiny doesn’t pick it for you, your effort is expected.

·      न दैवमपि संचिन्त्य त्यजेत् उद्योगमत्मन:  I

अनुध्योगेन तैलानि तिलोभ्यो नाप्नुमर्हति  II 

Even thinking fate to be favourable one should not give up one’s industry; no one can get oil from sesamum seed without exertion.

·           उध्यमेन हि सिद्ध्यन्ति कार्याणि न मनोरथै: I

न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मृगा:  II

Tasks are completed by industry and not by idle wishes ; No animal will enter the mouth of a sleeping lion.

These are some of the popular subhashithas emphasising  the role of self-effort and not leaving  it entirely to fate.

Dr.Radha  Krishnan,  mentions that the role of fate and self-effort can be compared to a game of Rummy. The cards you get are based on fate ( Ishwareccha-god’s will  ) and how you play with it is like self-effort. Therefore , both have their own spheres of action.

Also, in our sasthras two causes are mentioned for every effect. Saadharana kaarana  ( general cause -Ishwareccha ) and asaadharana kaaranam (special cause- Individual effort ).

 From a mango seed only mango will come is saadharana kaarana. What kind of mango comes, big, small, sweet, sour etc are due to asaadharana karana ( fertilizer,water,soil, sun shine etc ). I am no expert on the subject ,but whatever little I have heard from elders I thought I will share with every one. Hope it is useful.

Sri Krishnaya thubyam nama: