VITAL FEW AND TRIVIAL MANY

SUBHASHITHAM : 066

अनन्त शास्त्रं बहुलाश्च विद्याः स्वल्पश्च कालो बहुविघ्नताच |

यत्सारभूतं  तदुपासनीयं   हंसो  यथा  क्षीरमिवाम्बुमध्यात्      ||

Anant shastram bahulashch vidyaah  swalpashcha   kaalo bahu vighnataacha.

Yatsaarabhootam tadupaasaneeyam hamso yathaa ksheeramivaambumadhyaat.

Boundless indeed is the science of language, but life is short and obstacles are numerous. Hence take what is good and leave what is worthless, as geese/swan take milk from the midst of water.

प्रथमे नार्जिता विध्या द्वितीये नार्जितं धनं I

तृतीये नार्जितं पुण्यं चतुर्थे किं करिष्यति II

Prathame naarjitaa vidhyaa dviteeye naarjitam dhanam I Truteeye naarjitam punyam chaturte kim karishyati?

One who misses to acquire knowledge in his early years, misses to earn a lively-hood in his middle years, gains no  spiritual merit (punyam) in his third stage, what can he do in his last ( fourth) stage of life?

असारं अल्पसारं च सारं सारतरं त्यजेत् I

भजेत् सारतमं शास्त्रे रत्नाकर इवाम्रुतं II

Asaaram alpa saaram cha saaram saarataram tyajet I Bhajet saaratamam shaastre ratnaakara ivamrutam II

Reject those which are of no essence, meagre essence, and also those which are of partial essence and those having greater essence. Focus only on those with greatest essence , like the nectar from the milky ocean.

अणुभ्यश्च महद्भ्यश्च शास्त्रेभ्य: कुशलो नर: |

सर्वत: सारमादद्यात् पुष्पेभ्य इव षट्पद: ||

A wise person should gather only important parts (gist) of knowledge from all 'shaastras' (because they are many and it is impractical to learn everything in depth) - juts as a bee gathers (only) honey from all types of flowers (and does not collect flowers).

आरोप्यते शिला शैले यत्नेन महता यथा I

पात्यते तु क्षणनाधस्तथात्मा गुण दोषयो: II

Aaropyate shilaa shaile yatnena mahataa yathaa I Paatyate tu kshannaadhas tatha guna doshayo: II

It is very difficult to lift the rock till the peak of the mountain. But it is very easy to get the same rock from the peak to the foot of the mountain. In the same way it is very difficult to cultivate noble thoughts; far more simple to induce bad habits in a person.

नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते |

स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् || 40||

nehābhikrama-nāśho ’sti pratyavāyo na vidyate

svalpam apyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt

BG 2.40: Working in this path, there is no loss or adverse result, and even a little effort saves one from great danger.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMA: