GRASS-TRUNAM- (तृणं)

SUBHASHITHANI:165

उदारस्य तृणं वित्तं शूरस्य मरणं तृणं I

विरक्तस्य तृणं भार्या निस्पृहस्य तृणं जगत्  II

Udaarasya trunam vittam shoorasya maranam trunam

Viraktasya trunam bhaaryaa nispruhasya trunam jagat.

For a generous person money or wealth is insignificant (like a blade of grass), for a  warrior the prospect of facing death is immaterial.  Likewise , a person unattached to family life has no interest in his wife, and for a person having no desires this living Earth is immaterial.

अल्पानामपि वस्तूनां संहितः कार्यसाधिका ।

तृणैर्गुणत्वापनैर्बध्यन्ते मत्तहस्तिनः ॥

Alpaanamapi vastoonaam samhitah kaarya saadhikaa I

Trunairgunatvaapanair badyante mattahastinah II

Great things can be achieved by putting small things together. Just like a rope made up of grass  can be used to tie down a massive mad elephant.

पात्रापात्रविवेकोऽस्ति धेनुपन्नगयोरिव ।

तृणात्संजायते क्षीरं क्षीरात्संजायते विषम् ॥

pAtra apAtra viveko asti dhenu pannagayoH iva।

tRuNAt sanjAyate kShIram kShIrAt sanjAyate viSham ॥

There is definitely visible difference between good and the bad - just like the difference between a cow and a snake. One eats grass and gives milk. The other drinks the same milk and gives out venom.

साहित्य संगीत कला विहीनः साक्षात् पशुः पुछ विषाण हीनः ।

तृणं न खादन्नपि जीवमानः तद् भागधेयं परमं पषूणाम् ॥

The man without (love of) literature music or the arts is indeed an animal

without a tail or horns. The fact that he survives even without eating

grass is indeed a great piece of luck for the other animals.

मृगमीनसज्जनानां   तृणजलसंतोष विहित वृत्तीनां ।

लुब्धक धीवर पिशुना   निष्कारणमेव वैरिणो जगति ॥ Niti satakam

Mrigameenasajjanaanaam trinajalasantoshavihitavritteenaam

Lubdhaka dheevara pishunaa nishkaaranameva vairino jagati 1.60

Deer, fish and good men live on grass, water and contentment respectively. But the hunter, the fisherman and the backbiter, respectively, are their enemies without any reason. This is the nature of evil men.
अभ्रच्छाया तृणाग्निश्च खले प्रीतिः स्थले जलम् ।

वेश्यासक्तिः कुमित्रं च षडेते बुद्बुदोपमाः ॥

abhrat ChAyA tRuNAgni khale prItiH sthale jalam ।

veshya aasaktiH kumitram cha ShaD ete budbuda upamAH ॥

The following six things as ephemeral as a water bubble - shade from a cloud, fire from grass, love shown by a rogue, water that is spilled over land, attention span of a prostitute and a bad friend.

वरं वनं व्याघ्रगजेन्द्रसेवितं

द्रुमालयः पत्रफलाम्बु सेवनम्।

तृणेशु शय्या शतजीर्णवल्कलं

न बन्धुमध्ये धनहीनजीवनम्।।

It is better to live under a tree in a jungle inhabited by tigers and elephants, to maintain oneself in such a place with ripe fruits and spring water, to lie down on grass and to wear the ragged barks of trees than to live amongst one's relations when reduced to poverty.

तृणं लघु तृणात्तूलं तूलादपि याचकः ।

वायुना किं न नीतोऽसौ मामयं याचयिष्यति ।।

A blade of grass is light, cotton is lighter, the beggar is infinitely lighter still. Why then does not the wind carry him away? Because it fears that he may ask alms of him. 

अतिकुपिताऽपि सुजना योगेन मृदूभवन्ति न तु नीचाः ।

हेम्नः कठिनस्यापि द्रवणोपायोऽस्ति न तृणानाम् ॥ ४७॥

Atikupitaa api sujanaa yogena mrudu bhavanti na tu neechaah I

Hemnah katinasyaapi dravanopaayo asti na trunaanaam II

Even when they are very angry ,by their control the noble men become soft very quickly not the base men. Gold may be hard, but can be melted not the grass.

क्षुत्क्षामोऽपि जराकृशोऽपि शिथिलप्रायोऽपि कष्टां दशां

आपन्नोऽपि विपन्नदीधितिरपि प्राणेषु गच्छत्स्वपि ।

मत्तेभेन्द्रविभिन्नकुम्भकवलग्रासैकबद्धस्पृहः

किं जीर्णं तृणमत्ति मानमहतामग्रेसरः केसरी ॥ ४१॥

Even though weakened by hunger, old age, caught in a difficult situation, having lost all his glory, will a Lion, who is foremost of all proud animals, who desires for the flesh on the forehead of a mighty elephant, would ever settle for dry grass despite an imminent death?

 वनेऽपि सिंहा मॄगमांसभक्षिणो बुभुक्षिता नैव तॄणं चरन्ति |

एवं कुलीना व्यसनाभिभूता न नीचकर्माणि समाचरन्ति ||

Lions in forest, who eat flesh of other animals would never eat grass even if they are very hungry. Similarly, a person born in a virtuous family will not perform any misdeed even in difficult times.

सर्पा: पिबन्ति पवनं न च दुर्बलास्ते

 शुष्कैस्तृणैर्वनगजा बलिनो भवन्ति |

कन्दै: फलैर्मुनिवरा: क्षपयन्ति कालं

सन्तोष एव पुरुषस्य परं निधानम् ||

Snakes consume air and are not weak. Elephants eat dry grass, but grow stronger. Sages spend their time by eating only roots. Hence,satisfaction is the supreme wealth to mankind

दुःखार्ता रुदती सीता वेपमाना तपस्विनी।

चिन्तयन्ती वरारोहा पतिमेव पतिव्रता।।5.21.2।।

तृणमन्तरतः कृत्वा प्रत्युवाच शुचिस्मिता। RAMAYANA

Sita, austere, beautiful and chaste afflicted by grief kept sobbing. Brooding over her husband and trembling in fear, she placed a blade of grass in between her and Ravana and replied with a gentle smile on her face.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH