SAME-EVEN-EQUAL-SAMAM-समं

SUBHASHITHANI:203

राष्ट्र रक्षा समं पुण्यं, राष्ट्र रक्षा समं व्रतम्,
राष्ट्र रक्षा समं यज्ञो, दृष्टो नैव च नैव च।।
There is no virtue or penance or sacrifice equal to serving one’s nation.
(  Quoted by PM- Sri Narendra Modi recently )

पुष्प कोटि समं स्तोत्रं, स्तोत्र कोटि समं जपः।

जप कोटि समं ध्यानं, ध्यान कोटि समं क्षमा।।    

Pushpa koti samam stotram, stotra koti samam japah I

Japa koti samam dhyaanam, dhyana koti samam kshamaa II

A stotra is equal to offering one crore flowers, Japa is equal to crore stotras,  Dhyanam is equal to crore of japa and forgiveness is equal to crore of  dhyaanams.  ( Not to be taken literally-  Koti-many )

असित गिरि समं स्यात् कज्जलम् सिन्धु पात्रे
   सुरतरुवर शाखा लेखनी पत्रम् उर्वी ।
लिखति यदि गृहित्वा शारदा सर्वकालं
   तदपि तव गुणानां ईश पारं न याति ॥ Shiva Mahimna stotra

asita giri samaM syAt kajjalam sindhu pAtre

   surataruvara shAkhA lekhanI patram urvI |
likhati yadi gRuhitvA shAradA sarvakAlaM
   tadapi tava guNAnAM Isha pAraM na yAti ||

Perhaps taking the mountain of ink, dark ocean as the pot, branch of the heavenly tree as the pen and earth as the leaf (paper) even if shArada (divine of knowledge) write forever, even then, Oh Ishvara, the boundaries of Your glory  cannot be found!!
नास्ति भार्यासमं तीर्थं नास्ति भार्या समं सुखम् ।

नास्ति भार्यासमं पुण्यं तारणाय हिताय च ॥
An understanding wife is the best aid for one’s welfare and virtuous life. No pilgrimage, no pleasure, no other virtuous deed can be equal to it.

मात्रा समं नास्ति शरीरपोषणं
    विद्यासमं नास्ति शरीर भूषणम् ।
भार्यासमं नास्ति शरीरतोषणं
    चिंतासमं नास्ति शरीरशोषणम् ॥

Nobody/nothing nourishes the body like mother. Nothing decorates the body better than education/knowledge. Nothing satiates the body like the wife. Nothing troubles the body more than worry.

सर्वगङ्गा समं तोयं सर्वेव्यास समद्विजाः।

 सर्वभूमि समं दानं ग्रहणे चन्द्र -सूर्ययोः।।

 sarvagaṅgā samaṃ toyaṃ sarvevyāsa samadvijāḥ।

 sarvabhūmi samaṃ dānaṃ grahaṇe candra -sūryayoḥ।।

During the eclipse period, holy water retrieved from any place is considered equivalent to Gangajal. Bathing and donating is believed to be appropriate in all ways. All types of Dvijas or ‘twice-born” Brahmans are deemed as a form of Vyasa. Any donation made at the end of a Lunar or Solar eclipse is also considered similar to Sarva Bhumi Daan.

दुर्जनेन समं सख्यं प्रीतिं चापि न कारयेत् ।
उष्णो दहति चाङ्गारः शीतः कृष्णायते करम् ॥
Love and friendship with wicked people must be avoided always. When hot, it will burn you like coal and when cold it will blacken the hand (frost bite).

समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम् | 
विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं य: पश्यति स पश्यति || BG13.28||
samaṁ sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu tiṣhṭhantaṁ parameśhvaramvinaśhyatsv avinaśhyantaṁ yaḥ paśhyati sa paśhyatiThey alone truly see, who perceive the Paramātmā (Supreme god head) accompanying the soul in all beings, and who understand both to be imperishable in this perishable body.

नात्रोदक समं दानं न तिथि द्वादशी समा।

 न गायत्र्या: परो मन्त्रो न मातुदैवतं परम्।।Chanakya nitil

There is no donation greater thanthat of food and water to the needy;No day can equal that of dwadasi ( 12th day ); No mantra greater than Gayatri; there is no deity greater than mother.

नास्ति विद्या समं चक्षु नास्ति सत्य समं तप:।

नास्ति राग समं दुखं नास्ति त्याग समं सुखं॥

 Knowledge is the greatest eye. Truth is the highest penance. Attachment is the biggest pain. Renunciation is the highest happiness.

कुलीनैः सह संपर्कः पण्डितैः सह मित्रताम् ।
ज्ञातिभिश्च समं मेलं कुर्वाणो न विनश्यति ॥
kulInaiH saha saMparkaH paNDitaiH saha mitratAm ।
jnAtibhiH cha samam melam kurvANo na vinashyati ॥
He shall not be ever destroyed who has acquaintance with people of powerful families, friendship with scholars and networks among knowledgeable people.

आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन |
सुखं वा यदि वा दु:खं स योगी परमो मत: || BG13.32||
ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśhyati yo ’rjuna I
sukhaṁ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṁ sa yogī paramo mataḥ II
He is known as the yogi supreme, O Arjuna, who looking on the happiness and unhappiness of all beings as his own, sees sameness everywhere.

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैनं पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥ BG 2.38
sukhaduḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau | 
tato yuddhāya yujyasva nainaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi ||
Keeping the mind even in happiness and misery, gain and loss, victory and defeat, engage it then in (life’s) battle; thus shall you incur no sin.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

EQUAL-THULYAM--तुल्यं,

SUBHASHITHANI:202

समान कुल शीलानां तुल्यार्थ ज्ञान चेतसाम् I

शोभते सख्य संभन्धो हासाय तु विपर्यये II

Samaana kula sheelaanaam tulyaartha gyaana chetasaam I

Shobhate sakhya sambhandho haasaaya viparyaye II

Friendship will flourish only between people of Similar pedigree and conduct, similar

 wealth, education, and thinking. Otherwise, it becomes a laughing matter.

यद्धात्रा  निजभालपट्टलिखितं स्तोकं  महद्वा धनं    
तत्प्राप्नोति मरुस्थलेSपि नितरां मेरौ  ततो नाSधिकं |
तद्धीरो भव चित्तवत्सुकृपणां वृत्तिं वृथा मा कृथा:
कूपे पश्य पयोनिधावपि घटो गृह्णाति तुल्यं जलम्   ||Niti satakam

Yaddhaatra nijabhaalpattalikhitam stokam mahadvaa dhanam.
Tatpraapnoti marusthalepi nitaraam merauo btato naadhikam.
Taddhiro bhava chittavatsukrupanaam vruttim vruthaa maa kruthaah.
Koope pashya payonidhaavapi ghato gruhnaati tulyam jalam.

Whatever small or big amount of wealth, the creator has writ one’s destiny he is sure to get it even in a desert and never more than that in the golden mount Meru. Therefore take heart and do not bemoan your plight in front of the affluent. Look! Whether you fill the pitcher in the well or the ocean ,it can hold water to it’s capacity.

तुल्य शील वयो वृत्ताम् तुल्य अभिजन लक्षणाम् |

राघवो अर्हति वैदेहीम् तम् च इयम् असित ईक्षणा || Ramayana

"Sri Rama is suited to Seetha with Her well matched character, age and conduct; with well matched pedigree and characteristics this black-eyed Seetha is also suited to Him."

यो दद्यात् काञ्चनं मेरुं कृत्स्नां चैव वसुन्धराम् ।
एकस्य जीवितं दद्यात् न च तुल्यं युधिष्ठिर ॥ Maha bharata

O Dharma putra! Even if one gifts a lot of gold, huge land or Meru mountain itself , that will not be equal to helping a man’s life.

नास्त्यन्या तृष्णया तुल्या क्वचिदास्ति नितम्बिनी  |
या   प्राणानपि  मुष्णन्ति  भवत्येकाSधिकं  प्रिया      ||
Naastyanyaa trushnayaa tulyaa kvachidaasti nitambinee.
Yaa praanaanapi mushnanti bhavetyrkaadhikam priya

 There is no comparison between a beautiful buxom woman and’'Trushna’' (desire )    , because the latter captivates and even causes death and is also the darling of numerous people.

पण्डिते चैव मूर्खे च बलवत्यपि दुर्बले। .
ईश्वरे च दरिद्रेच मृत्योः सर्वत्र तुल्यता ॥ ५४ ।।Bhoja prabhandam

Death is same (inescapable) to one and all  ,whether one is a scholar or a fool , one is strong or weak , whether one is rich or poor .

This is a rare subhashitha in the form of a conversation  between  mango tree and sugar-cane: ( Remember also that this was written hundreds of years ago)

मा गर्वं कुरु शर्करे ! तव गुणान् जानन्ति राज्ञां गृहे,

 ये दीनाः धनवर्जिताः च कृपणाः स्वप्नेऽपि पश्यन्ति न ।

 आम्रः अहम् मधुकूपकैः मम फलैः तृप्ताः हि सर्वे जनाः,

 हे दग्धे ! तव किं गुणैः मम फलैः तुल्यं न किञ्चित् फलम् ॥

O Sugar-cane! Don’t be proud. Your sweetness is known only  to rich  people in a palace. But poor people and miserly can never even dream about you. Where as , my fruits( mango) are sweet like honey and is enjoyed by  one and all. Therefore, you are no match to the mango fruits.  

शान्ति तुल्यं तपो नास्ति तोषान्न परमं सुखम् I

नास्ति तृष्णापरो व्याधिर्न च धर्मो दयापरः II
Shanti tulyam Tapo nsaasti Toshaann paramam sukham,
Naasti Trushnaaparo vyadhir na cha Dharmo dayaaparah.

There is no self purifying process equal to attaining peace of mind, and no bliss equal to being satisfied over one's lot. There no disease bigger than excessive desire or craving for any worldly thing and no tenet of Religion greater than kindness towards all living beings.

 दानेन तुल्यो विधिरास्ति नान्यो
    लोभोच नान्योस्ति रिपुः पृथिव्या ।
विभूषणं शीलसमं च नान्यत्
    सन्तोषतुल्यं धनमस्ति नान्यत् ॥
No ritual as sacred as sacrifice (charity). No enemy like greed. No ornament like chastity. No wealth like happiness.

विद्वत्वं च नृपत्वं च नैव तुल्यं कदाचन ।
स्वदेशे पूज्यते राजा विद्वान् सर्वत्र पूज्यते ॥
There is no comparison between being a scholar or being a king. King is respected only in his state. While a scholar is respected world wide.

राम राम रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे ।
सहस्रनाम तत्तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने ॥श्रीरामरक्षास्तोत्रम्

Raama Raama Raameti Rame Raame Manorame |
Sahasra-Naama Tat-Tulyam Raama-Naama Varaanane ||
1: By meditating on "Rama Rama Rama" (the Name of Rama), my Mind gets absorbed in the Divine Consciousness of Rama, which is Transcendental,

2: The Name of Rama is as Great as the Thousand Names of God (Vishnu Sahasranama).

विश्वं दर्पणदृश्यमाननगरी तुल्यं निजान्तर्गतम्,

पश्यन्नात्मनि मायया  बहिरिवोद्भूतं यदा निद्रया।
यः साक्षात्कुरुते प्रबोधसमये  स्वात्मानमेवाद्वयम्,
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम  इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥१॥ Dakshinaamurthy stothram

This world is unreal like the image of a city in the mirror, it exists inside. Due to the power of Maya it looks as if it is manifested outside like in dream we see things outside ourselves. Salutations to Sri Shiva in the form of preceptor, who, at the time of self realization, makes one aware that Atma is without second (i.e. one).॥1॥  

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

DEVOTION-BHAKTHI- भक्ति:

SUBHASHITHANI:201
Bhakti is the slender thread of Prem or love that binds the heart of a devotee with the lotus feet of the Lord. Bhakti is intense devotion and supreme attachment to God. Bhakti is supreme love for God. It is the spontaneous out-pouring of Prem towards the Beloved. It is pure, unselfish, divine love or Suddha Prem. There is not a bit of bargaining or expectation of anything here. This higher feeling is indescribable in words. It has to be sincerely experienced by the devotee. Bhakti is a sacred, higher emotion with sublime sentiments that unites the devotees with the Lord.- Swami Sivananda

In this blog we will see some beautiful subhashithas on' bakthi '.

Ways of worshipping the supreme are many. Srimad Bhagavata mentions nine important lakshnas (aspects) of devotion.

श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम् ।
अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ॥

इति पुंसार्पिता विष्णौ भक्तिश्चेन्नवलक्षणा | 
क्रियते भगवत्यद्धा तन्मन्येऽधीतमुत्तमम् || 

Shrawanam keertanam vishnoh smaranam padsevanam I Archanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atmanivedanam IIIti pumsaarpitaa vishnau bhakthischet nava lakshanam IKriyate bhagavatyaddha tanmanye adheetamuttamam IIHearing stories about the glories of the Lord, singing His praises, remembering His captivating form and His exploits, serving His lotus-feet, worshipping Him by flowers and fruits, obeisance or prostration before Him , humble service to Him, friendship with Him and complete surrender to Him – these are the nine types of bhakti. 

The following sloka gives examples of devotees who excelled in each of these types of bhakti:

श्रीविष्णोः श्रवणे परीक्षिदभवत् वैयासकिः कीर्तने
प्रह्लादः स्मरणे तदंघ्रिभजने लक्ष्मीः पृथुः पूजने ।
अक्रूरस्त्वभिवन्दने कपिपतिर्दास्येऽथ सख्येऽर्जुनः
सर्वस्वात्मनिवेदने बलिरभूत् कृष्णाप्तिरेषाम् परम्॥।

Shreevishnoh sravane pareekshidabhavat vaiyaasakih keertane
Prahladah smarane tadanghribhajane lakshmeeh prithuh poojane
Akroorastwabhivandane kapipatirdaasye’tha sakhye’rjunah
Sarvaswaatmanivedane balirabhootkrishnaaptireshaam param
Pareekshit excelled in hearing, shuka in singing, Prahlada in remembering, Goddess Lakshmi in serving His lotus-feet, Prithu in worshipping, Akrura in obeisance, Hanuman in humble service, Arjuna in friendship and Bali in total surrender.

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जना: सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन |
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ || BG7.16||
chatur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛitino ’rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī cha bharatarṣhabha
O best amongst the Bharatas, four kinds of pious people (Bhakthas) engage in my devotion—the distressed, the seekers after knowledge, the seekers of worldly possessions, and those who are situated in knowledge.

यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ ।
तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः ॥   Shvetashvatara Upanishad 

He who has highest Bhakti of Deva (God), just like his Deva, so for his Guru (teacher),
To him who is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating. 

तरवः किं न जीवन्ति भस्त्रा किं न श्वसन्त्युत ।
न खादन्ति न मेहन्ति किं ग्रामपशवोऽपरे? ॥
Taravah kim na jeevanti bhastraah kim na shwasantyuta I
Na khadanti na mehanti kim graamapashavo’pare II  SB 2.3.18
Are not the trees living? Are not the bellows used in the smithy breathing? Are not the cattle in the village eating and excreting?  All these activities are common to man and animals.

तदेव रम्यं रुचिरं नवं नवं तदेव शश्वन्मनसो महोत्सवम्।
तदेव शोकार्णवशोषणं नृणां यदुत्तमश्लोकयशोनुगीयते॥ SB12.12.49
Tadeva ramyam ruchiram navam navam tadeva shashwanmanaso mahotsavam
Tadeva shokaarnava shoshanam nrinaam yaduttamaslokayasho’nugeeyate
Singing the praise of Lord Krishna’s deeds and his glory is the only thing dearest to the heart of the devotee. For him it is the sweetest thing, it is ever new and he never tires of it, it is the greatest celebration for his heart and it dries up the ocean of his sorrows.

निरपेक्षं मुनिं शान्तं निर्वैरं समदर्शनं ।
अनुव्रजाम्यहं नित्यं पूयेयेत्यंघ्रिरेणुभिः॥ SB11.14.16
Nirapeksham munim shaantam nirvairam samadarshanam I
Anuvrajaamyaham nityam pooyeyetyanghrirenubhih  II
 My devotees who do not want anything, who have control over their speech, who are tranquil and at peace, who have no enemies and who see the same divinity in all living beings – them I follow wherever they go in the fond hope that I may be purified by the dust of their feet.

मोक्षकारणसामग्र्यां भक्तिरेव गरीयसी ।
स्वस्वरूपानुसन्धानं भक्तिरित्यभिधीयते ॥ ३१ ॥ Viveka Choodamani
mokṣakāraṇasāmagryāṃ bhaktireva garīyasī |
svasvarūpānusandhānaṃ bhaktirityabhidhīyate || 31 ||
31. Among things conducive to Liberation, devotion (Bhakti) holds the supreme place. The seeking after one’s real nature is designated as devotion.

भक्त्या त्वनन्यया शक्य अहमेवंविधोऽर्जुन |
ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं च तत्वेन प्रवेष्टुं च परन्तप || BG11.54||

bhaktyā tv ananyayā śhakya aham evaṁ-vidho ’rjuna I

jñātuṁ draṣhṭuṁ cha tattvena praveṣhṭuṁ cha parantapa II
O Arjuna, by unalloyed devotion alone can I be known as I am, standing before you. On receiving my divine vision, O scorcher of foes, one can enter into union with me.

मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्त: सङ्गवर्जित: |

निर्वैर: सर्वभूतेषु य: स मामेति पाण्डव ||BG11. 55||

mat-karma-kṛin mat-paramo mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ I

nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava II
Those who perform all their duties for my sake, who depend upon me and are devoted to me, who are free from attachment, and are without malice toward all beings, such devotees certainly come to me.

सम: शत्रौ च मित्रे च तथा मानापमानयो: |
शीतोष्णसुखदु:खेषु सम: सङ्गविवर्जित: || BG12.18||
तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् |
अनिकेत: स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नर: || BG12.19||

samaḥ śhatrau cha mitre cha tathā mānāpamānayoḥ
śhītoṣhṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣhu samaḥ saṅga-vivarjitaḥ
tulya-nindā-stutir maunī santuṣhṭo yena kenachit
aniketaḥ sthira-matir bhaktimān me priyo naraḥ

Those, who are alike to friend and foe, equipoised in honour and dishonour, cold and heat, joy and sorrow, and are free from all unfavourable association; those who take praise and reproach alike, who are given to silent contemplation, content with what comes their way, without attachment to the place of residence, whose intellect is firmly fixed in Me, and who are full of devotion to Me, such persons are very dear to Me.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH