UPPERMOST, HIGHEST- UTTAMAM- उत्तमं

SUBHASHITHANI:215

न प्रहॄष्यति सन्माने नापमाने च कुप्यति |

न क्रुद्ध: परूषं ब्रूयात् स वै साधूत्तम: स्मॄत: || मनुस्मॄति

na prahruShyati sanmaane naapamaane cha kupyati

na kruddhah puruSham bruyaat sa vai saadhuttamah smrutah    (manusmruti)

(Those, who) do not get carried away by honour and do not become angry because of dishonour, do not use harsh words, even when angry, are known as great saints.

उत्तमो नातिवक्ता स्यात् अधमो बहुभाषते |
न काञ्चने ध्वनिस्तादृक् यादृक् कांस्ये प्रजायते ||

Uttamo naativaktaa syaat adhamo bahu bhaashate I

Na kaanchane dhavanistaadruk yaadruk kaamsye prajaayate II

Great men rarely speak more than necessary  , but the uninformed are prone to speak at length without substance.  There is very little sound from gold, whereas bronze makes loud noise.
उत्तमं कुशलं विद्द्या मध्यमं कृषिवाणिभम् ।

अधमं सेवया वृत्तिर्विषमं भारजीवनम् ॥

Uttamam kushalam vidya  maddyamam krushivaaNibham

Adhamam sevayaa vruttirviShamam bhaarajeevanam

To be proficient in science is considered the best human endeavour ; that of agriculture and trade is considered average; that to be at the service of others is lower; and that of a porter is considered the lowest.( For a prosperous society all jobs are important and respectful.)

उत्तमोऽप्यधमस्य स्याद्याज्ञानम्रकरः क्वचित् ।
कौस्तुभादीनि रत्नानि ययाचे हरिरंभुधिम् ॥

uttamaH api adhamasya syAt yAjnA namrakaraH kvachit ।
kausthubhAdIni ratnAni yayAche hariH ambhudhim ॥

Sometimes even the virtuous people will have spread their hands asking for favours from lowly persons. Didn't Lord Vishnu have to ask the Lord of Seas for gems like Kaustubha?

उत्तमैः सह  सांगत्यं पण्डितैः सह संकथा  |
अलुब्धैः सह मित्रत्वं  कुर्वाणो नावसीदति  ||

Uttmaih saha saamgatyam panditaih saha samkathaa.
Alubdhaih saha mitratvam kurvaano naavaseedati..
  If a person keeps the company of honourable and righteous  men, or engages himself in conversation or interaction  with knowledgeable persons,  or makes friendship with  persons who are not greedy, he will never be let down or get frustrated. 

उत्तमोS प्रार्थितो दत्ते मध्यमः प्रार्थितः पुनः |
याचकैर्याच्यमानोSपि  दत्ते  न  त्वधमाधमः  ||

Uttamopraarthito datte madhyamah praarthitah punah.
Yaachakairyaachyamaanopi datte na tvadhamaadhamh.
Righteous and noble persons provide help to others on being requested , whereas moderately noble persons do so on being requested again.  On the other hand persons worst among the inferior  persons never help even on being repeatedly requested by a petitioner or a beggar.

उत्तमस्य क्षणं कोपो मध्यमस्य प्रहरद्वयं |
अधमस्य  अहोरात्रं  पापिष्ठो  नैव  मुच्यते  ||

Uttamasya kshanam kopo madhyamasya praharadvyam.
Adhamasya ahoraatram paapishtho naiva muchyate.

 The anger among righteous remains momentarily, whereas in persons of average  intelligence it remains for a few hours .   Among persons of lowest category anger remains for a whole day .But in case of wicked and sinful persons it stays for ever..

उत्तमं  स्वार्जितं वित्तं मध्यमं पितुरर्जितं  |
अधमं भ्रातृवित्तं  च  स्त्रीवित्तमधमाधमं   ||

Uttamam svaarjitam vittasm madhyamam piturarjitam.
Adhamam bhraatruvittam cha streevittamadhamadhamam
The best form of wealth is the self-acquired wealth, and wealth inherited from one's father is just moderate, and that  acquired from a brother is of lowest category, whereas the wealth acquired from one's wife or a woman is of  the worst type.

सन्तप्‍ताऽयसि संस्तितस्य पयसो नामापि न श्रूयते
मुक्ताकारतया तदेव नलिनीपत्रस्थितं दृष्यते ।
स्वात्यां सागरशुक्तिमध्यपतितं सन्मौक्तिकं जायते
प्रायेणाधममध्यमोत्तमगुणाः संसर्गतो जायते ॥Niti satakam

Water placed on a hot iron disappears without a sign. The same water droplet, when placed on the leaf of a lotus will shine as if it were a pearl. (However,) if the same water falls into a pearl shell during the svātī rains, it will turn into a good pearl! In general, the lowest, the mediocre, and the highest degree of excellence is imparted (to a thing) by association.

गुणैरुत्तमतांयाति नोच्चैरासनसंस्थित: |
प्रासादशिखरस्थोपि काक: किं गरुडायते ||

guNairuttamataamyaati nochchairaasanasamsthitah

prasaadashikharasthopi kaakah kim garudaayate

Worth of a person is not determined by his seat (position), but by his qualities. Just by sitting on top of a tower  , a crow cannot become an eagle.

उत्तमश्चिन्तितं कुर्यात् प्रोक्तकारी तु मध्यम: ।
अधमोऽश्रद्धया कुर्यादकर्तोच्चरितं पितु: ॥ SB 9.18.44

uttamaś cintitaṁ kuryāt prokta-kārī tu madhyamaḥ
adhamo ’śraddhayā kuryād akartoccaritaṁ pituḥ

A son who acts by anticipating what his father wants him to do is first class, one who acts upon receiving his father’s order is second class, and one who executes his father’s order irreverently is third class. But a son who refuses his father’s order is a despicable person.

घृष्टं घृष्टं पुनरपि पुनश्चन्दनं चारुगन्धम्

छिन्नं छिन्नं पुनरपि पुनः स्वादु चैवेक्षुकाण्डम् |

दग्धं दग्धं पुनरपि पुनः काञ्चनं कान्तवर्णम्

प्राणान्तेऽपि प्रकृतिविकृतिर्जायते नोत्तमानाम् ||

Even if you rub the sandalwood piece again and again, it will still spread its pleasant smell. Even if cut the sugarcane into smaller and smaller pieces, it will still be as sweet. Even if you heat gold again and again, I will still have its characteristic glow. Even in the most trying and difficult situations, virtuous people do not change their innate qualities (of doing good to others).

सर्वभूतेषु यः पश्येद्भगवद्भावमात्मनः ।
भूतानि भगवत्यात्मन्येष भागवतोत्तमः ॥   भागवत

sarvabhUteShu yaH pashyet bhagavat bhAvamAtmanaH।
bhUtAni bhagavati AtmanyeSha bhAgavatottamaH ॥ Srimad bhAgavata

He is the best devotee who is capable of seeing God in all beings and seeing all beings in God.

 SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH