DIFFICULTY- PAIN- KASHTAM- कष्टं

SUBHASHITHANI:230

Difficulties are opportunities to better things , they are stepping stones to greater experience. When one door closes, another always opens, as a natural law it has to be, to balance. -Anon

कस्यात्यन्तं सुखमुपनतं दुःखमेकान्ततो वा |
नीचैर्गच्छत्युपरि च दशा चक्रनेमिक्रमेण || Megha dutam-Kalidasa

Who is endowed with unending happiness ?,

Who is laden with only the sorrow ?

States of happiness and sorrow keep turnaround just as the spokes of a wheel keep going up and down

कष्टं खलु मूर्खत्वं कष्टं खलु यौवनेषु दारिद्र्यं ।

कष्टात् कष्टतरं किं परगृहवासः परान्नं च ॥

kaShTam khalu mUrkhatvam  kaShTam khalu yauvaneShu dAridryam ।
kaShTAt kaShTataram kim  paragRuhavAsaH parAnnam cha ॥

It is difficult being stupid and poor while young. But the worst difficulty is when you have to take refuge and eat in someone else's house.

अर्थार्थी  यांनि कष्टानि सहते  कृपणो  जनः |
तान्येव यदि धर्मार्थी न  भूयः क्लेशभाजनं  ||
Arthaarthee yaani kashtaani sahate krupano janah.
Taanyeva yadi dharmaarthee na bhooyo kleshabhaajanam.

The tribulations a miser undergoes while trying to acquire wealth, if he pursues with the same vigour to follow religious austerities , he would never face any hardship in his life.
कष्टा वृत्ति: पराधीना कष्टो वासो निराश्रय:।

निर्धनो व्यवसायश्च सर्वकष्टा दरिद्रता॥

kashṭā vṛttiḥ parādhīnā kaṣṭo vāso nirāśrayaḥ |

nirdhano vyavasāyaśca sarvakaṣṭā daridratā ||

 Service for livelihood in dependence is difficult. Living without a support is difficult. Undertaking any work without resources is difficult. But, Poverty is the most difficult of all .

हेम्नः संलक्ष्यते ह्यग्नौ विशुद्धि: श्यामिकाऽपि वा ।Raghuvamsa-Kalidasa

Hemnah samlakshyate hyagnau vishuddhih shyaamikaapi va.

The purity or otherwise of gold can be tested only when it is put through the fire.

சுடச்சுடரும் பொன்போல் ஒளிவிடும் துன்பஞ்
சுடச்சுட நோற்கிற் பவர்க்கு. Kural-267

The hotter glows the melting fire, the gold the brighter shines;
The  pain of penitence, like fire, the soul of man refines.

शिरसा धार्यमाणोऽपि सोमः सौम्येन शम्भुना |

तथापि कृशतां धत्ते कष्टः खलु पराश्रयः ||
Shirasaa dhaaryamaanopi somah saumyena shambhunaa. Tathapi krusshataam dhatte kashtah khalu paraashrayah.
In spite of being accommodated on the head by Siva’s grace, the moon has to go through waning and waxing. It is always unpleasant if one has to depend on others. 

गात्रं संकुचितं गतिर्विगलिता भ्रष्टा च दन्तावलिः
दृष्टिर्नश्यति वर्धते बधिरता वक्त्रं च लालायते I

वाक्यं नाद्रियते च बांधवजनो भार्या न शुश्रूषते
हा कष्टं पुरुषस्य  जीर्णवयसः पुत्रोऽप्यमित्रायते IIVairagya Satakam

Gaatram samkuchitam gatirvigalitaa bhrashtaa cha dantaavalih

Drishtirnashyati vardhate badhirataa vaktram cha laalaayate

Vaakyam naadriyate cha bandhavajano bhaaryaa na shushrooshate

Ha kashtam purushasya jeernavayasah putropyamitraayate [95]

The body has shrunk, the walk is tottering, the teeth have fallen, the sight has dimmed, hearing is diminished, saliva drips from the mouth, relatives do not heed the words, the wife also does not render service, even the son has become an enemy. O ! the misery of an aged person.

अदृष्टमुखभङ्गस्य युक्तमन्धस्य याचितुम् l 

अहो बत महत् कष्टं चक्षुमानपि याचते ll 
adruShTamukhabhangasya yuktamandhasya yaachitum l

aho bata mahat kaShTam chakShumaanapi yaachate ll

A blind person does not see the grimace or the disgust on the face of the donor and therefore if a blind person begs for alms, it is not surprising.  But it is unfortunate that even the person who can see this, begs !

अहो दैन्यमहो कष्टं पारक्यैः क्षणभंगुरैः ।

 यन्नोपकुर्यादस्वार्थैर्मर्त्यः स्वज्ञातिविग्रहैः ॥SB 6.10.10

aho dainyam aho kaṣṭaṁ  pārakyaiḥ kṣaṇa-bhaṅguraiḥ I

yan nopakuryād asvārthair   martyaḥ sva-jñāti-vigrahaiḥ II

This body, which is eatable by jackals and dogs after death, does not actually do any good for me, the spirit soul. It is usable only for a short time and may perish at any moment. The body and its possessions, its riches and relatives, must all be engaged for the benefit of others, or else they will be sources of tribulation and misery. 

अर्थानां अर्जने दुःखम् अर्जितानां च रक्षणे ।

आये दुःखं व्यये दुःखं धिक् अर्थाः कष्टसंश्रयाः ॥Pancha tantra

It is difficult to earn money, and to protect the earnings. Income as well as expenditure give pain - Fie on Money ! - which is the cause of hardship.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH