STICK , PUNISHMENT-DANDAH - दण्ड:,

SUBHASHITHANI:246
Danda (दण्ड) in sanskrit literally means 'stick'or rod, an ancient symbol of authority. In Hinduism it is used as a term for punishment. Danda Niti is elaborately discussed in Manusmruti,Mahabharata,and Sukra niti to mention a few.

 नैव राज्यं न राजाऽऽसीत् न दण्डो न च दाण्डिकः।

 धर्मेणैव प्रजाः सर्वा रक्षन्ति च परस्परम्॥ Mahabharatam

Naiva raajyam na raajaa aaseet na dando na daandikah I

Dharmenaiva prajaah sarvaa rakshanti cha parasparam  II

( During kruta yuga ) There was no kingdom no king, no punishment no one to mete out punishment. Every one used to protect each other with dharma and character.
( Bhishma to Yudhishtira )

दुष्टस्य दण्डः सुजनस्य पूजा
    न्यायेन कोशस्य च संप्रवृद्धिः |
अपक्षपातोऽर्थिषु राष्ट्ररक्षा
    पञ्चैव यज्ञाः कथिता नृपाणाम् || Atrisamhita

Punishing the criminals, protecting the virtuous, enhancing revenue through justifiable means, impartial in judgement, and security of the state- These are the five  pious 

duties of a king.

सामादिदण्डपर्यन्तो नयः प्रोक्तः स्वयंभुवा |

तेषां दण्डस्तु पापीयान् तं पश्चाद्विनियोजयेत् ||Panchatantra

The creator, has enumerated Saama ,daana,bheda, danda as ways to deal with

adversaries - starting from patience (saama ) to punishment(dandaa ). 

Among them punishing some one has some sin attached to it. Hence one must resort to punishment (use of dandaa ) only as a last resort.

राजभिर्धृतदण्डास्तु कृत्वा पापानि मानवाः |
निर्मलाः स्वर्गमायान्ति सन्तः सुकृतिनो यथा ||Ramayana
If a sinner gets the right punishment (from a king) then he becomes pure again.
He shall go to heaven just like people who have always done only good work.
( Said in the context of Vali's death )

तस्करस्य वधो दण्डो दासीदण्डस्तु मुण्डनम् |

भार्यादण्ड: पृथक्छय्या मित्रदण्डस्त्वभाषणम् ||

Taskarasya vado dando daasi dandastu mundanam I

Bhaarya dandah prutak chayyaa mitra dandastva bhaashanam II

The punishment for a thief is death. The punishment for the prostitute is shaving off her hair. The punishment for wife is to make her sleep away from her husband. The punishment for the friend is to avoid conversation.

यदि न प्रणयेद्राजा दण्डं दण्डेष्व तंद्रितः |
शूले मत्स्यानि वापक्ष्यन् दुर्बलान् बलवत्तराः ||Manusmruti

Yadi na pranayed raajaa dandam dandeshva tamdritah I

Shule matsyaani vaapakshyan durballaan balavattarah II

If the King did not untiringly mete out punishment to those that deserve punishment, the stronger would have roasted the weaker, like fish, on the spit ( a slender rod ).

सर्वो दण्डजितो लोको दुर्लभो हि शुचिर्नरः ।

दण्डस्य हि भयात् सर्वं जगद् भोगाय कल्पते ॥ Manusmruti

sarvo daṇḍajito loko durlabho hi śucirnaraḥ |
daṇḍasya hi bhayāt sarvaṃ jagad bhogāya kalpate || 22 ||

It is by punishment that  people are kept under control; for an absolutely honest man is hard to find; it is through fear of punishment that the world regulates the  activities of men.

दण्डः शास्ति प्रजाः सर्वा दण्ड एवाभिरक्षति ।
दण्डः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति दण्डं धर्मं विदुर्बुधाः ॥ १८ ॥Manusmruti

daṇḍaḥ śāsti prajāḥ sarvā daṇḍa evābhirakṣati |
daṇḍaḥ supteṣu jāgarti daṇḍaṃ dharmaṃ vidurbudhāḥ || 

Punishment governs all creatures; Punishment alone protects them; Punishment lies awake while all are asleep; the wise regard Punishment as Law itself.

दण्डपारुष्यात् सर्वजनद्वेष्यो भवति ॥ Chanakya sutras

Dandapaarushyaat sarvajana dveshyo bhavati I

Punishment should be commensurate with the intensity of the crime and not be based on personal grudges. Biased judgement will face the wrath of the people.

दण्डः सर्वसम्पदा योजयति ॥ Chanakya sutras

Dandah sarvasampadaa yojayati I

Proper code of punishment fills the royal coffers.

( Good Law and Order helps trade and commerce )

दण्डनीत्यादि विज्ञाने प्रणीयते ॥ Chanakya sutras

Dandaneetyaadi vigyaane praneeyate I

The penal code must be enforced with discretionary wisdom.

( State cannot blindly enforce the penal code. Merits of each case must be carefully looked in to. )

வானோக்கி வாழும் உலகெல்லாம் மன்னவன்
கோல்நோக்கி வாழுங் குடி. Kural : 542

The world looks up to the rain for life; even so men look up to the sceptre of the king for protection.

पिताचार्यः सुहृन्माता भार्या पुत्रः पुरोहितः |
नादण्ड्यो नाम राज्ञोऽस्ति यः स्वधर्मे न तिष्ठति ||Manusmruti

A king should stand by his principles and must not let go the guilty even if they are - his own father, his teacher, his well-wisher, his mother, his wife, his son or his spiritual guide
अङ्गं गलितं पलितं मुन्डं दशनवीहीनं जातं तुन्डम् ।

बृद्धो यति गृहीत्वा दन्डं तदापि न मुञ्चत्याशापिन्डम् ॥Bhaja govindam
The body is drooping, the head is grey-haired, the mouth has no teeth, growing old, the man moves with a staff. Yet the knot of desire has not been loosened.

धिग्बलं क्षत्रियबलं ब्रह्मतेजोबलं बलम् |
एकेन ब्रह्मदण्डेन सर्वास्त्राणि हतानि मे || Ramayana

Fie upon the might of Kshatriya, mightier is the might of Brahman's resplendence, only with one baton of Brahma all of my missiles are defused. ( Visvamitra to Vasishta )

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

RIVER-NADI-नदी ,सरित् ,स्रोतः

SUBHASHITHANI:245

Rivers join with the sea which rises to merge with the clouds falls to become one with the stream and then rushes to return as rivers ,the cycle of life continues interconnected timelessly-  Buddhist Quote

आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं
समुद्रमाप: प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् |
तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे
स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी || BG2.70||

āpūryamāṇam achala-pratiṣhṭhaṁ
samudram āpaḥ praviśhanti yadvat
tadvat kāmā yaṁ praviśhanti sarve
sa śhāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī

He attains peace ,into whom all desires flow as rivers flow in to the ocean , which is filled with water, but remains  undisturbed; not he who desireth desires.

यथा नद्यः स्यन्दमानाः समुद्रेऽ स्तं गच्छन्ति नामरूपे विहाय 

तथा विद्वान् नामरूपाद्विमुक्तः परात्परं पुरुषमुपैति दिव्यम् ॥
 yathaa nadyaH syandamaanaaH samudre.a

staM gachchhanti naamaruupe vihaaya
tathaa vidvaan.h naamaruupaadvimuktaH
paraatparaM purushhamupaiti divyam. II  Mundaka upanisad-3.2.8
As rivers, flowing down, become indistinguishable on reaching the sea by giving up their names and forms, so also the illumined soul, having become freed from name and form, reaches the self-effulgent Purusha that is higher than the higher (Maya).

यथा ह्यनुदका नद्यो यथा वाप्यतृणं वनं |

अगोपाला यथा गावस्तथा राष्ट्रमराजकम् ||Ramayana

Subjects without their king are like a river without water, a forest without grass or cattle without the herdsmen. They are neither safe nor productive.

नाधनो धर्मकृत्यानि यथावदनुतिष्ठति |

धनाद्धि धर्मः स्रवति शैलाद्गिरिनदी यथा ||23||Mahabharata

Naa dhano dharmakrutyaani yathavadanu tishtati I

Dhanaaddhi dharmah sravati shailadgiri nadee yathaa II

Without wealth it is difficult to carryout dharma in accordance with shaastras.

In fact, dharma flows from wealth,just like rivers flow from mountain tops.

कामक्रोधग्राहवतीं पञ्चेन्द्रियजलां नदीम् ।

नावं धृतिमयीं कृत्वा जन्मदुर्गाणि सन्तर ॥ 

Kamakrodhagrahavatim panchendriyajalam nadim ।

Navam dhrutimayim krutva janmadurgani santara ॥

In the river representing your five senses with monsters of desire and anger,

Make a boat called firm resolve  and cross over to be rid of waves of repeated births.

संयोजयति विद्यैव नीचगापि नरं सरित् ।
समुद्रमिव दुर्धर्षं नृपं भाग्यमतः परम् ॥ Hitopadesa

Samyojayati vidhyaiva neechagapi naram sarit I

Samudramiva durdharsham nrupam bhagyamatah param II

Learning, although possessed by a low man,introduces him to the king, who is normally inaccessible , just as a river, although flowing through a low region , takes one to the sea .

इदम् ते चारु सम्जातम् यौवनम् व्यतिवर्तते |
यदतीतं पुनर्नैति स्रोतः शीघ्रमपामिव || Ramayana-5.20.12

This youth of yours, nature’s beautiful gift, is passing away. Like a flowing river, what has gone will never come back .( Ravana's maids advising Sita )

परोपकाराय फलन्ति वृक्षाः परोपकाराय वहन्ति नद्यः ।

परोपकाराय दुहन्ति गावः  परोपकारार्थ मिदं शरीरम् ॥

paropakārāya phalanti vṛkṣāḥ paropakārāya vahanti nadyaḥ|
paropakārāya duhanti gāvaḥ paropakārārthamidam śarīram||

Trees give fruits for others; Rivers flow for the benefit of others; Cows give milk for helping others; Similarly , this body of ours is also for helping others.

रविश्चन्द्रो घना वृक्षा नदी गावश्च सज्जनाः ।

 एते परोपकाराय युगे दैवेन निर्मिता ॥

The sun, moon, clouds, trees, rivers, cows, and virtuous men, the creator  has provided them for helping others in every yuga ( eon).

धनिकः श्रोत्रियो राजा नदी वैद्यस्तु पञ्चमः।
पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न तत्र दिवसे वसेत।।Chanakya niti
Do not stay for a single day where there are not these five persons: a wealthy man, a vedic scholar, a king, a river and a physician.

तत्र मित्र न वस्तव्यं यत्र नास्ति  चतुष्ठयम्    |
ऋ|ण दाता च वैद्यश्च  श्रोत्रियः सजला नदी  |
Tatra mitra na vastvyam yatra naasti chatushthayam.
Runa daataa cha vaidyascha shrotriyh sajalaaa nadi|.

 O friend !  never live in a place where you do not have access to these four.facilities, namely (i) a money lender  (ii)  a physician  (iii) scholars and learned persons and (iv) a perennial river flowing nearby.

गुणाः गुणज्ञेषु गुणा: भवन्ति  ते निर्गुणं प्राप्य भवन्ति दोषाः |
आस्व्याद्य  तोयाः प्रवहन्ति नद्यः  समुद्रमासाद्य भवत्यपेयाः     ||
 Virtues remain intact with knowledgeable and virtuous persons, but when they come in contact with bad persons without any virtues they turn into defects. For example potable and sweet water flows in rivers, but when they merge in the ocean, the same water mixing with the brackish water of the ocean it becomes unfit for drinking..

नदीषु गङ्गा नगरेषु काञ्जि। 

काव्येषु माघ कवि कालिदासः।
Of all rivers Ganga is the holiest; of all cities Kanchi is the best.

Of poems ‘Magha’ is the best; Of all poets Kalidasa is the best.

यथा नदीनां बहवोऽम्बुवेगा:
समुद्रमेवाभिमुखा द्रवन्ति |
तथा तवामी नरलोकवीरा
विशन्ति वक्त्राण्यभिविज्वलन्ति || BG11.28||

As many waves of the rivers flowing rapidly into the ocean, so are all these great warriors entering into your blazing mouths. 

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

SNAKE- SERPENT-SARPAH-सर्प:,अहिं,भुजन्गमः,नागा:

SUHASHITHANI:244

Ancient Indians both feared and revered the snakes, as they were seen to be associated with power, fear and deference. Serpents and snakes represent fertility or a creative life force. As snakes shed their skin through sloughing, they are symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing.  After the cow, the snake was perhaps the most revered animal of ancient India. Even now, Hindus worship snakes in temples as well as in their natural habitats; offering them milk, incense, and prayers.

एष नारायण श्रीमान क्षीरार्णव निकेतनः ।

नाग पर्यंकम् उत्सृज्य ह्यागतो मथुरापुरीम् ॥

Esha Narayana srimaan ksheerarnava niketanah I Naaga paryankam utsrujya aagato Mathuram pureem II

Sriman Narayana resides in the milky-ocean , reclining on the serpent-bed (adi sesha ). He discarded that and came to Mathura as Sri Krishna.

प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्प: सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकि: I

अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् |

 prajanaśh chāsmi kandarpaḥ sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ I

anantaśh chāsmi nāgānāṁ varuṇo yādasām aham II BG CH10

I am Kaamdev, the god of love, amongst all causes for procreation; amongst serpents I am Vasuki. Amongst the snakes I am Anant; amongst aquatics I am Varun.

उद्विजन्ते यथा सर्पात् नरादनृत वादिनः I Ramayana -2.109.12

 Udwijante yathaa sarpaat naraadanruta vaadinah

People are as repelled by a liar, as they are of serpents .

अहिरेव अहेः पादान्विजानाति न संशयः ॥ Ramayana-5.42.9

 A serpent alone knows the movement (footprints) of another serpent.

There is no doubt about it.  ( Sita to raakshasis )

शिशुरवेत्ति पशुर वेत्ति वेत्ति गानरसं फनिः I

The essence of music can be experienced by all creatures – from a child to an animal to a snake. In other words, music has the power to touch, reform and influence the entire creation. 

यत्र विश्वमिदं भाति कल्पितं रज्जुसर्पवत् ।

आनन्दपरमानन्दःस बोधस्त्वं सुखंचर ॥ १० ॥Ashtavakra Gita

yatra viśvam idaṁ bhāti kalpitaṁ rajju sarpavat I 
ānanda paramānandaḥ sa bodhas tvaṁ sukhaṁ bhava II
Feel the ecstasy, the supreme bliss where this world appears unreal like a snake in a rope, know this and move happily.॥10॥ ॐ ॐ ॐ

सर्पाणां च खलानां च परद्रव्यापहारिणाम् ।
अभिप्राया न सिध्यन्ति तेनेदं वर्तते जगत् ॥Pancha tantra

sarpāṇāṃ ca khalānāṃ ca paradravyāpahāriṇām ।
abhiprāyā na sidhyanti tenedaṃ vartate jagat ॥
Snakes and evil doers (aim for) others' possessions.

Their actions never succeed.  Hence the world is still surviving.

नास्तिकानां च सर्पाणां विषस्य च गुणस्त्वयम् ।

मोहयन्ति परं यच्च दोषे यस्य नैव परस्य तु ॥ ५२०

Nastikanam cha sarpanam vishasya cha gunastvayam ।

Mohayanti param yaccha doshe yasya naiva parasya tu ॥

The poison of Atheists and snakes bear similar qualities.

They confuse a person even when he has no faults of his own.

परस्परस्य  मर्माणि  ये भाषन्ति  नराधमाः   |

त एव  विलयं  यान्ति  वल्मीकोदर  सर्पवत्   || Chanakya niti

Parasparasya  marmaani  ye  bhaashanti  naradhamaah.I
Ta  eva  vilayayam  yaanti  valmeekodara  sarpavat.II 

Those lowly and wretched persons who disclose their vulnerable secrets to each other , 
soon perish like a snake entering inside the cavity of an ant hill.

अहिं  नृपं  च  शार्दूलं  वृद्धं  च  बालकं  तथा

परश्वानं  च  मूर्खं  च  सप्त  सुप्तान्न बोधयेत  | Chankya niti

Ahim nrupam  cha  shaardoolam  bruddham  cha  baalakam tathaa,
Parashvaanam cha   moorkahm  cha sapta suptaaana  bodhayet.
 A snake, a king,  a tiger. an aged person, a child,  a dog belonging
to some one else and an idiot, all these seven if found to be asleep,
should not be disturbed and awakened from sleep.

निर्विषेणापि  सर्पेण  कर्तव्या   महती  फणा  |
विषमस्तु  न  चाप्यस्तु  घटाटोपो भयङ्करः  || Chanakya niti 

Nirvishenaapi  sarpena  kartavyaa  mahatee   Phanaa I
Vishamastu  na   chaapyastu  ghataatopo    bhayankarah  II

Although there is no venom in the bite of a non-venomous snake, still it possesses

the great power of expanding its hood and  creating a hissing sound, which is very frightening, and it is its duty to use it in self-defense.

मधुसिक्तो निम्बखन्डः दुग्धपुष्टो भुजन्गमः । 

गन्गास्नातोपि दुर्जनः स्वभावं नैव मुन्चति ॥

 Honey paste on a bitter neem stem, milk feeding for a poisonous snake and Ganga bath for a bad person; none will change their character. The bad qualities of the wicked are not given up even after great efforts.

सर्पाः पिबन्तिपवनं न च दुर्बलास्ते

शुष्कैस्तृणैर्वनगजा बलिनो भवन्ति ।
कन्दैः फलैर्मुनिवरा क्षपयन्ति कालं

सन्तोष एव पुरुषस्य परं निधानम् ॥

The snakes  live by consuming only air; Yet they are not weak. In the forest

elephants  survive only on the dried grass and yet they are very powerful . 

The great sages  spend their time by eating tubers and fruits available in forests. 

 A person’s  happiness is the ultimate treasure. 

सर्पदुर्जनोर्मध्ये वरं सर्पो न दुर्जन: ।

सर्प: दंशती कालेन दुर्जनस्तु पदे पदे ॥ 

When it comes to comparison between a serpent and a wicked person, it is the serpent who is the better of the two. (Because,) a serpent bites occasionally( very seldom). But, the wicked person stings(causes pain) at every step(always).

दुष्टा भार्या शठं मित्रं भृत्यश्चोत्तरदायकः ।
ससर्पे च गृहे वासो मृत्युरेव न संशयः ॥

A wicked wife, a false friend, a saucy servant and living in a house with a serpent in it are nothing but death.

काके शौचं द्यूतकारे च सत्यम् ।
सर्पे शान्तिः स्त्रीषु कामोपशान्तिः ॥
क्लीबे धैर्यम् मद्यपे तत्त्वचिन्ता ।
भूपे सख्यं केन दृष्टं श्रुतं वा ॥

Purity in crow, truthfulness among gamblers, calmness in serpents, absence of lust in women, courage in a coward, philosophical understanding in a drunkard, friendship with a king ; these are neither heard nor seen .

शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं

विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्णं शुभाङ्गम् ।
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यं
वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥

I bow to Lord Vishnu the preserver and the protector of the universe, who is peaceful, who reclines on the great serpent bed, from whose navel springs the Lotus of the creative power, who is the Supreme Being, who supports the entire universe, who is all-pervading as the sky, who is dark like the clouds and has a beautiful form. The Lord of Lakshmi, the lotus-eyed One, whom the Yogis are able to perceive through meditation, salutations to Lord Vishnu who removes the fear of worldly existence and who is the Lord of all worlds.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH