CHANDANAM-चन्दनं- SANDAL WOOD

 SUBHASHITHANI:294

चन्दनं शीतलं लोके ,चन्दनादपि चन्द्रमाः |
चन्द्रचन्दनयोर्मध्ये शीतला साधुसंगतिः ||

Chandanam sheetalam loke chandnaadapi chandramaa.
Chandra chandanayormadhye sheetalaa saadhu sangatih
Sandalwood certainly is pleasant (sheetala: lit.-cool), moonlight is more pleasing; but the company of a saintly person is ever more pleasant indeed than either of them!

( In english 'warm' is used to mean cordiality and 'cool' to mean lack of cordiality )

अतिपरिचयादवज्ञा संततगमनादनादरो भवति।
मलये भिल्लपुरंध्री चंदनतरुकाष्ठमिंधनं कुरुते॥

Ati parichayad avagyaa santata gamanat anaadaro bhavati I
Malaye bhilla purandhree chandana taru kaashtam indhanam kurute II
Too much familiarity causes contempt. Frequent visits cause disrespect.
Tribal woman residing on Malaya mountain uses sandalwood bark as fuel.

प्रभूतवयसः पुंसो धियः पाकः प्रवर्तते ।
जीर्णस्य चन्दनतरोरामोद उपजायते ॥

prabhutavayasah punsah dhiyah pakah pravartate |
jirnasya candanataroh amodah upajayate ||
Men become mature as they grow older; just as the sandalwood tree gives more fragrance as it grows older.

 छायां ददाति शशिचन्दनशीतलां यः
सौगन्धवन्ति सुमनांसि मनोहराणि ।
स्वादूनि सुन्दरफलानि च पादपं तं
छिन्दन्ति जाङ्गलजना अकृतज्ञता हा ॥

A tree gives shade cool like the moon or sandal paste, gives flowers with sweet fragrance and beautiful captivating the mind, and gives very tasty fruits. It is a shame that heartless men cut the trees , exhibiting height of ingratitude.  

गन्धः  सुवर्णे  फलमिक्षुदण्डे
नाकरि  पुष्पं  खलु  चन्दनस्य  |     
विद्वान्धनाढ्यश्च  नृपश्चिरायुः
धातुः  पुरा  कोSपि  न  बुद्धिदोSभूत  II Chanakya niti

Gandhah  suvarne  phalamikshudande .
 Naakari  pushpam  khalu  chandanasya.
Vidvaandhanaadhyashcha  Nrupashchiraayuh.
 Dhaatuh  puraa  kopi  na  buddhidobhoot.

Why there is no fragrance in gold?; no fruits in sugarcane; why flowers are not produced by sandalwood trees ? , why are learned people never rich?; why noble kings are short lived?- (alas!) there were no counsellors for the creator earlier!

सुजनॊ न य़ाति विक्रतिं विनाशकालेपि ।
छेदेपि चंदनतरुः सुरभयति मुखं कुटारस्य ॥

Sujano na yaati  vikratim vinaasha kaalepi I
Chedepi chandana taruh surabhayati mukham kutaarasya II

Even at the cost of peril to their life ,  good people will not think bad to others. Sandalwood, even when getting cut by axe, will make axe smell sweet.

घृष्टं घृष्टं पुनरपि पुनश्चन्दनं चारुगन्धम्
छिन्नं छिन्नं पुनरपि पुनः स्वादु चैवेक्षुदण्डम्।
दग्धं दग्धं पुनरपि पुनः काञ्चनं कान्तवर्णम्
प्राणान्तेऽपिप्रकृतिविकृतिर्जायते नोत्तमानाम्॥

ghruShTam ghruShtam punarapi punashchandanam chaarugandham

chhinnam chhinnam punarapi punah svaadu chaivekShukaaNDam l

dagdham dagdham punarapi punah kanchanam kantavarNam

praaNaantepi prakrutivikrutirjaayate nottamaanaam ll

Even if you rub the sandalwood piece again and again, it will still spread its pleasant smell. Even if you cut the sugarcane into smaller and smaller pieces, it will still be as sweet. Even if you heat gold again and again, It 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).

சந்தன மென்குறடு தான்தேய்ந்த காலத்தும்
கந்தம் குறைபடா தாதலால் – தம்தம்
தனம்சிறியர் ஆயினும் தார்வேந்தர் கெட்டால்
மனம்சிறியர் ஆவரோ மற்று. -Avvaiyaar

The sandal wood even when ground down
Does not lose its sweet smell,
The good king even if he had lost his wealth
Does not lose his will to give

शैले शैले न माणिक्यम् मौक्तिकम् न गजे गजे I
साधवो न हि सर्वत्र चन्दनम् न वने वने II

shailay shailay na maaNikyam mauktikam na gaje gaje
saadhavo na hi sarvatra chandanam na vane vane
Rubies are not found in every mountain, pearls are not found in every elephant, noble men are not found everywhere. Not every forest will have sandal wood.

मलयाचलसंसर्गान्न वेणुश्चन्दनायते ।
अन्तःसारविहीनानां रसः केनोपजायते ॥नित्यनीतिः ४८
Bamboo does not become sandalwood just by the contact of Malaya mountain. Whence will essence be produced, of those which do not have any stuff inside?

यथा खर: चन्दनभारवाही भारस्य वेत्ता न तु चन्दनस्य |
एवं हि शास्त्राणि बहुनि अधीत्य अर्थेषु मूढा: खरवद् वहन्ति ||
Just like a donkey which carries the sandal wood on it's back knows only the weight and not its value, similarly many people study scriptures a lot without understanding its purport.

विकॄतिं नैव गच्छन्ति संगदोषेण साधव: |
आवेष्टितं महासर्पैश्चंदनं न विषायते ||

Vikrutim aiva gachchanti sanga doshena saadhavah I
Aaveshtitam mahaa sarpair chandanam na vishaayate II

Wise men are not corrupted by wicked men being around; poisonous snakes surrounding the sandalwood tree does not cause the tree to become poisonous.

श्रोत्रं श्रृतेनैव न कुन्डलेन दानेन पाणिर्न तु कंकणेन

विभाति काय: करुणापराणां परोपकारैर्न तु चन्दनेन II Niti satakam
Ears are to be adorned by listening to the scriptures and not with ear rings; hands by charity and not with bracelets; and body by benevolence and not with application of sandal paste.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH