SABHAA-सभा- ASSEMBLY-GATHERING

 SUBHASHITHANI:295

"Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something"

मूर्खोऽपि शोभते तावत्सभायां वस्त्र वेष्टित: I
तावत्च शोभते मूर्खो यावत् किञ्चित् न भाषते II

Moorkhopi shobate taavat sabhayaam vastra veshtita: I
Taavatcha shobate moorkho yaavat na kinchit bhashate II

Even a fool, dressed in fine garments, shines in an assembly;
but only as long as he doesn’t open his mouth.

கல்லா தவரும் நனிநல்லர் கற்றார்முன் 
சொல்லா திருக்கப் பெறின்.-Thirukkural 403

The blockheads, too, may men of worth appear, If they can keep from speaking where the learned are present!

अधो-दृष्टिर् वदेत् कृत्वा पापं प्राप्तः सभां नरः ।
तस्माद् यत्नात् परिज्ञेयाश् चिह्नैर् एतैर् विचक्षणैः ॥ Pancha tantra

adho-dṛṣṭir vadet kṛtvā pāpaṃ prāptaḥ sabhāṃ naraḥ |
tasmād yatnāt parijñeyāś cihnair etair vicakṣaṇaiḥ || 212 ||

If, in a court, a man speaks with his eyes fixed to the ground, and refuses to make eye contact, then he is surely guilty of the crime.

प्रसन्न-वदनो दृष्टः स्पष्ट-वाक्यः सरोष-दृक् ।
सभायां वक्ति सामर्षं सावष्टम्भो नरः शुचिः ॥ Pancha tantra

prasanna-vadano dṛṣṭaḥ spaṣṭa-vākyaḥ saroṣa-dṛk |
sabhāyāṃ vakti sāmarṣaṃ sāvaṣṭambho naraḥ śuciḥ || 213 ||

If, in a court, a man is happy, maintains a smile, speaks clearly, makes eye contact, and seems stable in mind and word, then he is surely innocent of the crime.

 राजवत् पुत्र दाराश्च स्वामिवन् मित्रबान्धवाः I
आचार्यवत् सभा मध्ये भाग्यवन्तं स्तुवन्ति हि II

Raajavat putra daaraascha svamivan mitrabaandhavaah I
Aachaaryavat sabhha madhye bhagyavantam stuvanti hi II
One who is fortunate will have the benefit of his wife and children treating him like a king; friends and relatives treating  him like a boss; and being treated like a scholar in a large assembly.

न सा सभा यत्र न सन्ति वृद्धा ।
न ते वृद्धा ये न वदन्ति धर्मम् ।
नासौ धर्मो यत्र न सत्यमस्ति
न तत्सत्यं यच्छलेनाभ्युपेतम् ॥Mahabharatam  ५.३५.५८

Na saa sabhaa yatra na santi vruddhaa I 
Na te vruddhaa ye na vadanti dharmam I
Naa sau dharmo yatra na satyamasti I
 Na tat satyam yachchalenaabhyupetam  II 
There is no assembly of significance without wise old men. Old men are wise only when they follow Dharma. Dharma is supported only by truth. Truth is something that has no deceit.

கவையாகிக் கொம்பாகிக் காட்டகத்தே நிற்கும்
அவையல்ல நல்லமரங்கள் - சபை நடுவே
நீட்டு ஓலை வாசியா நின்றான் குறிப்பு அறிய
மாட்டாதவன் நன் மரம்- Moodurai

The large trees of the forest are not the real trees.
But those who stand in front of a gathering
Unable to read and unable to heed
Are the ones who are the real trees

अनभ्यासे विषं विद्या अजीर्णे भोजनं विषम् ।
विषं सभा दरिद्रस्य वृद्धस्य तरुणी विषम् ॥

anabhyAse viShaM vidyA, ajIrNe bhojanaM viShaM |
viShaM sabhA daridrasya, vRiddhasya taruNI viShaM ||
For the one who has not studied well, the scriptures are poison. For one who has indigestion, food is poison. For the poor, the company of entertaining friends is poison. For the old man, the young wife will become the poison.

अहो  बत  सभा  सभ्यैरियं  मौनादधः कृता  |
सन्तो वदन्ति यत्सत्यं सभा न प्रविशन्ति वा || Subhashita sangraha
aho bat sabhaa sabhyairiyam maunaadadhah krutaa l
santo vadanti yatsatysam sabhaa na pravishanti vaa ll
Alas! Whatever eternal truth the saintly and righteous persons say for the benefit of common people, does not enter in the portals of various assemblies, and even if it reaches there, instead of acting on such advice, the honourable Councillors maintain silence over it (do not take any appropriate action).

पयसा कमलं कमलेन पय:
पयसा कमलेन विभाति सर: ।
कविना च विभु: विभुना च कवि
कविना विभुना च विभाति सभा ॥४॥

Payasaa kamalam kamalena payah
Payasaa kamalena vibhaati sarah I
Kavinaa cha vibhuh vibhunaa cha kavih 
kavinaa vibhunaa cha vibhaati sabhaa II
Lotus shines in water, and water shines due to lotus, and the lake shines because of both water and lotus. Ruler is glorified by the poet and poet gets respect due to recognition by the ruler, and an assembly shines because of both the ruler and the poet.

नागो भाति मदेन, कं जलरिहैः, पूर्णेंदुना शर्वरी
शीलेन प्रमदा, जवेन तुरगः, नित्योत्सवैः मंदिरम् I
वाणी व्याकरणेन, हंसमिथुनैः वापी, सभा पंडितैः

सत्पुत्रेण कुलं, नृपेण वसुधा, लोकत्रयं विष्णुना II
(3^rd line- Vaani vyaakaranena, hamsa mithunaih vaapi, sabhaa panditaih )

A serpent is shining when it is furious, water because of lotuses, the night because of a full moon, a woman because of (good) character, a horse because of its' speed, a temple because of regular festivals, language by (correct) grammar, a pond by a pair of swans, a meeting by scholars, a family by a good son, the earth by a king and all the three worlds because of vishnu.

माता शत्रुः पिता वैरी बालो येन न पाठितः ।
न शोभते सभा मध्ये हंसमध्ये बको यथा ॥ Hitopadesa

Both the mother and father are enemies of a child if they do not educate him. He will be a misfit in any gathering - like a duck among swans.

कांतावियोगः स्वजनापमानो
    रणस्य शेषः कुनृपस्य सेवा ।
दरिद्रभावो विषमा सभा च
    विनाग्निमेते प्रदहंति कायम् ॥

kAntA viyogaH svajana apamAna
    raNasya sheShaH kunRupasya sevA ।
daridrabhAvo viShamA sabhA cha
    vinA agnim ete pradahanti kAyam ॥

The following can burn our body without fire – departure of the wife, humiliation by our own people, unfinished battle, having to serve a bad king, poverty and a unfriendly assembly (of people who cannot decide right from wrong).

उपविष्ट: सभामध्ये यो न वक्ति स्फुटं वचः |
तस्माद्दूरेण स त्याज्यो न यो वा कीर्तयेदृतः ||Subhashita sangraha

Upavishta sabhaa madhye yo na vakti sphutam vachah.
Tasmaad doorena sa tyaajyo  na yo vaa keertayed drutah.
If in an assembly a person does not express his opinion clearly and with certainty, he should not be allowed to participate in it and should also not be glorified  and honoured.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH