SRI GOVINDÁSHTAKAM- श्रीगोविन्दाष्टकं

SUBHASHITHANI:463

सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं नित्यमनाकाशं परमाकाशं
गोष्ठप्राङ्गणरिङ्खणलोलमनायासं परमायासम् ।
मायाकल्पितनानाकारमनाकारं भुवनाकारं
क्ष्माया नाथमनाथं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ १॥

Sathyam jnanam anantham nithyamanakasam paramakasam,
Goshta prangana ringana lolam anayasam paramayasam,
Maya kalpitha nanakara manakaram bhuvanakaram,
Kshmama natha manatham, pranamatha govindam paramanandham. || 

Worship Govinda who is supreme bliss, real, knowledge, infinite, and eternal, who is free from Ákásha (and other upádhis), who is the highest light, who was eager as a child to crawl in the cow-pen, who is really free from difficulties, but who appears to be in difficulties (or who is the abode of máyá, cause of all), who appears manifold due to máyá, who appears as the world, who is the Lord of the earth and shri Mahalakshmi and who has no Lord to control him. (1)

त्रैविष्टपरिपुवीरघ्नं क्षितिभारघ्नं भवरोगघ्नं
कैवल्यं नवनीताहारमनाहारं भुवनाहारम् ।
वैमल्यस्फुटचेतोवृत्तिविशेषाभासमनाभासं
शैवं केवलशान्तं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ ३॥

Trivishta paripuveeragnam, kshithi bharagnam, bhava rogagnam,
Kaivalyam nava neethaa haara manaahaaram bhuvanaharam,
Vaimalya sphuta chetho vruthi viseshabhaasa manabhasam,
Saivam kevala santham, pranamatha govindam paramanandham. || 3 ||

Worship Govinda who is supreme bliss, who killed the mighty enemies of the Devas and reduced the weight of the world, who removes the disease of birth (from his devotees), who is one, who had butter for his food, though not requiring food at all, who swallowed the world (during pralaya), who shines brilliantly in the pure and clear mental mode, who cannot be revealed by anything else, who adores shiva, and who is wholly auspicious. (3)

गोपीमण्डलगोष्ठिभेदं भेदावस्थमभेदाभं
शश्वद्गोखुरनिर्घूतोद्धतधूलीधूसरसौभाग्यम् ।
श्रद्धाभक्तिगृहीतानन्दमचिन्त्यं चिन्तितसद्भावं
चिन्तामणिमहिमानं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ ५॥

Gopi mandala goshtee bedham, bhedavastha bhedhabham,
Saswath gokhura nirdhathothkrutha dhooli sara soubhagyam,
Sraddha bhakthi gruhithanandamachinthyam chinthitha sadhbhavam,
Chinthamani mahimanam, pranamatha govindam paramanandham. || 5 ||

Worship Govinda who is supreme bliss, who was present in each of the different groups of gopis, who appears in different forms, who is one and nondual, whose beautiful form was covered by the dust raised always by the hooves of the cows, whose blissful nature is realized by sraddhá and bhakti, who is unimaginable, whose existence is known to the wise, and whose greatness is like that of the gem cintámani. (5)

कान्तं कारणकारणमादिमनादिं कालमनाभासं
कालिन्दीगतकालियशिरसि मुहुर्नृत्यन्तं नृत्यन्तम् ।
कालं कालकलातीतं कलिताशेषं कलिदोषघ्नं
कालत्रयगतिहेतुं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ ७॥

Kantham karana makarana adhi manadhim , kala manabhasam,
Kalindi gatha kaliya sirasi muhur nruthyantham sunruthyantham,
Kalam kalamanatheetham kalithasesham kalidoshagnam,
Kaala thraya gathi hethum, pranamatha govindam paramanandham. || 7 ||

Worship Govinda who is supreme bliss, who is beautiful, who is the ultimate cause, who is the source of everything, who is without beginning whose colour is like that of the dark cloud, which often danced excessively on the hood of the serpent Kálindè inhabiting the river Kálindè (Yamuna), who manifests as time, who transcends the measures of time, who knows everything, who is te destroyer of the evil of kali, and who is the controller of the motion of the three dimensions of time. (7)

गोविन्दाष्टकमेतदधीते गोविन्दार्पितचेता यो
गोविन्दाच्युत माधव विष्णो गोकुलनायक कृष्णेति ।
गोविन्दाङ्घ्रिसरोजध्यानसुधाजलधौतसमस्ताघो
गोविन्दं परमानन्दामृतमन्तःस्थं स तमभ्येति ॥

Govindashtakamethad adheeta govindarpitha chethayo,
Govindachyutha madhava vishno, gokula nayaka krushnethi,
Govindangri saroja dhyana sudha jala dhouta samastaago,

Govindam paramanandam amruthamathastham sa tamabhyethi. || 9 ||

He who recites this Govindáashtakam by fixing his mind on Govinda and uttering the names of Govinda, Acyuta, Mádhava, Vishnu, Gokulanáyaka and Krushna, and gets all his sins washed off by the nectar of meditation on the lotus-feet of Govinda, attains the indwelling Govinda, the nectar of the supreme bliss. (9)

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

PS: Translations by Kamakoti.org ; The stothra is authored by sri Shankara bhagavad pada. Happy Sri Jayanthi to all. 

LABDA PRANAASAM- LOSS OF GAINS- PTLP-8

 SUBHASHITHANI:462

यदि स्यात् पावकः शीतः प्रोष्णो वा शश-लाञ्छनः ।
स्त्रीणां तदा सतीत्वं स्याद् यदि स्याद् दुर्जनो हितः ॥ ५१ ॥

yadi syāt pāvakaḥ śītaḥ proṣṇo vā śaśa-lāñchanaḥ |
strīṇāṃ tadā satītvaṃ syād yadi syād durjano hitaḥ || 4.51 ||

In case fire feels cold, the moon feels very hot, if a wicked man starts doing good to others, then only women can be expected to be chaste.

यन् न वेदेषु शास्त्रेषु न दृष्टं न च संश्रुतम् ।
तत् सर्वं वेत्ति लोको ऽयं यत् स्याद् ब्रह्माण्ड-मध्यगम् ॥ ५२ ॥
yan na vedeṣu śāstreṣu na dṛṣṭaṃ na ca saṃśrutam |
tat sarvaṃ vetti loko 'yaṃ yat syād brahmāṇḍa-madhyagam || 4.52 ||
Even what is not found in the vedas and other scriptures, people some how come to know of it. What ever might happen in any corner of the world is also known to them.

दुर्दिवसे घन-तिमिरे दुःख-चारासु नगर-वीथीषु ।
पत्यौ विदेश-याते परम-सुखं जघन-चपलायाः ॥ ५३ ॥
durdivase ghana-timire duḥkha-cārāsu nagara-vīthīṣu |
patyau videśa-yāte parama-sukhaṃ jaghana-capalāyāḥ || 4.53 ||
On a day when there are dense dark clouds, raining heavily and streets are mired with sticky clay, when the husband has gone to another city, the flirt becomes supremely happy.

सद्भिः सम्बोध्यमानो ऽपि दुरात्मा पाप-पौरुषः ।
घृष्यमाण इवाङ्गारो निर्मलत्वं न गच्छति ॥ ५४ ॥

sadbhiḥ sambodhyamāno 'pi durātmā pāpa-pauruṣaḥ |
ghṛṣyamāṇa ivāṅgāro nirmalatvaṃ na gacchati || 4.54 ||

Even after well advised by wise men,a wicked man never becomes a goodnatured man. Just as a charcoal, rubbed for long, never turns white.

The story of the thief and the old merchant

या ममोद्विजते नित्यं साद्य माम् अवगूहते ।
प्रिय-कारक भद्रं ते यन् ममास्ति हरस्व तत् ॥ ५५ ॥
yā mamodvijate nityaṃ sādya mām avagūhate |
priya-kāraka bhadraṃ te yan mamāsti harasva tat || 4.55 ||
She who always desisted me is hugging me to-day. oh benefactor! Good luck to you. Whatever is mine take any of them.

श्वेतं पदं शिरसि यत् तु शिरोरुहाणां
स्थानं परं परिभवस्य तद् एव पुंसाम् ।
आरोपितास्थि-शकलं परिहृत्य यान्ति
चाण्डाल-कूपम् इव दूरतरं तरुण्यः ॥ १८८ ॥
śvetaṃ padaṃ śirasi yat tu śiroruhāṇāṃ
 sthānaṃ paraṃ paribhavasya tad eva puṃsām |
āropitāsthi-śakalaṃ parihṛtya yānti
 cāṇḍāla-kūpam iva dūrataraṃ taruṇyaḥ || 4.56||
Once the first grey hair appears on the head a man starts getting humiliated. Just like people are afraid to go near the well, intended for use by hangman and the like.

गात्रं सङ्कुचितं गतिर् विगलिता दन्ताश् च
नाशङ्गता दृष्टिर् भ्राम्यति रूपम् अप्य् उपहतं वक्त्रं च लालायते ।
वाक्यं नैव करोति बान्धव-जनः पत्नी न शुश्रूषते
धिक् कष्टं जरयाभिभूत-पूरुषं पुत्रो ऽप्य् अवज्ञायते ॥ १८९ ॥
gātraṃ saṅkucitaṃ gatir vigalitā dantāś ca
nāśaṅgatā dṛṣṭir bhrāmyati rūpam apy upahataṃ vaktraṃ ca lālāyate |
vākyaṃ naiva karoti bāndhava-janaḥ patnī na śuśrūṣate
 dhik kaṣṭaṃ jarayābhibhūta-pūruṣaṃ putro 'py avajñāyate || 4.57 ||

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.

न गृहं गृहम् इत्य् आहुर् गृहिणी गृहम् उच्यते ।
गृहं तु गृहिणी-हीनं कान्तारान् नातिरिच्यते ॥ ५८ ॥

na gṛhaṃ gṛham ity āhur gṛhiṇī gṛham ucyate |
gṛhaṃ tu gṛhiṇī-hīnaṃ kāntārān nātiricyate || 4.58 ||

The wise claim that a house is not a house in the absence of a wife; without her it is worse than even a forest.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

( PS:These slokas are also found in Kakolukeyam )

LABDA PRANAASAM- LOSS OF GAINS- PTLP-7

 SUBHASHITHANI:461

The story of Nanda and VaraRuchi

Nanda was a famous king and Vararuchi his scholarly minister. Vararuchi to please is wife shaved his head in winter and the king acted and made noises like a horse to please his queen.

न किं दद्यान् न किं कुर्यात् स्त्रीभिर् अभ्यर्थितो नरः ।
अनश्वा यत्र ह्रेषन्ते शिरः पर्वणि मुण्डितम् ॥ ४५ ॥
na kiṃ dadyān na kiṃ kuryāt strībhir abhyarthito naraḥ |
anaśvā yatra hreṣante śiraḥ parvaṇi muṇḍitam || 4.45 ||
Asked by lady love what is it that a man will not give or do? Heads are shaved at wrong season and a woman carried on back making horse like sound.

आत्मनो मुख-दोषेण बध्यन्ते शुक-सारिकाः ।
बकास् तत्र न बध्यन्ते मौनं सर्वार्थ-साधनम् ॥ ४६ ॥
ātmano mukha-doṣeṇa badhyante śuka-sārikāḥ |
bakās tatra na badhyante maunaṃ sarvārtha-sādhanam || 4.46 ||
Parrots and other talking birds get captured due to their own folly. (But) Storks are not captured. Silence is instrumental in attaining all purposes!

(The above two slokas are quoted by the monkey to the crocodile which betrayed good friendship due to the love for his wife. Also. he is thanking his stars for the crocodile  blurting out the truth.)

The story of donkey in tiger’s skin

सुगुप्तं रक्ष्यमाणो ऽपि दर्शयन् दारुणं वपुः ।
व्याघ्र-चर्म-प्रतिच्छन्नो वाक्-कृते रासभो हतः ॥ ४७ ॥

suguptaṃ rakṣyamāṇo 'pi darśayan dāruṇaṃ vapuḥ |
vyāghra-carma-praticchanno vāk-kṛte rāsabho hataḥ || 4.47 ||

Although well disguised and presenting a frightful body, being dressed in a tiger’s skin, the ass was killed because of his braying.

The story of Shyamalaka

A wealthy merchant entertained his four sons-in -law in his house. But they would not leave even after six months. The merchant thought by insulting them he could get rid of them. First three went back unable to swallow the insult. Shyamalaka, the fourth son-in-law had to be forcibly thrown out.

गर्गो हि पाद-शौचाल् लघ्व्-आसन-दानतो गतः सोमः ।
दत्तः कदशन-भोज्याच् छ्यामलकश् चार्ध-चन्द्रेण ॥ ४८ ॥

gargo hi pāda-śaucāl laghv-āsana-dānato gataḥ somaḥ |
dattaḥ kadaśana-bhojyāc chyāmalakaś cārdha-candreṇa || 4.48 ||

Garga was not offered water to wash his feet, Soma was not pleased with his seat, Datta was not happy with the food; Shyamalaka had to be pushed out physically.

The story of the Carpenter's Wife

प्रत्यक्षेऽपि कृते पापे मूर्खः साम्ना प्रशाम्यति ।
रथकारः स्वकां भार्यां सजारां शिरसावहत् ॥ ४९ ॥

pratyakṣe'pi kṛte pāpe mūrkhaḥ sāmnā praśāmyati |
rathakāraḥ svakāṃ bhāryāṃ sajārāṃ śirasāvahat || 4.49 ||

A fool is appeased although a sin is committed in his presence; A carpenter carried his wife on his head along with her paramour.

नदीनां च कुलानां च मुनीनां च महात्मनाम् ।
परीक्षा न प्रकर्तव्या स्त्रीणां दुश्चरितस्य च ॥

nadīnāṃ ca kulānāṃ ca munīnāṃ ca mahātmanām |
parīkṣā na prakartavyā strīṇāṃ duścaritasya ca || 4.50 ||

The source of rivers, lineage of great men and saints, as well as wicked women should not be probed.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

LABDA PRANAASAM- LOSS OF GAINS- PTLP-6

 SUBHASHITHANI:460

The story of Yudhishtira the potter

स्वार्थम् उत्सृज्य यो दम्भी सत्यं ब्रूते सुमन्द-धीः ।
स स्वार्थाद् भ्रश्यते नूनं युधिष्ठिर इवापरः ॥ ३८ ॥
svārtham utsṛjya yo dambhī satyaṃ brūte sumanda-dhīḥ |
sa svārthād bhraśyate nūnaṃ yudhiṣṭhira ivāparaḥ || 4.38 ||
A hypocrite, who gives up his own interest and speaks the truth, Is a fool, for he fails to get his objectives, much like the second Yudhishtira the potter.

The story of the lion cubs and the fox cub

शूरश्च  कृत-विघ्नश् च दर्शनीयो ऽसि पुत्रक ।

यस्मिन् कुले त्वम् उत्पन्नो गजस् तत्र न हन्यते ॥ ३९ ॥
śūraś ca kṛta-vighnaś ca darśanīyo 'si putraka |
yasmin kule tvam utpanno gajas tatra na hanyate || 4.39 ||
My son! You are brave, learned and handsome. But in the family you were born into, no elephants are slain. ( Lion cub to the fox cub )

स्त्री-विप्रलिङ्गि-बालेषु प्रहर्तव्यं न कर्हिचित् ।
प्राण-त्यागेऽपि सञ्जाते विश्वस्तेषु विशेषतः ॥ ४० ॥
strī-vipraliṅgi-bāleṣu prahartavyaṃ na karhicit |
prāṇa-tyāge'pi sañjāte viśvasteṣu viśeṣataḥ || 4.40 ||
Even when one’s life is in danger, one should not kill a woman, an ascetic, a brahmin, a child, and especially when they have placed their trust in one.

अकृत्यं नैव कर्तव्यं प्राण-त्यागेऽप्य् उपस्थिते ।
न च कृत्यं परित्याज्यम् एष धर्मः सनातनः ॥ ४१ ॥

akṛtyaṃ naiva kartavyaṃ prāṇa-tyāge’py upasthite |
na ca kṛtyaṃ parityājyam eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ || 4.41 ||

One should not indulge in acts which are not fit to be done, even if one’s life is in imminent danger; nor should a duty be given up; such is the eternal holy law.

செய்தக்க அல்ல செயக்கெடும் செய்தக்க
செய்யாமை யானுங் கெடும்.-Thirukkural 466
There are things that ought not to be done and if you do them you will be ruined; and there are things that ought to be done and if you do them not you will be ruined then again.

एकेनापि सुधीरेण सोत्साहेन रणं प्रति ।
सोत्साहं जायते सैन्यं भग्ने भङ्गम् अवाप्नुयात् ॥ ४२ ॥

ekenāpi sudhīreṇa sotsāhena raṇaṃ prati |
sotsāhaṃ jāyate sainyaṃ bhagne bhaṅgam avāpnuyāt || 4.42 ||

By the bravery and enthusiasm shown by one individual, the whole army gets energised for war; but, in the same way the cowardice shown by one individual spoils the morale of the whole army.

अत एव वाञ्छन्ति भूपा योधान् महाबलान् ।
शूरान् वीरान् कृतोत्साहान् वर्जयन्ति च कातरान् ॥ ४३ ॥

ata eva vāñchanti bhūpā yodhān mahābalān |
śūrān vīrān kṛtotsāhān varjayanti ca kātarān || 4.43 ||

 Kings for this reason desire to have warriors who are strong, brave, and energetic and discard the cowardly.

The story of the Brahmin couple

यद्-अर्थे स्व-कुलं त्यक्तं जीवितार्धं च हारितम् ।
सा मां त्यजति निःस्नेहा कः स्त्रीणां विश्वसेन् नरः ॥ ४४ ॥

yad-arthe sva-kulaṃ tyaktaṃ jīvitārdhaṃ ca hāritam |
sā māṃ tyajati niḥsnehā kaḥ strīṇāṃ viśvasen naraḥ || 4.44 II

I left my family for her, and gave her half my life, she left me now without a second thought, what man can trust such a wife?

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH