APARIKSHITA KARAKAM- PTAK-7

 SUBHASHITHANI:474

THE FROG AND THE TWO FISHES
शतबुद्धिः शिरस्थो ऽयं लम्बते च सहस्र-धीः ।
एक-बुद्धिर् अहं भद्रे क्रीडामि विमले जले ॥ ४३ ॥
śatabuddhiḥ śirastho 'yaṃ lambate ca sahasra-dhīḥ |
eka-buddhir ahaṃ bhadre krīḍāmi vimale jale || 5.43 ||
ShataBuddhi (one with hundred ideas) is placed on the head.
SahasraBuddhi (one with thousand ideas) hangs from the shoulder. My dearest! I am EkaBuddhi (one with single idea) and I play about in the clear water.” ( The frog is telling his wife about the fate of the proud fishes )

सर्पाणां च खलानां च सर्वेषां दुष्ट-चेतसाम् ।
अभिप्राया न सिध्यन्ति तेनेदं वर्तते जगत् ॥ ४४ ॥

sarpāṇāṃ ca khalānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ duṣṭa-cetasām |
abhiprāyā na sidhyanti tenedaṃ vartate jagat || 5.44 ||

Snakes and evil doers (aim for) others' possessions. Their actions never succeed.  Hence the world is still surviving.

बुद्धेर् बुद्धिमतां लोके नास्त्य् अगम्यं हि किञ्चन ।
बुद्ध्या यतो हता नन्दाश् चाणक्येनासि-पाणयः ॥ ४५ ॥
buddher buddhimatāṃ loke nāsty agamyaṃ hi kiñcana |
buddhyā yato hatā nandāś cāṇakyenāsi-pāṇayaḥ || 5.45 ||
There is nothing that is unattainable to the talent of the talented. Though armed with swords the Nandhas were eliminated by the wisdom of Chanakya.

न यत्रास्ति गतिर् वायो रश्मीनां च विवस्वतः ।
तत्रापि प्रविशत्य् आशु बुद्धिर् बुद्धिमतां सदा ॥ ४६ ॥

na yatrāsti gatir vāyo raśmīnāṃ ca vivasvataḥ |
tatrāpi praviśaty āśu buddhir buddhimatāṃ sadā || 5.46 ||

The intellect of the wise men can enter even where there is no  access to the wind or to the rays of the sun.

न यत् स्वर्गेऽपि सौख्यं स्याद् दिव्य-स्पर्शेन शोभने ।
कुस्थानेऽपि भवेत् पुंसां जन्मनो यत्र सम्भवः ॥ ४७ ॥

na yat svarge'pi saukhyaṃ syād divya-sparśena śobhane |
kusthāne'pi bhavet puṃsāṃ janmano yatra sambhavaḥ || 5.47 ||

People get happiness more in their place of birth, although it be a bad one, than even in heaven where one may have contact with the celestials.

शतबुद्धिः शिरस्थो ऽयं लम्बते च सहस्र-धीः ।
एक-बुद्धिर् अहं भद्रे क्रीडामि विमले जले ॥ ४३ ॥
śatabuddhiḥ śirastho 'yaṃ lambate ca sahasra-dhīḥ |
eka-buddhir ahaṃ bhadre krīḍāmi vimale jale || 5.48||
ShataBuddhi (one with hundred ideas) is placed on the head.
SahasraBuddhi (one with thousand ideas) hangs from the shoulder. My dearest! I am EkaBuddhi (one with single idea) and I play about in the clear water.” 

STORY OF THE MUSICAL DONKEY

साधु मातुल गीतेन मया प्रोक्तो ऽपि न स्थितः ।
अपूर्वो ऽयं मणिर् बद्धः सम्प्राप्तं गीत-लक्षणम् ॥ ४९ ॥

sādhu mātula gītena mayā prokto 'pi na sthitaḥ |
apūrvo 'yaṃ maṇir baddhaḥ samprāptaṃ gīta-lakṣaṇam || 5.49 ||

Well sung uncle! although dissuaded by me you did not desist from it; extraordinary is the gem tied around your neck; deservedly you got this your proficiency in music.

कांसी विवर्जयेच् चौर्यं निद्रालुश् चेत् स पुंश्चलीम् ।
जिह्वा-लौल्यं च रुजाक्रान्तो जीवितं यो ऽत्र वाञ्छति ॥ ५० ॥

kāṃsī vivarjayec cauryaṃ nidrāluś cet sa puṃścalīm |
jihvā-laulyaṃ ca rujākrānto jīvitaṃ yo 'tra vāñchati || 5.50 ||

A man suffering from cough should avoid stealing, a sleepy lady should not run after men, a sick man should avoid greediness of the tongue- unless they wish to come to grief. ( Jackal telling his donkey friend )

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

 

PANCHA TANTRA- APARIKSHITA KARAKAM- PTAK-6

  SUBHASHITHANI:473

वरं बुद्धिर् न सा विद्या विद्याया बुद्धिर् उत्तमा ।

बुद्धि-हीनो विनश्यन्ति यथा ते सिंह-कारकाः ॥ ३५ ॥
varaṃ buddhir na sā vidyā vidyāyā buddhir uttamā |
buddhi-hīno vinaśyanti yathā te siṃha-kārakāḥ || 5.35 ||
Better to have robust common sense than learning as such, for Intelligence is superior to mere book knowledge. Those lacking in common sense perished as did the pundits who revived a lion.

किं तया क्रियते लक्ष्म्या या वधूर् इव केवला ।
या न वेश्येव सामान्या पथिकैर् उपभुज्यते ॥ ३६ ॥

kiṃ tayā kriyate lakṣmyā yā vadhūr iva kevalā |
yā na veśyeva sāmānyā pathikair upabhujyate || 5.36 ||

What is the use of wealth which, like a wife, is confined to an individual and which, not being a common property like a harlot, is not  available to all passers by.

( This sloka should be carefully interpreted. According to hindu dharma all charities are done by both husband and wife; Kalidasa says in Raghuvamsam that in surya vamsam kings married for progeny and not for selfish enjoyment- Prajaayai Gruhamedhinaam.CH1.SL7)

अयं निजः परो वेति गणना लघु-चेतसाम् ।
उदार-चरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् ॥ ३७ ॥

ayaṃ nijaḥ paro veti gaṇanā laghu-cetasām |
udāra-caritānāṃ tu vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam || 5.37 ||

Only small men discriminate saying: One is a relative; the other is a stranger. For those who live magnanimously the entire world constitutes but a family.

अपि शास्त्रेषु कुशला लोकाचार-विवर्जिताः ।
सर्वे ते हास्यतां यान्ति यथा ते मूर्ख-पण्डिताः ॥ ३८ ॥

api śāstreṣu kuśalā lokācāra-vivarjitāḥ |
sarve te hāsyatāṃ yānti yathā te mūrkha-paṇḍitāḥ || 5.38 ||

Those who are well versed in shastras but have no understanding of world-affairs, they become laughing stock of the people and treated as learned fools.

उत्सवे व्यसने प्राप्ते दुर्भिक्षे शत्रु-सङ्कटे ।
राज-द्वारे श्मशाने च यस् तिष्ठति स बान्धवः ॥ ३९ ॥

utsave vyasane prāpte durbhikṣe śatru-saṅkaṭe |
rāja-dvāre śmaśāne ca yas tiṣṭhati sa bāndhavaḥ || 5.39 ||

He is a true relative who stands during happiness and sorrow, during a famine or  when enemies attack; as also at the royal-court and at the cremation ground.

सर्व-नाशे समुत्पन्ने अर्धं त्यजति पण्डितः ।
अर्धेन कुरुते कार्यं सर्व-नाशो हि दुःसहः ॥ ४० ॥

sarva-nāśe samutpanne ardhaṃ tyajati paṇḍitaḥ |
ardhena kurute kāryaṃ sarva-nāśo hi duḥsahaḥ || 5.40 ||

When everything is at stake the wiseman  gives up half of it to save the other half; and he achieves his objectives with the other half; for the loss of the whole is difficult to bear.

सुबुद्धयो विनश्यन्ति दुष्ट-दैवेन नाशिताः ।
स्वल्प-धीर् अपि तस्मिंस् तु कुले नन्दति सन्ततम् ॥ ४१ ॥

subuddhayo vinaśyanti duṣṭa-daivena nāśitāḥ |
svalpa-dhīr api tasmiṃs tu kule nandati santatam || 5.41 ||

Even men of great talent perish stricken by adverse fate, while those of very meagre intelligence, if protected by fate, live happily for ever.

 अरक्षितं तिष्ठति दैव-रक्षितं

सुरक्षितं दैव-हतं विनश्यति ।
जीवत्य् अनाथो ऽपि वने विसर्जितः

कृत-प्रयत्नो ऽपि गृहे न जीवति ॥ ४२ ॥

arakṣitaṃ tiṣṭhati daiva-rakṣitaṃ

surakṣitaṃ daiva-hataṃ vinaśyati |
jīvaty anātho 'pi vane visarjitaḥ

 kṛta-prayatno 'pi gṛhe na jīvati || 5.42 ||

The unprotected survives, protected by the destiny, while the well protected may perish when ill-fated. An orphan abandoned in the forest may survive, whereas one at home, despite of all efforts may not survive.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

PANCHA TANTRA- APARIKSHITA KARAKAM- PTAK-5

  SUBHASHITHANI:472

पतति कदाचिन् नभसः खाते पातालतो ऽपि जलम् एति ।
दैवम् अचिन्त्यं बलवद् बलवान् ननु पुरुषकारो ऽपि ॥ २८ ॥

patati kadācin nabhasaḥ khāte pātālato 'pi jalam eti |
daivam acintyaṃ balavad balavān nanu puruṣakāro 'pi || 5.28 ||

Water through rain falls from the sky by nature, water is obtained by digging wells by human effort; Fate is strong but self-effort is also very necessary.

தெய்வத்தான் ஆகா தெனினும் முயற்சிதன்
மெய்வருத்தக் கூலி தரும்.- Thirukkural 619
Although it be said that, through fate, it cannot be attained, yet labour, with bodily exertion, will yield its reward.

अभिमत-सिद्धिर् अशेषा भवति हि पुरुषस्य पुरुषकारेण ।
दैवम् इति यदपि कथयसि पुरुष-गुणः सो ऽप्य् अदृष्टाख्यः ॥ २९ ॥

abhimata-siddhir aśeṣā bhavati hi puruṣasya puruṣakāreṇa |
daivam iti yadapi kathayasi puruṣa-guṇaḥ so 'py adṛṣṭākhyaḥ || 5.29 ||

It is by one’s own self-effort that one gets all his desires fulfilled; Even what we call as ‘fate’ or ‘destiny’ is in fact the result of various good or bad actions done earlier.

भयम् अतुलं गुरु-लोकात् तृणम् इव तुलयन्ति साधु साहसिकाः ।
प्राणान् अद्भुतम् एतच् चार्तिं चरितं ह्य् उदाराणाम् ॥ ३० ॥

bhayam atulaṃ guru-lokāt tṛṇam iva tulayanti sādhu sāhasikāḥ |
prāṇān adbhutam etac cārtiṃ caritaṃ hy udārāṇām || 5.30 ||

Adventurous people are not afraid of other powerful men and treat them like straw; it is wonderful that generous people take this line of action in their endeavours.

(The meaning of second line is not very clear to me. Any other interpretation, if provided will be appreciated.)

क्लेशस्याङ्गम् अदत्त्वा सुखम् एव सुखानि नेह लभ्यन्ते ।
मधुभिन् मथनायस् तैर् आश्लिष्यति बाहुभिर् लक्ष्मीम् ॥ ३१ ॥

kleśasyāṅgam adattvā sukham eva sukhāni neha labhyante |
madhubhin mathanāyas tair āśliṣyati bāhubhir lakṣmīm || 5.31 ||

One obtains happiness only by forsaking happiness and work hard with painful physical exertions; Even Sri maha Vishnu obtained the embrace of Sri Mahalakshmi only after exerting himself by churning the milky ocean.

तस्य कथं न चला स्यात् पत्नी विष्णोर्नृसिम्हकस्यापि I

मासान्श्चतुरो निद्रां यः सेवति जलगतः सततम् II 

Tasya katham na chalaa syaat patnee vishnor simhakasyaapi I

Maasaan chaturo nidraam yah sevati jalagatah satatam II5.31/2

Even MahaLakshmi will end up leaving Sri Vishnu if he does nothing but sleep for months on end. The best of wealth also leaves the best of men, if he does not put in proper effort in maintaining it.

दुरधिगमः पर-भागो यावत् पुरुषेण साहसं न कृतम् ।
जयति तुलाम् अधिरूढो भास्वान् इह जलद-पटलानि ॥ ३३ ॥

duradhigamaḥ para-bhāgo yāvat puruṣeṇa sāhasaṃ na kṛtam |
jayati tulām adhirūḍho bhāsvān iha jalada-paṭalāni || 5.33 ||

Excellence can never be achieved without  putting manly effort; Even the sun does not obtain brightness , by dispelling the clouds, until he displays his valour by entering the zodiac sign Libra.

महान्त एव महताम् अर्थं साधयितुं क्षमाः ।
ऋते समुद्राद् अन्यः को बिभर्ति बडवानलम् ॥ ३४ ॥

mahānta eva mahatām arthaṃ sādhayituṃ kṣamāḥ |
ṛte samudrād anyaḥ ko bibharti baḍavānalam || 5.34 ||

It is only the best of men who can achieve great things; for it is only the ocean that bears the fire’badavaagni’.

वरं बुद्धिर् न सा विद्या विद्याया बुद्धिर् उत्तमा ।
बुद्धि-हीनो विनश्यन्ति यथा ते सिंह-कारकाः ॥ ३५ ॥

varaṃ buddhir na sā vidyā vidyāyā buddhir uttamā |
buddhi-hīno vinaśyanti yathā te siṃha-kārakāḥ || 5.35 ||

Better to have robust common sense than learning as such, for Intelligence is superior to mere book knowledge. Those lacking in common sense perished as did the pundits who revived the lion.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH