SHASTRAM- शास्त्रं (2)- SCRIPTURES- AN ORDER OR COMMAND-

 SUBHASHITHANI:492

शास्त्राय गुरुसंयोगः शास्त्रं विनयवृद्धये ।
विद्याविनीतो नृपतिर्न कृच्छ्रेष्ववसीदति ॥

shAstrAya gurusamyogaH shAstraM vinayavRuddhaye।
vidyAvinIto nRupatiH na kRucchreShvavasIdati ॥

To learn about the scriptures, one must go to an able teacher. The goal of scriptures is to teach us humility. A king who has learned about scriptures and remains humble cannot be destroyed.

अनेकानि च शास्त्राणि स्वल्पायुर्विघ्नकोटयः ।
तस्मात्सारं विजानीयात् क्षीरं हंस इवाम्भसि ॥ गरुडपुराण
anekāni ca śāstrāṇi svalpāyurvighnakoṭayaḥ ।
tasmātsāraṃ vijānīyāt kṣīraṃ haṃsa ivāmbhasi ॥ garuḍapurāṇa
Many a scripture, minuscule of a lifespan,and crores of hurdles! Hence, understand the quintessence, like a swan takes milk from water.

पठन्ति चतुरो वेदान् धर्मशास्त्राण्यनेकशः  ।
आत्मानं नैव जानन्ति दर्वी पाकरसं यथा ॥ चाणक्य नीति

paṭanti chaturo vedān dharmaśāstrāṇyanekaśaḥ ।
ātmānaṃ naiva jānanti darvī pākarasaṃ yathā ॥ cāṇakya nīti
Those who do not know the ātmā (Self) (after having) read all the four Vedas and dharmaśāstrās (scriptures) galore, they are just like the ladle that doesn't know the flavour of the food.

अश्वः शस्त्रं शास्त्रं वीणा वाणी नरश्च नारी च ।
पुरुषविशेषं प्राप्य भवन्ति योग्यायोग्याश्च ॥
ashwaH shastraM shAstraM vINA, vANI narashcha nArI cha |
puruSha-visheShaM prApya, bhavanti yogyAyogyAshcha ||

Horse, weapon, science, musical instrument, speech, and man and woman, they all become worthy or unworthy, based on who gets to use them.

यथा खरः चन्दनभारवाही
भारस्य वेत्ता न तु चन्दनस्य।
एवं हि शास्त्राणि बहून्यधीत्य
अर्थेषु मूढाः खरवद्वहन्ति॥

yathā kharaḥ candanabhāravāhī bhārasya vettā na tu candanasya|
evaṁ hi śāstrāṇi bahūnyadhītya artheṣu mūḍhāḥ kharavadvahanti||
Just like a donkey carrying sandalwood on it’s back knows only the weight but not the value of sandal, Similarly, those who have learnt a lot of the śāstrās, but do not realise it’s true meaning live like the donkeys [unaware of the true value of knowledge].

हस्तस्य भूषणं दानं सत्यं कण्ठस्य भूषणं ।
श्रोत्रस्य भूषणं शास्त्रं भूषणैः किं प्रयोजनम् ॥ 
hastasya bhūṣaṇaṃ dānaṃ satyaṃ kaṇṭhasya bhūṣaṇaṃ ।
śrotrasya bhūṣaṇaṃ śāstraṃ bhūṣaṇaiḥ kiṃ prayojanam ॥
Giving is the adornment for the hand; truth is the embellishment for the throat; good counsel (scriptures) is the enhancement to the ear; what is the use of (other) ornaments?

यो यत्र कुशलो कार्ये तं तत्र विनियोजयेत् ।
कर्मस्वधृष्टकर्मा यच्छास्त्रज्ञोपि विमुह्यति ॥ हितोपदेश, विग्रह

yo yatra kushalo kArye taM tatra viniyojayet ।
karmasu adhRuShTakarmA yat ca shAstrajnaH api vimuhyati ॥

One must allocate work to people based on their skills. One must not try to do all work himself. Even a well-educated mpan may get lost if he tries to do something that he knows nothing about.

यथा यथा हि पुरुषः शास्त्रं समधिगच्छति ।
तथा तथा विजानाति विज्ञानां चास्य रोचते ॥

yathA yathA hi puruShaH shAstraM samadhigacchati ।
tathA tathA vijAnAti vijnAnAM ca asya rocate ॥

As and when a person reads (and understands) scriptures, his knowledge expands; so, does his quest for more.

अभ्यस्य वेदशास्त्राणि तत्त्वं ज्ञात्वाऽथ बुद्धिमान् ।
पलालमिव धान्यार्थी सर्वशास्त्राणि संत्यजेत् ॥

abhyasya veda shAstrANi tattvam jnAtvA atha buddhimAn ।
palAlamiva dhAnyArthI sarvashAstrANi samtyajet ॥

One must study all the veda and other scriptures. Understand the philosophy behind them. Once done, a wise man will leave the scriptures behind and take only the knowledge. Just like anyone interested in the grains will leave the husk behind. Scriptures are only a means and not the end.

श्लोकार्धं श्लोकपादं वा वरं भागवतं गृहे ।

शतशोऽथ सहस्रैश्च किमन्यैः शास्त्रसंग्रहै ॥ ११ ॥

It is enough to read half a sloka or even one half of it from srimad bhagavatham in your house; without it even if you read thousands of other scriptures it will be of no use.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH