Saturday, January 19, 2019

state of mind decides the efficiency

सर्पाः पिबन्ति पवनं न च दुर्बलास्ते
शुष्कैस्तृणैः वनगजाः बलिनो भवति।
कन्दैः फलैः मुनिवराः क्षपयन्ति कालं
सन्तोष एव पुरुषस्य परं निधानम्॥
सुभाषितशतके
sarpāḥ pibanti pavanaṁ na ca durbalāste
śuṣkaistṛṇaiḥ vanagajāḥ balin bhavati|
kandaiḥ phalaiḥ munivarāḥ kṣapayanti kālaṁ
santoṣa eva puruṣasya paraṁ nidhānam||
subhāṣitaśatake

We run after material possessions, and make claims of great accomplishments, underline our superiority over others, all in our attempt to feel happiness of sorts.. But such possessions and tall claims can give some temporary kick.. and then we would fall back to mediocrity..
However there are great people who can be just happy as they are, with whatever they have.. Such happiness is the mainstay of life.. That is mature and eternal happiness..
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The meaning the the Sloka is

The snakes survive just drinking air and nothing else . But they are never weak
( I do not want to go into the merits of the claim.. We observe that a snake could swallow some prey, and keep it inside its long digestive track for days and days.. and no more food is required for the reptile for long periods.. During these periods of lazy existence, they open their mouths often, and the one who watches gets the idea that the snake is eating air.. Anyways the snake survives)

The elephants, the huge and powerful dwellers of the forest have only grass and leaves of the plants as their food.. Still they maintain their weight , health and strength too.

The sages and hermits in the forest have only the tubers and fruits around for their food..Still they remain active and wise.

Therefore the mainstay for life is just happiness and contentment...
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The snakes, sages and the elephants are independent and content with what they have.. and they are supremely happy..
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word analysis

यद्यपि even though
सर्पाः snake
पवनं एव पिबन्ति survice drining only air
ते न दुर्बलाः. they are not weak

वनगजाः the wild elephants
शुष्कैः तृणैः dry grass
बलिनो भवन्ति become powerful
मुनिवराः the best among sages,
कन्दैः tubers.. bulbous edible roots
फलैः fruits
कालं क्षपयन्ति spend their lives and time

पुरुषस्य for a person
परं the ultimate
निधानं basis for existence
संतोष एव हि is happiness and contentment within alone

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