Friday, November 29, 2019

the art of enjoyment ....

उपभोक्तुं न जानाति श्रियं प्राप्यापि मानवः।
आकण्ठजलमग्नोऽपि श्वा लिहत्यैव जिह्वया॥

upabhoktuṁ na jānāti śriyaṁ prāpyāpi mānavaḥ|
ākaṇṭhajalamagno'pi śvā lihatyaiva jihvayā||

An old saying found in many collections of Subhashitam..Could not trace the authorship

Most people do not know how to enjoy wealth even if they are blessed with a lot of money.
A dog, even if immersed in water upto its neck, still would drink water only through licking..

There is a Malayalam equivalent for this saying
നായ നടുക്കടലിൽ ചെന്നാലും നക്കിയേ കുടിക്കൂ.
Naaya nadukkadalil chennalum nakkiye kutikkoo..
Even if the dog goes to the middle of the ocean, it will drink only by licking..

Yes, capacity to earn and hoard comes to many..
But to enjoy the gifts in class comes only for very few..
It is a sad truth about life
And another funny thing is that some toil hard, really hard to earn.. but the fruits of such toil are enjoyed by others..

We see many prodigal sons

It will do good for everyone to balance his life between earning and enjoying..


word analysis
मानवः man
श्रियं wealth
प्राप्य अपि even after acquiring
उपभोक्तुं to consume, to enjoy
न जानाति does not know
आकण्ठ upto neck
जल मग्नः immersed in water
अपि even though
श्वा the dog
जिह्वया with its tongue
लिहति एव only lick

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