Sunday, January 12, 2020

nothing is insignificant



उपकर्तुं यथा स्वल्पः समर्थो न तथा महान्।
प्रायः कूपस्तृषां हन्ति न कदापि तु वारिधिः॥
सुभाषितरत्नसमुच्चये॥
upakartuṁ yathā svalpaḥ samartho na tathā mahān|
prāyaḥ kūpastṛṣāṁ hanti na kadāpi tu vāridhiḥ||
subhāṣitaratnasamuccaye||


A very poignant message from subhashitaratnasamucchayam.
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On some occasions trifling or insignificant persons would be capable of rendering immense service to us.. But on many such occasions the learned, efficient and famous persons may not be able to help at all..
A small well is capable of quenching our thirst
But an ocean which is an immense collection of water would not come to our help when we are thirsty..
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A safety pin or a paper clip has its own place.. That place can be taken by a golden spear.. A professor with ten doctoral and post doctoral degrees may not be able to teach a kindergarten kid..
Each has its own place.
We cannot try to kill a mosquito using an AK 47
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the philosopher saint poet Rahim said.

रहिमन देख बड़ेन को लघु न दीजिए डारि।
जहाँ काम आवै सुई कहा करै तलवारि॥
Rahiman dekhee badhen ko laghu na deejiye Daari
jaHAm kAm aavai suyee kaha karai talvaari..

Do not ignore or insult small things when big things are in sight..
Rahiman says so.. Where there is a need for a needle, can a big sword help in any way?
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But by nature we get star struck.. We tend to ignore the tiny yet useful things.. Let us ask ourselves.

Word analysis
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यथा where
स्वल्पः an insignificant person
उपकर्तुं समर्थो भवति is capable of being really helpful
तथा in such places
महान् very important and efficient person समर्थः न भवति. does not become capable of rendering help
कूपः a well
प्रायः verily
तृषां हन्ति quenches our thirst
कदा अपि न तु ever indeed not
वारिधिः( तत्र समर्थः.) the ocean or sea is having the capacity to do that.

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