hoarding of food, the worst sin

मोघम् अन्नं विन्दते अप्रचेताः
सत्यं ब्रवीमि वध इत्स तस्य।
नार्यमणं पुष्यति नो सखायं
केवलाघो भवति केवलादी॥
ऋग्वेदं १०--११७--६
mogham annaṁ vindate apracetāḥ
satyaṁ bravīmi vadha itsa tasya|
nāryamaṇaṁ puṣyati no sakhāyaṁ
kevalāgho bhavati kevalādī||
ṛgvedaṁ 10--117--6
മോഘം അന്നം വിന്ദതെ അപ്രചേതാ:
സത്യം ബ്രവീമി വധ ഇത്സ തസ്യ
നാര്യമണം പുഷ്യതി നോ സഖായം
കേവലാഘോ  ഭവതി കെവലാദീ
ഋഗ്വേദം ൧൦  ൧൧൭  ൬
Only the most unwise person will grow or obtain (and hoard)  food-grains all for himself because it is not going to serve him any worthy purpose.  
This I say for sure.  
Such hoarding is the harbinger of death for him.   
By such action that  he will not share his food either with a friend or a comrade,
and eats up everything all by himself  is also committing sin all by himself (with no one to share his sin).

Please note.. sharing the resources with the comrade became the war-cry in the west with the advent of socialism and communism.  
But the first Veda which set us our code of conduct  declares unequivocally that the products from the earth are there for all to share. 
 It has declared it as the greatest sin for one is  not to share his food with his friends and comrades. 
The Indian of the yore  was not  capable of being selfish.  
 Every prayer, every law, every advice recorded by him was for the benefit of all..

--

one is what the company he keeps

गवाशनानां स शृणोति वाक्यमहं हि राजन्श्चरितं मुनीनाम्।

न तस्य दोषो न च मद्गुणो वा संसर्गजा दोषगुणा भवन्ति॥

श्री शुकः

gavāśanānāṁ sa śṛṇoti vākyamahaṁ hi rājanścaritaṁ munīnām|

na tasya doṣo na ca madguṇo vā saṁsargajā doṣaguṇā bhavanti||

śrī śukaḥ

ഗവാശനാനാം സ ശൃണോതി വാക്യമഹം ഹി രാജന്ശ്ചരിതം മുനീനാം|

ന തസ്യ ദോഷോ ന ച മദ്ഗുണോ വാ സംസര്‍ഗജാ ദോഷഗുണാ ഭവന്തി||

ശ്രീ ശുകഃ 

There are two parrots. One is in the company of eaters of cow's meat.  The second (the narrator here) is always in the company of ascetics.  The former is always hearing the conversation of those people and the invectives contained therein. The latter is always listening to the expostulation of scriptures and lofty thoughts by the learned sages.  In due course the former parrot spews out the garbage it has listened to and the latter is talking quoting great thoughts.  The parrot confesses that his colleague is not uttering garbage because of any inherent evil in him or that he himself is repeating great words not because of any inherent merits of his own.  The company of the evil people makes the former to utter bad words, and the company of  the learned seers makes him utter great words.  It is only the effect of the company one keeps.

संसर्गजा दोषगुणा भवन्ति    samsargajaa doshagunaaH bhavanti  is an oft-repeated quote.  This is the full  form of  the narration.

In the contemporary context, one should find it difficult whether it is evil to eat cow's meat.  But the Indian of the yore respected and worshipped the cow as a goddess and mother.  My  apologies if it does not  seem palatable to anyone.  But the fact remains  that company of the bad makes one bad and vice-versa.

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

The insufferable grief is ignorance.

यक्ष उवाच
किं मोहः प्रोच्यते राजन् कश्च मानः प्रकीर्तितः।
किमालस्यं च विज्ञेयं कश्च शोकः प्रकीर्तितः॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
मोहो हि धर्ममूढस्त्वं मानस्त्वात्माभिमानिता।
धर्मनिष्क्रियताऽऽलस्यं शोकस्त्वज्ञानमुच्यते॥
सर्गः २९७ श्लोकाः ७४-७५ महाभारते आरण्यकपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्ने
yakṣa uvāca
kiṁ mohaḥ procyate rājan kaśca mānaḥ prakīrtitaḥ|
kimālasyaṁ ca vijñeyaṁ kaśca śokaḥ prakīrtitaḥ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
moho hi dharmamūḍhastvaṁ mānastvātmābhimānitā|
dharmaniṣkriyatā''alasyaṁ śokastvajñānamucyate||
sargaḥ 297 ślokāḥ 74-75 mahābhārate āraṇyakaparvaṇi yakṣapraśne

In the encounter between the god of death in the form of a Yaksha and his son the yudistira the king(the famous yaksha prasna episode of Sri Mahabharatham, )  the wise king answers to four queries of the yaksha  like this
the questions of yaksha  (1)  what is lack of knowledge?  (2) what is vainglorious attitude? (3) what is unpardonable laziness and (4) what is the real grief?
Yudishtira answers.  (1) Not knowing one's own duties is the worst ignorance. (2) Excessive consciousness of self- importance leads to vainglorious attitude  (3) Laziness of the worst form is inaction where one's duty is to act with diligence, (4)  The insufferable grief is ignorance.

--

never insult a person

कदाऽपि पुरुषम् नावमन्येत 
चाणक्यसूत्रे  २०६
kadā'pi puruṣam nāvamanyeta 
cāṇakyasūtre  206

കദാപി  പുരുഷം നാവമാന്യേത
ചാണക്യന്‍

I am quoting a cryptic aphorism by chanakya.. just three words .. but the advice is of universal application.  Simply,  Never insult a person.  For every human being, rich or poor, influential or innocent, his personal dignity is the greatest possession he has.  The bosses, official or politica, parents children when they are grown up and independent, all resort to this most unpleasant tactic.   Once a person has been insulted, the damage is done fore ever. No amount of apologies or compensations can make good the breach.  To insult a person is a sureshot way to gain an inveterate foe. 
Let us see how fair our Maker the God is.. He has created people of different capabilities with his own exalted designs. Who are we to compare or question His Judgement.

A personal confession.. I am sure I have never lived upto this advice.  I have dished out too many insults and taken insults in equal number.  Only God can judge.

--

learn to earn quick

नालसाः प्राप्नुवन्त्यर्थान् न शठाः न च मानिनः।
न च लोकरवात् भीताः न च श्वः श्वः प्रतीक्षकाः॥
चाणक्यः
nālasāḥ prāpnuvantyarthān na śaṭhāḥ na ca māninaḥ|
na ca lokaravāt bhītāḥ na ca śvaḥ śvaḥ pratīkṣakāḥ||
cāṇakyaḥ

The idle people can never earn money,  so is the case with the obstinate and the arrogant. 
Those who are overly afraid of scandals from public and other sources also cannot come by riches.
The worst category of people who are confined to eternal poverty are the ones who simply persuade themselves to believe that the affluence will come by itself tomorrow or the day next.

A mendicant or an ordinary human being can afford to be poor by choice.  This advice of Chanakya is especially to the ruler of a country and the persons who handle the public resources.

--

Re: the fool knows no limits.

You are doing a great job Ananthan sir. It's really worth reading your mails, especially for people like me who knows very little about Hindu books.

Thanks,

Latha

On 6 January 2011 18:33, Ananthanarayanan Vaidyanathan <kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com> wrote:

आत्मनो बलमज्ञाय धर्मार्थपरिवर्जितम्।
अलभ्यन्मिच्छन्नैष्कर्म्यात् मूढबुद्धिरिहोच्यते॥
विदुरनीती
ātmano balamajñāaya dharmārthaparivarjitam|
alabhyanmicchannaiṣkarmyāt mūḍhabuddhirihocyate||
viduranītī
ആത്മനോ ബാലമജ്നായ ധര്മ്മാര്‍ഥ് പരിവര്‍ജിതം
അലഭ്യമിച്ച്ചന്‍ നൈഷ്കര്‍മ്യാത് മൂഡ്‌ബുദ്ധിരിഹോച്യാതെ
വിദുരനീതി
One who does not take realistic stock of his strengths and foibles, and  having given a go by to the thought of virtue and financial viability of an action, is simply waiting eagerly for things which  are unattainable, and at the same time is remaining inactive always,  is an idiot of the first order.

Three great truths of life are  enunciated here..
1. One should be always realistic when evaluating ones own strength and weaknesses.
 2. One should embark on a project which is strictly lawful and at the same time viable withing his financial capacity. 
3.  One should not pine for something  unattainable especially when he chooses not to take any positive attempt towards attaining a goal

When it is put by Vidhura or any other  great soul  the statement looks very appealing.  And  all across the world the same ideas have been reiterated  by the masters to the disciples.  But when applying the rules in real life we flounder.  
I think it was Shelley who said,"We look before and after and pine for what is not"

--

the fool knows no limits.

आत्मनो बलमज्ञाय धर्मार्थपरिवर्जितम्।
अलभ्यन्मिच्छन्नैष्कर्म्यात् मूढबुद्धिरिहोच्यते॥
विदुरनीती
ātmano balamajñāaya dharmārthaparivarjitam|
alabhyanmicchannaiṣkarmyāt mūḍhabuddhirihocyate||
viduranītī
ആത്മനോ ബാലമജ്നായ ധര്മ്മാര്‍ത്ഥ പരിവര്‍ജിതം
അലഭ്യമിച്ചന്‍ നൈഷ്കര്‍മ്യാത് മൂഡബുദ്ധിരിഹോച്യതെ
വിദുരനീതി
One who does not take realistic stock of his strengths and foibles,
 and
  having  abandoned  the thought of merits  and financial viability of an action, 
is simply expecting  benefits which  are unattainable, 
and 
at the same time is remaining inactive too,  
is an idiot of the first order.

Three great truths of life are  enunciated here..
1. One should be always realistic when evaluating ones own strength and weaknesses.
 2. One should embark on a project which is strictly lawful and at the same time viable within his financial capacity. 
3.  One should not pine for something  unattainable especially when he chooses not to take any positive attempt towards attaining a goal

When it is put by Vidhura or any other  great soul  the statement looks very appealing. 
 And  all across the world the same ideas have been reiterated  by the masters to the disciples.  
But when applying the rules in real life we flounder.  
I think it was Shelley who said,
"We look before and after and pine for what is not"

--

नमः शिवाभ्यां नवयौवनाभ्यां
परस्पराश्लिष्ट वपुर्द्धराभ्यां।
नगेन्द्रकन्या वृषकेतनाभ्यां
नमो नमः शङ्करपार्वतीभ्यां॥
namaḥ śivābhyāṁ navayauvanābhyāṁ
parasparāśliṣṭa vapurddharābhyāṁ|
nagendrakanyā vṛṣaketanābhyāṁ
namo namaḥ śaṅkarapārvatībhyāṁ||

brain sharper than the arrow.

एकम् हन्यान्नवा हन्यादिषुर्मुक्तो धनुष्मता।
बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतोत्सृष्टः राष्ट्रं हन्ति सनायकं॥
चाणक्य
ekam hanyānnavā hanyādiṣurmukto dhanuṣmatā|
buddhirbuddhimatotsṛṣṭaḥ rāṣtraṁ hanti sanāyakaṁ||
cāṇakya

It is possible that even an arrow shot by the most efficient marksman may miss its target and may fail to kill. 
  But the sparks of intelligence emitted  by  the highly learned and efficient people, 
if they are oriented against a nation and the king,  
would, without fail, cause the destruction of the whole kingdom with its leader .

The arrow here represents the brute force.. which may fizzle out at the target, 
but an intellectual giant will never miss his mark.  
This statement is attributed to Chanakya 
and the master himself was  a living testimony for this point of view.  
Without wielding any weapons he dethroned the Nanadas 
and established the Maurya dyanasty.

--

Fwd: glitters but not gold

this is great... for all lovers of our culture.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jyothirmayi PC
Date: 2011/1/4
Subject: Re: glitters but not gold
To: Ananthanarayanan Vaidyanathan <kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com>


Dear Sir,

You might be aware of this wonderful programme, - [Samskrit book fair] if not, you may visit this website-
-Jyothi

2011/1/4 Ananthanarayanan Vaidyanathan <kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com>

चत्वारि राज्ञा तु महाबलेन वर्ज्यान्याहुः पण्डितस्तानि विद्यात्।
अल्पप्रज्ञैः सह मन्त्रम् न कुर्यान्न दीर्घसूत्रैः रभसैश्चारणैश्च॥
विदुरनीतिः

--

glitters but not gold

चत्वारि राज्ञा तु महाबलेन वर्ज्यान्याहुः पण्डितस्तानि विद्यात्।
अल्पप्रज्ञैः सह मन्त्रम् न कुर्यान्न दीर्घसूत्रैः रभसैश्चारणैश्च॥
विदुरनीतिः
catvāri rājñā tu mahābalena varjyānyāhuḥ paṇḍitastāni vidyāt|
alpaprajñaiḥ saha mantram na kuryānna dīrghasūtraiḥ rabhasaiścāraṇaiśca||
viduranītiḥ
chatwaari rajnaa thu maahaabalena varjyaanyaahu panditastaani vidhyaat
alpaprajnaih saha manthram na kuryaanna diirghasuutraih rabhasaischaaranaicha

The learned people should always keep in mind that the King or the administration which is strong and decisive,  should by all means shun advise and counsel from four types of people
 1.  those  with limited knowledge but who think that they are great scholars.
 2.  those who have made procrastination and inventing excuses as  their lifestyle. 
3. those who are impulsive and never think of  consequences of their words
 4. those who are deceitful, and hand out  advice which would be sweet and agreeable to the senses for the present but would cause irreparable damage in the long run

This advice would apply with equal force for the ordinary people also.

Fwd: An Appeal from SAMATA BOOKS

my dear friends who love the culture and spirituality of India,  this is an opportunity to lend a helping hand to a person who is struggling against heavy odds to publish some of the books which I am sure have their value equal to their weight in gold.   If this messages reaches  some great souls or groups I will find myself blessed.  I can do this alone like the begging kuchela before Krishna.  Namaskarams.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Velury Krishna <samatabooks@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 5:36 PM
Subject: An Appeal from SAMATA BOOKS
To: Ananthanarayanan Vaidyanathan <kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com>

Dear Sri K.V.AnanthaNarayananJI,

Namaste,

Happy and a Prosperous New Year!!!  In continuation of our tele conversation, i am appealing to you and like minded souls to help me in reviving our Publishing firm and the Bookstore. 

We are going through a crisis.  Due to Paucity of Funds we are unable to reprint several titles. 

We have to reprint the following titles.   THE TEN GREAT COSMIC POWERS(DASA MAHA VIDYA), SRI CHAKRA, JNANESHWARI, THE BHAGAVAD GITA(ADI SANKARACHARYA'S COMMENTARY), ESSENCE OF YOGAVASISHTHA, BHIKSHUGITA, ADI SANKARACHARYA'S PRABODHASUDHAKARA, BUDDHIYOGA OF THE GITA AND OTHER ESSAYS and THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ADI SANKARACHARYA IN TEN VOLUMES IN SANSKRIT.  

Sir, it will be of great help if You can circulate this mail to like minded souls who can help us by donating funds to revive our publishing firm and the retail booktore.

Regards,

Krishna V

www.samatabooks.com

94440 10706

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

hide but spread your antennae

नास्य गुह्यं परे विद्युः छिद्रम् विद्यात् परस्य च।
गूहेत् कूर्म इवाङ्गानि यत्स्याद्विवृतमात्मनः॥
कौटिलीय अर्थशाश्त्रात्
nāsya guhyaṁ pare vidyuḥ chidram vidyāt parasya ca|
gūhet kūrma ivāṅgāni yatsyādvivṛtamātmanaḥ||
kauṭilīya arthaśāśtrāt


An efficient administrator  should ensure that his adversaries and enemies do not make any inroads into his confidential matters.  At the same time he should be adroit enough to manage leakage and defeat of the machinations of his adversaries.  That way he is advised to remain like a tortoise who is always alert but remains unobtrusive drawing all his organs into his own tough shell.  The advise of the great political guru is significant ever and ever and today we see this caution manifesting in the tough battle of wits between administrators on the one side and right to information, wikileaks etc., on the other side.

നാസ്യ ഗുഹ്യം പരെ വിദ്യു: ഛിദ്രം വിദ്യാത് പരസ്യ ച

ഗൂഹേത് കൂര്‍മ്മ ഇവാംഗാനി യത്സ്യാത്‌ വിവൃതം ആത്മന:

അര്‍ത്ഥശാസ്ത്രം 

കെല്‍പുള്ള ഭരണകര്‍ത്താവും രാജ്യതന്ത്രജ്ഞനും ഇടതടവില്ലാതെ പിന്തുടരേണ്ട പ്രവൃത്തിമാര്‍ഗ്ഗം ചാണക്യന്‍ അര്‍ഥശാസ്ത്രത്തില്‍ വ്യക്തമാക്കുന്നു 

ഒരു ഭരണകര്‍ത്താവ് രഹസ്യമായി സൂക്ഷിക്കേണ്ട കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ ഒരു കാരണവശാലും മറ്റുള്ളവര്‍ അറിയാന്‍ ഇടവരരുത്. അതിനു വേണ്ട എല്ലാ മുന്കരുതലും എടുക്കണം. 

അതേ സമയം അയാള്‍ എപ്പോഴും ശത്രുക്കളുടെ രഹസ്യങ്ങള്‍ ചോര്‍ത്തി എടുക്കുന്നതിലും, ശത്രുക്കള്‍ക്കിടയില്‍ പോരും കിടമത്സരവും വളര്‍ത്തിയെടുക്കാന്‍ ശ്രമിക്കുകയും വേണം.

ഇക്കാര്യത്തില്‍ ഒരു രാഷ്ട്ര തന്ത്രജ്ഞന്‍ കടുപ്പമേറിയ തൊണ്ടിന്നുള്ളില്‍ ശരീരഭാഗങ്ങള്‍ മുഴുവന്‍ ഉള്ളിലോട്ടു വലിച്ചു കിടക്കുന്ന ആമയെ പോലെ ആവണം