waxing and waning..

सम्पदो महतामेव महतामेव चापदः।
वर्धते क्षीयते चन्द्रो ननु तारागणा क्वचित्॥
sampado mahatāmeva mahatāmeva cāpadaḥ|
vardhate kṣīyate candro nanu tārāgaṇāa kvacit||


The subhaashitam or wise saying is given to convey the fact that variations in fortune do happen and such happenings are noticed only in respect of persons worthy of note..

We see great affluence in great people at certain points of time.. We see that such fortunes take a plunge downwards at other times.
. It is just as the moon which is seen prominently in the sky, enjoys increase in brightness and are in its disc for a fortnight and then sees loss of both brightness and area during the following fortnight..
But the variations in fortunes of people who are not so significant are not seen by others at all..
There are thousands of stars in the firmament.. and they just go on twinkling.. but the net brightness for them remains without any variation..

I think the great astronomers and wise people especially is social media will shout that this sloka is irrelevant in the present day scenario..
They will assert that the stars have been proved to be of far greater luminosity than the silly moon..
Yes, the poor scholar of old times just formed his views on what he saw and understood in his own modest way..