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