the more you climb, the steeper you fall

 

पादन्यासं क्षितिधरगुरोर् मूर्ध्नि कृत्वा सुमेरोः

क्रान्तं येन क्षपिततमसा मद्यमं धाम विष्णोः।

सेऽयं चन्द्रः पतति गगणादल्पशेषैर्मयूखैः

अत्यारूढिर्भवति महतामप्यपभ्रंशनिष्ठा॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे १७५९ अभिज्ञान शाकुन्तलम् कालिदास कृतं शार्ङ्गधरपद्धति

pādanyāsaṁ kṣitidharaguror mūrdhni kṛtvā sumaroḥ

krāntaṁ yena kṣapitatamasā madyamaṁ dhāma viṣṇoḥ|

se'yaṁ candraḥ patati gagaṇādalpaśeṣairmayūkhaiḥ

atyārūḍhirbhavati mahatāmapyapabhraṁśaniṣṭhā||

indiśce sprūce 1759 śākuntala śārṅgadharapaddhati

A beautiful slokam from Abhijnaana Shakuntalam, the magnum opus drama of Great Kalidasa. This description appears in the Fourth Act

It would appear that the full moon all through the bright night traverses the sky. He is shedding its brilliant rays on the surface of the earth. As the night comes to a close and the day is dawning, the moon looks dull as if he has distributed all its bright rays and has very little glow left in him. In addition, the exhausted moon sinks into the southern seas. Kalidasa wonders- when a person, however valorous and powerful he is, if he rises too much upwards is sure to sink into abysmal depths ultimately. The greater the rise, the steeper the slide and fall.

The meaning of the slokam

See, this glorious moon appeared first in all his brilliance, atop the tallest Northern Mountain, Sumeru, placing his feet firmly on the topmost peak of the leader of the mountains, the golden mountain, Mahameru.

He started his journey through the middle world of Lord Vishnu, the sky, covering the air and atmosphere, and in his regal journey he distributed his brilliant rays in profusion and lightest up the earth below, all through the night, all the time proceeding towards the south.

The night is ending and another day is dawning, and the moon has reached near the southern seas. After distributing all his light and energy during his long journey, now the moon looks jaded with very few rays left with him.

In this state, he sinks into the southern seas.

The moon started in glory. Rose to greater glory and distributed almost all he possessed. He reached the peak of his brilliance. Reached dizzy heights. Then the fall started. He became pale and finally sank into the sea.

Even the best among people, who climb up to dizzy heights, can ever expect abysmal falls

The fall too is likely to be steeper when the rise is too high.

Indeed a very beautiful imagery by the greatest poet ever, Kalidasa.

k v a

क्षितिधर of all the great mountains that keep the earth in place गुरोः best, biggest among सुमेरोः of Sumeru, of mountain Sumeru मूर्ध्नि head पादन्यासं placement of feet कृत्वा done क्षपित तमसा after removing darkens by shedding its rays येन by whom विष्णोः मध्यमं धाम the middle abode of Vishunu.. (the sky, air space.. the three worlds of Vishnu are bhuH, bhuvaH and suvaH.. क्रान्तं covered with great enthusiasm and elan सः अयं that same चन्द्रः moon अल्पशेषैः whatever little is left of मयूखैः rays गगनात् from the high skies पतति falls महतां अपि even for the biggest, occupying the highest status अत्यारूढि too much of climb upwards अपभ्रंशनिष्ठा in steep fall भवति happens