distinctive priorities

 

वस्त्रमुख्यमलङ्कारं घृतमुख्यन्तु भोजनम्।

गुणमुख्यन्तु नारीणां विद्या मुख्यस्तु पण्डितः॥ ३३

नीतिसारे॥

vastramukhyamalaṅkāraṁ ghṛtamukhyantu bhojanam|

guṇamukhyantu nārīṇāṁ vidyā mukhyastu paṇḍitaḥ|| 33

nītisāre||

Even though there are many materials used for make up that projects a person at his best, the choice of clothes is the most important

In a full meal, there are many dishes and delicacies, but pure and nice ghee is the most important and distinctive feature of a meal.

For a lady, the best distinguishing feature is her nice character.

And for a scholar, his level of education and knowledge are the vital features

വസ്ത്രമുഖ്യമലങ്കാരം ഘൃതമുഖ്യന്തു ഭോജനം।

ഗുണമുഖ്യന്തു നാരീണാം വിദ്യാ മുഖ്യസ്തു പണ്ഡിതഃ॥ ൩൩

നീതിസാരേ॥

ഒരാള്‍ക്ക്‌ അണിഞ്ഞൊരുങ്ങാന്‍ പല സാധനങ്ങളും ഉണ്ടെങ്കിലും നല്ല വസ്ത്രങ്ങള്‍ ആയിരിക്കും അയാളെ ഏറ്റവും ആകര്‍ഷണീയനാക്കുന്നത്.

ഒരു ഊണിനു എത്രയധികം വിഭവങ്ങള്‍ ഉണ്ടെങ്കിലും നല്ല നറുനെയ്യ് വിളമ്പിയാലേ ഊണ് ഊണാവുകയുള്ളൂ

ഒരു വനിതയ്ക്ക് അവരുടെ ഗുണങ്ങളാണ് ഏറ്റവും പ്രധാനം

ഒരു പണ്ഡിതന്നാകട്ടെ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ പഠിപ്പും അറിവുമാണ് അദ്ദേഹത്തെ മുന്‍നിരയില്‍ നിൽക്കാന്‍ സഹായിക്കുന്ന പ്രധാന ഘടകങ്ങള്‍.

neeetisaaram

Neetisaram actually is a compilation of great sayings and slokams in Sanskrit, compiled in Malayalam Script ( and this work contains couple of Malayalm stanzas too)

.It is in circulations in Kerala for century as oral tradition, and has been put to print a century and a quarter ago..

The students of Sanskrit in Kerala used to learn this too along with Sriramodantam, Sreekrishna Vilasam, Sidharoopam etc..

Neetisaram as a booklet used to be sold by vendors going around door to door, or selling them in festivals and fares..

The cost used to be a few paise..

The text as available in print today, contains about 120 slokas.. with minor change in numbers from version to version.

The students of Sanskrit were mostly from higher castes in the earlier generations and this text accordingly contains some slokas that would portray people of lower castes, and often even females as inferior to the caste males..

This tendency can be seen in about a dozen slokas..

But most other slokas are compiled from the works of great poets and seers.. often not caring to mention the sources, just like we find in social media.. and these quotes are of eternal value..

Streenaam Cha Chittam Purushasya Bhaagyam

अश्वप्रयाणांबुदगर्ज्जितम् च स्त्रीणाम् च चित्तम् पुरुषस्य भाग्यम्।

अवर्षणम् चाप्यतिवर्षणम् च देवो न जानाति कुतो मनुष्यः॥

नीतिसारे॥।

aśvaprayāṇāṁbudagarjjitam ca strīṇām ca cittam puruṣasya bhāgyam|

avarṣaṇam cāpyativarṣaṇam ca devo na jānāti kuto manuṣyaḥ||

The above slokam is from Neetisaaram.. a work in Malayalam.. containing compilation of many pithy sayings.. The small book and the oral tradition is in circulation in Kerala for centuries.. Obviously the book is just an anthology of quotes from various sources. Neither the one who compiles it nor the ones who memorized the contents ever seemed bothered about the identify of the author.. But each quote is a nugget of gold in itself..

Meaning of the slokam is

-----------------------------

No one can ever be sure as to when the horse he rides may turn wayward.. throwing the rider off the saddle.. eternal vigil is all that one can have

The clouds gather in the sky and suddenly we hear roars from the sky..

We really do not know why there is a roar.. and we cannot even guess what would be the outcome of such loud show..

Females among us humans appear to be richly endowed with the capacity to hold on to their thoughts and moods without allowing others to know what really is in their mind..Their minds are ominously enigmatic.

And a wrong reading of such minds usually proves disastrous to the men among us..

A man may be just whiling away his time on nothing substantial, but suddenly through an unexpected windfall, his life may change for the better or sometimes, for the worse.

We Indians depend on agriculture for our livelihood, and rain plays a major role in our fortunes.. Most of our prayers and dreams move around the rains, rains coming in every season, every year..

But we do not know when there will be excessive rain.. or when there will be paucity of rain..

The writer wonders that the vagaries of life on the above issues are puzzles even for God.. So the human beings with their limitations can never speculate on these matters..

Streenaam Cha Chittam Purushasya Bhaagyam.. is a very frequently quoted line..

nītisāre|||

अश्वप्रयाणम् the wayward movements of a horse अम्बुदगर्ज्जितं the roars of a cloud स्त्रीणां चित्तं the working of a female mind पुरुषस्य भाग्यं the luck of a man अवर्षणं lack of rain अतिवर्षणं excessive downpour च अपि देवः न जानाति the gods too do not know मनुष्यः कुतः.. How can a man know?

दशमातृहरीतकी

दशवैद्यसमा पत्नी दशपत्नीसमो रविः।

दशसूर्यतमा माता दशमातृहरीतकी॥५१

नीतिसारे॥॥

daśavaidyasamā patnī daśapatnīsamo raviḥ|

daśasūryatamā mātā daśamātṛharītakī ||51

nītisāre||||

पत्नी दशवैद्यसमा वर्तते An affectionate and caring wife will be as good as ten doctors..

रविः दशपत्नीसमो वर्तते Exposure to sun can be as effective as the tender care of ten wives.

माता दशसूर्यतमा वर्तते The care and love that a mother can bestow on a person is as beneficial as that of ten suns

हरीतकी दशमातृ समा वर्तते And a single pod of Kadukka (കടുക്ക) as a medicine is ten times as great as a mothers love and care

An affectionate and caring wife will be as good as ten doctors..

Exposure to sun can be as effective as the tender care of ten wives.

The care and love that a mother can bestow on a person is as beneficial as that of ten suns

And a single pod of Kadukka (കടുക്ക) as a medicine is ten times as great as a mothers love and care

This is quoted in neetisaaram... It is said that it is according to the views of the great ayurvedic masters like Sushruta etc..

Kadukka is Harad in Hindi, botanical name Terminalia chebula

लब्दविद्यो गुरुं द्वेष्टि लब्धभार्यस्तु मातरम्।

लब्दविद्यो गुरुं द्वेष्टि लब्धभार्यस्तु मातरम्।

लब्दपुत्रा पतिं नारी लब्दारोग्यश्चिकित्सकम्॥७७

नीतिसारे॥।

labdavidyo guruṁ dveṣṭi labdhabhāryastu mātaram|

labdaputrā patiṁ nārī labdārogyaścikitsakam||77

nītisāre|||

लब्दविद्यः गुरुं द्वेष्टि

a person who had been given adequate education does not care for the teacher anymore..

लब्दभार्यः तु मातरं द्वेष्टि

A person who has got married starts neglecting his mother.

लब्दपुत्रा नारी पतिं द्वेष्टि

Once a son is born, a lady loses her fancy for her husband.

लब्दारोग्यःचिकिल्सकं द्वेष्टि

a person who is cured of his disease, never thinks of the doctor who nursed him back to health..

the word द्वेष्टि means hates or becomes an enemy.. we need not take that word literally.. dwesham here is just lack of interest..

At least during our days of training we would care for the mentor with a lot of respect .. But once we have drained out of him all that we could know, he becomes superfluous to us.. and we do not care for the teacher.. the show of respect at best would be cosmetic.

Once a fellow marries, his mother loses her significance for him..This is known instinctively by every mother in law.. and that is the cause for the fireworks between MIL and DIL..

Once a child is born, and especially if the offspring is a boy, the mother's world undergoes a sea change.. Her husband or anyone else for that matter become objects of secondary importance..

And while the sick person and his attendants will be running around the doctor during the period of treatment, they would be conspicuous by their absence, once reasonable cure is effected.. Some bolt without settling the bills too..

This view is from Neetisaaram.. It reflects the general behaviour of people and their response to some changed circumstances..

There will be exceptions.. Out of decency and social compulsions, many actors would perform the balancing act..

The bottomline alone is portrayed in this slokam..

Inviting trouble with outstretched hands...

 

Inviting trouble with outstretched hands...

-------------------------------------------------

दरिद्रत्वे द्विभार्यत्वं पथिक्षेत्रं कृषिद्वयं।

प्रातिभाव्यं च साक्ष्यं च पञ्चानर्थाः स्वयं कृताः॥

नीतिसारे॥।

daridratve dvibhāryatvaṁ pathikṣetraṁ kṛṣidvayaṁ|

prātibhāvyaṁ ca sākṣyaṁ ca pañcānarthāḥ svayaṁ kṛtāḥ||

nītisāre|||

A gem from neetisaaram..

Sometimes people choose deep trouble for themselves and the following are five such situations.

1.. Having two wives when one is utterly poor

2. Purchasing or building house on the roadside.

3. Engaging in agricultural activity in two distant places simultaneously.

4. Volunteering to stand surety for someone

5. Being witness in a litigation

It is not known whether one can have two wives if he is affluent..

However the idea of having two wives appears to be ominous for anybody, rich or poor.

A house on the roadside can be target for poachers, thieves and accidents..

Such house will attract more guests and visitors and this can also prove difficult at times.

Agriculture for anyone is an activity engaging his uninterrupted attention for long periods,

and if he has to have crops in two different places,

he would not be able to manage them simultaneously and would attract loss and disaster.

Standing surety can be the most dangerous thing..

If one incurs personal liabilities by way of loan he will at least know where he stands..

But when he signs for someone else, he places himself at the whims and fancy of someone else

and any foolish action or misfortune befalling a third party can cause havoc to the guarantor as well unexpectedly.

And officiating witness in a litigation is a sureshot way of gaining permanent enmity of one of the litigants

And matrimony twice,

selection of house-plot

or agricultural land at wrong stations

and standing surety

or going as witness

are

all activities which one can choose for

himself and accordingly face the music too..

Sure he can avoid such things if he is vigilant ..

Each person has preferences according to his taste.

मक्षिकाः व्रणमिच्छन्ति धनमिच्छन्ति पार्थिवाः।

नीचाः कलहमिच्छन्ति सन्धिमिच्छन्ति पण्डिताः॥

नीतिसारे ६०

makṣikāḥ vraṇamicchanti dhanamicchanti pārthivāḥ|

nīcāḥ kalahamicchanti sandhimicchanti paṇḍitāḥ|| 

nītisāre 60

The flies seek out reeking wounds with greed. The kings run after money, and wealth. The lowly, characterless people are always intent on quarrels and the noble and learned persons always canvass for peace and lack of strife.

Each person has preferences according to his taste.

The fly would be happy to sit on a wound and eat dirt

The king would try to amass wealth.

The evil fellow would create quarrels 

And the good man would love peace and stability

മക്ഷികാഃ വ്രണമിച്ഛന്തി ധനമിച്ഛന്തി പാര്‍ഥിവാഃ।

നീചാഃ കലഹമിച്ഛന്തി സന്ധിമിച്ഛന്തി പണ്ഡിതാഃ॥ 

നീതിസാരേ ൬൦

ഈച്ചകള്‍ക്ക് പഴുത്തളിഞ്ഞ വ്രണങ്ങളോടാണ് ഏറ്റവും ഇഷ്ടം. രാജാക്കന്മാര്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ സമ്പത്ത് വെട്ടിപ്പിടിക്കാന്‍ ഓടിനടക്കുന്നു

ദുഷ്ടന്മാര്‍ കലഹം സൃഷ്ടിക്കാനുള്ള തക്കവും നോക്കി ഒളിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു. 

പണ്ഡിതന്മാരായ സജ്ജനങ്ങള്‍ ശാന്തിയും സമാധാനവും തേടി, അവ നിലനിര്‍ത്താനായി പരിശ്രമിക്കുന്നു

if they are asleep, they should be woken up

विद्यार्थी सेवकः पान्थः क्षुदार्तो भयकातरः

भाण्डी च प्रतिहारी च सप्त सुप्तान् प्रबोधयेत्॥ 

नीतिसारे॥ 

vidyārthī sevakaḥ pānthaḥ kṣudārto bhayakātaraḥ

bhāṇḍī ca pratihārī ca sapta suptān prabodhayet|| 

nītisāre|| 

विद्यार्थी a student an initiate

सेवकः a servant 

पान्थः a traveller 

क्षुदार्तो a man who is hungry 

भयकातरः a man who is afflicted with fear 

भाण्डी a man who carries a rag bundle 

प्रतिहारी a watchmen 

च too 

सप्त सुप्तान् प्रबोधयेत् if they are asleep, they should be woken up.. 

Sleep, it is admitted, is by far the greatest blessing for any human being..

Waking people from sleep can be cruel, and can be dangerous too..

We can see immediate results if we try to wake up a sleeping child, or a sleeping beast..

But still Neetisaram lists seven categories of people who should be woken up without delay if one finds them asleep..

The first in the category in a student..

The duty of the student is to study and not sleep.. And we see teachers often struggling with this option.. Many students either sleep in the class or become nuisance if they are awake. The choice is with the teacher.

The second in the list is the Servant

The servant is paid and employed to do specific jobs.. and sleeping is not exactly the job for which he is appointed.. So the master is free to wake him up even if the servant dozes off.. But it is doubtful whether the author of Neetisaram thought about Government Servants..

Then comes the traveller

It is natural that a traveller would love to sleep because he would be tired after long journeys.. But if he succumbs to sleep in unfamiliar places, sure, he will be divested of all his earthly possessions..

Next in the list is a person who is hungry.

It is our tradition that a hungry person should not be allowed to sleep.. on an empty stomach.. The sleep would not be happy for him.. There is a tradition in many families that before they close the front door for the night, it would be asked whether any person hungry for the night was present.. If anyone comes forth, it was the tradition that he would be offered food.. But this does not mean that we should wake up a poor hungry fellow and tell him that he will have no supper..

Then a man afflicted by fear..

Normally, a man may not be able to sleep when he is in panic..But a sleep, in such a condition, if that happens by way of exception, would lead to greater misery filled with nightmares.. So, if a person is crying aloud in panic during sleep, he should be woken up immediately..

Next the carrier of Bundles and Sacks..

If the fellow sleeps, the bundle will soon change ownership.. That is the first risk.. Secondly the bundle many contain things which might not do good for others.. Old travellers would carry snakes, monkeys etc in sack.. And today, the sacks can contain explosives.

And finally the watchman

The duty of the watchman is to ensure the security of the premises and the contents thereof while others sleep.. If the watchman himself sleeps, one can just guess the results..

the alert student...

काकदृष्टिर्बकध्यानम् श्वाननिद्रा तदैव च।

अल्पाहारम् जीर्णवस्त्रम् एतद् विद्यार्थिलक्षणम्॥

नीतिसारे॥

kākadṛṣṭirbakadhyānam śvānanidrā tadaiva ca|

alpāhāram jīrṇavastram etad vidyārthilakṣaṇam||

nītisāre||

काकदृष्टि the keenness of vision equalling a crow

बकध्यानं concentratin of mind comparable to a crane

श्वाननिद्रा the alertness during sleep like a dog

अल्पाहारम् frugal food

जीर्णवस्त्रम् tattered clothes

तदैव च एतद् all these

विद्यार्थिलक्षणम् (भवति) are the signs of a student or someone undergoing a process of education//

This is a very celebrated slokam defining the characteristics of a good student..

The qualities should not be interpreted to compare with the apparent features--like the transparent diaphragm on the eyeballs of a crow, the long and supple neck of a crane or the fluttering of the ears of a dog when it sleeps, the food and clothing habits of a man afflicted with poverty and so on..

The slokam just means

A student should have the keenness of observation like a crow..

A crane sits on the banks of a tank without movements and in utter concentration, watching some fish to surface and then makes a decisive movement..

The student should posses similar purposeful concentration

Dogs are famous as sentinels because their capacity to trace movements, sounds, smell etc even while sleeping is very acute.. A student should have such keen senses even during his sleeping hours.

The taste and craving for food is natural for man, and excessive appetite would push all other matters deserving attention to the background. A student is expected to prioritize of learning things at the shorted possible timespan.. and he shoul be alert and fit physically.. Desire for gourmet food and consumption of excessive food both can make him less alert and more flabby.. So the student should restrict food.. And in the Indian environs of the days when the above sloka originated, the students were not exactly affluent (on an average) and they were staying with the teachers. The teachers had to find food for the students, or alternately the students would beg in local households for food.. In such circumstances availability of food was a real issue..

Celibacy was somehow considered as a prerequisite for a student.. And wearing costly and attractive Garments, applying cosmetics etc were taboo for students for that reason and for the economic reasons too..Brahmacharis are not expected even to look at the mirrors to see their forms..This is the idea behind wearing tattered clothes.

streenaam cha chittam purushasya bhaagyam...

अश्वप्रयाणांबुदगर्ज्जितं च स्त्रीणां च चित्तम् पुरुषस्य भाग्यम्।

अवर्षणं प्यतिवर्षणं च देवो न जानाति कुतो मनुष्यः॥

नीतिसारे॥।

aśvaprayāṇāṁbudagarjjitam ca strīṇām ca cittam puruṣasya bhāgyam|

avarṣaṇam cāpyativarṣaṇam ca devo na jānāti kuto manuṣyaḥ||

nītisāre|||

अश्वप्रयाणम् the wayward movements of a horse अम्बुदगर्ज्जितं the roars of a cloud स्त्रीणां चित्तं the working of a female mind पुरुषस्य भाग्यं the luck of a man अवर्षणं lack of rain अतिवर्षणं excessive downpour च अपि देवः न जानाति the gods too do not know मनुष्यः कुतः.. How can a man know?

The above slokam is from Neetisaaram.. a work in Malayalam.. containing compilation of many pithy sayings.. The small book and the oral tradition is in circulation in Kerala for centuries.. Obviously the book is just an anthology of quotes from various sources. Neither the one who compiles it nor the ones who memorized the contents ever seemed bothered about the identify of the author.. But each quote is a nugget of gold in itself..

Meaning of the slokam is

-----------------------------

No one can ever be sure as to when the horse he rides may turn wayward.. throwing the rider off the saddle.. eternal vigil is all that one can have

The clouds gather in the sky and suddenly we hear roars from the sky..

We really do not know why there is a roar.. and we cannot even guess what would be the outcome of such loud show..

Females among us humans appear to be richly endowed with the capacity to hold on to their thoughts and moods without allowing others to know what really is in their mind..Their minds are ominously enigmatic.

And a wrong reading of such minds usually proves disastrous to the men among us..

A man may be just whiling away his time on nothing substantial, but suddenly through an unexpected windfall, his life may change for the better or sometimes, for the worse.

We Indians depend on agriculture for our livelihood, and rain plays a major role in our fortunes.. Most of our prayers and dreams move around the rains, rains coming in every season, every year..

But we do not know when there will be excessive rain.. or when there will be paucity of rain..

The writer wonders that the vagaries of life on the above issues are puzzles even for God.. So the human beings with their limitations can never speculate on these matters..

Streenaam Cha Chittam Purushasya Bhaagyam.. is a very frequently quoted line..

plant trees and be blessed...

अश्वत्थमेकं पिचुमन्दमेकं

न्यग्रोधमेकं दशतिन्त्रिणीश्च।

कपित्थविल्वामलकत्रयं च

पञ्चाम्रनाळी नरकं न याति॥

नीतिसारे

aśvatthamekaṁ picumandamekaṁ

nyagrodhamekaṁ daśatintriṇīśca|

kapitthavilvāmalakatrayaṁ ca

pañcāmranāḻī narakaṁ na yāti||

nītisāre

A person who has grown a peepul tree, a margosa ree, a banyan tree, ten tamarind trees, three vilaa trees(Limonia acidissima wood apple), three bilva trees, three gooseberry trees, five mango trees and a five coconut trees, will never be a candidate for life in hell.

അശ്വത്ഥമേകം പിചുമന്ദമേകം

ന്യഗ്രോധമേകം ദശതിന്ത്രിണീശ്ച।

കപിത്ഥവില്വാമലകത്രയം ച 

പഞ്ചാമ്രനാളീ നരകം ന യാതി॥

നീതിസാരേ

ഒരു അരയാല്‍ 

ഒരു വേപ്പ്

ഒരു പേരാല്‍ 

പത്ത് പുളിമരങ്ങള്‍

വിളാവ്, വില്വം, നെല്ലി എന്നീ മരങ്ങള്‍ മൂന്നുവീതം

പിന്നെ

അഞ്ചു മാവുകളും

അഞ്ചു തെങ്ങുകളും

നട്ടുവളര്‍ത്തിയ ഒരാള്‍ക്ക്‌ ഒരിക്കലും നരകത്തില്‍ സ്ഥാനമില്ല

അതേ, ഇത്രയും മരങ്ങളെ സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നവന്‍ തീര്‍ച്ചയായും ഭൂമീദേവിക്കും സര്‍വ്വേശ്വരനും പ്രിയപ്പെട്ടവനാണ്. അവന്‍ എങ്ങിനെ നരകത്തില്‍ എത്തും?

choose the right beneficiary...

मा दद्यात् खलसङ्गेषु कल्पना मधुरा गिरा।

यथा वानरहस्तेषु कोमळाः कुसुमस्रजः॥

नीतिसारे 37

mā dadyāt khalasaṅgeṣu kalpanā madhurā girā|

yathā vānarahasteṣu komaḻāḥ kusumasrajaḥ||

neetisaare 

One should not share nice and sweet words and ideas in an assembly of unfriendly and evil-minded people..

Doing so would be like handing over a beautiful garland of flowers to a monkey..

മാ ദദ്യാത് ഖലസംഗേഷു കല്പനാ മധുരാ ഗിരാ

യഥാ വാനരഹസ്തേഷു കോമളാ കുസുമസ്രജഃ

നീതിസാരം 37

മണ്ടശിരോമണികളുടെയും വകതിരിവില്ലാത്ത തലതിരിഞ്ഞ ആളുകളുടെയും കൂട്ടത്തില്‍ അകപ്പെട്ടാല്‍ മധുരവും നന്മനിറഞ്ഞതുമായ വാക്കുകള്‍ പറഞ്ഞിട്ട് ഒരു കാര്യവുമില്ല..

ആ വാക്കുകള്‍ കുരങ്ങന്റെ കയ്യില്‍ കൊടുത്ത മനോഹരമായ പൂമാലകള്‍ പോലെ പിച്ചിച്ചീന്തപ്പെടും

ചെളി നിറഞ്ഞ സ്ഥലത്ത് ചടഞ്ഞുകൂടിഇരുന്നുകൊണ്ട് ഒരാള്‍ ശാപ്പിടുകയാണ്‌..

അത് വേണ്ട എന്ന് ഉപദേശിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ കിട്ടുന്ന മറുപടി..

"ഇവിടെ ഇരുന്നു ഉണ്ണും.. ചെളി ചമ്മന്തിയായി കൂട്ടും "

എന്നാണെങ്കില്‍ അയാള്‍ക്ക്‌ നമോവാകം പറയുക മാത്രമല്ലേ നമുക്ക് പറ്റൂളളൂ ?

safe and secure lifestyle...

एका भार्या त्रयः पुत्राः द्वे हले दशधेनवः।

मध्यराष्ट्रे गृहं येषामत्यन्तसुकृतश्च ते॥

नीतिसारे

ekā bhāryā trayaḥ putrāḥ dve hale daśadhenavaḥ|

madhyarāṣṭre gṛham yeṣāmatyantasukṛtaśca te||

nītisāre

Those who have single wives

three sons

two ploughs 

ten cows 

residence in the middle of the country

are sure to have the most comfortable lives..

They are the luckiest ones 

* All are aware of the hazards of having more than one wife.

* Having more than one son is indeed great.. Even if one 

son goes wayward, there is another one to rely on.

* If we have only a single plough and there is some need for 

a repair, the ploughing will come to a standstill.. A spare 

plough is always handy.

* Ten cows.. it is just an optimal estimate..Lesser number 

may not be adequate and larger number might be unwieldy

* House in the middle country.. If one takes up residence in 

the borders, there can be attack from enemies, there can 

be wars, intrusions and displacement.. The middle country 

can also mean the plain land..neither the hill nor the sea 

coast 

Anyway the most important thing is to restrict the number of wives to just one..

venomous all over...

वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे मक्षिकायाः विषं शिरः

तक्षकस्य विषं दन्तं सर्वाङ्गं दुर्जनस्य च॥

नीतिसारे॥

समयोचित पद्यमालिकायां च 

vṛścikasya viṣam pucche makṣikāyāḥ viṣam śiraḥ

takṣakasya viṣam dantam sarvāṅgam durjanasya ca ||

nītisāre||

The poison of a scorpion is located in its tail..

The head of a bee is the source of poison in a bee..

The snake has poison in its teeth or fangs..

But a nasty fellow oozes poison fro every limb..

When compared to a nasty fellow, the poisonous scorpion or bee or even a snake are angels.. 

Their poison are localized.. 

Moreover, the insects and reptiles give out or inject their poison on others only when we come in their way for some reason. 

But a nasty human being who is venomous all over would harm us even if we avoid him consciously..

वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे एव वर्तते     The poison of a scorpion is seen in its sting located in its tail 

मक्षिकायाः विषंशिरः एव वर्तते          The bee has its poison it its head alone 

तक्षकस्य विषं दन्तं एव        Takshaka the king of snake (or for that matter any snake) has its venom located in his teeth or fangs 

अपि च दुर्जनस्य सर्वाङ्गं विषं दृश्यते       But an evil minded person has poison in all his limbs

This is a pithy reminder from Neetisaaram.
 Also found in Samayochita Padyamalika 

വൃശ്ചികസ്യ വിഷം പുച്ഛേ മക്ഷികായാഃ വിഷം ശിരഃ

തക്ഷകസ്യ വിഷം ദന്തം സര്‍വാംഗം ദുര്‍ജനസ്യ ച

(നീതിസാരം... സമയോചിത പദ്യമാലിക എന്നീ കൃതികളില്‍ ഈ ശ്ലോകം കാണുന്നു}

ഒരു തേളിന്റെ വിഷം അതിന്റെ വാലില്‍ മാത്രമായിരിക്കും 

തേനീച്ചയുടെ വിഷം അതിന്റെ മുള്ളില്‍ മാത്രം കാണും 

സര്‍പ്പത്തിന്റെ (തക്ഷകന്റെ) വിഷം അതിന്റെ വിഷപ്പല്ലില്‍ ഒതുങ്ങും 

പക്ഷെ ദുഷ്ടന്റെ വിഷം അയാളുടെ ശരീരം മുഴുവനും ഉണ്ട് 

ഒരു ദുഷ്ടനുമായി താരതമ്യം ചെയ്യുമ്പോള്‍  ഒരു തെളോ പാമ്പോ തേനീച്ചയോ ഒക്കെ  മാലാഖമാരാണ്‌  അവയുടെ വിഷം ചില ശരീരഭാഗങ്ങളില്‍ ഒതുങ്ങുന്നു. മാത്രമല്ല  ഈ ജീവികള്‍ നാം അവരുടെ  വഴിക്ക് പോയി അലോസരം സൃഷ്ടിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ മാത്രമായിരിക്കും വിഷം വമിക്കുക..  പക്ഷെ  ഒരു ദുഷ്ടാത്മാവിനു  വിഷം തുപ്പുവാന്‍ പ്രത്യേക കാരണം ഒന്നും വേണ്ട

born with us

आयुः कर्म च वित्तं च विद्या निधनमेव च।
पञ्चैते ननु कल्प्यन्ते गर्भगत्वेन देहिनाम्॥२७
नीतिसारे---
āyuḥ karma ca vittaṁ ca vidyā nidhanameva ca|
pañcaite nanu kalpyante garbhagatvena dehinām||27
nītisāre---
.


This slokam from neetisaram is quite controversial..
(It is in Hitopadesham too)
It would seem to support utter fatalism,, stating that all major aspects of life are determined by fate.. that way suggesting that we have little control over what happens in our lives...
-----------------------
Those who read are free to agree or disagree..
(Of course not to read too is also a choice )

But the theory of Karma, which is so basic to Indian thought would seem to support the view that fate plays a major role in shaping our lives.. and that the consequences of our own deeds
would come to us sooner or later.
-----------------------
The meaning of the slokam is
Our span of life,
the work or profession in which we land up,
the financial status that is whether we are wealth or poor ,
capacity and opportunity for education and acquiring knowledge 
and
finally death, how and when it happens,,

all appear to have been determined for a living  being even at the time our life starts in the womb of the mother as a foetus..
---------------------
Genetic and social factors of parentage do affect the life of a human being.. These factors either give advantage or create roadblocks at least early in life
To that limited extent the idea conveyed by the slokam is in general valid..

But such thoughts of fatalism need not provide us excuses or alibis to seek and woo failure and destruction,
We need not abandon hard work and proper application of mind
Why should we blame everything in life to the parentage or fate.?
We can always try to make things better..
Nothing is lost even if we fail..

आयुः span of life, longevity
कर्म work, profession, avocation, way of life
वित्तं wealth affluence
विद्या education, chance to acquire knowledge
निधनं death
च एते पञ्च these five aspects
देहिनां for all beings with body
गर्भगत्वेन at the time of conceiving, at the time of forming the foetus
ननु कल्प्यन्ते would seem are decided.

best of them....

पुष्पेषु जाती पुरुषेषु विष्णुर्
नारीषु रंभा नगरीषु काञ्ची।
नदीषु गङ्गा नरपेषु रामः
काव्येषु माघः कवि काळिदासः॥२१
नीतिसारे


puṣpeṣu jātī puruṣeṣu viṣṇur
nārīṣu raṁbhā nagarīṣu kāñcī|
nadīṣu gaṅgā narapeṣu rāmaḥ
kāvyeṣu māghaḥ kavi kāḻidāsaḥ||21
nītisāre

This is from Neetisaram.. The traditional understanding of the superiority of that age..
Please do not argue and fight with me saying that Shah Rukh or Salman Khan or Rajni Kanth or Aishvarya Roy or something like that is the best..
----------------------------------------------
The sloka says

Jasmine is the best among flowers..

The most manly among males is Vishnu,

and the best female is Rambhaa, one of the four nymphs of Indras court.

The most famous city is Kanchi or Kancheepuram..

Ganga is the first among rivers..

And among Emperors, the greatest is Lord Rama..

Among the great poetic works of Sanskrit, Magha Kavya.. Shishupalavadham is called Maagham after its celebrated author Kavi Magha..

And the sloka just mentions Kalidasa as THE POET ... Perhaps no one to compare with the greatness of that master could be found..

------------------------------
जाती पुष्पेषु श्लाघ्यतमा भवति -------among the flowers Jaati is the best (Jaati..Royal jasmine, Catalonian jasmine, among others (chameli in Hindi) is a species of jasmine native to South Asia. In India,)

विष्णुः पुरुषेषु श्लाघ्यतमो भवति ------ Vishnu is the best among men

रम्भा नारीषु श्लाघ्यतमा भवति------ Rambhaa the nymph is the most attractive among the females

काञ्ची नगरीषु श्लाघ्यतमा भवति----- Kanchi is the best among towns

गङ्गा नदीषु श्लाघ्यतमा भवति ------ Ganga is the greatest among rivers

रामःनरपेषु श्लाघ्यतमो भवति-------- Of all the rulers of men Rama is the most respected one

माघः काव्येषु श्लाघ्यतमो भवति -------- Among Kavyams (poetic works) Maagha ( Shishupalavadham of poet Magha is the most acclaimed one)

काळिदासःकवि --------- And there is only one Poet without comparison.. Kalidasa

fluctuating priorities....

लब्दविद्यो गुरुं द्वेष्टि लब्धभार्यस्तु मातरम्।

लब्दपुत्रा पतिं नारी लब्दारोग्यश्चिकित्सकम्॥७७

नीतिसारे॥।

labdavidyo guruṁ dveṣṭi labdhabhāryastu mātaram|

labdaputrā patiṁ nārī labdārogyaścikitsakam||77

nītisāre|||

A person who is cured of his disease, never thinks of the doctor who nursed him back to health..

(the word द्वेष्टि means hates or becomes an enemy.. we need not take that word literally.. dwesham here is just lack of interest..)

At least during our days of training we would care for the mentor with a lot of respect ..

But once we have drained out of him all that we could know, he becomes superfluous to us.. and we do not care for the teacher.. the show of respect at best would be cosmetic.

Once a fellow marries, his mother loses her significance for him..

This is known instinctively by every mother in law.. and that is the cause for the fireworks between MIL and DIL..

Once a child is born, and especially if the offspring is a boy, the mother's world undergoes a sea change..

Even her husband becomes less important..

And while the sick person and his attendants will be running around the doctor during the period of treatment, they would be simply evasive once reasonable cure is effected.. Some disappear without settling the bills too..

This quoteis from Neetisaaram..

It reflects the general behaviour of people and their activities when they are challenged and subsequently such chanllenges vanish or when they find greener pastures.

There will be exceptions..

Out of politeness some people would sport a smile and would show sympathy but the depth will be lacking

One should undertstand that he will get importance only when he is of some benefit to others..

That is life..

लब्दविद्यः गुरुं द्वेष्टि

a person who had been given adequate education does not care for the teacher anymore..

लब्दभार्यः तु मातरं द्वेष्टि

A person who has got married starts neglecting his mother.

लब्दपुत्रा नारी पतिं द्वेष्टि

Once a son is born, a lady loses her fancy for her husband.

लब्दारोग्यःचिकिल्सकं द्वेष्टि

ലബ്ദവിദ്യോ ഗുരും ദ്വേഷ്ടി ലബ്ധഭാര്യസ്തു മാതരം।

ലബ്ദപുത്രാ പതിം നാരീ ലബ്ദാരോഗ്യശ്ചികിത്സകം॥൭൭

നീതിസാരേ॥।

“ ഒരു ഗുരുവില്‍ നിന്ന് നല്ല വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം നേടിയെടുത്ത വ്യക്തി, പിന്നീട് ആ ഗുരുവില്‍ ഒരു താല്‍പര്യവും കാണിക്കില്ല.

ഒരു പെണ്ണിനെ കെട്ടിയാല്‍ പിന്നെ മകന്‍ സ്വന്തം അമ്മയെ മറക്കും.

ഒരു മകന്‍ പിറന്നാള്‍ പിന്നെ അമ്മ തന്‍റെ ശ്രദ്ധ മുഴുവന്‍ അവനില്‍ കേന്ദ്രീകരിക്കുന്നു. ഭര്‍ത്താവിനോട് പഴയപോലുള്ള അടുപ്പം ഇല്ലാതാവുന്നു. വലിയ രോഗം പിടിപെട്ട ആള്‍ പോലും ആ രോഗം ചികിത്സിച്ച് ഭേദമായ ശേഷം തന്നെ ഏറെ ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ ചികിത്സിച്ച വൈദ്യനെ മറന്നുപോകുന്നു. “

( ഈ ശ്ലോകത്തില്‍ ദ്വേഷ്ടി എന്ന വാക്ക് ഉപയോഗിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. ആ വാക്കിനു ശത്രുത ഉണ്ടാവുന്നു എന്ന അര്‍ത്ഥം ഉണ്ടെങ്കിലും, ഈ ശ്ലോകത്തിന്‍റെ പശ്ചാത്തലത്തില്‍ “താല്‍പര്യക്കുറവു ഉണ്ടാവുന്നു “ എന്ന് മാത്രം കരുതിയാല്‍ മതി. ശത്രുത ഉണ്ടാവണം എന്നില്ല. )

നമുക്ക് വിദ്യാഭ്യാസവും പരിശീലനവും എല്ലാ കിട്ടുന്ന ദിവസങ്ങളില്‍ നാം ആചാര്യനെ ഏറെ ബഹുമാനത്തോടെ പരിഗണിക്കും. പക്ഷെ ആചാര്യനില്‍ നിന്ന് അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്‍റെ കൈവശമുള്ള അറിവിന്‍റെ അവസാന തുള്ളി പോലും ചോര്‍ത്തി എടുത്ത ശേഷം നമുക്ക് അദ്ദേഹം ഒരു അധികപ്പറ്റ് ആവും. നാം പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ബഹുമാനം ഒന്നും അദ്ദേഹത്തോട് കാണിക്കുകയില്ല. എന്തെങ്കിലും ബഹുമാനവാക്യങ്ങള്‍ പിന്നീട് ഉരുവിടുകയാണെങ്കില്‍ പോലും അത് മിക്കവാറും കൃത്രിമത്വം നിറഞ്ഞതായിരിക്കും. ഉള്ളില്‍ തട്ടി വരുന്ന വാക്കുകള്‍ ആവില്ല.

ഒരാള്‍ പെണ്ണുകെട്ടിയാല്‍ പിന്നെ അയാളെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം സ്വന്തം അമ്മയുടെ പ്രാധാന്യം ഒട്ടും ഇല്ലാതാവും. ഇത് എല്ലാ അമ്മമാര്‍ക്കും അമ്മായിയമ്മ മാര്‍ക്കും നല്ലവണ്ണം അറിയാം.. നാം എന്നും കാണുന്ന അമ്മായി മരുമകള്‍ പോരുകളുടെ സ്രോതസ്സ് ഇതാണെന്ന് എടുത്തു പറയേണ്ടതില്ലല്ലോ.

ഒരു സ്ത്രീയ്ക്ക് ഒരു കുഞ്ഞ് ജനിച്ചാല്‍ പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് അതൊരു ആണ്‍കുഞ്ഞ് ആണെങ്കില്‍ അവളുടെ ജീവിതം അതോടെ മാറുന്നു. അവളുടെ ലോകം ആ കുഞ്ഞാണ്. അവളുടെ ഭര്‍ത്താവ് പോലും പിന്തള്ളപ്പെടുന്നു.

ഒരാള്‍ക്ക് വല്ല രോഗവും പിടിപെട്ടു ആസ്പത്രിയില്‍ പ്രവേശിപ്പിച്ചാല്‍ അയാളും അയാളുടെ സില്‍ബന്ധികളും ചികിത്സ നടക്കുന്ന കാലയളവില്‍ എല്ലാം ഡോക്ടറുടെ ചുറ്റും ഒടിനടക്കുന്നുണ്ടാവും. പക്ഷെ രോഗം ഭേദമായാല്‍ പിന്നെ എല്ലാവരും ഒഴിഞ്ഞു മാറി നടക്കും. ചിലപ്പോള്‍ ചികിത്സക്കുള്ള ചെലവ് വരെ കൊടുക്കാതെ സ്ഥലം വിട്ടു എന്നും വരാം.

ഈ ശ്ലോകം നീതിസാരത്തില്‍ നിന്നാണ്.

വെല്ലുവിളികളും പ്രശ്നങ്ങളും നേരിടുമ്പോള്‍ മനുഷ്യന്മാരുടെ സ്വഭാവവും പെരുമാറ്റവും എല്ലാം ഒരു വിധത്തില്‍ ആയിരിക്കും. പക്ഷെ പ്രശ്നങ്ങള്‍ കുറയുമ്പോള്‍ അവരുടെ നിറം മാറും. പഴയതൊക്കെ മറക്കും . അവര്‍ പുതിയ മേച്ചില്‍പ്പുറങ്ങള്‍ തേടി അവര്‍ യാത്രയാവും.

എല്ലാവരും ഇങ്ങിനെയൊക്ക ആവണം എന്നില്ല.

പലരും മര്യാദയ്ക്ക് വേണ്ടി സൗഹൃദം കാണിക്കും, പുഞ്ചിരി സമ്മാനിക്കും. സഹതാപം പോലും പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ചു എന്നും വരാം. പക്ഷെ കാര്യം സാധിച്ചു കഴിഞ്ഞാല്‍ പിന്നെ ആത്മാര്‍ത്ഥത വളരെ കുറവായിരിക്കും.

എപ്പോഴും ഒരു കാര്യം ഓര്‍മ്മിക്കണം. നമ്മോടു ആര്‍ക്കെങ്കിലും കരുതലും സ്നേഹവും ഒക്കെ ഉണ്ടാവണമെങ്കില്‍ അവര്‍ക്ക് നമ്മെക്കൊണ്ട് എന്തെങ്കിലും പ്രയോജനം ഉണ്ടാവണം. അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ എല്ലാം വെറും നാടകം ആണ്.

bitter truth..

गुळपर्वत मध्यस्थं निंबबीजं प्रतिष्टितम्।
पयोवर्षसहस्रेण निंबः किं मधुरायते॥
नीतिसारे
guḻaparvata madhyasthaṁ niṁbabījaṁ pratiṣṭitam|
payovarṣasahasreṇa niṁbaḥ kiṁ madhurāyate||
nītisāre


Meaning
-----------
A neem seed is planted in a mountain made of jaggery
and the plant is nourished pouring milk on its root for thousand years..
Still the plant will not abandon its natural bitter taste..


Can neem leaves ever taste sweet?


This is from Neetisaaram


We human beings never leave our natural propensities and tastes..


The taste can be towards finding fault with others, boasting, stealing, cursing and so on..


Of course the taste to be affectionate, considerate, magnanimity et al too are seen in some beings so naturally.. though rarely.


गुळपर्वत मद्ध्यस्तम् placed or planted in a mountain of jaggery or country surgar
निम्बबीजम् a seed of neem or margosa (Veppu)
पयोवर्षसहस्रेण nourished with milk for hundred years
प्रतिष्ठितम् maintained
निम्बः किम् मधुरायते will the neem taste sweet ?

merit vetoes minor defects...

व्यालाश्रयापि विफलापि सकण्डकापि 

वक्रापि पङ्किलभवापि दुरासदापि।

गन्धेन बन्धुरिह केतकपुष्पवल्ली

एको गुणः खलु निहन्ति समस्तदोषान्॥९२

नीतिसारे॥॥

vyālāśrayāpi viphalāpi sakaṇḍakāpi 

vakrāpi paṅkilabhavāpi durāsadāpi|

gandhena bandhuriha ketakapuṣpavallī

eko guṇaḥ khalu nihanti samastadoṣān||92

nītisāre||||

व्यालाश्रयापि haunted by poisonous snakes 

विफलापि having no fruits 

सकण्डकापि endowed with very sharp thorns 

वक्रापि gnarled 

पङ्किलभवापि having origin and growing in dirty marshes

दुरासदापि very difficult to reach or collect 

केतकपुष्पवल्ली the plant and the flowers of Ketaka(.Kewdā केवड़ा, Thaazhampoo தாழம்பூ, Kaitha കൈത or Ketaki केतकी)

. गन्धेन by its fragrance 

इह बन्धुः भवति becomes the loved one of every one

एकः गुणः समस्त दोषान् निहन्ति खलु. perhaps one great quality just eclipses all the defects.

The kethaki flowers blloom in plants

Where poisonous snakes have permanent camp

The plant never gives sweet fruits

The leaves have sharp and barbed thorns

The plant is gnarled 

The plant usually grows in dirty marsh area 

The flowers are very difficult to collect

But they are sought after by all as if it were a close relative, just because of its heavenly fragrance..

If one possesses even a single sterling quality, all his other drawbacks and defects would be ignored

the five mothers

गुरुपत्नी राजपत्नी ज्येष्ठपत्नी तथैव च
पत्नीमाता स्वमाता च पञ्चैते मातरस्मृता॥२३॥
नीतिसारे
gurupatnī rājapatnī jyeṣṭahpatnī tathaiva ca
patnīmātā svamātā ca pañcaite mātarasmṛtā||23||
nītisāree

This is a very important reminder from Niitisaaram, an ancient text which give very apt advice on lifestyle management.

The wife of the preceptor or the teacher, the wife of the elder brother, the queen of the land, mother of the wife and once own mother are all equal in status as mother.
Elsewhere it is said that mother earth and dhaatree, who gives the children breastmilk even though they are not natural mothers are also placed on the same pedestal.

Long live mother-in-laws.