Sanskrit sayings 5 - Sharing, Humility, Useless people, Pyre and Worry

This is part 5 of the Sanskrit quotes that i liked. Hope you enjoy it.

 1: Giving & Sharing

दानोपभोगरहिता दिवसा यस्य यान्ति वै। 
स लोहकारभस्त्रेव श्वसन्नपि न जीवति॥
Dhaanaubhogarahita divasaa yasya yaanti vai!

Sa lohakaarabhastraiva svasannapi na jeevati!!

Meaning:

The quote very nicely captures “Living is in giving and giving is living”. A person who passes his days without donations and enjoyments is like a blacksmith's bellows, he breathes but does not live.

Topic 2: Humility

भवन्ति नम्रास्तरवः फलोद्गमैः
नवाम्बुभिर्भूरिविलम्बिनो घनाः ।
अनुद्धताः सत्पुरुषाः समृद्धिभिः
स्वभाव एवैषः परोपकारिणाम् ॥
Bhavanti namraastaravaha phalaudhajamaihi

Navaam bhubhirbhuri vilambino ganaaha

Anudhdhatha satpurushaaha samrudhdhibhihi

Svabhaava yevaisha paropakaarimaan!!

Meaning:
On bearing fruits, trees bend (i.e. become humble), 
with new [recently] gathered water, clouds hang very low,
wealthy good men maintain non-arrogant nature,
this is the nature of benevolent persons.

Topic 3: Useless poeple

व्दौ अम्भासी निवेष्टव्यौ गले बदध्वा दृटां शिलां!

धनावान्तामदातारम  दरिद्रम चातपस्विनम !!

Vdau Ambaasi niveshtavyau Gale Bandhvaa dritaam sheelam

Dhanaavaanataam dhaathaaram Daridram chaatapasvinam!!

There are two types of people who should be pushed in deep water with heavy stones tied to their body! One who does not donate despite being rich and the other who does not work hard despite being poor !!

Topic 4: Worry & Pyre

चिन्ता चिता समानाऽस्ति बिन्दुमात्रविशेषतः |
सजीवं दहते चिन्ता निर्जीवं दहते चिता ||

Chinta Chita samaanasti binda maatra visheshita!

Sajeevam dahate chinta nirjeevam dahate chita!

This is a classic quote which talks about similarity between worry and funeral pyre. While worry burns the body alive, the funeral pyre burns the dead body. "Chita" means pyre and "Chinta" means worry and the difference is just an anusvara! So, avoid anxiety.

Topic 5: Always worry about this!

कः कालः कानि मित्रांनी को देशः कौव्ययागमौ

कज्चाहं का चमे शक्ति रीति चिन्त्यं मुहुमुर्हुः!!

Well. While the earlier quote told us not to worry, this quote tells us to worry about few things always. If you are confused at the contradictions. Isn't life all about balancing extremes and contradictions? Instead of using the word "Worry" i would rather use circumspect and contemplate.

How is the time / situation around me? who & how are my friends? what is condition in the country? what are the things for and against me (or what do I have and what I don't have)? who am I? what are my strengths?" one should always worry about these questions. 

Happy reading!

Sanskrit sayings 4 - Women, Help, overindulgence, Tongue and leadership trait

Here we continue to part 4. I shall start with the importance of women in the society and continue this part.

Topic 1: Importance of women

यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यंते रमंते तत्र देवताः।
यत्र तास्तु न पूज्यंते तत्र सर्वाफलक्रियाः॥
Yatra naaryastu poojyante ramnte tatra devataaha

Yatra thaastu na poojyante tatra sarva phalakriyaaha!!

Meaning:
This quote highlights the importance we attached to women in the society. Angels and goddess won’t dwell in a place where women are not worshiped.

Where women are worshiped, goddesses dwell.
Where they are not worshiped, all actions are fruitless.

Topic 2: Remember and repay the help received

प्रथमवयसि पीतं तोयमल्पं स्मरन्त:
शिरसि निहितभारा नारिकेला नराणाम्।
ददति जलमनल्पास्वादमाजीवितान्तं
न हि कृतमुपकारं साधवो विस्मरन्ति॥
Prathamavayasi pitham thoyamalpam smarantham

Shirasi nihithabhaara naarikela naranaam

Dhadhathi jalamanalpasvaadhamaa jeevithaantham

Nahi kritamupakaaram saadhavo vismaranthi

Meaning:

The Coconut trees, remembering the little amount of water they were fed, when they were saplings, carry loads of coconuts on their top and supply humans with very-tasty and sweet water in abundance, for their life-span.

The Wise never forget a help received.

There is an equally beautiful poem in Tamil by Auvaiyaar which I want to quote with a word of caution. Please do not try to find out whether it came in Tamil first or Sanskrit. Both of them are beautiful as languages and had ocean of wisdom with them.

நன்றி ஒருவர்க்குச் செய்தக்கால் அந்நன்றி

என்று தருங்கோல் என வேண்டா - நின்று
தளரா வளர்தெங்கு தாளுண்ட நீரைத்
தலையாலே தான்தருத லால்.

Topic 3: An important trait  of leadership

अमंत्रमक्षरं नास्ति नास्ति मूलमनौषधम्‌।
अयोग्यः पुरुषो नास्ति योजकस्तत्र दुर्लभः॥
Amantram aksharam Naasti, naasti moolam aushadam

Ayogya: purusha naasti yojakasthram durlabha

Meaning:

This is a good quote for parents, teachers and managers esp. the third line, where it says that every individual has a potential and it is up to the leader to make use of them.

There is no letter which doesn't have charm (curative property).

There is no root which doesn't have medicinal property.
There is no man who is not able.
Rare is a person who knows its proper application.

Topic 4: Importance of tip of the tongue

लक्ष्मीर्वसति जिह्वाग्रे।
जिह्वाग्रे मित्रबान्धवा:।
जिह्वाग्रे बन्धनं प्राप्तं
जिह्वाग्रे मरणं ध्रुवम्। 
Lakshmir vasati jihvaagre

Jihvaagre mitrabaandhavaaha

Jihvaagre bandhan praaptham

Jihvaagre maranam Dhruvam

Meaning:

How careful you need to be with the tip of the tongue and the quote ranges from prosperity to death.

Prosperity resides on the tip of the tongue, friends are found there on it. The tip of your tongue has the capacity to arrest you and verily death resides on it for sure.

Topic 5: Overindulgence

अतिदानाद्बलिर्बद्धो ह्यतिमानात् ढुरियोधन:।
विनष्टो रावणो लौल्यादति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत्।
Atidhaanaad balir Bhadhdho hayatimanaat Dhuriyodhanaha!

Vinashto raavano laulyaadhathi sarvatra varjayet!!

Meaning:
Well! This is a gem of a quote which highlights extremes are very bad and we need to be balanced. It is a gem because even excessive charitable nature is to be shunned and it gives an example of King Bali, because of his excessive charitable nature he was killed.

(The demon king) Bali was vanquished due to his excessive charitable nature.
King Duryodhana was humbled for his excessive pride.
(Demon Emperor) Ravana was destroyed due to excessive womanising.
Hence one should shun excessiveness in all things.

So lets meet again in the next blog.

Happy reading!

Sanskrit sayings 3 - Quotes, Beauty, wealth and Destiny

This is part 3 in this series. I am sharing some of the quotes which i liked. Considering the attention span i shall limit to 5 quotes per blog and continue this in the next blog.

1. Topic: On sweetness of Sanskrit quotes

द्राक्षा म्लानमुखी जाता शर्करा चाश्मतां गता
सुभाषितरसं दृष्ट्वा सुधा भीता दिवं गता!!

Draksha mlaanamukhi jaatha, sharkara chaasha mataam jaata

Shubhashita rasam drishtvaa sudha bheetaa divam jaata!!

Meaning:

(The sweetness of Sanskrit quotes are so good that the considered sweeter things in this world ran away at the sight of sweetness of Sanskrit quotes). Looking at the flavor of subhashitas (good Sanskrit quotes), grape turned pale, sugar turned into crystals and amrita [elixir of life] ran away to heaven.

2. Topic: On the inability to share Sanskrit quotes

बोधारो मत्सरग्रस्ताः प्रभवः स्मयदूषिताः। 

अबोधोपहताश्चान्ये जीर्णमङ्गे सुभाषितम्॥

Meaning:

Well! We saw a quote related to sweetness of Sanskrit quotes and this quote is for people who wants to share a good quote but are not doing it for whatever reasons. This person is very anxious that he is unable to share his quote and you yourself read what the reasons are behind it?

Learned men are jealous, master(s) laugh at me.

Other do not understand, thus good quote remains in this old body of mine.

3. Topic: Real beauty of an individual

श्रोत्रं श्रृतेनैव न कुन्डलेन दानेन पाणिर्न तु कंकणेन

विभाति काय: करुणापराणां परोपकारैर्न तु चन्दनेन

Srotram Shrutenau na kundalenam, dhaanena paanirnatu kankanena

Vibhaati kaaya: karunaaparaanaam paropakaarairna chandanena!

Meaning:
We wear multiple ornaments to add beauty to our form. This quote highlights what is adds to the real beauty to a person.

For the kind hearted people, their ear glows by the knowledge & not by the ear ring, their hand glows by the donation by the hand & not by bracelet, their body glows by the selfless deeds done & not by anointment with sandalwood oil.

4. Topic: Real wealth

न चोरहार्यं न च राजहार्यं न भ्रातृभ्राज्यं न च भारकारि।
व्यये कृते वर्धत एव नित्यं विद्याधनं सर्वधनप्रधानम्॥
Na Chorahaaryam na cha raajahaaryam na bhraatur bhraajyam na cha bhaarakaari

Vyaye krite vardhata eva nityam vidyadanam sarva dhana pradhanam.

Meaning:
What is the best of all wealth? Which can’t be taken by a king or thief? Which wealth shall increase upon sharing? This quote gives the answer.

It cannot be stolen by a thief.
It cannot be taken away by a King.
It cannot be divided among brothers.
It does not cause load. It always increases when spent.
The wealth of knowledge is the greatest of all wealth.

5. Topic: Destiny

रात्रिर्गमिष्यति भविष्यति सुप्रभातम्
भास्वानुदेष्यति हसिष्यति पंकजश्रीः। 
इति विचारयति कोषगते द्विरेफे 
हा हंत हंत नलिनीं गज उज्जहार॥
Raatrir gamishyati bhavishyati suprabhaatam

Bhaasvaanudheshyati hasishyati pankajasri

Iti vichaarayati koshagate dvirephe

Ha hantham hantham nalineem gaja ujjahara!!

Meaning:
Night will be over, there will be morning,
The sun will rise, lotus flower will open.
While the bee inside the lotus flower was thinking thus,
The lotus plant was uprooted by an elephant.

I shall continue this in the next part.

Happy reading!

2013: Balancing the extremes

If you are reading this post then we have already called the "Mayan's doomsday bluff" and we are at the threshold of a New Year (2013 and Makara Shankaranti, as the case may be).  

Let me quickly wish you and your family a very happy, prosperous, healthy, fun-filled and peaceful New Year. I am sure some of you have been planning for the next year and I was wondering how the next year is going to be. 

As I looked around, I could only notice many of the nations and companies are either  looking down the economic abyss or staring into the eyes of other nations with an intention to fight for what ever reasons. I have been reading astrological forecasts for the oncoming months which predicts very high degree of civil unrest among citizens, warring nations, loss of peace and harmony, political instability, revolutions forcing government's fall and you can add other unpleasant things to this list. In fact it predicts difficult times from 15-Dec-2012 to till about 1st week of October 2013, with the worst period till 3rd week of Jan 2013.

Well, I had conflicting thoughts and those are very succinctly captured with some famous quotes below: 

Lets start with  Lao Tzu, who said, "Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge. Well its quite easy to reject the forecasts but what we see around us seems to confirm the prediction. In fact i would even ask as to what is so great about astrological forecasts as things are very evident. I fear, the protests in Delhi for the last few days seems to be early signs of what we may witness for much of 2013.

Consider Voltaire who quipped, "It is said that the present is pregnant with the future". As we see the present is pregnant with the seeds of conflict, poor governance, war mongering nations, economic meltdown, arrogant government, angry people, impatient minds and intolerant hearts. Then what 2013 would deliver is not a matter of rocket science / astrological forecast. Isn't? 

In any society conflicts are inherent, congenial, omnipresent and needs tolerance / acceptance and the ability to put up with extreme views. As HH Dalai Lama said, "In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher". I believe the ability to balance the extreme positions is a key leadership trait be it in an organization, government or life and it is probably more important in 2013. 

As a wise man said, "Good living is in balancing the extremes" and every change starts with the individual. So, what are an individual's extremes that one needs to balance? If you answer its his head and feet, you are wrong. An individual's extremes are his head and heart. So specifically for 2013, let me wish every one a cool head, a warm heart and an attitude to balance the extremes in life for a good living!.

Here are few lines from a Sanskrit poem called Mangala Prarthana: (meaning given below)

Swasthi prajabhya paripalayantham,

Nyayena margena maheem maheesa,

Gobrahmanebhyo shubhamasthu nithyam,
Loka samastha Sukhino bhavantu.

Kale varshathu parjanya,
Prauthwee sasya shalini,
Deso yam kshobha rahitha,
SAjjana santhu nirbhaya.

Aputhra puthrina santhu,
Puthrina santhu pouthrina,
Adhana sadhana Santhu

Jeevanthu sarada satham.

Sarvathra sukhina santhu,
Sarve santhu niramaya,
Sarve bhadrani pasyanthu,
Ma kaschid dukha bhag bhaveth.

Seasons greetings, Merry Christmas and a very Happy New year!

Happy reading!

Meaning:

Let all people live happily,
Let kings rule with justice,
Let cows and Brahmins live happily,
And let all the people of this earth live happily for ever.

Let the monsoon be timely and plentiful,
Let earth be covered with vegetation,
Let the country live without problems,
And let good people never have fear.

Let sonless people have son,
Let people with son have grand sons,
And let people who are poor or rich,
Live and see one hundred autumns.

Let people live with pleasure everywhere,
Let all people live without diseases,
Let every one feel themselves secure,
And let none have at anytime sorrow

Is Delhi the "Rape Capital" of India?

As always the media has been going ballistic (this time rightfully so) on the horrific rape news of a Delhi based doctor who was raped in a moving bus. For those who have an eye for such crimes stats, they would tell you that it is not anything surprising in India.

The statistics tell us that in 2001 one woman / girl is raped every 54 minutes and in 2011 it has worsened to one in 24 minutes. Now this is based on the crimes that are registered and if you have lived in India, you would agree that it is a general tendency not to raise these things in public unless there is a strong trigger. Having been ethics counselor in some reputed concerns, I can tell you the actual cases of sexual abuse and rape crimes should be far higher than what we see.

I saw on TV the police commissioner asking a reporter as to why you called "Delhi - the rape capital of India". We are as intelligent as we are informed and since our Media just shouts without any data, I decided to browse through some statistics and put together  this analysis.

1. The rape statistics of 2011 are as per the Home Ministry.

2. I analysed this against the female population in that state / city. I also analysed it against the size of the state / city.

3. I derived 2 ratios, Ratio of rapes per every 1000 females and Ratio of rapes every 100 Sq km.

Now, I wanted to make it clear that its shame on all the right minded Indians if we are  happy about less rapes in our state and more rapes in the neighbor states. We should be equally ashamed and unhappy about every crime that happens in any part of India.

But the tables show a very clear ranking. Delhi seems to be worse off and is worth calling the rape capital of India when you compare the ratio of rape in every 100 sq km specially. It is startlingly 10 times more than the 2nd ranked state which is Kerala and also more than the sum of all the ratios of other states put together.

Delhi ranks 5th in ratio per 1000 people, but surprisingly Assam leads this ratio across India. MP, WB, UP and Rajasthan seems to be worse off in absolute numbers of rape. I am not fully sure about the rape cases in Haryana.

There were multiple reactions from asking for death penalty to these culprits to emotional debates by our MPs. My thoughts as follows:

Capital Punishment: 

I think we should first hang the people who are already sentenced to death. Its a shame that the 20+yr old death sentences are still pending. What caste, creed, which community how much votes we will lose - every damn thing is a factor when it comes to execute a criminal. As a country we are impotent in executing death sentences. We have seen dengue mosquitoes are more effective than our justice delivery system but how can we depend on them always?

Political will: 
Its not long before the President of India (Mrs. Patil) and the HM (PC) colluded to pardon number of culprits which included child rapists and killers. This has happened in this year only. What do expect from these elected jokers when there is no political will to punish the culprits.

Experts say crime can be controlled effectively with the speed of justice more than the severity of justice. We have to speed up the justice delivery mechanism.

In my opinion nothing works more effectively than CASTRATION for such crimes. This way you disable them without the tool to repeat the crime. And just like the victim will live with a scar, the culprit also should live with one (or rather without one? :)).

I think we should request government to deploy mobile castration centers in specific areas and see the speed at which this menace can be controlled. Many like me would be more than glad to donate rusted scissors for this punishment.

Being a father, husband and brother, I want to see love, admiration, fear and respect in men's eyes and not lust when they see girls / women in this country.

Yours angry-sadly

Happy reading!

PS: Please ignore the word millions in the first table under female population. Its already given in millions. I am too lazy to change this in the picture :)