Treasures from Sanskrit Literature- Part 1

 श्रीः

सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार,सुभाषितावलि, सुभाषितसुधानिधि,समयोचितपद्यमालिका and सुभाषितरत्नसमुच्चय are some books that contain a huge collection of subhashitas (good sayings, proverbs, aphorisms and thoughts that usually depict a moral) from Sanskrit Literature. Some subhashitas from these books are as below-

     पिण्डे पिण्डे मतिर्भिन्ना कुण्डे कुण्डे नवं पयः।

     जातौ जातौ नवाचाराः नवा वाणी मुखे मुखे ।।

Meaning- Thinking differs from person to person. Water in each tank tastes different. Customs differ from caste to caste. Speech differs from mouth to mouth.

    भाषासु मुख्या मधुरा दिव्या गीर्वाणभारती ।

     तस्यां हि काव्यं मधुरं तस्मादपि सुभाषितम् ।।

Meaning- Amongst all languages , Sanskrit is the foremost and most sweet. In her ( Sanskrit) काव्य is sweeter and सुभाषित is even sweeter than काव्य।

       सौवर्णानि सरोजानि निर्मातुं सन्ति शिल्पिनः।

       तत्र सौरभनिर्माणे चतुरश्चतुराननः।।

Meaning- There are artists ( goldsmiths) who can create lotuses of gold. But the skill of creating fragrance in them belongs ( only) to Brahman( the creator).

      स्वगृहे पूज्यते मूर्खः स्वग्रामे पूज्यते प्रभुः।

      स्वदेशे पूज्यते राजा विद्वान् सर्वत्र पूज्यते।।

Meaning - A fool is honoured in his house. A master is honoured in his village. A king is honoured in his country. But a learned man is honoured everywhere.

     आत्मनो मुखदोषेण बध्यन्ते शुकसारिकाः।

      बकास्तत्र न बध्यन्ते मौनं सर्वार्थसाधनम्।।

Meaning- The parrot and the maina bird are caged due to fault ( sweetness) of their mouth ( voice) . The cranes are not caged in this manner. Observing silence achieves all purposes.

      अपूर्वः कोSपि कोशोSयं विद्यते तव भारति।

       व्ययतो वृद्धिमायाति व्ययमायाति सञ्चयात्।।

Meaning - O Goddess of Learning , this treasure of yours is extraordinary. It increases, when it is consumed while it goes on diminishing when it is stored away.