January 15, 2011

Sanskrit Wisdom - 80

prathame naarjitaa vidhyaa dviteeye naarjitam dhanam |
truteeye naarjitam punyam chaturthe kim karishyati ||

p`qamao naaija-ta ivaVa iWtIyao naaija-tM QanaM a
tRtIyao naaija-tM puNyaM catuqao- ikM kirYyait aa

Explanation
In the tradition of India, the lifespan of one hundred years is ideally divided into four stages (ashramas) of twenty-five years duration each. In the first stage one is expected to learn a
trade, in the second earn money; in the third acquire merit (punya), and release (moksha) in the fourth and final. The subhāşita asks: the one who fails to attain the prescribed goals in the first stages, what can he/she do in the final? 

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