Sanskrit Wisdom - 36

Udyamena hi sidhyanti kaaryaNi na manoratheh |

Na hi suptasya simhasya pravishanti mukhe mrugaah ||

]Vmaona ih isaQyaint kaya-iNa na manaaorqaO: a
na ih sauPtsya isaMhsya p`ivaSaint mauKo maRgaa: aa

Explanation
Results are obtained by hard work and industry and not by daydreaming. Deer do not fall [willingly] into the mouth of an idle lion.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 35

jyeshthatvam janmanaa naiva guNairjyesthatvamuchyate |

guNaat gurutvamaayaati dugdham dadhi Grutam kamaat ||

jyaoYz%vaM janmanaa naOva gauNaOjyao-Yz%vamaucyato a

gauNaat\ gauru%vamaayaait dugQaM diQa GaRtM k`maat\ aa

Explanation

Greatness is not ascribed at birth; it is rather acquired by qualities possessed by the individual. It increases progressively like milk transforms into yogurt and ghee.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 34

aaditasya namaskaaram ye kurvanti dine dine |

janmaantarasahastreshu daaridrayam nopajaayate ||

Aaid%yasya namaskarM yao kuva-int idnao idnao a
janmaantrsahs~oYau daird`yaM naaoPajaayato aa

Explanation

Those who adore and worship the sun everyday will not inherit poverty over thousands of births. People who are punctual in their duties like the sun will never be poor.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 33

ekam visharasam hanti shastrenaikashcha vadhyate |

sarashtram saprajam hanti raajaanam mantraviplavah ||

ekM ivaYarsaM hint Sas~oNaOkSca vaQyato a
saraYT/M sap`jaM hint rajaanaM maM~ivaPlava: aa

Explanation

Poison kills but one person at a time while a weapon can destroy many more. Incorrect decisions by the king or by his ministers, by contrast, can destroy the entire nation and its citizens.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 32

chintaneeyaa hi vipadaam aadaaveva pratikriyaa |

na koopakhananam yuktam pradipte vaanhina gruhe ||

icantnaIyaa ih ivapdaM Aadavaova p`itik`yaa a

na kUpKnanaM yau@tM p`dIPto vaainhnaa gaRho aa

Explanation

It is futile to start digging the well after the house has caught fire! We should be pro-active and have appropriate response ready in hand even before a problem arises.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 31

draakshaa mlaanamukhee jaataa sharkaraa chaashmataam gataa |

subhashitarasasyaage sudha bheetaa divam gataa ||

d`axaa mlaanamauKI jaata Sak-ra caaSmataM gata a

sauuBaaiYatrsasyaaga`o sauQaa BaIta idvaM gata aa

Explanation

The essence (rasa) of a subhāşita is so sweet that grapes felt ashamed (of its sweetness) and became crestfallen. The sweeter sugar lost its fluidity and became hard and the sweetest amrita (necter) pulled itself back to heaven. Here the poet describes the supreme value of subhāşitas.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 30

Durjanena samam sakhyam preetim chaapi na kaarayet |

ushNo dahati chaangaarah sheetah krushNaayate karam ||

duja-naona samaM sa#yaM p`IitM caaip na karyaot\ a
]YNaao dhit caaMgaar: SaIt:kRYNaayato krma\ aa

Explanation
A wicked person is like a charcoal; when hot, it burns you and when cold, it blackens your hand. One should avoid close relationship or friendship with such a person.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 29

vidvatvam cha nrupatvam cha naiva tulyam kadaachan |

swadeshe poojyate raajaa vidvaan sarvatra poojyate ||

ivaW%vaM ca naRp%vaM ca naOva tulyaM kdacana a
svadoSao pUjyato rajaa ivaWana\ sava-t` pUjyato aa

Explanation
Kingship and erudition are never comparable; the king’s adulation is restricted to his own kingdom while the sage is respected everywhere [king gets respect from his own country whereas learned person receives it from everywhere].

Sanskrit Wisdom - 28

udaarasya truNam vittam shoorasya maraNam truNam |

virattasya truNam Bharyaa nispruhasya truNam jagat ||

]darsya tRNaM iva<aM SaUrsya marNaM tRNaM a
ivar>sya tRNaM Baayaa- inaspRhsya tRNaM jagat\ aa

Explanation
For the generous person, money or wealth is insignificant (like grass). To the brave, death has no value; to the dispassionate person (virakta), his family (wife) is beyond attachment; and to a person who has no desires or ambition, the material world is worthless.

Sanskrit Wisdom - 27

Bhaashaasu mukhyaa madhuraa divyaa geervaaNaBharatee |

Tasyaam hi kaavyam madhuram tasmaadapi suBhaashitam ||

BaaYaasau mau#yaa maQaura idvyaa gaIvaa-NaBaartI a
tsyaaM ih kavyama\ maQaurM tsmaadip sauBaaiYatma\ aa

Amongst languages, Sanskrit (the language of gods) is the sweetest; in the Sanskrit literature poetry is sweeter and better still are the subhāşitas.