Poetry on general aspects on life - part 2

I am also teaching but what or how much have I learnt to really teach others? Well, with whatever I know, I also teach as sometimes, at least for some people a small canal quenches their thirst while a big river, due to its size and flow might not help!

अल्पज्ञोऽपि प्रवर्तेऽहं पाठने मम साहसम् ।

कुल्यया वै न नद्या तु केषाञ्चित् शमनं क्वचित् ।। 11 ।।

अल्पज्ञः a man of a little knowledge अपि even प्रवर्ते engage अहं I पाठने in teaching मम my साहसम् temerity कुल्यया by a canal वै indeed न not नद्या by a river तु but केषाञ्चित् for some people शमनं quenching of thirst क्वचित् sometimes.

Though a person of a little learning I also teach due to temerity; don't we see in this world - not everybody's thirst is quenched by a river (well learned) as it is too big, has speedy flow and it is difficult to approach. A canal on the other hand, which is small has slow flow, quenches sometimes!

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There are many so called perfectionists in this world who cannot withstand any seeming imperfection. This verse is dedicated to them. We may say everything (almost) in this world possesses atleast some dosha (minimal extent). Is this wrong always? No. Sometimes the presence of doshas makes them useful.

लोकस्थमितदोषस्तु हिताय कल्पते यथा ।

आलोकस्थाऽन्धकारेण समक्षमखिलं तथा ।। 12 ।।

लोकस्थ in the world (of it's people and things) मित mild दोषः dosha तु but हिताय for good कल्पते transforms यथा like (the example below) आलोकस्थ in the light अन्धकारेण due to darkness समक्षम् is visible अखिलं everything तथा like that

Sometimes minimal faults in the world are useful. We are able to see everything only because of the mix of some darkness in light. Anything pure or perfect is not useful always! 😊 Let us try to develop some tolerance! Though my verses contain some doshas they convey a message at least!

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When we take people for granted and do something silly to them, sometimes relationship is broken. It is always wise to exercise caution in our conduct with people for we do not know which action will change friendship to enmity and vice versa.

शत्रुता बन्धुता चापि कर्मणैकेन वाऽन्यथा ।

परिणमेत तस्मात्त्वं सर्वथाऽऽचर दक्षताम् ।। 13 ।।

Enmity and friendship, both do not last for ever. Even one act is capable of changing them. So exercise caution, one may change to another by a single meaningless or meaningful act!

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There is similarity between trees and men! Both bear the fruits of their karma, which are filled with seeds for rebirth!

प्रतिष्ठिताः प्रकृत्यां तु पुनः पुनः स्वकर्मणः ।

सबीजफलमूला हि तरवश्चाप्यहो नराः ।। 14 ।।

प्रतिष्ठिताः firmly rooted प्रकृत्यां in earth / world तु but पुनः पुनः again and again

स्वकर्मणः of own action सबीजफलमूलाः through the seeds of fruits हि indeed तरवः trees चापि as well as अहो alas नराः men

Alas! Trees and Men are rooted firmly in nature/world again and again, through the seeds of fruits/results of their own action!

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There is indeed happiness in this world for both the wise and people who are other-wise! To the former it is in remaining incognito. To the latter it is in remaining in cognition of others (and be under that influence always)

अज्ञातवास and अज्ञानवास in Sanskrit. Differing by a letter!

अज्ञानिज्ञानिनां नूनं सौख्यमस्तीह सर्वथा ।

आद्यस्याज्ञानवासे चाऽज्ञातवासे परस्य तु।। 15 ।।

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चित्रं न यत्तु लोके वै तैलं तैलं जलं जलम् ।

विचित्रं नारिकेलस्थं जलं तैलायते किल ।। 16 ।।

or the last pada can be जलं तैलं भविष्यति ।।

It is not strange indeed in the world water remains water and oil remains oil (same nature) but it is definitely a wonder that the water in coconut becomes oil (eventually) - coconut oil from kopparai - an observation!

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How do the trees look like when there is pleasant wind around? They seem to express their readiness in hospitality! Don't we feel comfortable when the people whom we are visiting shake their heads, smile and extend their arms in welcoming us?

प्रसृतबाहवश्चापि कम्पमानाः शिरस्सदा ।

सस्मितास्तरवो यूयं सिद्धा अतिथिसत्कृतौ ।। 17 ।।

प्रसृतबाहवाः extended shoulders चापि as well कम्पमानाः nodding or shaking शिरः head सदा always सस्मिताः smiling तरवः hey trees यूयं you all सिद्धाः ready अतिथिसत्कृतौ in the act of hospitality.

Hey trees! you are all always ready in your hospitality with extended arms (branches) nodding heads (the entire upper portion shaking gently due to wind) and with that smile (generating a mild chalachala sound)

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At some point in time when we take stock of things that we have accumulated through hard work, there are many of them which we have not used much (or not at all). Indeed, maintaining all of them is a difficult task, especially the ones that are not actually enjoyed or used. We never mind but exert ourselves in maintaining them with a notion that they might be of use someday! And keep on accumulating new things! What for?

अर्जिताऽनुपयुक्तानां रक्षणं दुष्करं सदा ।

तदविचार्य लोकोऽयं वर्तमानोऽस्ति चाऽर्जने ।। 18 ।।

अर्जित earned अनुपयुक्तानां of those not being deployed रक्षणं protection दुष्करं difficult सदा always लोकोऽयं this world अविचार्य without thinking तत् that वर्तमानः engaged अस्ति is च and अर्जने in earning

To protect (maintain) that which has been bought and not used in quite difficult. Without realising this the world is bent upon acquiring things afresh!

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सन्ततिं त्रायसे किं त्वं तरो! तां मधुरावृताम् ।

भक्ष्यन्तां सम्परित्यज्य रसाशनैर्जनैरहो ।। 19 ।।

Hey Tree! Alas! do you protect your progeny (seeds) by coating them with sweet (in the form of fruits) from people that are after only good taste? So that they discard the seeds and eat the fruits only? 🤔 Not all fruits are consumed with their seeds!

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The idea in the following sloka was heard during a school function. Presentation is mine.

फले हि कति बीजानि वक्तुं केनापि शक्यते ।

बीजे कति फलानीति कालेन किल शक्यते ।। 20 ।।

Anyone can tell the number of seeds in a fruit (ofcourse not in guava and others). But only time can tell how many fruits are (lying hidden) in a seed!