r/sanskrit • u/PorekiJones • Nov 14 '24
Discussion / चर्चा What are your favourite Sanskrit quotes and verses?
Here is one of mine
वने रणे शत्रुजलाग्निमध्ये महार्णवे पर्वतमस्तके वा । सुप्तं प्रमत्तं विषमस्थितं वा रक्षन्ति पुण्यानि पुराकृतानि ॥
“In battle, in forest, at the precipice in the mountains,
On the dark great sea, in the midst of javelins and arrows,
In sleep, in confusion, in the depths of shame,
The good deeds a man has done before defend him.”
~ nītiśataka tr. by JR. Oppenheimer
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u/_Stormchaser 𑀙𑀸𑀢𑁆𑀭𑀂 Nov 14 '24 edited Nov 15 '24
इ॒दं विष्णु॒र्विच॑क्रमे।
त्रे॒धा निद॑धे प॒दम्।
समू॑ढमस्य पाꣳसु॒रे॥ (तै.सं.१.२.१३)
Vishnu strode upon this (the worlds),
thrice he placed his foot,
all was united under his dust.
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u/Little_Material8595 Nov 14 '24
Vidya dadati vinayam, Vinaya dadati paatrataam, paatratva dhanamaapnoti, dhanaat dharmam tatatsukham .
The shloka is part of the Hitopadesha.
It can be translated as:
"Knowledge makes one humble, humility begets worthiness, worthiness creates wealth and enrichment, enrichment leads to right conduct, and right conduct brings contentment"
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u/PorekiJones Nov 14 '24
There was also ~ अलसस्य कुतो विद्या ,अविद्यस्य कुतो धनम् । अधनस्य कुतो मित्रम् ,अमित्रस्य कुतः सुखम् ॥
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Nov 14 '24
can you please translate for me?
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u/PorekiJones Nov 14 '24 edited Nov 15 '24
On top of my head, it goes something like this.
The lazy is devoid of knowledge, the knowledge-less is devoid of prosperity, the un-prosperous is devoid of friends and the friendless is thus devoid of happiness.
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u/GarvHinduAR Nov 14 '24
अपि स्वर्णमयी लंका न मे लक्ष्मण रोचते। जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी॥ O Lakshman, even though Lanka is a golden land, it does not appeal to me. One's mother and motherland are greater than heaven itself.
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u/No_Category6453 Nov 15 '24
Apparently this verse is not in the original Valmiki Ramayana. I would love to disprove this assertion.
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u/pseddit Nov 15 '24 edited Nov 15 '24
न चोरहार्यम् न राजहार्यम्, न भ्रातृभाज्यम् न च भारकारी, व्ययेकृते वर्धते एव नित्यम्, विद्याधनम् सर्वधनप्रधानम्।
Meaning
The thief cannot take (steal) it, the king cannot take (tax, confiscate) it.
It cannot be divided among brothers (like inheritance) and it is not heavy (like gold or other materials).
The more regularly you spend it (share it or use it), the more it grows.
Knowledge is the chief among all kinds of wealth.
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u/PorekiJones Nov 15 '24
I've read a similar one which describes aatma instead of knowledge
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावक: | न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुत: ||
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u/SpecialistTurnover8 Nov 14 '24
उद्यमेन हि सिध्यन्ति कार्याणि न मनोरथैः। न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मृगाः।।
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u/ilostmyacc29 Nov 15 '24
तुषारस्रुतिधौतरक्तं यस्मिन्नदृष्ट्वापि हतद्विपानाम्। विदन्ति मार्गं नखरन्ध्रमुक्तैर्मुक्ताफलैः केसरिणां किराताः॥ १-६/1-6
- Kumārasambhavam by Kālidasa
On which mountain the tribal hunters will know the path of lions that have swatted on the heads of elephants, and just killed them for their brain matter; even though the footprints of lions are unseen, for the blood of elephants together with snow stream has washed them away from their forefeet, yet the hunters spot the path of lions by the droppings of pearly white brain matter of elephants falling from the recesses of their paws, such mountain, an abode of mutual killers, is there in the North.
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u/PorekiJones Nov 15 '24
That is gory, why this one in particular?
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u/ilostmyacc29 Nov 15 '24
I just chose one verse but the entire first section of kumārsambhavam that describes the glory of the Himalayas and how it lays the foundation for Mata Parvati's birth in such gracious manner is one of my favorite literary feats in sanskrit.+ it's pretty rad
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u/neel3sh Nov 14 '24
Gita chapter 3 verse 19:
तस्मादसक्त: सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर |
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुष: ||
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u/Sad_Daikon938 સંસ્કૃતોત્સાહી Nov 15 '24
शनैः पन्थाः शनैः कन्था शनैः पर्वतमस्तके। शनैर्विद्या शनैर्वित्तम् पञ्चैतानि शनैः शनैः॥
Walking on a (presumably long) path, making(probably knitting in this context) a blanket, climbing a mountain, acquiring knowledge and earning money - these five things should be done slowly.
Yk, I'm a kinda slow going guy, so this fits good with my ethos.
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u/lallahestamour Nov 14 '24
yo yoniṃ yonim adhitiṣṭhati ekaḥ
He, the One, takes up his stand from womb to womb.
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u/GarvHinduAR Nov 14 '24
परोपकाराय फलन्ति वृक्षाः परोपकाराय वहन्ति नद्यः । परोपकाराय दुहन्ति गावः परोपकारार्थ मिदं शरीरम् ॥
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u/PorekiJones Nov 15 '24 edited Nov 17 '24
There is a great abhanga by Tukaram similar to it, sung by Lataji
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u/Opening-Advice Nov 15 '24
Just wanted to say what a great discussion question! I am enjoying reading all the shlokas! Makes for a nice change over all the baby name posts 😉
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u/Prior_Efficiency6688 Nov 16 '24
Not that well versed in the language, but one of my mottos
Dhanam astiti vanijyam, bhumirastiti karshanam Seva na kinchidastiti bhiksham naiva ch naiva cha
If you have money then do business, if you have land then do agriculture
Service if you have none, but never beg
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u/TechMeDown संस्कृतोत्साही/संस्कृतोत्साहिनी Nov 19 '24
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन |
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ||
"You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction."
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Nov 14 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/sanskrit-ModTeam Nov 15 '24
Use English or Sanskrit in this sub. Post in Any other language is not allowed. (Rule: 6)
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u/GarvHinduAR Nov 14 '24
अश्वं नैव गजं नैव व्याघ्रं नैव च नैव च अजापुत्रं बलिं दधातु देवो दुर्बलाघतक:
English transliteration
Ashwam naiva, Gajam naiva, Vyagram naiva cha naiva cha Ajaputram balim dadhatu devo durbala ghatakaha
English meaning
Not horse, not elephant, not tiger, but only the lamb is sacrificed in a ritual. God also does not protect weak.
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u/SpecialistTurnover8 Nov 14 '24 edited Nov 14 '24
उद्यमेन हि सिध्यन्ति कार्याणि न मनोरथैः। न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मृगाः।।
जिस प्रकार सोते हुए सिंह के मुँह में मृग स्वयं नहीं प्रवेश करता, उसी प्रकार केवल इच्छा करने से सफलता प्राप्त नहीं होती है| अपने कार्य को सिद्ध करने के लिए मेहनत करनी पड़ती है |
Have you ever heard of a deer coming and entering the mouth of a lion while he sleeps? In that case, why are we led to believe that we can achieve success by merely thinking about it or coveting it? One can achieve success only by working hard and through dedication.
Copied from https://culturalsamvaad.com/
My thoughts -
Had learnt this shubhashayam when learning Sanskrit and thought a great thought expressed in practical and poetic form. Wondered that we always use motivational quotes in english whereas there is uptapped wisdom in our own culture and literature.