SANSKRIT PROVERBS
And sayings
English meaning
Aphorism
पृथिव्यां त्रीणि रत्नानि / जलमत्रं सुभाषितम् ।
In this world, three treasures are there
Wise words, water, bread and butter.
ग्राह्यं बालादपि सुभाषितम् ।
Meaningful utterance, even from the minor,
Should be taken with value and due honour.
अनवसरे च यदुक्तं सुभाषितं तच्च भवति हासाय।
Any maxim untimely uttered gives
no wisdom but laughter.
अर्थभारवती वाणी / भजते कामपि श्रियम् ।
Meaningful expression pregnant with
diction reveals unique beauty.
रोहणं सूक्तिरद्रानां / वन्दे वृन्दं विपश्चिताम् ।
Like a treasure witty utterings of the wise,
I do admire and eulogise.
प्रबोधाय विवेकाय / हिताय प्रशमाय च ।
सम्यक् तत्त्वोपदेशाय / सतां सूक्ति: प्रवर्तते।।
For knowledge, for enlightenment,
For welfare, for mental enjoyment,
And for philosophical counsel --
Thoughtful words of the wise act well.
भाषासु मुख्या मधुरा / दिव्या गीवाण-भारती ।
तस्माद् हि काव्यं मधुरं / तस्मादपि सुभाषितम्।।
Of all languages Sanskrit is paramount and sweet,
it is divine, exquisitely fine and very lucid.
Its poetry is more sweet and delightful,
While the witty sayings are the sweetest of all.
बोद्धारो मत्सरग्रस्ताः / प्रभव: स्मयदूषिताः।
अबोधोपहताश्चान्ये / जीर्ण छड्के सुभाषितम् ।
Intelligent people are jealous, the rich and the powerful
are arrogant and the rest are foolish and dull-headed;
therefore, utterings of the wise are useless indeed.
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Prayer
पावका न: सरस्वती।
Let our learning be all-sanctifying.
प्रतार्यायुः प्रतरं नवीयः।
Let me grow up anew day by day.
Let me become nobler day by day.
जीवा ज्योतिर् अशीमहि।
Let us realise the divine light in our mortal existence.
वाचं वदत भद्रया।
Speak what is pleasent and polite.
मृत्योः मुक्षीय, मा अमृतात्।
From death protect me, not from immortality.
अभयं नक्तंम्, अभयं दिवा नः।
May we be fearless throughout night and day.
अपाम सोमम् अमृता: अभूम।
Let us be immortal by drinking soma, the elixir.
सायं प्रातः सौमनसः वः अस्तु।
Let there be grace and noble-mindedness
for you all night and day.
तन् में मनः शिवसंकल्पम्-अस्तु ।
Let my mind be engrossed in noble thoughts.
सा मा सत्योक्तिः परिपातु विश्वत:।
Let the truth and uprightness in my
utterance protect me all over.
आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः।
Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions
कुर्वत्रेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेत्-शतं समाः ।
Let all mortals aspire to live hundred years
While successfully discharging duties.
यत्रानन्दाश्च मोदाश्च मुद: प्रमुद आसते। तत्र माममृतं कृधि।
Where pleasure, happiness, joy and delight are,
O, make me deathless and immortal there.
असतो मा सद्गमय, तमसो मा ज्योतिर् गमय, मृत्योर् मा अमृतं गमय।
From untruth lead me unto truth, from darkness
unto light, from death unto immortality.
अज्येष्ठासः अकनिष्ठासः एते सं भ्रातरः वावृधः सौभगाय।
Let mortals get together as brethren, neither
superior nor inferior, and prosper with good luck.
जीवन्तु मे शत्रुगणा सदैव।
येषां प्रसादात् सुविचक्षणोऽहम्।
May all my enemies live long and carry on
For whose favour far-sighted I would remain.
सहसा विदधीत न क्रियाम्
अविवेकः परमापदां पदम्।
Do not do anything all on a sudden
Since the fool are subject to heavy burden.
पश्येम शरद: शतम् / जीवेम शरद: शतम्।
भवेम शरदः शतम् / बुध्येम शरद: शतम्।।
May we live hundred years,
May we learn for hundred years,
May we observe hundred years,
May we develop for hundred years,
तेजोऽसि, तेजो मयि धेहि। वीर्यमसि, वीर्य मयि धेहि ।
बलमसि, बलं मयि धेहि। ओजोऽसि, ओजो मयि धेहि।।
Thou art Glory, make me glorious,
Thou art Wisdom, make me wise,
Thou art Might, make me mighty,
Thou art Brilliance, make me brilliant.
सर्वस्-तरतु दुर्गाणि / सर्वो भद्राणि पश्यतु ।
सर्वः कामानवाप्नोतु / सर्वः सर्वत्र नन्दतु ।।
Let all mortals overcome all obstacle,
Let all mortals foresee all good and beautiful.
Let all mortals get their desires fulfilled,
Let all be everywhere delighted and thrilled.
हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण / सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम्।
तत्-त्वं पूषत्रपावृणु / सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये।।
By the golden cover remains concealed the Ultimate True,
Uncover it, O God, for perfect view of sublime virtue.
इतरतापशतानि यथेच्छया / वितर तानि सहे चतुरानन ।
अरसिकेषु रसस्य निवेदनम् / शिरसि मा लिख मा लिख मा लिख।।
All other woes send unto me as you please,
Somehow, O God, I can endure all these.
Aesthetic delight to the half-wit to render
On my head, please put it never, never, never.
उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान् निबोधत।
क्षुरस्य धारा निशिता दुरत्यया दुर्ग पथस्-तत कवयो वदन्ति।
Arise, awake, get the best teachers and learn from them.
Sharp as the edge of a razor, difficult to cross and uphill
is that path - so speake the wise.
द्यौः शान्तिः, अन्तरिक्षं शान्तिः, पृथिवी शान्तिः,
आपः शान्तिः, ओषधयः शान्तिः, वनस्पतयः शान्तिः,
विश्वे देवाः शान्तिः, ब्रह्म शान्तिः, शान्तिः एव शान्तिः,
सा मा शान्तिर्-एधि।
Let there be peace unto heaven,
unto atmosphere, unto earth,
Peace be unto waters, plants and creepers and trees,
Peace be unto all spirits, unto God.
Let this peace be universal harmony,
Let such peace come unto me.
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