क्षुत्क्षामोऽपि जराकृशोऽपि शिथिलप्रायोऽपि कष्टां दशा-
मापन्नोऽपि विपन्नदीधितिरपि प्राणेषु नश्यत्स्वपि ।
मत्तेभेन्द्रविभिन्नकुम्भकवलग्रासैकबद्धस्पृहः
किं जीर्णं तृणमति मानमहतामग्रेसरः केसरी ॥
kShutkShAmo&pi jarAkRuSo&pi SithilaprAyo&pi kaShTAM daSA-
mApanno&pi vipannadIdhitirapi prANeShu naSyatsvapi ।
matteBendraviBinnakumBakavalagrAsaikabaddhaspRuhaH
kiM jIrNaM tRuNamati mAnamahatAmagresaraH kesarI ॥
A lion, even when it gets very old, when it is down with disease, down with unbearable hunger, lot of other difficulties, even when it is about to die, it still wishes for one mouthful of flesh got by breaking open an elephant’s head. A lion which puts its enoromous ego ahead will never eat even a hand ful of grass – no matter how bad its state is.
स्वल्पस्नायुवसावशेषमलिनं निर्मांसमप्यस्थिकं
श्वा लब्ध्वा परितोषमेति न तु तत्तस्य क्षुधाशान्तये ।
सिंहो जम्बुकमंकमागतमपि त्यक्त्वा निहन्ति द्विपं
सर्वः कृच्छ्रगतोपि वाञ्छति जनः सत्त्वानुरूपं फलम् ॥
svalpasnAyuvasAvaSeShamalinaM nirmAMsamapyasthikaM
SvA labdhvA paritoShameti na tu tattasya kShudhASAntaye ।
siMho jambukamaMkamAgatamapi tyaktvA nihanti dvipaM
sarvaH kRucCragatopi vA~jCati janaH sattvAnurUpaM Palam ॥
A dog relishes on an ugly piece of bone with very little meat or fat. It very well knows that the small piece of bone can not kill its hunger. But, stills chews on. On the other hand, a lion would not even look at attacking a jackal even if it walked between its legs. Its eyes and desire are always set on hunting an elephant. Each person’s desire will follow his thinking and capacity.
लाङ्गूलचालनमधश्चरणावपातं
भूमौ निपस्य वदनोदरदर्शनं च ।
श्वा पिण्डदस्य कुरुते गजपुङ्गवस्तु
धीरं विलोकयति चाटुशतैश्च भुङ्क्ते ॥
lANgUlacAlanamadhaScaraNAvapAtaM
BUmau nipasya vadanodaradarSanaM ca ।
SvA piNDadasya kurute gajapuNgavastu
dhIraM vilokayati cATuSataiSca BuNkte ॥
A dog wags its tail, it falls at its feet, it rolls over shows its belly and its sorry face. All this to get the master’s attention and get its food. On the other hand, an elephant does not do any such antics. Elephant eats only after the mahout pleads a lot.
परिवर्तिनि संसारे मृतः को वा न जायते ।
स जातो येन जातेन याति वंशः समुन्नतिम् ॥
parivartini saMsAre mRutaH ko vA na jAyate ।
sa jAto yena jAtena yAti vaMSaH samunnatim ॥
In this dynamic world people are born every day and die. This seems to be an eternal cycle. There is no specialness, in a person taking birth many times. But, only his birth would be considered as worth mention if he is able to improve the situation of the entire family.
कुसुमस्तबकस्येव द्वयी वृत्तिर्मनस्विनः ।
मूर्ध्नि वा सर्व लोकस्य विशीर्येत वनेऽथवा ॥
kusumastabakasyeva dvayI vRuttirmanasvinaH ।
mUrdhni vA sarva lokasya viSIryeta vane&thavA ॥
People with honour will live in only two ways. Either they live in total obscurity, completely contend with themselves – like a flower in the forest. Or, they will be famous world wide – even if it was not fame that they were after.
सन्त्यन्येऽपि बृहस्पतिप्रभृतयः सम्भाविताः पञ्चषा
स्तान्प्रत्येष विशेषविक्रमरुची राहुर्न वैरायते ।
द्वावेव ग्रसते दिनेश्वरनिशाप्राणेश्वरौ भास्वरौ
भ्रातः ! पर्वणि पश्य दानवपतिः शीर्षावशेषीकृतः ॥
santyanye&pi bRuhaspatipraBRutayaH samBAvitAH pa~jcaShA
stAnpratyeSha viSeShavikramarucI rAhurna vairAyate ।
dvAveva grasate dineSvaraniSAprANeSvarau BAsvarau
BrAtaH ! parvaNi paSya dAnavapatiH SIrShAvaSeShIkRutaH ॥
Rahu, the the king of the Rakshasa’s takes pride in his honour. Even if there are many (five other, discovered at that time) other planets like the Jupiter (and others), they are not devoured by him. He choses only the Sun and the Moon to devour during the eclipses.
वहति भुवनश्रेणीं शेषः फणाफलकस्थितां
कमठपतिना मध्ये पृष्ठं सदा स च धार्यते ।
तमपि कुरुते क्रोडाधीनं पयोधिरनादरा -
दहह । महतां निःसीमानश्चरित्रविभूतयः ॥
vahati BuvanaSreNIM SeShaH PaNAPalakasthitAM
kamaThapatinA madhye pRuShThaM sadA sa ca dhAryate ।
tamapi kurute kroDAdhInaM payodhiranAdarA -
dahaha । mahatAM niHsImAnaScaritraviBUtayaH ॥
Shesha, the divine snake (on whom Lord Vishnu sleeps) carries the burden of all the worlds (mortal and immortal). The king of the tortoises, supports Shesha on his back. The ocean itself supports them on his bosom with little effort. Oh! unlimited are the accomplishments of the great people.
वरं पक्षच्छेदः समदमघवन्मुक्तकुलिश -
प्रहारैरुद्गच्छद्बहुलदहनोद्गारगुरुभिः ।
तुषाराद्रेः सुनोरहह ! पितरि क्लेशविवेशे
न चासौ सम्पातः पयसि पयसां पत्युरुचितः ॥
varaM pakShacCedaH samadamaGavanmuktakuliSa -
prahArairudgacCadbahuladahanodgAraguruBiH ।
tuShArAdreH sunorahaha ! pitari kleSaviveSe
na cAsau sampAtaH payasi payasAM patyurucitaH ॥
MainAka was the son of the Himalaya. When there was a fight between the mountains and Indra, Indra who was intoxicated used his all powerful ammunition (vajrayudha) on Himalaya and all his sons. All but Mainaka lost their wings. This shloka says that it would have been befitting for Mainaka to stand up with his father and lose his wings too instead of diving into the ocean only to save himself.
यदचेतनोऽपि पादैः स्पृष्टः प्रज्वलति सवितुरिनकान्तः ।
तत्तेजस्वी पुरुषः परकृतनिकृतिं कथं सहते ॥
yadacetano&pi pAdaiH spRuShTaH prajvalati saviturinakAntaH ।
tattejasvI puruShaH parakRutanikRutiM kathaM sahate ॥
The sun jewel is lifeless. It does not have feelings. Yet, when Sun touches it with his feet (rays) it burns with anger. It is but natural that noble men also can not digest any insult inflicted on them.
सिम्हः शिशुरपि निपतति मदमलिनकपोलभित्तिषु गजेषु ।
प्रकृतिरियं सत्त्ववतां न खलु वयस्तेजसो हेतुः ॥
simhaH SiSurapi nipatati madamalinakapolaBittiShu gajeShu ।
prakRutiriyaM sattvavatAM na Kalu vayastejaso hetuH ॥
A lion’s cub aspires to hunt down an elephant that has a wall-like temple that is soiled by rut. It is in its nature to hunt an elephant. Such courage does not come by age.