(no subject)
From the Bhakti List Archives
• August 2, 1997
Dear Friends, In this post, I shall provide the translation of the twelve verses from Swami Desikan's first section, "The Ways of the Unlettered" of the Subashita Nivi. 1 The foremost good person is God and the foremost evil person is myself. Each does not remember what he has done. By doing good and evil respectively, each erases all the evil or good done by the other in this world. My salutations to both. In this verse, Swami Desikan perhaps has in mind the "Aparadha Chakravarthi" salutation from the Daya Shatakam. 2. The treasure of wise words uttered by poets with fervour and with literal or figurative meanings, is immune to theft by nimble-handed thieves. Here, Swami Desikan is referring to the superiority of the wealth of wisdom over the wealth of gold. The former is everlasting while the latter is transient. 3. Men see non-existent faults in others but not their obvious virtues. On the contrary, they see not their own defects but imagine virtues in themselves. This is due to the collyrium of illusion hiding their vision. Swami Desikan here refers to cynics, who only find fault with others and ignore their virtues. 4. What glory is there in men, who despite having enjoyed the milk and hospitality of virtuous men, deny and behave as if they have never done so? Swami Desikan brings out the vile nature of those who never have any gratitude towards their benefactors. 5. Can a prejudiced person who sees only yellow color in the pure white Panchajanya conch, resting like a swan in the lotus hands of Lord Hari and which is the source of milky white pearls in Goddess Lakshmi's necklace, ever be a physician to cure other's illnesses? 6. None can besmear the reputation of spotless persons, who are like the quartz crystal unaffected by other colors, even though in close proximity; none will believe or respect the words of the wicked slanderers. 7. The clouds, after drinking a little water, sends out thunders, but Sage Agastya coolly drank the entire ocean in one sip. No wonder the rivers of the Pandya kingdom with pearls in their beds laugh scornfully at these clouds. 8. A learned person loses his reputation quickly and becomes the laughing stock of society when he turns arrogant and acquires distorted perspectives. 9. Sinful is the ingratitude in the recipient of favors from his true friends who do not publicize his errors or defects known to themselves only. 10. Fie on those who turn against their patrons and benefactors and take to darkened ways! Of what use is their brilliance to anyone? 11. How glorious is the banyan tree, on a single leaf of which reclines Lord Narayana, under whose shade rests Lord Shiva after his strenuous dance? Yet all that a beggar thinks is when will the tender sshoots blossom, from which he can make a cup for drinking water. 12. Professional slanderers with sharp tongues speak ill even of Lord Sri Rama, the embodiment of all virtues, by saying that he killed a woman (Tataka), He slew Vali by hiding behind a tree and stepped back a little in his fight with the Rakshasas Khara and Dushana. Can they keep quiet if they see a person of few virtues and many grievous defects of character? Acharyan Tiruvadigale SharaNam, Muralidhar Rangaswamy
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