The subhAshita-ratna-bhandAgara

When you think of Samskrita, one of the several things that come to mind immediately is subhAshitA. Literally it means "something well said", the english equivalent of which is 'proverb' or 'saying'. Proverbs are generally pithy sentences that reflect a truth of what happens, what should happen or sometimes a simple generalization. Many proverbs are advises, intended to correct the course of human behaviour, moral, ethical etc.

But subhAshitA-s are not just proverbs. subhAshitA-s come in very different flavors and cover a wide range of topics. There are subhAshitA-s for pretty much every occasion, every behaviour and on every natural thing that we see around. There are subhAshita-s that praise, denounce, praise and denounce at the same time (so called ninda-stuti), make fun, sarcastic, plead, humorous and exhibhit a range of other emotions. Some are philosophical, some are just down-to-earth. In fact there is a subhAshitA that makes a mockery of subhAshitA-s. Several poets have saved their heads by appeasing their kings with an appropriate subhAshita.

Throughout Samskrita literature (vAngmaya), there have been attempts at compilations of subhAshita-s too. Prime among them is the subhAshita-ratna-bhandAgara (SRB) which is a collection of almost ten thousand subhAshitAs on various topics. It consists of 7 chapters (prakarANa-s) - namely: mangalacharana, sAmAnya, rAja, chitra, anyokti, navarasa and sankIrNa. While there are so many wonderful verses there are some really stunning ones. One of them I quoted in my last post alluding to the Ocean's son-in-law selection process.

Here is another one from the navarasa (art) category. It again shows the poet's out-of-the-box thinking.
एकवस्तुम् द्विधा कर्तुम् बहव: सन्ति धन्विन: ।
धन्वी स मार एवैको द्वयो: ऐक्य: करोति य: ॥
eka vastu dvidhaa kartum bahava: santi dhanvina: |
dhanvI sa mAra evaiko dvayo: aikya: karoti ya: ||

Lets look at word by word:

eka vastum - one thing
dvidhaa - into two
kartum - to do
bahava: - many
santi - are
dhanvina: - archers
dhanvI - archer
sa mAra - (is) that manmatha (Lord of Love)
eva eka: - alone (only one)
dvayo: - of two
aikya: - into one
karoti ya: - he who does

There are many archers who can split one thing into two. But there is only one archer, Manmatha, who unites two into one.

This alludes to the fact that the Lord of Love sends an arrow to unit two people's heart. So the poet takes something that is meant for a singular purpose and uses it in the context of getting an entirely opposite result.

Dressing up like the Gods

Dressing up

Does dressing up really change the perception ? How often we have seen movies wherein the characters living in poverty themselves, just dress up nicely for an occasion and impress their affluence on others and take everyone a ride ! In 'Wedding crashers' Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson play such characters with hilarious consequences.

Dressing up really seems to have benefits. People do notice that and form opinions based on that. Here is a beautiful verse from the "ocean" of Samskrita that emphasises that.

किं वाससा तत्र विचारणीयं वास: प्रधानं खलु योग्यताया: ।
पीताम्बरं वीक्ष्य ददौ स्वकन्यां चर्माम्बरं वीक्ष्य विषं समुद्र: ॥
Meaning:

The root vAs (10th gana) means to scent, to make fragrant.

What is there to enquire/discuss about pleasant appearances? Isn't making oneself pleasant only appropriate! The Ocean gave his daughter Lakshmi to Vishnu, but gave poison to Shiva.

This refers to the fact of churning the ocean by Devas and Asuras. The Ocean King (samudra:) had two extreme things with him to give away during churning - Lakshmi and halAhala poison.

He gave his daughter (svakanyAm dadau), ie Lakshmi to pItAmbara (dressed in yellow attire - Vishnu). Have you ever seen any pictures of Vishnu dressed up badly? And when the hAlahala visha had to be given, he gave it to charmAmbara (one dressed with deer skin)

Its a known fact that Shiva himself came to accept poison and Vishnu accepted Lakshmi. But the poet turns the story completely inside out and still manages to make sense of it. It appears now as if Ocean gave these two away and weaves the mentality of a father on how he would select his son-in-law.

What an imagination!

Source: subhAShitaratnabandAgara # 180.