Thursday 9 January 2014

Today's Subhashita.

अल्पं किन्चिच्छ्रियं  प्राप्य नीचो गर्वायते लघुः |
पद्मपत्र  तले  भेको मन्यते  दण्डधारिणं            ||

अर्थ -    नीच व्यक्ति थोडी बहुत ही संपन्नता प्राप्त करने पर ही गर्व और अहङ्कार करने लगते हैं  और उनकी स्तिथि ऐसी हो  जाती है  कि मानो एक मेंढक कमल पत्र के नीचे स्थित हो कर अपने को एक  दण्डधारी राजा या महान् संत समझने लगे |

Alpam kinchicchriyam praapya neecho garvaayate laghuh.
Padmapatra tale bheko manyate dandadhaarinam.

Alpam = very little, small.      Kinchicchriyam =   Kinchit + shriyam.     Kinchit = a little more.
Shriyam = prospertty, recognition.      Praapya = on getting.      Neecho =  mean and inferior person.
Garvaayate = shows pride and arrogance.     Laghuh =  small.     Padmapatra = padma +patra.
Padma = a lotus flower.    Patra = leaf.     Tale = below.    Bheko = a frog.   Manyate = thinks himself.
Dandadhaarinam = a king, a mendicant.

i.e.   Mean and inferior persons become very proud and arrogant on getting even a little prosperity and recognition in society, as if a frog sitting below a lotus leaf considers himself as a King or a mendicant.

(lotus leaf has a long stem and if broken from its base, it resembles an umbrella or an ornamental staff carried by mendicants or by a king's ushers.  The author has used the simile of a frog and lotus leaf to highlight the tendency among mean and inferior persons becoming very proud and arrogant by becoming even a bit rich.)

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