Sanskrit Subhashitas, can you quote and give the meaning of some of them?

India
November 8, 2006 4:09am CST
Literally, Subhashita means Good speech. Subhashitas cannot be straitjacketed into a specific “category” of literature: they’re merely a collection of wise sayings, mostly in verse. The authorship does not rest with a single person. However, the celebrated collection of Subashitas is the one authored by Bhartuhari, the Shataka (Shataka=100) trilogy: Neeti Shataka, Shrungara Shataka, and Vairagya Shataka. Subhashitas are drawn from real life observations, a sympathetic understanding of human impulses and behaviour, and some generally reflect the state of affairs of the society at the time they were composed. As such, they generally hold good–and true “till eternity.” The greatest value of Subhashitas is their ability to provide comfort and hope in difficult times. No copious reading of self-help books will, it is my conviction, convey the requisite wisdom contained in these priceless verses. Self-help books do not contain wisdom: they’re a collection of “specific strategies (sic)” to overcome this or that problem or to deal better with people or boost your self-esteem….
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2 responses
@prasad1961 (5597)
• India
8 Nov 06
tiviri yisumuna tailambu dheeyavachhu,------- davili mrigathrishnalo neeru travagavachhu,-- tirigi kundeti kommu saadhimpa vachhu,------- jeri moorkhula manasu ranjimpa raadu.-------- That's the one of Neeti Subhashitam by Lakshmana Kavi----------Meanng as follows------------------ "When we try harder, we can get oil from sand, With continuous trials we can get water from Oasis, with continuous search we can earn Rabbit horn, but we can not satisfy the group of "moorkhulu"(Due to lack of exact word,same written in telugu).
@wish4guns (324)
• India
8 Nov 06
I like to read the shlokas in the Bhagawad Geeta which is a dialogue between Arjuna and LOrd Krishna. I like the part where Arjuna says "janami dharama na chay me pravruthiya, Janami adharmya na chay me nivrutiyah".