Good Speech – A Hint from the ‘Panchatantra’

Monday

Some people speak words of wisdom, simply repeating the same like parrots; some others are inherently wise, but do not express themselves; there are a few whose speech sparkles, the wise words flowing eloquently from their hearts.

[Note: This quotation is from Vishnu Sharma's 'Panchatantra', an ancient Indian classic on the art of winning friends and influencing people.]

एकेषां वाचि शुकवदन्येषां हृदि मूकवत् |
हृदिवाचि तथान्येषां वल्गु वल्गन्ति सूक्तयः ||

EkESHAm vAchi shukavadh anyESHAm hrdhi mUkavath |
hrdhivAchi thaTHAnyESHAm valgu valganthi sUkthayaha ||

The Inherent Purity of Language

Tuesday

How can a tongue [or language] be defiled? Like a noble woman, so is language. Only uncouth people talk about their defilement.



सर्वथा व्यवहर्तव्यं कुतॊ ह्यवचनीयता |
यथा स्त्रीणां तथा वाचां साधुत्वॆ दुर्जनॊ जनः ||


sarvaTHA vyavaharthavyam kuthO hyavachanIyathA |
yaTHA sthrINAm thaTHA vAchAm sADHuthvE durjanO janaha||


[Note: This verse is from Bhavabhuti's Sanskrit play, Uttararamacharitham.]

Hail Thee, O Saraswathi

Sunday

Due to whose grace poets can see the whole Universe as if it were a gooseberry in the palm of their hands – may She, Goddess Saraswathi, be victorious for ever.

करबदरसदृशमखिलं भुवनतलं यत्प्रसादतः कवयः |
पश्यन्ति सूक्ष्ममतयः सा जयति सरस्वती देवी ||

karabadharasadhrshamakhilam bhuvanathalam yathprasAdhathaha kavayaha |
pashyanthi sUkSHmamathayaha sA jayathi saraswathI dEvI ||

[Invocatory verse of Subandhu's prose work, Vasavadatta]