How not to be a fool as taught by Sanskrit !
I am Rinkita, a student of the ancient language of India — Sanskrit.
Sanskrit has a 3,500-year old history, this is enough to tell us about the richness and depth of Sanskrit literature.
For example, lessons on Yoga (Yog Sutra), Philosophy (Brahma Sutra), Economics (Arth Shastra), Strategy (Chanakya Niti) and much more have been written and compiled in Sanskrit language. There is an ocean of knowledge hidden in Sanskrit literature waiting to be explored.
Unfortunately, not a vast majority of the world population is familiar with the Sanskrit language. Through my series of blogs, I will be an enabler and share with you this knowledge contained in Sanskrit text particularly in the area of philosophy.
In this blog, I pick up five Shloks (epic verses) from NITI SHATAKAM. NITI SHATAKAM is the book of lyrical poetry which contains verses on the power of wealth, the haughtiness of rulers, the futility of greed, the vicissitudes of fate, and so on. I have picked the Shloks which attempt to describe a fool.
Think of them as DONTs of life 😃
Literal translation: The one who can’t be bound in limits/boundaries of time and directions, He who is infinite, indestructible, sentience, can only be known by self-perception. I greet such a calm and enlightened soul which is God.
Summary: The poet here wants to tell that Lord Brahma is the soul who can only be known by one’s experience. One must greet Him to avoid any hurdle in whatever work one is doing or starting. Keeping up with this spirit, I would want to start this blog by greeting Lord Brahma (Mangla charan).
Literal translation: An unlearned man can be easily convinced, experts can be taught effortlessly but the one with half knowledge is impossible to make understand. Not even Lord Brahma can please or make a man with half knowledge understand.
Summary: The poet here concludes that half knowledge is dangerous and the person with that half knowledge is even more dangerous because he never listens to others and thinks of himself as the most knowledgeable person.
Literal translation: If a person tries with diligence, then he can obtain oil from sand, a thirsty person can obtain water from mirage, he can find horn on a rabbit’s head. But an egoistic fool cannot be satisfied, you can never make him understand your point of view.
Summary: Here the poet wants to tell us that the only impossible thing to do is to challenge the pre-conceived notion of a fool. You can never convince him to change, adapt or learn from others. He thinks he is always right.
Literal translation: When I knew a little, I felt proud and disillusioned like a mad elephant. But now when I actually started knowing things a little more in the company of scholars, I came to know that “I AM A FOOL”. My pride is destroyed just like fever gets destroyed by a medicine.
Summary: Here the poet states that one must keep learning, no one is omniscient and if someone thinks so, then he finds himself a fool when he actually confronts the scholars. Knowledge cures pride and ignorance.
Literal translation: Fire can be extinguished by water, umbrella can be used to protect oneself from sun’s heat, mad elephant can be controlled by restriction, donkey and ox can be controlled using stick, diseases can be cured using medicines, poison in someone’s body can be treated by chanting the mantras. But there is no medicine for a fool.
Summary: Here the poet wants to tell that there is treatment for all kind of diseases but a fool can’t be treated.
Now that you know the characteristics of a fool, you also know how to avoid being one.
Hope you enjoyed reading my blog. This is my first attempt at writing blogs, looking forward to your feedback and acknowledgements. Follow me for more such articles.