All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

अपथेन प्रववृते न जातूपचितोऽपि सः।
वृद्धौ नदीमुखेनैव प्रस्थानं लवणाम्भसः॥

Like a river flowing into the salty ocean, a life that begins wrongly, even if it grows, only ends in ruin.

misdirection (10) metaphor (1632) river (88) ocean (160) life path (4) destruction (292) inevitability (39) decay (115) destiny (289) choices (10)

अपथेनैव यो योगाद् अधः सारायते स्वयम्।
नीचोपसर्पणवशात् स पतेद् वंशवानपि॥

Even one of noble birth, through wrong associations or paths, may fall from grace. Wrong choices undo legacy.

downfall (265) choices (10) association (65) legacy (39) degradation (19) metaphor (1632) warning (153) noble birth (5) decay (115) caution (269)

अपथ्यभोगेषु यथातुराणां स्पृहा यथार्थेष्वतिदुर्गतानाम्।
परोपतापेषु यथा खलानां स्त्रीणां तथा चौर्यरतोत्सवेषु॥

Just as the sick crave harmful food, the wicked delight in harming others, the malicious in theft, so too are women's attachments unpredictable.

craving (38) harm (53) sickness (4) evil (40) comparison (402) women (268) desires (11) metaphor (1632) human nature (88) vice (45)

अपथ्यमायतौ लोभाद् आमनन्त्यनुजीविनः।
प्रियं श्र्णोति यस्तेभ्यस् तमृच्छन्ति न संपदः॥

Just like an unripe fruit causes harm, a loose tooth pains, or a bad minister ruins the state—removal is peace.

removal (3) metaphor (1632) fruit (43) pain (225) tooth (2) bad counsel (1) peace (171) wisdom (1611) governance (214) detachment (573)

अपथ्यस्य च भुक्तस्य दन्तस्य चलितस्य च।
अमात्यस्य च दुष्टस्य समूलोद्धरणं सुखम्॥

Armies with golden wheels fell across the earth like a river of dust, their flags fluttering like banners of flying sand—evoking poetic imagery of des...

war (144) chariots (5) destruction (292) dust (29) poetic imagery (180) battlefield (41) golden wheels (1) metaphor (1632) chaos (59) movement (82)

अपदान्तरं च परितः क्षितिक्षिताम्
अपतन् द्रुतभ्रमितहेमनेमयः।
जविमारुताञ्चितपरस्परोपम-
क्षितिरेणुकेतुवसनाः पताकिनः॥

Even a limbless man can travel far, a speechless man may speak wisdom—true intellect lies in understanding.

intellect (106) wisdom (1611) disability (2) speech (345) depth (43) perception (181) limitations (8) hidden strength (7) learning (126) insight (55)

अपदो दूरगामो च साक्षरो न च पण्डितः।
अमुखः स्फुटवक्ता च यो जानाति स पण्डितः॥

A disgraced and dejected person merely survives, not lives—such a life is no different than death.

disgrace (17) dejection (1) life vs. death (1) sorrow (325) despair (67) insult (44) survival (91) meaninglessness (5) social rejection (3) suffering (358)

अपध्वस्तो ह्यवमतो दुःखं जीवति जीवितम्।
जीवितं यदवक्षिप्तं यथैव मरणं तथा॥

O king, abandon your delusion! What spell or art makes your sword drink enemy blood and then spit out fame like milk?

delusion (175) war (144) king (200) sword (39) fame (166) metaphor (1632) sarcasm (74) illusion (355) pride (317) poetic rebuke (3)

अपनय महामोहं राजन्ननेन तवासिना कथय
कुहकक्रीडाश्चर्यं कथं क्व च शिक्षितम्।
यदरिरुधिरं पायं पायं कुसुम्भरसारुणं
झगिति वमति क्षीराम्भोधिप्रवाहसितं यशः॥

Her cheeks pale as the Madhuka flower, streaked with tear-washed hollows—she appeared shrunken, hollowed by sorrow.

sorrow (325) love (1567) beauty (1797) pale cheeks (3) metaphor (1632) tears (84) emotion (652) romantic grief (2) image (6) feminine (63)

अपनिद्रमधूकपाण्डुरा सुदृशोऽदृश्यत गण्डमण्डली।
गमिताश्रुजलप्लवैरिव क्रशिमाकीर्णतयापि निम्नताम्॥

If someone regains ill-gotten wealth through apparent virtue, it reflects the mindset of a base person.

false virtue (8) ill-gotten gain (1) ethics (803) behavior (249) character (259) morality (248) hypocrisy (141) wealth (447) betrayal (168) justice (151)