All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

अपसर मधुकर दूरं परिमलबहुलेऽपि केतकीकुसुमे।
इह नहि मधुलवलाभो भवति परं धूलिधूसरं वदनम्॥

O bee, go away! Even though the ketaki flower is fragrant, here you will find no nectar—only dust that stains your face.

rejection (86) metaphor (1632) bee (69) false beauty (4) deception (224) fragrance (199) warning (153) futility (143) discernment (142) poetic caution (4)

अपसर सखे दूरादस्मात् कटाक्षविषानलात्
प्रकृतिविषमाद् योषित्सर्पाद् विलासफणाभृतः।
इतरफणिना दष्टः शक्यश्चिकित्सितुमौषधैश्
चटुलवनिताभोगिग्रस्तं त्यजन्ति हि मन्त्रिणः॥

Friend, flee from the poisonous glance of a flirtatious woman! One bitten by a real serpent can be cured, but not one charmed and consumed by a fickle...

toxic love (2) danger (229) metaphor (1632) seduction (89) charm (252) warning (153) snake imagery (1) deception (224) lust (89) diplomacy (79)

अपसारय घनसारं कुरु हारं दूर एव किं कमलैः।
अलमलमालि मृणालैर् इति वदति दिवानिशं बाला॥

“Remove the heavy sandal paste and this necklace; what use are lotus or lotus-stalks?” cries the girl constantly, rejecting all ornaments in passionat...

rejection (86) beauty (1797) adornment (98) lotus (346) youth (261) frustration (39) love pangs (1) symbolism (947) dramatic tone (1) passion (501)

अपसारसमायुक्तं नयज्ञैर्दुर्गमुच्यते।
अपसारपरित्यक्तं दुर्गव्याजेन बन्धनम्॥

A wise strategy of retreat is considered noble by the intelligent. But if one avoids such timely retreats, one becomes ensnared by the pretext of fort...

strategy (222) retreat (20) wisdom (1611) battle (121) fort (5) entrapment (11) discretion (65) prudence (75) warfare ethics (1) deception (224)

अपस्तरन्ति पाषाणा ह्यनुघ्नन्ति हि राक्षसान्।
कपयः कर्म कुर्वन्ति कालस्य कुटिला गतिः॥

Stones float, demons fall, and monkeys perform great deeds—such is the crooked path of time!

time (242) destiny (289) monkeys (14) demons (29) paradox (167) ramayana (52) miracles (4) karma (500) irony (348) fate (402)

अपहत्य तमस्तीव्रं यथा भात्युदरे रविः।
तथापहत्य पाप्मानं भाति गङ्गाजलोक्षितः॥

Just as the sun shines after removing deep darkness, so does one shine after being cleansed of sins with Ganga water.

purity (356) ganga (83) sunlight (20) sin (135) cleansing (26) brightness (13) symbolism (947) river (88) devotion (933) rebirth (102)

अपहरति मनो मे कोऽप्ययं कृष्णचौरः
प्रणतदुरितचौरः पूतनाप्राणचौरः।
वलयवसनचौरो बालगोपीजनानां
नयनहृदयचौरः पश्यतां सज्जनानाम्॥

Krishna, the divine thief, steals my heart—he steals sins of the fallen, the life of Putana, clothes of Gopikas, and the very eyes and hearts of devot...

krishna (233) divine thief (1) devotion (933) playfulness (86) putana (2) gopikas (1) heartstealer (1) leela (11) surrender (223) mischief (16)

अपहरति महत्त्वं प्रार्थना किं न जाने
जनयति गुरुलज्जामित्यहं किं न वेद्मि।
तदपि वद वदान्यं तं सदा प्रत्यहं मां
जठरपिठरवर्ती वह्निरर्थीकरोति॥

I know not how prayer steals dignity; I know not how it induces shame in the noble. But my hungry belly urges me to plead daily with the generous.

hunger (39) prayer (89) shame (67) generosity (169) need (5) begging (18) fire (219) dignity (146) daily struggle (1) irony (348)

अपहरसि सदा मनांसि पुंसाम् अतिमहता गुणसंपरिग्रहेण।
न च भवसि तथाप्यनेकचित्तो हृतमथवा विवृणोति कः परस्वम्॥

You steal men’s hearts with your immense virtues, yet remain unmoved. But tell me—who ever returns what they’ve already stolen?

beauty (1797) virtues (49) theft (19) love (1567) attraction (147) unreciprocated love (1) heart (148) poetic irony (23) rhetorical (4) charm (252)

अपहस्तितबान्धवे त्वया विहितं साहसमस्य तृष्णया।
तदिहानपराधिनि प्रिये सखि कोऽयं करुणोज्झितक्रमः॥

You abandoned your kin in reckless desire—now that she is guiltless, what justice is this cruelty toward her, O friend?

betrayal (168) kin (3) desire (898) recklessness (9) guiltless (1) injustice (73) sorrow (325) friendship (209) ethics (803) regret (87)