All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

अमुक्तां भूषयन्तु स्वां तनुं संसारसिन्धुगैः।
मणिकर्णी ताम्रपर्णी मुक्तिमुक्ताफलैर्जनाः॥

Let people adorn themselves with ornaments gathered from the rivers of the world—Manikarnika, Tamraparni, and others—but only the jewel of liberation ...

adornment (98) liberation (230) rivers (33) spirituality (106) symbolism (947) materialism (37) poetic wisdom (16) renunciation (267) beauty (1797) inner wealth (5)

अमुद्रकुमुदत्विषः स्फुरितफेनलक्ष्मीस्पृशो
मरालकुलविभ्रमाः शफरफाललीलाभृतः।
जयन्ति गिरिजापतेस्तरलमौलिमन्दाकिनी-
तरङ्गचयचुम्बिनस्तुहिनदीधितेरंशवः॥

The radiant moonbeams, unmarked yet fragrant, flirt with the swan flocks, mimicking the foam of sacred Ganga waves touching the locks of Shiva.

moonlight (152) ganga (83) swans (20) shiva (328) cosmic imagery (22) grace (359) purity (356) illusion (355) divine beauty (63) poetic splendor (2)

अमुद्रोऽपि वरं कूपः समुद्रेणापि तेन किम्।
सुस्वादु सलिलं यत्र पीयते पथिकैः पथि॥

Better a small well than the vast sea—if its water is sweet and quenches the traveler’s thirst.

utility (42) humility (596) usefulness (8) metaphor (1632) sweetness (104) simplicity (130) travel (44) wisdom (1611) practical value (1) self-sufficiency (2)

अमुना मरुकूपेन के के नाम न वञ्चिताः।
रुदत्पथिकनेत्राम्बुपिच्छिलप्रान्तभूमिना॥

Who has not been deceived by this desert well—its muddy banks slick with the tears of deluded travelers?

mirage (11) desert (19) illusion (355) deception (224) sorrow (325) poetic imagery (180) thirst (32) travel (44) disappointment (42) suffering (358)

अमुना यमुनाजलकेलिकृता
सहसा तरसा परिरभ्य भृता।
हरिणा हरिणी मृगनेत्रवती
नवयौवनयौवनभारवती॥

This Yamuna water sport was her joy, as the deer-eyed maiden was swiftly embraced by the lover like a deer caught in motion.

love play (14) yamuna (33) radha-krishna (4) spontaneity (10) youth (261) romantic embrace (1) river imagery (4) natural passion (1) divine romance (13) urgency (63)

अमुनैव कषायितस्तनी सुभगेन प्रियगात्रभस्मना।
नवपल्लवसंस्तरे यथा रचयिष्यामि तनुं विभावसौ॥

With that very ash from her beloved’s body, the beautiful one stained her breasts, like soft red leaves covering delicate soil.

longing (690) divine love (53) body-symbolism (1) ash (6) sringara rasa (1) intimacy (234) beauty (1797) metaphor (1632) radha-krishna (4) ritual symbolism (1)

अमुनैव पथागतागतं कृतवानद्य मनोहरो हरिः।
सखि दुर्जनभीतया मया हतया हन्त चिरं न वीक्षितः॥

Today, on this path, that charming Hari arrived again—alas, I, out of fear of others, turned him away. Long has it been since I last saw him.

regret (87) missed love (1) krishna (233) secrecy (61) fear (252) yearning (59) emotional conflict (5) poetic lament (16) divine encounter (2) inner turmoil (10)

अमुष्मिन्नारामे तरुभिरभिरामे विटपिनः
स्फुटं नृत्यद्भृङ्गी विविधनवसंगीतकलनात्।
परानन्दैः पूर्णाः क इव तव वर्णावलिपद-
क्रमश्रोता वेत्ता द्विजवर शुक श्राम्यसि कुतः॥

In that grove filled with melodious trees and dancing bees, who could truly understand your poetic rhythm, O wise parrot? Why tire yourself?

grove (10) poetry (588) bird metaphor (6) music (96) natural joy (2) poetic rhythm (2) tree imagery (2) wise speech (1) shuka (1) subtle wisdom (1)

अमुष्मिन्नुद्यानद्रुमकुहरनीरन्ध्रभरिते
तमःखण्डे पिण्डीकृतबहलकालायसघने।
यतामद्यास्माकं कथमपि पुरोन्यस्तचरणं
निमेषेऽप्युन्मेषे नहि नहि विशेषो नयनयोः॥

In that dense grove, where dark shadows rule, our eyes can't tell if it’s day or night—every blink and glance seems the same.

darkness (138) confusion (52) sensory illusion (1) grove (10) introspection (83) poetic metaphor (101) ignorance (301) time suspension (1) nature’s density (1)

अमुष्मिन्नुद्याने विहगखल एष प्रतिकलं विलोलः
काकोलः क्वणति खलु यावत् कटुतरम्।
सखे तावत् कीर द्रढय हृदि वाचं च सकलां
न मौनेन न्यूनो भवति गुणभाजां गुणगणः॥

In this garden, a deceitful bird mocks with shrill sounds—O parrot! Let your virtuous words ring louder; silence is no friend of the wise.

deception (224) wisdom (1611) virtue (726) poetic exhortation (1) bird symbolism (2) falsehood (50) garden (22) vigilance (45) speech (345) expressive voice (1)