All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

अम्भांसि जलजन्तूनां दुर्गं दुर्गनिवासिनाम्।
स्वभूमिः श्वापदादीनां राज्ञां सैन्यं परं बलम्॥

For fish, water is home; for beasts, forests; for kings, their army is the highest power. A contextual verse on strength being domain-specific.

water (140) fish (14) forest (145) beasts (1) king (200) army (26) strength (359) domain (1) strategy (222) nature (950)

अम्भोजगर्भसुकुमारतनुस्तदासौ
कण्ठग्रहे प्रथमरागघने विलीय।
सद्यः पतन्मदनमार्गणरन्ध्रमार्गैर्
मन्ये मम प्रियतमा हृदयं प्रविष्टा॥

The beloved, born like a soft lotus, entered the poet’s heart through the wound left by Cupid’s arrow—an emotional portrayal of love’s sweet pain.

love (1567) cupid (106) heart (148) lotus (346) tenderness (83) emotional wound (4) beauty (1797) desire (898) longing (690) poetry (588)

अम्भोजपत्रायतलोचनानाम् अम्भोधिदीर्घास्विह दीर्घिकासु।
समागतानां कुटिलैरपाङ्गैर् अनङ्गबाणैः प्रहता युवानः॥

The youth struck by the sideways glances of women with lotus-petal eyes are said to be pierced by Cupid’s arrows, even if they were afar.

beauty (1797) eyes (211) love (1567) glance (185) cupid (106) pain (225) desire (898) women (268) youth (261) poetic imagery (180)

अम्भोजप्रकरोऽथ केतककुलं कुन्दोत्करः कैरव-
व्रातो मल्लिगणोऽथ चम्पकचयो जातीगणो वाथवा।
नो चेदादरमातनोति पिक तत्खेदं वृथा मा कृथा यस्मात्
क्वापि कदापि कोऽपि भविता यस्त्वद्गुणं ज्ञास्यति॥

If your qualities remain unrecognized, like flowers unappreciated by the cuckoo, don’t despair—someone will surely recognize them someday. A moral les...

flowers (85) appreciation (18) talent (20) waiting (8) recognition (52) self-worth (35) patience (122) nature (950) hope (116) perseverance (72)

अम्भोजाक्ष्याः पुरवनलता धाम्नि संकेतभाजश्
चेतोनाथे चिरयति भृशं मोहनिद्रां गतायाः।
स्वच्छं नाभिह्रदवलयितं कान्तरत्नांशुजालं
तोयभ्रान्त्या पिबति हरिणी विस्मयं च प्रयाति।

A deer mistakes the lotus-like navel reflection in water for a real flower, symbolizing illusion in love and sensory perception.

illusion (355) deer (48) love (1567) reflection (267) beauty (1797) perception (181) symbolism (947) lotus (346) navel (12) desire (898)

अम्भोजानि घनाघनव्यवहितोऽप्युल्लाघयत्यंशुमान्
दूरस्थोऽपि पयोधरोऽतिशिशिरस्पर्शं करोत्यातपम्।
शक्तिः काप्यपरिक्षतास्ति महतां स्वैरं दविष्ठान्यहो
यन्माहात्म्यवशेन यान्ति घटनां कार्याणि निर्यन्त्रणाम्॥

Despite being far, the sun touches lotuses. Despite cloud cover, it warms. Great souls, though distant or unseen, still influence.

sun (195) lotus (346) distance (23) warmth (36) greatness (146) influence (94) metaphor (1632) inspiration (83) nobility (253) perception (181)

अम्भोजिनीवनविलासनिवासमेव
हंसस्य हन्ति नितरां कुपितो विधाता।
न त्वस्य दुग्धजलभेदविधौ प्रसिद्धां
वैदग्घ्यकीर्तिमपहर्तुमसौ समर्थः॥

A swan may live in lotus groves, but if cursed, even such beauty is forsaken. But no force can steal its unique skill—separating milk from water.

swan (53) lotus (346) curse (24) skill (51) discrimination (65) virtue (726) poetic metaphor (101) purity (356) wisdom (1611) irony (348)

अम्भोदस्तनितं निशम्य करिणां बृंहेति रंहोयुतस्
सद्यस्त्यक्तमहीध्रकन्दरगृहः कौतूहली निर्गतः।
एतस्मिन् क्षण एव चण्डमशनेराकर्ण्य शब्दं क्रुधा
तं प्रत्युत्पतति स्वगर्जितजितं धीरो मृगाणां पतिः॥

Elephants, mistaking thunder for rival calls, leave caves in excitement—only to meet the wrath of a lion. A metaphor on misunderstanding and haste.

thunder (33) elephant (117) lion (58) danger (229) haste (12) misunderstanding (41) warning (153) jungle (5) metaphor (1632) instinct (19)

अम्भोधिः स्थलतां स्थलं जलधितां धूलीवलः शैलतां
मेरुर्मृत्कणतां तृणं कुलिशतां वज्रं तृणक्लीबताम्।
वह्निः शीतलतां हिमं दहनतामायाति यस्येच्छया
लीलादुर्ललिताद्भुतव्यसनिने दैवाय तस्मै नमः॥

Mountains become dust, fire becomes cold—everything changes by divine will. A philosophical surrender to divine power.

divinity (206) change (49) transformation (252) mountains (32) water (140) fire (219) paradox (167) power (396) surrender (223) wisdom (1611)

अम्भोधिक्षिप्तमुक्तारुचिहरिचरणोद्गीर्णगङ्गाम्बुतुल्यं
कालिन्दीफेनकान्तिस्फुरितफणधरोन्मुक्तनिर्मोकरोचिः।
कर्णाटीकुन्तलान्तर्विगलितसुमनोदामरम्यं समन्ताच्
छ्रीखण्डालेपलक्ष्मीमुपनयति यशो यस्य खड्गप्रसूतम्॥

A vivid verse on the shining sword of a hero which appears to pour out the radiance of Ganga, pearls, and sandalwood—linking valor with sacredness.

sword (39) radiance (209) pearls (42) ganga (83) sandalwood (48) hero (12) beauty (1797) sacredness (44) power (396) valor (156)