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अकुलीनोऽपि मूर्खोऽपि भूपालं योऽत्र सेवते।
अपि संमानहीनोऽपि स सर्वत्र प्रपूज्यते॥

Even if a man is low-born, a fool, and without honor, if he serves a king in this world, he is worshipped everywhere. A cynical observation on the na...

power (396) king (200) association (65) respect (164) cynicism (19) politics (111) social status (7)

अकुले पतितो राजा मूर्खपुत्रो हि पण्डितः।
निर्धनस्य धनप्राप्तिस् तृणवन्मन्यते जगत्॥

A king fallen from his lineage, a scholar who is the son of a fool, and a poor man who has acquired wealth—they (tend to) consider the world as a blad...

arrogance (135) pride (317) king (200) scholar (13) wealth (447) human nature (88) psychology (57)

अकूपाराद् वारि प्रचुरतरमादाय जलदः स
दानाध्यक्षोऽपि प्रकिरति जलं नाद्भुतमिदम्।
स मेघो धन्यो यत् परिकिरति मुक्ताफलतया
यदीयासौ कीर्तिर्नटति नृपनारीकुचतटे॥

It is no wonder that a cloud, the lord of charity, takes water from the ocean and showers it as rain. Blessed is that cloud which showers it as pearls...

charity (128) patronage (11) praise (189) metaphor (1632) poetry (588) kavya (34) fame (166)

अकूर्चारम्भोऽपि प्रतिचुबुकदेशं करतलं
प्रतिज्ञायां कुर्वन् युवतिषु दृशं स्निग्धतरलां।
कुमारोऽहं कारात् परिषदि समानानगणयन्
भुजौ वक्षः पश्यन्नववयसि कान्तिं वितनुते॥

With the beginnings of a beard, placing his hand on his chin in a vow, casting tender, restless glances at young women, this youth, being arrogant and...

youth (261) adolescence (3) pride (317) masculinity (8) posturing (1) coming-of-age (1)

अकृतकवलारम्भैर्वक्त्रैर्भयस्थगितेक्षणाः
किमपि वलितग्रीवं स्थित्वा मुहुर्मृगपङ्क्तयः।
गगनमसकृत्पश्यन्त्येतास्तथाश्रुघनैर्मुखैर्
निपतति यथा शृङ्गाग्रेभ्योऽक्रमं नयनोदकम्॥

With mouths that have not begun to chew and with eyes stilled by fear, the herds of deer, standing with necks somehow turned, repeatedly look at the s...

deer (48) fear (252) nature (950) poetry (588) imagery (157) suspense (2) vulnerability (51)

अकृतज्ञमनार्यं च दीर्घरोषमनार्जवम्।
चतुरो विद्धि चाण्डालाञ् जात्या जायेत पञ्चमः॥

Know that these four are chandalas (outcastes): the ungrateful, the ignoble, the one who harbors anger for long, and the crooked. One born into the ca...

character (259) ungrateful (2) outcaste (3) chandala (1) virtue (726) niti (75) ethics (803)

अकृतत्यागमहिम्नां मिथ्या किं राजराजशब्देन।
गोप्तारं न निधीनां महयन्ति महेश्वरं विबुधाः॥

For those who do not have the greatness of sacrifice, what is the use of the false title 'king of kings'? The wise do not extol Maheshwara (Shiva) for...

sacrifice (146) kingship (164) praise (189) true greatness (2) renunciation (267) shiva (328)

अकृतद्विषदुन्नतिच्छिदः श्रितसंरक्षणवन्ध्यकर्मणः।
पुरुषस्य निरर्थकः करः किल कण्डूयनमात्रसार्थकः॥

The hand of a man that does not crush the rise of his enemies and fails in the duty of protecting those who seek refuge is useless; indeed, its only p...

uselessness (9) duty (198) protection (293) action (258) metaphor (1632) niti (75) responsibility (133)

अकृतप्रेमैव वरं न पुनः संजातविघटितप्रेमा।
उद्धृतनयनस्ताम्यति यथा हि न तथेह जातान्धः॥

It is better to have never made love than to have loved and then been separated. A person whose eyes have been gouged out suffers, but not in the same...

love (1567) breakup (1) loss (191) suffering (358) analogy (98) wisdom (1611) heartbreak (65)

अकृत विशदधाम्नो बिम्बसारं गृहीत्वा
दयित युवतिवक्त्रं लोकधात्रेति विद्मः।
न हि न हि भवदीयो मोह एवैष मित्र
सितगरलनिधानं तत्त्वतो निश्चिनु त्वम्॥

Friend, we know the Creator made the beloved's face by taking the essence of the spotless moon. No, no! This is your delusion. Realize the truth: it i...

beauty (1797) deception (224) cynicism (19) love (1567) moon (394) poison (101) poetry (588) heartbreak (65)

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