All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

अस्त्रव्यस्तशिरस्त्रशस्त्रकषणैः कृत्तोत्तमाङ्गे क्षणं
व्यूढासृक्सरिति स्वनत्प्रहरणे वर्मोद्वमद्वाह्निनि।
आहूयाजिमुखे स कोसलपतिर्भग्ने प्रधाने बले
एकेनैव रुमण्वता शरशतैर्मत्तद्विपस्थो हतः॥

In a violent war, with limbs severed and blood like rivers, the warrior was slain atop a maddened elephant by a barrage of arrows.

battle (121) death (241) chaos (59) severed limbs (1) river of blood (1) elephant (117) valor (156) warfare imagery (1) heroic death (1) tragedy (24)

अस्त्राणि प्लवगाधिपेन विहिताः पौलस्त्यवक्षःस्थली-
संघट्टानलदत्तदावविपदः सीदन्ति भूमीरुहाः।
उत्पाट्य प्रहितश्च शैलशिखरो लङ्केन्द्रहस्तावली-
निष्पिष्टो निजकुञ्जनिर्झरजलैर्जम्बालपिण्डायते॥

The monkey king hurled mountains like missiles and devastated the enemy city; streams from crushed forests turned into slush, overwhelming Lanka.

hanuman (22) lanka (10) warfare (36) mountain weapons (1) ravana (28) destruction (292) ramayana (52) monkey army (2) nature’s wrath (1) mythic combat (1)

अस्त्रामास तृणं प्रियाद्रुहि तृणामास स्मरारेर्धनुर्
दारामास मुनेः शिलापि नृवरामास स्वयं पादुका।
कुल्यामास महार्णवोऽपि कपयो योधांबभूवुस्तदा
पौलस्त्यो मशकीबभूव भगवंस्त्वं मानुषामासिथाः॥

What weapons, mountains, or oceans could not achieve, devotion did. Even great beings became humble — the Lord took human form for dharma.

devotion (933) god incarnate (1) rama (81) mythology (86) humility (596) greatness (146) dharma (540) cosmic transformation (1) power of bhakti (1) miracles (4)

अस्त्रौघप्रसरेण रावणिरसौ यं दुर्यशोभागिनं
चक्रे गौतमशापयन्त्रितभुजस्थेमानमाखण्डलम्।
कच्छावर्तकुलीरतां गमयता वीर त्वया रावणं
तत्संमृष्टमहो विशल्यकरणी जागर्ति सत्पुत्रता॥

You turned Ravana, proud and fated to infamy, into a harmless creature — your valiant act restored virtue and awakened noble lineage.

ravana (28) redemption (20) bravery (52) transformation (252) heroism (93) dharma (540) legacy (39) virtue (726) mythical combat (1) symbolic victory (2)

अस्त्वक्षरग्रहविधिर्जनुषां सहस्रैर्
आपाततो भवतु वापि ततोऽर्थबोधः।
दुर्वादिकल्पितविकल्पतरङ्गसान्द्रान्
दुष्पूर्वपक्षजलधीन् कथमुत्तरेयुः॥

Let there be structured learning, but without understanding, mere memorization is futile; deep reasoning is needed to cross turbulent oceans of false ...

knowledge (279) wisdom (1611) understanding (28) memorization (1) reason (15) philosophy (290) logic (35) education (44) effort (289) spiritual growth (12)

अस्थानगामिभिरलंकरणैरुपेता
भूयः पदस्खलननिह्नुतिरप्रसन्ना।
वाणीव कापि कुकवेर्जनहस्यमाना
द्राङ्निर्गता निजगृहाद् वनिता मदान्धा॥

Adorned beyond propriety, she stumbled — a drunken woman, unaware of her decline — becomes the laughingstock of the world like an ill-formed verse.

vanity (38) misplaced pride (1) fall (63) women (268) poetry (588) satire (211) fashion (5) social decline (1) humor (128) symbolism (947)

अस्थानाभिनिवेशिता रतिपतेरौचित्यभङ्गो रतेर्
वैयर्थ्यं नवयौवनस्य किमपि प्रेम्णः कलङ्काङ्कुरः।
सौभाग्यस्य विमानना विगुणता सौन्दर्यसारश्रियः
शृङ्गारस्य विडम्बना किमपरं वेश्यारताडम्बरः॥

Desire misdirected degrades beauty, youth, and affection into hollow spectacle — a mockery of love, degrading all it touches.

lust (89) misplaced affection (3) vanity (38) hollow love (1) satire (211) ethics (803) romance (506) beauty (1797) youth (261) moral reflection (4)

अस्थानाभिनिवेशी प्रायो जड एव भवति नो विद्वान्।
बालादन्यः कोऽम्भसि जिघृक्षतीन्दोः स्फुरद्बिम्बम्॥

Only the foolish attach value to what is undeserving; wise ones don’t chase reflections, like a child grabbing at the moon in water.

wisdom (1611) folly (51) attachment (102) illusion (355) moon reflection (1) desire (898) childlike ignorance (1) intelligence (52) priorities (16) metaphor (1632)

अस्थाने गमिता लयं हतधियां वाग्देवता कल्पते
धिक्काराय पराभवाय महते तापाय पापाय वा।
स्थाने तु व्ययिता सतां प्रभवति प्रख्यातये भूतये
चेतोनिर्वृतये परोपकृतये प्रान्ते शिवावाप्तये॥

When speech is misused by the unwise, it becomes a curse — but when used rightly, it uplifts, blesses, and spreads joy and liberation.

speech (345) wisdom (1611) misuse (21) curse (24) blessing (166) expression (146) communication (65) dharma (540) poetic wisdom (16) consequence (118)

अस्थाने जनसंकटे मयि मनाक् काञ्चीं समास्कन्दति
व्यालोले रशनांशुके विगलिते नीते च नाभेरधः।
धन्योऽयं स करः कुरङ्गकदृशा तस्मिन्नवस्थान्तरे
कम्पातङ्ककरंबिताङ्गलतया यस्यावकाशः कृतः॥

Amidst the crowd, her waist-chain slips, falling below her navel — lucky is the hand that gets to touch her trembling form at that moment.

eroticism (60) sensual imagery (11) waist ornament (2) glance (185) feminine beauty (26) desire (898) physical intimacy (2) poetic passion (2) allure (96) visual poetics (1)