All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

अहो सुसदृशी वृत्तिस् तुलाकोटेः खलस्य च।
स्तोकेनोन्नतिमायाति स्तोकेनायात्यधोगतिम्॥

The conduct of the wicked is like a scale—rising with small inputs, falling just as easily. A metaphor for instability.

metaphor (1632) balance (185) wickedness (75) rise and fall (7) karma (500) behavior (249) instability (44) moral lesson (8)

अहो स्त्रीप्रेरणा नाम रजसालङ्घितात्मनाम्।
पुंसां वात्येव सरसामाशयक्षोभकारिणी॥

The influence of women on passionate men is like a storm disturbing tranquil lakes—evoking emotional upheaval.

desire (898) women (268) disturbance (14) passion (501) metaphor (1632) lake (16) storm (33) emotion (652) mind (176) instability (44)

अहो स्थिरः कोऽपि तवेप्सितो
युवा चिराय कर्णोत्पलशून्यतां गते।
उपेक्षते यः श्लथबन्धलम्बिनीर्
जटाः कपोले कलमाग्रपिङ्गलाः॥

Behold the disinterest of the young man you desired—he ignores your neglected beauty, letting your ornaments and curls fade.

rejection (86) desire (898) neglect (55) youth (261) loss (191) beauty (1797) sorrow (325) longing (690) emotional abandonment (1)

अहो स्थैर्यं तेषां प्रकृतिनियमेभ्यः सुकृतिनां
प्रतिज्ञातत्यागो नहि भवति कृच्छ्रेऽपि महति।
तथा हि त्वत्सेनाभरनमितधात्रीभरदलत्-
कटाहोऽपि स्वाङ्गं किमु कमठनाथश्चलयति॥

Even in great difficulty, the virtuous do not give up their vows—like earth not moving despite bearing the weight of armies.

virtue (726) vow (16) firmness (8) patience (122) burden (40) heroism (93) nature (950) loyalty (180) endurance (85) ethics (803)

अहो हि मे बह्वपराद्धमायुषा
यदप्रियं वाच्यमिदं मयेदृशम्।
त एव धन्याः सुहृदः पराभवं
जगत्यदृष्ट्वैव हि ये क्षयं गताः॥

I have erred greatly with my life, that I must now utter painful truths—those blessed friends who died without facing dishonor are the truly fortunate...

error (14) speech (345) shame (67) fortune (115) death (241) fate (402) sorrow (325) regret (87) reflection (267) emotional weight (2)

अहौ वा हारे वा बलवति रिपौ वा सुहृदि वा
मणौ वा लोष्टे वा कुसुमशयने वा दृषदि वा।
तृणे वा स्त्रैणे वा मम समदृशो यान्तु दिवसाः
क्वचित् पुण्येऽरण्ये शिव शिव शिवेति प्रलपतः॥

Whether in defeat or victory, among enemies or friends, in wealth or poverty—let my days pass in chanting "Shiva, Shiva" in some sacred forest.

renunciation (267) equanimity (38) devotion (933) forest (145) shiva (328) indifference (18) spiritual aspiration (3) detachment (573)

अह्नस्त्रिश्चतुरम्बुभिः स्नपयसि स्वं पुष्करावर्जितैर्
भुङ्क्षे मेध्यतराणि भद्र तरुणान्यश्वत्थपत्राणि च।
पुण्यारण्यचरोऽसि न प्रविशसि ग्रामं सकृत्कुञ्जर
ज्ञानं चेत् कियदप्युदेति न समा ब्रह्मर्षयोऽपि त्वया॥

O elephant! You bathe thrice daily in sacred water, eat pure leaves, roam holy forests—yet knowledge has not awakened even like in sages.

ritual (164) elephant (117) purity (356) forest (145) sacred (66) discipline (380) satire (211) spiritual ignorance (5) wisdom (1611)

अह्नि भास्करमिच्छन्ति रात्रावमृततेजसम्।
अह्नि रात्रौ च राजानम् इच्छन्ति गुणिनं प्रजाः॥

People want the sun by day, and the moon by night. Similarly, people desire a capable king always.

ruler (55) sun (195) moon (394) public desire (1) expectations (5) governance (214) leadership (279) symbolism (947) contrast (206)

अह्नि रविर्दहति त्वचि वृद्धः पुष्पधनुर्दहति प्रबलोढम्।
रात्रिदिनं पुनरन्तरमन्तः संवृतिरस्ति रवेर्न तु कन्तोः॥

The sun burns the skin by day; old age and love torment from within—only the sun’s heat is external, not that of desire.

desire (898) aging (53) suffering (358) sun (195) heat (60) torment (15) comparison (402) inner fire (12) duality (134)

आं ज्ञातं नृपते त्वमेव निखिलां नित्यं बिभर्षि क्षितिं
शैलेन्द्राः स्वयमेव दुर्भरभरास्तैः प्रत्युताधो व्रजेत्।
अस्याश्चोद्धरणे क्षमोऽपि न परस्त्वत्तो वराहादिकः
पश्वादेर्भरणक्रियानिपुणता नैव प्रभागोचरः॥

O King! You alone bear the entire earth. Even mighty mountains would collapse under such weight—others cannot compare.

king (200) praise (189) burden (40) greatness (146) comparison (402) flattery (35) sovereignty (9) mythological metaphor (1)