All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

आशाखनिरगाधेयं दुष्पूरा केन पूर्यते।
या महद्भिरपि क्षिप्तैः पूरकैरेव खन्यते॥

Hope is a bottomless mine—it cannot be filled. No matter how much is poured into it, the craving only deepens, reflecting the endlessness of human des...

desire (898) endlessness (4) craving (38) mine (1) futility (143) longing (690) insatiable (2) greed (141) metaphor (1632) depth (43)

आशाखनिरगाधेयम् अधःकृतजगत्त्रया।
उद्धृत्योद्धृत्य तत्रस्थान् अहो सद्भिः समीकृता॥

Hope, the bottomless pit, is dug deeper and deeper by good people themselves, seeking meaning—yet it subjugates the world below its illusions.

illusion (355) pit (2) hope (116) noble souls (5) futility (143) delusion (175) craving (38) struggle (49) attachment (102) bondage (64)

आशागर्तः प्रतिप्राणि यस्मिन् विश्वमणूपमम्।
कस्य किं कियदायाति वृथा या विषयैषिता॥

Every being is swallowed by the pit of desire. What is gained is minimal—why endlessly chase what is inherently fleeting?

futility (143) desire (898) loss (191) attachment (102) craving (38) insignificance (7) endlessness (4) impermanence (242) illusion (355) pursuit (20)

आशागृहीता विकला भवन्ति हतत्रपा न्यस्तगुणाभिमानाः।
भ्राम्यन्ति मत्ता इव नष्टसंज्ञा देहीतिवाचस् तरलस्वभावाः॥

Those bound by hope lose shame, let go of virtues, and roam like intoxicated minds—unstable and directionless.

delusion (175) hope (116) intoxication (44) loss of values (1) madness (32) instability (44) desperation (15) degradation (19) sorrow (325) illusion (355)

आशातुरगमारुह्य नित्यं धावति याचकः।
न चार्तिः न श्रमो ह्यस्य न गतौ नापि मन्दता॥

The beggar rides the horse of hope tirelessly. He feels no fatigue, nor pain, nor delay—driven endlessly by expectation.

begging (18) hope (116) metaphor (1632) desire (898) compulsion (4) restlessness (43) drive (5) exhaustionless (1) yearning (59) pursuit (20)

आशा धृतिं हन्ति समृद्धिमन्तकः
क्रोधः श्रियं हन्ति यशः कदर्यता।
अपालनं हन्ति पशूंश्च राजन्न् एकः
क्रुद्धो ब्राह्मणो हन्ति राष्ट्रम्॥

Desire destroys patience, wealth, and even nations. Anger destroys fame, and miserliness tarnishes generosity. A single angry Brahmin can ruin kingdom...

desire (898) anger (185) downfall (265) destruction (292) kingship (164) brahmin (50) impatience (3) fame (166) karma (500) caution (269)

आशा नाम नदी मनोरथजला तृष्णातरङ्गाकुला
रागग्राहवती वितर्कविहगा धैर्यद्रुमध्वंसिनी।
मोहावर्तसुदुस्तरातिगहना प्रोत्तुङ्गचिन्तातटी
तस्याः पारगता विशुद्धमनसो नन्दन्तु योगीश्वराः॥

Hope is like a river of fantasy—its water is craving, waves are yearning, birds are doubts, and shores collapse under fear. Only the wise yogis cross ...

river (88) desire (898) fantasy (6) illusion (355) craving (38) yearning (59) wisdom (1611) yogi (13) detachment (573) turmoil (8)

आशा नाम मनुष्याणां काश्चिदाश्चर्यशृङ्खला।
यया बद्धाःप्रधावन्ति मुक्तास् तिष्ठन्ति कुत्रचित्॥

Hope is a strange chain: those bound by it run endlessly, while the free remain still. It controls people more than visible chains.

hope (116) bondage (64) freedom (56) delusion (175) movement (82) stillness (19) human condition (13) strange truth (1) metaphor (1632) irony (348)

आशा निष्ठा प्रतिष्ठा मम किल महिलास्तासु सौख्यं कदा स्याद्
या प्रान्त्या सा विदध्यादिह किमपि तथा मध्यमा सा परत्र।
आद्या सा नोभयत्राप्यहह तदपि किं सक्ततां यामि तस्यां
या प्रौढ्यादप्रगल्भे प्रतिदिवसमुभे ते कदर्थीकरोति॥

The poet reflects on three kinds of women—those who reject, those who delay, and those who exploit. Yet, the speaker remains attached despite repeated...

romance (506) women (268) insult (44) love types (1) attachment (102) rejection (86) hope (116) pain (225) relationship (80) ego (153)

आशापाशनिबद्धो नृत्यति किं वा नरो न धनिकपुरः।
हतशैलूषस्य विधेः कुत्र विधेयः सुखमुपैति॥

Man, tied by the chains of hope, dances before the wealthy. Just like a ruined entertainer, he has no true freedom—his joy is dictated by fate.

slavery (6) hope (116) wealth (447) dependence (24) fate (402) bondage (64) humiliation (8) dancing (2) metaphor (1632) despair (67)