All Shlokas

कः कालः कानि मित्राणि को देशः कौ व्ययागमौ।
कश्चाहं का च मे शक्तिर् इति चिन्त्यं मुहुर्मुहुः॥

What is time, who are friends, what is wealth, who am I—these must be reflected upon repeatedly. The verse stresses constant philosophical inquiry as ...

reflection (267) time (242) identity (65) wisdom (1611) wealth (447) philosophy (290) friends (23) self-inquiry (6) introspection (83) mindfulness (31)

कः कुर्याद् भुवनं सर्वं कः समुन्मूलयेद् द्रुमान्।
किं प्रतीके भवेन् मुख्यं कः परत्रैति पुण्यताम्॥

Who rules the world? What uproots all trees? What is supreme in symbols? Who attains merit after death? This poetic questioning explores cosmology, et...

questions (8) cosmology (8) merit (120) symbolism (947) ethics (803) poetry (588) philosophy (290) symbols (9) afterlife (35) nature (950)

कः कोपः कः प्रणयो नटविटहतमस्तकासु वेश्यासु।
रजकशिलातलसदृशं यासां जघनं च वदनं च॥

What is anger, what is affection, in women whose lips and hips are like rocks? The verse critiques passion and beauty, hinting at disillusionment and ...

sensuality (306) critique (50) women (268) passion (501) anger (185) beauty (1797) disillusionment (23) body (170) metaphor (1632) warning (153)

कः कौ के कं कौ कान् हसति
च हसतो हसन्ति हरिणाक्ष्या।
अधरः पल्लवमङ्घ्री हंसौ कुन्दस्य कोरकान् दन्ताः॥

A playfully romantic tongue-twister using alliterations of “ka,” describing the heroine’s lips, eyes, feet, and teeth as blossoms, birds, and buds.

romance (506) wordplay (33) beauty (1797) poetic fancy (3) lips (92) teeth (8) eyes (211) feet (34) metaphor (1632) sanskrit wit (3)

कः खे गच्छति का रम्या का जप्या किं विभूषणम्।
को वन्द्यः कीदृशी लङ्का वीरमर्कटकम्पिता॥

Who roams the sky? What is beautiful? What deserves chanting? Who shakes Lanka like a brave monkey? A string of riddles answered in mythology, pointin...

riddles (8) hanuman (22) lanka (10) sky (64) beauty (1797) chanting (14) bravery (52) mythology (86) poetic question (5) wisdom (1611)

कः खे चरति कः शब्दं चोरं दृष्ट्वा करोति च।
कैरवाणामरिः को वा कोपानामालयश्च कः॥

Who roams the sky, who makes sound, who is the thief, what is anger’s root? Another riddle poem using questions to hint at deep symbolic meanings.

riddles (8) symbolism (947) thief (5) anger (185) sound (90) sky (64) poetic device (8) questioning (27) metaphor (1632) emotional inquiry (1)

कः खे भाति, हतो निशाचरपतिः केनाम्बुधौ मज्जति
कः, कीदृक् तरुणीविलासगमनं, को नाम राज्ञां प्रियः।
पत्रं किं नृपतेः, किमप्सु ललितं, को रामरामाहरो
मत्प्रश्नोत्तरमध्यमाक्षरपदं यत् तत् तवाशीर्वचः॥

A poetic riddle asking who shines in the sky, who killed the demon king, and who pleases kings—each middle syllable hides the answer, linking blessing...

blessings (71) riddle (24) poetic form (4) symbolism (947) demon king (1) kingship (164) sun (195) wit (31) middle-letter puzzle (2) question-verse (2)