All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

कथमसौ न भजत्यशरीरतां हतविवेकपदो हतमन्मथः।
प्रहरतः कदलीदलकोमले भवति यस्य दया न वधूजने॥

How does he not realize his fall, who strikes soft, banana-petal-like women with cruelty and no compassion? Is he not already dead in spirit?

cruelty (55) compassion (359) women (268) sensitivity (27) ignorance (301) abuse (8) softness (24) moral fall (5) insensitivity (3) behavior (249)

कथमसौ मदनो न नमस्यतां स्थितविवेकपदो मकरध्वजः।
मृगदृशं कदलीललितं वपुर् यदभि
हन्ति शरैः कुसुमोद्भवैः॥

Why is Kama, the god of love, not worshipped, despite his ethereal power—he who wounds with flower-arrows the tender hearts of beautiful women?

love (1567) desire (898) kama (47) beauty (1797) pain (225) worship (89) paradox (167) power (396) attraction (147) symbolism (947)

कथमियति वनान्ते कश्चिदेको न तादृग्
वरवनतरुरुच्चैः पुष्पवल्लीफलाढ्यः।
जगदसुखविधातुर्दग्धधातुर्नियोगा-
द्धवखदिरपलाशाः केवलं वृद्धिभाजः॥

Why in such vast forests is there not a single excellent tree, while dry and thorny bushes flourish? Because fate makes the worst thrive, and the best...

fate (402) growth (95) forest (145) disappointment (42) survival (91) irony (348) nature (950) neglect (55) destiny (289) flourishing (1)

कथमिव तव संमतिर्भवित्री
सममृतुभिर्मुनिनावधीरितस्य।
इति विरचितमल्लिकाविकासः स्मयत
इव स्म मधुं निदाघकालः॥

How did your heart, O Summer, cause jasmine to bloom when sages mock you? It seems you smirk back at Spring by making flowers bloom even in heat.

summer (22) defiance (7) irony (348) nature (950) blooming (10) rivalry (27) poetry (588) jasmine (23) emotion (652) humor (128)

कथमिह मनुष्यजन्मा संप्रविशति सदसि विबुधगमितायाम्।
येन न सुभाषितामृतम् आह्लादि निपीतमा तृप्तेः॥

How can a human, blessed with speech, sit in a divine assembly without tasting the nectar of wise sayings? Life is wasted without the joy of good poet...

speech (345) poetry (588) wisdom (1611) human birth (3) assembly (14) nectar (110) delight (52) fulfillment (89) culture (39) expression (146)

कथमुत्पद्यते धर्मः कथं धर्मः प्रवर्धते।
कथं च स्थाप्यते धर्मः कथं धर्मो विनश्यति॥

How is dharma born, how does it grow, how is it upheld, and how does it perish? This sets up a deep inquiry into the lifecycle of righteousness.

dharma (540) birth (57) growth (95) support (114) decay (115) ethics (803) life (126) philosophy (290) righteousness (134) inquiry (13)

सत्येनोत्पद्यते धर्मो दयादानैर्विवर्धते।
क्षमया स्थाप्यते धर्मः क्रोधलोभैर्विनश्यति॥

Dharma is born from truth, grows through compassion and charity, upheld by forgiveness, and destroyed by anger and greed. A definitive summary of the ...

truth (300) compassion (359) charity (128) forgiveness (114) anger (185) greed (141) dharma (540) ethics (803) growth (95) destruction (292)

कथमुपरि कलापिनः कलापो
विलसति तस्य तलेऽष्टमीन्दुखण्डम्।
कुवलययुगलं ततो विलोलं तिलकुसुमं
तदधः प्रवालमस्मात्॥

How does a peacock display such beauty—on its head a crescent moon, swaying blue eyes, a tilaka-like flower, and below, tender red coral? A celebratio...

peacock (45) beauty (1797) moon (394) eyes (211) tilaka (6) coral (8) color (16) grace (359) elegance (171) nature (950)

कथमेतत् कुचद्वन्द्वं पतितं तव सुन्दरि।
पश्याधः खनने मूढ पतन्ति गिरयोऽपि च॥

How did your twin breasts fall so suddenly, O beautiful one? Even great mountains fall when the ground is loosened. A playful poetic simile of natural...

breasts (50) beauty (1797) mountains (32) simile (28) femininity (225) sensuality (306) fall (63) love (1567) nature (950) poetic (84)

कथय कथमिवाशा जायतां जीविते मे
मलयभुजगवान्ता वान्ति वाताः कृतान्ताः।
अयमपि खलु गुञ्जन् मञ्जु माकन्दमौलौ
चुलुकयति मदीयां चेतनां चञ्चरीकः॥

How shall I hope to live when fatal winds blow like poison and even bees on mango blossoms stir my heart into madness? A verse filled with existential...

despair (67) spring (134) death (241) bee (69) mango (22) love (1567) madness (32) wind (88) fate (402) hopelessness (6)