All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

कदलीवनमध्यस्थो वह्निर्मन्दपराक्रमः।
अविवेकिजनस्थाने गुणवान् किं करिष्यति॥

A flame in a banana grove burns weakly. Virtue among fools has no power—wisdom must have space to flourish.

virtue (726) ignorance (301) metaphor (1632) fire (219) wisdom (1611) weakness (61) surroundings (1) foolishness (88) potential (22) constraint (1)

कदलीसारनिःसारे मृगतृष्णेव चञ्चले।
स्थावरे जंगमे सर्वे भूतग्रामे चतुर्विधे॥

All beings—immovable and moving—are ultimately transient and rootless like the hollow banana stem or a mirage.

impermanence (242) illusion (355) comparison (402) banana (4) mirage (11) transience (62) life (126) philosophy (290) change (49) observation (90)

कदा कान्तागारे परिमलमिलत्पुष्पशयने
शयानः कान्तायाः कुचयुगमहं वक्षसि वहन्।
अये कान्ते मुग्धे कुटिलनयने चन्द्रवदने प्रसीदेत्याति
क्रोशन् निमिषमिव नेष्यामि दिवसान्॥

“When will I spend my days crying out to my beloved—O beautiful one, grant me your grace?” A romantic longing for union and intimacy.

love (1567) longing (690) union (125) desire (898) emotion (652) romance (506) intimacy (234) poetic cry (1) surrender (223) time (242)

कदा कार्योद्योगं सकलमपि संन्यस्य
सहसा स्मरन् नित्यं शान्तं हृदयवचनागोचरमहः।
विभो मायातीत प्रथम परमानन्दनिबिड प्रसीदेत्याक्रोशन्
निमिषमिव नेष्यामि दिवसान्॥

“When will I abandon all work, remembering the supreme bliss beyond speech and thought, crying out to you, O Lord?” A devotee’s yearning for renunciat...

devotion (933) renunciation (267) longing (690) divine (346) bliss (77) work (9) surrender (223) remembrance (24) transcendence (83) bhakti (70)

कदा गण्डादञ्चन्मदलुलितसिन्दूरसुभगं
नमस्कुर्वन् पद्मामलमधुरमूर्तिं गणपतिम्।
गजास्य श्रीशम्भोःसुत सुमुख लम्बोदर विभो
प्रसीदेत्याक्रोशन् निमिषमिव नेष्यामि दिवसान्॥

“When will I bow before Ganesha, whose face glows with vermilion, crying with devotion as if days are moments?” A devotee's intense yearning.

ganesha (27) devotion (933) vermilion (6) bowing (8) longing (690) faith (68) surrender (223) emotion (652) divine (346) prayer (89)

कदाचन महाकार्ये लघुरेवोपयुज्यते।
किं दूरीकृत्य दीर्घादि दूर्वां क्षेमाय नादृतः॥

Sometimes even small things are useful—why neglect the humble grass while seeking big rituals? Simplicity matters.

humility (596) value (170) grass (8) utility (42) small things (2) wisdom (1611) contrast (206) ritual (164) metaphor (1632) insight (55)

कदाचित् कवचं भेद्यं नाराचेन शरेण वा।
अपि वर्षशताघाते ब्राह्मणाशीर्न भिद्यते॥

Armor may be pierced, but not a Brahmin’s blessing—not even in a hundred years. A powerful tribute to spiritual force.

blessings (71) strength (359) spirituality (106) power (396) armor (4) faith (68) brahmin (50) durability (3) contrast (206) weapon (20)

कदाचित् कष्टेन द्रविणमधमाराधनवशान्
मया लब्धं स्तोकं निहितमवनौ तस्करभयात्।
ततो नित्ये कश्चित् क्वचिदपि तदाखुर्बिलगृहे-
ऽनयल्लब्धोऽप्यर्थोन भवति यदा कर्म विषमम्॥

Wealth earned through struggle is sometimes lost to trivial causes—like mice in a hole. When fate opposes, even the secure becomes uncertain.

loss (191) wealth (447) fate (402) struggle (49) irony (348) hidden danger (4) karma (500) frustration (39) misfortune (65) unpredictability (46)

कदाचित् कालिन्दीतटविपिनसङ्गीतकरवो
मुदाभीरीनारीवदनकमलास्वादमधुपः।
रमाशम्भुब्रह्मामरपतिगणेशर्चितपदो जगन्नाथः
स्वामी नयनपथगामी भवतु मे॥

“May Lord Jagannatha, worshipped by gods, become visible on my path one day—as he delights in the smiles of Gopis by Yamuna’s forest!”

jagannatha (1) devotion (933) forest (145) yamuna (33) divine (346) darshan (5) longing (690) gods (66) beauty (1797) prayer (89)

कदाचित् पाञ्चाली विपिनभुवि भीमेन बहुशः
कृशाङ्गि श्रान्तासि क्षणमिह निषीदेति गदिता।
शनैः शीतच्छायं तटविटपिनं प्राप्य मुदिता पुरः
पत्युः कामाच्छ्वशुरमियमालिङ्गति सती॥

One day, Draupadi, tired in the forest, sits in Bhima’s lap. With innocent love, she embraces him, confusing him with her father-in-law.

draupadi (6) bhima (7) forest (145) affection (216) tiredness (2) confusion (52) purity (356) emotion (652) intimacy (234) playfulness (86)