All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

कर्षणान्वेषणे यातुः क्षुतं जलदवृष्टये।
हेमादिभूषणे नव्ये विधृते भूषणाप्तये॥

The desire for grain drives tilling; hunger drives effort. Even ornamentation is pursued to gain beauty or pleasure.

effort (289) hunger (39) motivation (38) desire (898) aesthetics (180) action (258) karma (500) symbolism (947) basic needs (3) purpose (66)

कर्षति वपति लुनीते दीव्यति सीव्यति पुनाति वयते च।
विदधाति किं न कृत्यं जठरानलशान्तये तनुमान्॥

Man toils endlessly—sowing, weaving, building—all for the sake of quelling the fire of hunger in the belly.

hunger (39) labor (10) survival (91) metaphor (1632) struggle (49) action (258) body (170) human effort (2) sustenance (24) karma (500)

कर्षद्भिः सिचयाञ्चलानतिरसात् कुर्वद्भिरालिङ्गनं
गृह्णानैः कचमालिखद्भिरधरं विद्रावयद्भिः कुचौ।
प्रत्यक्षेऽपि कलिङ्गमण्डलपतेरन्तःपुराणामहो धिक्कष्टं
विटपैर्विटैरिव वने किं नाम नाचेष्टितम्॥

In the harem of the Kalinga king, shameful acts are performed by noble women, like creepers twisted by vile trees—such is downfall.

seduction (89) corruption (65) downfall (265) nobility (253) irony (348) royalty (92) moral decay (16) metaphor (1632) exploitation (24) passion (501)

कलं कमुक्तं तनुमध्यनामिका
स्तनद्वयी च त्वदृते न हन्त्यतः।
न याति भूतं गणने भवन्मुखे
कलङ्कमुक्तं तनुमध्यनामिका॥

Everything from her slender waist to lips is meaningless without your name adorning her face—it alone makes her flawless.

beauty (1797) love (1567) metaphor (1632) praise (189) devotion (933) identity (65) poetry (588) desire (898) perfection (22) romanticism (13)

कलकण्ठ गणास्वाद्ये कामस्यास्त्रे निजाङ्कुरे।
निम्बवृत्तिभिरुद्गदीर्णे न चूतः परितप्यते॥

Even a mango, surrounded by bitter leaves, becomes distasteful. Likewise, the sweetness of love is ruined by surrounding bitterness.

love (1567) bitterness (22) metaphor (1632) desire (898) comparison (402) irony (348) flavor (2) emotional pain (21) attraction (147) poison (101)

कलकलमपरा मुधा विधाय क्षितितिलकान् नयनान्तमाससाद।
अवतरति मृगीदृशां तृतीयं मनसिजचक्षुरुपायदर्शनेषु॥

With false pomp, other women try to claim attention, but the real object of beauty descends—capturing all with silent grace.

beauty (1797) grace (359) envy (48) charm (252) rivalry (27) attraction (147) metaphor (1632) femininity (225) poetry (588) presence (37)

कलकोकिलनादविवादबलद्-
भ्रमरावलिलोलरसालद्रुम-।
क्रममालतिकादिकदम्बलसत्-
कुसुमागममोदमनोजशरैः॥

The sweet battle of bees, cuckoo, flowers, and spring winds wage a war of delight in the garden—love stirs with each fragrance.

spring (134) bees (131) cuckoo (46) sound (90) fragrance (199) joy (342) poetry (588) nature (950) love (1567) sensuality (306)

परिपीडितया विधुसान्द्रकला-
कमलाकरचम्पकसंगदधत्-।
पवनैरनुचिन्तितया प्रिय सा सखि
सम्प्रति किं क्रियतेऽबलया॥

As moonlight and champaka flowers torment her, the breeze whispers her love’s name—what remedy is there, friend, for her pain?

longing (690) moonlight (152) breeze (68) love (1567) pain (225) nature (950) suffering (358) companionship (52) emotion (652) feminine grief (3)

कलक्वणितगर्भेण कण्ठेनाघूर्णितेक्षणः।
पारावतः परिभ्रम्य रिरंसुश्चुम्बति प्रियाम्॥

With a gurgling coo and swirling eyes, the pigeon flies in desire and tries to kiss his beloved.

love (1567) bird metaphor (6) desire (898) affection (216) movement (82) beauty (1797) courtship (10) symbolism (947) grace (359) poetry (588)

कलक्वाणे वीणे विरम रणितात् कोकिल सखे
सखेदो माभूस्त्वं द्रुहिणविहितस्ते परिभवः।
सुधे मुञ्च स्पर्धामधरमधुसंसर्गसरसाः स्फुटन्त्येता
वाचः किमपि कमनीया मृगदृशः॥

O cuckoo, stop your song—don’t envy Saraswati’s lute or her poetic melodies, for even bees echo her lips' sweet music.

envy (48) melody (25) cuckoo (46) lute (2) lips (92) music (96) saraswati (29) poetry (588) voice (36) romantic imagery (28)