All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

कलितो रुचिरं न कर्म चेत्
क्रियतेऽनङ्गकृतेः कुतः फलम्।
स्मरतो हृदि पुण्डरीकदृग् भजतेऽसौ सफलस् ततः श्रमः॥

If a pleasing deed is not performed for love’s sake, what use is effort? Love grants success to the heart’s longing.

love (1567) effort (289) beauty (1797) success (142) devotion (933) desire (898) karma (500) fulfillment (89) heart (148) longing (690)

कलिन्दगिरिनन्दिनीतटवनान्तरं भासयन्
सदा पथि गतागतश्रमभरं हरन् प्राणिनाम्।
लतावलिशतावृतो मधुरया रुचा संभृतो ममाशु
हरतु श्रमानतितमां तमालद्रुमः॥

The tamāla tree on Kalinda’s banks refreshes the tired travelers, radiating cooling beauty among blossoming vines.

kalindi (14) tree (45) rest (25) beauty (1797) nature (950) serenity (54) tamāla (2) vines (12) refreshment (5) journey (57)

कलिन्दजानीरभरेऽर्धमग्ना
बकाः प्रकामं कृतभूरिशब्दाः।
ध्वान्तेन वैराद् विनिगीर्यंमाणाः
क्रोशन्ति मन्ये शशिनः किशोराः॥

Half-submerged herons cry loudly amid dark waves, as if echoing the grief of the moon’s lost son.

river (88) grief (129) herons (2) darkness (138) moon (394) symbolism (947) sorrow (325) night (145) nature (950) emotion (652)

कलिभूपे समायाते धर्मोऽधर्मायते भुवि।
अधर्मः सर्वंतः पुंसां हन्त धर्मवदर्थ्यते॥

When the king of Kali reigns, righteousness turns into unrighteousness, and the wrong is falsely glorified.

kali yuga (29) dharma (540) adharma (3) deception (224) moral decline (9) corruption (65) righteousness (134) ethics (803) confusion (52) illusion (355)

कलिमायान्तमुत्प्रेक्ष्य विलीयन्ते सुरा अपि।
तदाश्रितस्य धर्मादेः का कथा जीवने पुनः॥

Even the gods fade when Kali Yuga’s shadow falls—what then of mortal beings’ commitment to virtue?

kali yuga (29) decline (52) divinity (206) mortality (89) dharma (540) illusion (355) spiritual fall (6) detachment (573) fear (252) gods (66)

कलिलं चैकरात्रेण पञ्चरात्रेण बुद्बुदम्।
पक्षैकेनाण्डकः सोऽथ मासपूर्णे शिरो कुरु॥

Just as a bubble forms overnight, and an egg in five nights, similarly the human head (brain/mind) develops in a month—implying gradual development an...

evolution (12) creation (117) development (6) stages (6) time (242) growth (95) metaphor (1632) biology (3) symbolism (947) natural law (8)

कलिसाम्राज्यमासाद्य न भेतव्यं भवान्तरात्।
धर्मानुष्ठानमूढावां भीतिरेकावशिष्यते॥

Even amidst the reign of Kali (the age of darkness), one need not fear transformation. Only those ignorant of dharma practices are gripped by fear.

kali yuga (29) dharma (540) fear (252) ignorance (301) transformation (252) spiritual practice (19) confidence (11) faith (68) time cycle (3) devotion (933)

कलुषं कटुकं लवणं विरसं
सलिलं यदि वाशुभगन्धि भवेत्।
तदनेन भवत्यमलं सुरसं ससुगन्धि गुणैरपरैश्च युतम्॥

Even impure, salty, or foul-smelling water can become sweet and fragrant when mixed with the right elements—an allegory to how company or effort can p...

transformation (252) purification (85) metaphor (1632) improvement (3) company (17) effort (289) positivity (5) symbolism (947) analogy (98) change (49)

कलुषं च तवाहितेष्वकस्मात्
सितपङ्केरुहसोदरश्रि चक्षुः।
पतितं च महीपतीन्द्र तेषां वपुषि
प्रस्फुटमापदां कटाक्षैः॥

The king’s pure, lotus-like glance unexpectedly falls upon unworthy ones, indicating how grace or favor can mistakenly empower the undeserving.

kingship (164) glance (185) favor (20) error (14) undeserving (3) grace (359) judgment (94) perception (181) politics (111) power (396)

कलुषं मधुरं चाम्भः सर्वं सर्वत्र सांप्रतम्।
अनार्जवजनस्येव कृतकव्याहृतं वचः॥

Even water that is impure is considered sweet nowadays—like false words of the deceitful being accepted as truth.

hypocrisy (141) falseness (3) society (152) water metaphor (6) deception (224) modernity (3) purity (356) speech (345) falsehood (50) symbolism (947)