All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

कस्तावद् बलिकर्णभार्गवमहादानप्रमाणस्तवः
कश्चासौ कुरुपाण्डपाण्डुरयशः प्रस्तावनाविस्तरः।
यावद् वर्षति वीरसिंहतनयो वृष्टीरिमाः काञ्चनीर् धाराः
प्रावृषि तावदञ्जनरुचिर्धारा न धाराधरः॥

Until the golden rain from King Veerasiṃha falls, no dark cloud pouring water can compare—his deeds outshine even gods and heroes.

heroism (93) comparison (402) golden rain (1) poetic exaggeration (31) king veerasiṃha (1) valor (156) divine praise (6) symbolism (947) generosity (169) poetic hyperbole (3)

कस्तूरिकां तृणभुजामटवीमृगाणां
निक्षिप्य नाभिषु चकार च तान् वधार्हान्।
मूढो विधिः सकलदुर्जनलोलजिह्वा-
मूले स्म निक्षिपति चेत् सकलोपकारः॥

A foolish fate placed musk in wild animals and mercy in vile tongues—wisdom misused and virtue lost.

destiny (289) folly (51) misplacement (2) musk (21) evil (40) kindness (75) poetic irony (23) fate (402) symbolism (947) moral failure (8)

कस्तूरिकां हरिण मुञ्च वनोपकण्ठं
मा सौरभेण ककुभः सुरभीकुरुष्व।
आस्तां यशो ननु किरातशराभिघातात् त्रातापि
हन्त भविता भवतो दुरापः॥

O deer, don’t flaunt your fragrance. Hunters will strike you. Sometimes, protecting oneself is wiser than being glorious.

humility (596) musk (21) danger (229) pride (317) protection (293) self-restraint (24) metaphor (1632) animal symbolism (4) survival (91) irony (348)

कस्तूरिकाचन्दनकुङ्कुमानि
सौभाग्यचिह्नानि विलासिनीनाम्।
प्रयागमृत्स्नातिलकक्रियैव
सौभाग्यचिह्नं विधवाललाटे॥

Ornaments like musk, sandal, and vermillion are beauty signs for women—but widows bear only the clay marks of Prayāga as fate’s irony.

beauty (1797) widowhood (7) irony (348) destiny (289) ornaments (49) suffering (358) symbolism (947) gender (19) poetic contrast (26) misfortune (65)

कस्तूरिकातिलकमालि विधाय सायं
स्मेरानना सपदि शीलय सौधमौलिम्।
प्रौढिं भजन्तु कुमुदानि मुदामुदाराम्
उल्लासयन्तु परितो हरितो मुखानि॥

O beloved, apply your musk mark at twilight; let joy rise like blossoming lotuses and cheerful faces in the moonlit mansion.

romance (506) beauty (1797) twilight (40) musk (21) ornament (58) poetic joy (2) lotus (346) evening (14) love (1567) celebration (51)

कस्तूरिकादिक्रयविक्रयाङ्गां
यदृच्छया यद्विपणिं गतानाम्।
सौरभ्यमङ्गेषु समग्रलग्नम् न हीयते पञ्चषमप्यहानि॥

Even after being sold in markets, musk’s scent lingers on the skin for days—virtue, too, lasts beyond material transaction.

virtue (726) fragrance (199) persistence (21) sale (1) value (170) poetic metaphor (101) resilience (105) nature (950) body (170) market (1)

कस्तूरिकामृगाणाम् अण्डाद् गन्धगुणमखिलमादाय।
यदि पुनरहं विधिः स्यां खलजिह्वायां निवेशयिष्यामि॥

If I were fate, I’d not place fragrance in deer or virtue in wicked tongues—every good deserves a worthy vessel.

misplaced virtue (2) poetic justice (27) fate (402) irony (348) deer (48) musk (21) speech (345) moral decay (16) foolish destiny (1) lament (41)

कस्तूरी जायते कस्मात् को हन्ति करिणां शतम्।
किं कुर्यात् कातरो युद्धे मृगात् सिंहः पलायनम्॥

Why is musk born from deer? Why do hundreds of elephants fall to one? Why should a lion fear battle? Reflections on courage and destiny.

destiny (289) courage (146) strength (359) symbolism (947) battle (121) heroism (93) deer (48) elephant (117) lion (58) nature’s paradox (1)

कस्तूरीति, किमङ्ग, सांपरिमलद्रव्यं किमप्यामरं
पेया किं, न हि, कीदृशी, मृगदृशां शृङ्गारलीलास्पदम्।
धार्या कुत्र, कुचस्थलीषु, कुचयोः स्थौल्यं ततो हीयते
क्लिष्टः क्लिश्यति पक्वणैश्च बहुशः कस्तूरिकाविक्रयी॥

What is musk? Where is it used? How does it affect desire? On whose bosom does it belong? What happens if misused? A playful riddle of love.

musk (21) beauty (1797) eroticism (60) riddle (24) bosom (17) desire (898) perfume (17) women (268) seduction (89) poetic play (5)

कस्तूरीतिलकं तस्या जनयति शोभां भ्रुवोरन्तः।
कोदण्डमध्यलग्नं फलमिव पञ्चेषुबाणस्य॥

Her musk tilak between the brows glows like Cupid’s arrowhead—a mark of allure and romantic power on her forehead.

beauty (1797) musk (21) forehead (9) charm (252) romance (506) cupid (106) eyebrows (10) erotic symbol (1) tilak (2) poetic allure (3)