All work and no play...

We have covered quite a few heavy topics over the last few blogs! If you are still reading this one, a very big THANK YOU! I am humbled by your continued interest in understanding our traditions, customs, and culture.

But are you wondering – does our Sanskrit Literature have all the profound, deep and enigmatic stuff only?

Well, a well-known सुभाषितम् (Subhashitam) goes as such –

काव्य शास्त्र विनोदेन कालो गच्छति धीमताम् । व्यसनेन च मूर्खाणां निद्रया कलहेन वा ।।

It means -

The wise spend their leisure time in literature, science, and humour.

While fools spend their spare time in addictions, sleep, or arguments!!

Our ancestors did look forward to times of leisure and frolic. They suggested it be spent gainfully by engaging in the arts or gaining more knowledge in areas of one’s interest or also in some activities that humour us.

The Sanskrit Literature is vast and encompasses all aspects, including wit and humour. One typical type of witty Subhashitam/Shloka is where on primary reading it presents a fallacy or contradiction. It usually has a word play that you try to solve. The aim is to arrive at the actual meaning that makes sense.

My grandfather had told me a सुभाषितम् (Subhashitam) when I was in school I loved so much that I still remember it.

केशवं पतितं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवा: हर्षनिर्भरा:। रोदन्ति कौरवा: सर्वे हा हा केशव केशव॥

Keshava is another name for Bhagwan Krishna. So, on primary reading, the Subhashitam reads as such –

On seeing that Keshav (Krishna) had fallen, the Pandavas became very happy.

All the Kauravas wept “Oh, Keshav! Oh, Keshav!”

Based on our understanding of the Mahabharata, this seems to be weird, doesn’t it? When Lord Krishna fell, the Heroes Pandavas were happy and joyous!??!!?! While the villainous Kauravas (Duryodhana, et al) are weeping for Krishna!??!?!

How is it possible? Can you solve this contradiction???

...... think, think!

Well, here the word केशवं is actually to be read as two different words के (in the water) and शवं (a dead body/corpse). पाण्डवा: also means Fish and कौरवा: also means Crows.

So, now the meaning of the shloka is

On seeing a dead body fallen in the water, the fish were joyous (as they got food to eat!!) while the poor Crows were sad as their food was floating away and hence rued Oh! Dead Body in the Water!! Oh! Dead Body in the Water!!

For children growing up in Samskrit households, learning the language is not always just understanding the complex Vedas, Upanishads or Kavya Kathas but also falling in love with the language by solving such प्रहेलिका (Prahelikaas) and समस्या (Samasyaas).

Hope you all enjoyed this small humour break!

We will continue our journey on unfolding yet another custom, or tradition through some shloka or subhashitam on next Sunday!