सुलभा: पुरूषा: राजन् सततं प्रियवादिन: |
अप्रियस्य च सत्यस्य वक्ता श्रोता च दुर्लभ: ||
Meaning : This ‘shlok’ is from the conversation between Mahamantri Vidur and Dhritarashtra in Mahabharat. Vidur says,) Your Majesty, always good speaking people can be easily found. (But) a person speaking bitter (truth) and one who listens to him are both difficult to find.
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हंस: श्वेतो बक: श्वेतो को भेदो बकहंसयो: |
नीरक्षीरविवेके तु हंस: हंसो बको बक: ||
Meaning : It is said that, if one dilutes milk with water, and gives it to swan, swan is able to extract milk and drink it. Swan is white, crane is (also) white. (then) what is the difference between crane and swan? when it comes to extracting milk from a mixture, swan is swan and crane is crane. i.e. crane does not have this ability. This subhashit is trying to explain that the external appearance does not make a person great but his qualities. It also explains that wise people precisely know what is useful and what is not.
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उदये सविता रक्तो रक्त:श्चास्तमये तथा |
सम्पत्तौ च विपत्तौ च महतामेकरूपता || – महाभारत
Meaning : The sun looks alike while rising and setting. Great men too remain alike in both the good and bad times.
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उद्यमेन हि सिध्यन्ति कार्यणि न मनोरथै: |
न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मॄगा: ||
Meaning : Any work will not get accomplished just merely by desiring for it’s completion. A ‘prey’ by itself doesn’t enter in to the sleeping lion’s mouth!!! By giving an example of a lion the subhashitkAra here wants to emphasize that the desire and capabilities should be added by the efforts and hard work to achieve the goal! Even if the lion has the capabilities to catch it’s prey, the prey will not automatically fall in it’s mouth!!
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ज्येष्ठत्वं जन्मना नैव गुणैज्र्येष्ठत्वमुच्यते |
गुणात् गुरुत्वमायाति दुग्धं दधि घॄतं क्रमात् ||
Meaning : Greatness is not by birth, greatness is decided by qualities (of a person). As it increases from milk to curd to ghee.
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