The gods (who alone have been the recipients of ambrosia) live in heaven whereas we live on earth. Who, therefore can we ask: “Which is more exquisite - the taste of kAvyAs (literature) or the taste of nectar?”
(Transliteration: kAn prchCHAmaha surAha svargE nivasAmO vayam bhuvi / kim vA kAvyarasaha svAdhuhu kim vA svAdhIyasI suDHA)
(Transliteration: guNESHu kriyathAm yathnaha kimAtOpaha prayOjanam / vikrIyanthE na ghaNtAbhir gAvaha kshIravivarjithAha)
Knowledge that is contained only in books and your wealth that is in the hands of others cannot be called true knowledge or real wealth as they are not available when you need them.
(Transliteration: pusthakasTHA thu yA vidhyA parahasthagatham DHanam / kAryakAlEsamuthpannE na sA vidhyA na thadh Dhanam)
(Vasanthi, the deity of DandakAranya forest tells about Rama to AthrEyi, a female ascetic in BhavabhUthI’s play, Uththara RAma charitham): The minds of great men (like RAma) are harder than diamond, yet softer than flowers. Who, indeed, can claim to have understood their thinking?
(Transliteration: vajrAdhapi kaTOrANi mrdhUni kusumAdhapi / lOkOththarANAm chEthAmsi kO hi vignyAthum arhathi)
A single tree with fragrant flowers makes the entire forest fragrant; so too does a single good offspring bring glory to her/ his family.
(Transliteration: EkEnApi suvrkshENa puSHpithEna suganDHinA / vAsitham thadhvanam sarvam suputhrENa kulam yaTHA)
An elephant rests under a tree’s shade when it is tired and pulls down the same tree after it is rejuvenated; so too a lowly person causes harm to the one who gave him shelter when he needed it.
(Transliteration: yaTHA gajapathihi shrAnthashCHAyArTHI vrkshamAshrithaha / vishramya tham dhrumam hanthi thaTHa nIchaha svamAshrayam)
Human beings desire the fruits of good deeds (punya) but are not very eager to perform good deeds. They do not like the fruits of bad deeds (pApa) but go out of their way to do bad deeds!
(Transliteration: puNyasya phalam ichchanthi puNyam nEchchanthi mAnavAha / na pApaphalam ichchanthi pApam kurvanthi yathnathaha)
Snakes are better than wicked people because a snake bites once whereas bad people do so again and again.
(Transliteration: sarpadhurjanayOrmaDHyE varam sarpO na dhurjanaha / sarpO dhashathi kAlEna dhurjanasthu padhe padhe)
In this vast world called ‘Literature’, the writer is a Creator. He changes the world to match his fancy.
(Transliteration: apArE kAvyasamsArE kavirekaha prajApathihi / yaTHAsmai rOchathE vishvam thaTHEdham parivarthathE)
Loving words make all living beings happy. Therefore, speak only such words. There isn’t a poverty of words, is there?
(Transliteration: priyavAkyapradhAnEna sarvE thuSHyanthi janthavaha / thasmAth thadhEva vakthavyam vachanE kA dharidhrathA)
