The Bangalore Book Fair is on till November 16, 2009. 

On the 10th, there is a play-reading of Bhasa’s Madhyamavyayoga – The Story of the Middle Son – adapted for an English-speaking audience.  Children between 8 and 14 are especially welcome. Timing: 4 pm to 5 pm.  Venue: Auditorium, Book Fair, Palace Grounds. All are welcome.  Don’t miss it if you’re in Bangalore.

Due to whose grace poets can see the whole Universe as if it were a gooseberry in the palm of their hands – may She, Goddess Sarasvathi, be victorious for ever.

करबदरसदृशमखिलं भुवनतलं यत्प्रसादतः कवयः / पश्यन्ति सूक्ष्ममतयः सा जयति सरस्वती देवी //

karabadharasadhrshamakhilam bhuvanathalam yathprasAdhathaha kavayaha / pashyanthi sUkSHmamathayaha sA jayathi sarasvathI dEvI //

[Invocatory verse of Subandhu's prose work, Vasavadatta]

There was a king, friend to the wise, a torment to his enemies, endowed with sacred knowledge, Dasharatha by name, whom, being the best by his virtues, the Eternal One chose as His own father on the pretext of benefiting the world.

आभून् नृपो विबुधसखः परंतपः श्रुतान्वितो दशरथ इत्युदाह्र्तः / गुणैर्वरं भुवनहितच्छलेन यं सनातनः पितरम् उपागमत्स्वयम् //

AbhUn nrupO vibhuDHasakhaha paranthapaha shruthAnvithO dhasharaTHa ithyudhAhrthaha / guNaivaram bhuvanahithachCHalEna yam sanAthanaha pitharam upAgamathsvayam //

[This is the first verse of Bhattikavyam, also called Ravanavadham. Translation courtesy: Bhatti’s Poem, translated by Oliver Fallon, published by the Clay Sanskrit Library, New York, 2009]

O son of Pritha, neither here in this world nor in the next is a sincere person defeated. Such a person, my dear friend, is never on the road of misfortune. [6-40]

 [Lord Krishna tells Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita ]

पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते / न हि कल्याणकृत् कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति //

pArTHa naivEha nAmuthra vinAshasthasya vidhyathE / na hi kalyANakrth kashchidhdhurgathim thAtha gachCHathi //

It’s not a kingdom I desire, nor paradise nor eternal liberation from the living world. But I do have a desire: to destroy the misery of all living things that are sad.

न त्वहं कामये राज्यं न स्वर्गं नापुनर्भवम् / कामये दुःखतप्तानां प्राणिनामार्तिनाशनम् //

na thvaham kAmayE rAjyam na svargam nApunarbhavam / kAmayE dhuhkhathapthAnAm prANinAmArthinAshanam //

Those who study ceaselessly do not run the risk of becoming fools; those who contemplate their actions do not run into danger; a person who keeps his counsel does not get embroiled in a dispute; and one who is vigilant need have no fear.

पठतो नास्ति मूर्खत्वं जपतो नास्ति पातकम् / मौनिनः कलहो नास्ति न भयं चास्ति जाग्रतः //

paTathO nAsthi mUrkhathvam japathO nAsthi pAthakam / mouninaha kalahO nAsthi na bhayam chAsthi jAgrathaha //

Fire is generated when two dry twigs are rubbed together.  Water springs forth when the earth is dug.  When there is enthusiasm, nothing is impossible to achieve.  Once you have begun a task, all efforts [enthusiastically taken] lead to fruition.

काष्ठादग्निर्जायते मथ्यमानाद्भूमिस्तोयं खन्यमाना ददाति / सोत्साहानां नास्त्यसाध्यं नराणां मार्गारब्धाः सर्वयत्नाः फलन्ति //

kASHTAdhagnirjAyathE maTHyamAnAdhbhUmisthOyam khanyamAnA dhadhAthi / sOthsAhAnAm nAsthyasADHyam narANAm mArgArabDHAha sarvayathnAha phalanthi //

[Last verse of Act I of Bhasa’s play Pratignyayaugandharaayanam]

To enjoy a diamond-hard constitution for a hundred years and all kinds of wealth and to annihilate that which is undesirable, one must eat the tender shoots of the neem tree.

शतायुर्वज्रदेहाय सर्वसंपत्कराय च / सर्वानिष्टविनाशाय निम्बकन्दलभक्षणम् //

shathAyurvajradhEhAya sarvasampathpradhAya cha / sarvAniSHtavinAshAya nimbakandhalabhakSHaNam //

Like the sight of the star Chitra alongside the moon at the end of winter, there was an elusive beauty that marked the couple: King Dilipa and his queen, who were passing by, dressed flawlessly.

काप्यभिख्या तयॊरासीद् व्रजतॊः शुद्धवॆषयॊः / हिमनिर्मुक्तयॊर्यॊगॆ चित्राचन्द्रमसॊरिव // 

 kApyabhikhyA thayOrAsIdh vrajathOho shudhDHavESHayOho / himanirmukthayOryOgE chithrAchandhramasOriva //

 [This is the forty-sixth verse in the first chapter of Kalidasa’s poem, Raghuvamsha.]

What is the use of raising children who are neither righteous nor prosperous?  It is better to grow a tree by the roadside where people can come and rest.

बहुभिर्बत किं जातैः पुत्रैर्धर्मार्थवर्जितैः /  वरमेकः पथि तरुर्यत्र विश्रमते जनः //  

bahubhirbatha kim jAthaihi puthrairDHarmArTHavarjithaihi /  varamEkaha paTHi tharuryathra vishramathE janaha //

 [This verse is from Upavana Vinoda, a section in Sharngadhara Padhdhathi, an encyclopaedia written by Sharngadhara in the thirteenth century.]