Subhashithaani-Quotable quotes

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4.ajaraamaravath praajnaH vidhyaam arTham cha

saDhayeth

 

grheetha iva keSeshu mrthyunaa Dharama aachareth

 

A wise man should acquire knowledge and riches as though he is not going to get old and is immortal. But when following dharma one should do it as though caught in the neck by death.

 

jaraa isold age, ajara means not getting old. mara means mortal amara is immortal.

 

arTha usually means wealth but it has many meanings such as purpose, import etc. So it means that when one has undertaken a purpose he should pursue it as though he is going to live for ever. That is, one should not give up thinking that he could never finish it. Even if it means wealth or riches , the implication is that one should earn it gradually and not avariciously as though he has not much time to accumulate it. If one works for it the progress will be gradual and permanent. Only if he is greedy he would try to accumulate as much as possible within short time by fair means or foul, which we see among us everyday.

 

Vidhya, learning, should also be pursued without hurry and one should go on acquiring knowledge till the end of life, not giving it up thinking that he is too old or his lifetime may not be enough, because the knowledge alone will accompany in the next life and not riches, power or beauty.

 

To do the acts of dharma on the other hand one should act as though his life may end any time. That is, a good act should not be postponed lest we may never get an opportunity to do it later or our mind may change . We hear about the anecdotes in Mahabharatha, which is called panchamo vedhaH, the fifth veda because of the various examples and instructions on dharma in it Once Bheema heard Yudhishtira telling some one who asked for something to come the next day and Bheema remarked that here was the one who has conquered death. When Yudhishtira questioned him, he said that Yudhishtira was so sure that he was going too live the next day since he asked the man to come then.

 

Similarly Karna was once seen to give the gold vessel in which he was having oil bath with his left hand and when questioned about it he said that he did not want to wait till he finished his bath or even to change the hand in which he was holding the vessel because his mid may change before he did that. This is exactly what is meant by the second line of the sloka.