Subhashitha meaning

[Prabha Pillai]

Pl give me meaning for a subhashitha. 2nd part a little confusing.

Jalabindu nipatena kramasa puryate ghatah,  sa hethu sarvavidyanam dharmasya cha dhanasya cha.

[Arvind_Kolhatkar]

According to सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार, this verse is from चाणक्यनीति.  सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार also mentions another variant of line 2 as 

स क्रम: सर्वविद्यानां धर्मस्य च धनस्य च .

The meaning is clear.  The pot gradually fills up by drops falling.  The same is true of विद्या, धर्म and धन.  (These should be acquired bit by bit.) 

Arvind Kolhatkar.

[Margie Parikh]

The author reminds us by this Shloka not to ignore small gains. May of us are not sufficiently motivated for small gains/lapses/quantities of knowledge, morality/ethic and wealth. We tend to think, "How is such small/insignificant bit of knowledge going to help me?" or, "Such small lapses are not going to hurt anyone." or, "It is such a small amount after all."

However, the wisdom is to realize that in the matters of Vidya, Dharma and Dhana, no amount is small. We should be diligent and careful in all the three matters, just as accumulation of drops of water fill up the pitcher. 

Denying knowledge because it is in small increments could lead to loss of huge knowledge base Languages, civilizations and culture disappear in this fashion.

Ignoring ethics just because it is a small lapse can lead to huge scandals and far reaching, often irreversible consequences.

Carelessness in spending just because it is a small amount of money can erode wealth, and not gathering resources because it is just a small amount can also lead to strategic losses.

This is a wonderful Subhashitam - so simple in words and so profound in meaning.

Best wishes,

margie