subhashitam

[psho...@gmail.com]

Now that we're talking about a word and its meaning, a fun subhashitam. No offense to anyone. 

शब्दार्थरसवेलायं शब्दोत्पत्तिं वदन्ति ये

नीविविस्रंसवेलायां मूल्यं पृच्छन्ति वाससः

śabdārtharasavelāyaṃ śabdotpattiṃ vadanti ye
nīvivisraṃsavelāyāṃ mūlyaṃ pṛcchanti vāsasaḥ

Meaning: While others are savoring the meaning of a word, there are some who want to speak of its origin. These are the same people who, when a skirt comes off a woman's waist, ask the price of the cloth it's made of. 

P.S. I tried to come up with a literal translation but this is the best I could do. I'm sure you guys can improve it. 

[psho...@gmail.com]

विशीलः कामवृत्तो वा गुणैर्वा परिवर्जितः

उपचार्यः स्त्रिया साध्व्या सततं देववत्पतिः

viśīlaḥ kāmavṛtto vā guṇairvā parivarjitaḥ

upacāryaḥ striyā sādhvyā satataṃ devavatpatiḥ

A virtuous wife must always treat her husband like a god even if he's ill-behaved, dissipated, or devoid of virtues. 

======

"Over our dead bodies!", I hear the chorus of women. :D

[S Venkatraman]

I find it difficult to consider this a Subhashitam. Surely this durbhashitam is written by a decadent man. 

Regards,

Venkatraman. 

Sent from my iPhone

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[psho...@gmail.com]

This subhashitam is from Manusmriti (मनुस्मृतिः), composed by Manu. 

Of course, such a wife is a fantasy come true! :-)

Now, whether it's a subhashitam:

Wikipedia for subhashita (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subhashita) quotes Ludwik Sternbach (under the section labeled 'structure'):

...such form of Indian literature had a tinge of poetry, the poetical skill being exhibited in the intricate play of words which created a slight wit, humour, satire and sententious precepts; they arose (sic) laughter, scorn, compass (sic) and other moods...

As noted by Sternbach, a subhashitam is allowed to arouse scorn in its readers/listeners. 

So there you go! You're fully justified in feeling scorn. 

[S Venkatraman]

Thank you. I learnt a lot from your reply especially that one should not cast aspersions on an author without knowing more about him. Thanks also for expanding my understanding of the term Subhashitam. 

Regards,

Venkat

Sent from my iPhone