sharadi na varshati
The parable of the clouds
sharadi na varshati garjati varshati varshashu nihsvano meghah |
nicho vadati na kurute vadati na sadhuh karotyeva ||
शरदि न वर्षति गर्जति वर्षति वर्षाषु निःस्वनो मेघः |
नीचो वदति न कुरुते वदति न साधुः करोत्येव ||
In autumn, clouds may loudly rumble,
But not a drop of rain will tumble.
When monsoons come, the clouds are silent
And yet they rain down hard and violent.
The fools who thunder, boom and roar
Accomplish nothing, nothing more.
The wise and calm and thoughtful one
Acts silently and gets things done.
Related subhashitas
bhadram bhadram kritam maunam
The silence of the wise is wise
bhadram bhadram kritam maunam kokilairjaladagame |
vaktaro darduro yatra tatra maunam samacharet ||
भद्रं भद्रं कृतं मौनं कोकिलैर्जलदागमे |
वक्तारो दर्दुरो यत्र तत्र मौनं समाचरेत् ||
The silence of the wise is wise.
Like cuckoos under rainy skies,
Where frogs are croaking off their lungs,
It’s best for us to hold our tongues.
ayushah khandamadaya
The daily question
ayushah khandamadaya ravirastamayam gatah |
ahanyahani boddhavyam kimetat sukritam kritam ||
आयुषः खण्डमादाय रविरस्तमयं गतः |
अहन्यहनि बोद्धव्यं किमेतत् सुकृतं कृतम् ||
The sun has gone to set and taken
A little slice of life away.
So day and night, think! awaken!
“What’s the good I've done today?”
paropadeshe pandityam
The world is full of experts
paropadeshe pandityam sarvesham sukaram nrinam |
dharme svayamanushthanam kasyachittu mahatmanah ||
परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यं सर्वेषां सुकरं नृणाम् |
धर्मे स्वयमनुष्ठानं कस्यचित्तु महात्मनः ||
The world is full of experts who
Tell other people what to do.
The noble soul is one who does
The moral thing without a fuss.