दिवा पश्यति नोल्लूकः काको नक्तं न पश्यति ।
अपूर्वः कोऽपि कामान्धो दिवा नक्तं न पश्यति।।
Subhashita Ratna Bhandagara, Chapter 2, Verse 179.
Word-to-Word Meaning:
दिवा (divā): During the day
पश्यति (paśyati): Sees
न (na): Not
उल्लूकः (ullūkaḥ): Owl
काकः (kākaḥ): Crow
नक्तं (naktaṁ): At night
न (na): Not
पश्यति (paśyati): Sees
अपूर्वः (apūrvaḥ): Extraordinary
कोऽपि (ko'pi): Someone
कामान्धः (kāmāndhaḥ): Blinded by desire
दिवा (divā): During the day
नक्तं (naktaṁ): At night
न (na): Not
पश्यति (paśyati): Sees
English meaning:
"An owl cannot see during the day, A crow cannot see during the night. Similarly, a person blinded by lust cannot see at any time, be it day or night."
Kannada meaning:
"ಗೂಬೆ ಹಗಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ, ಕಾಗೆ ರಾತ್ರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಹಾಗೆಯೇ, ಕಾಮದಿಂದ ಕುರುಡನಾದ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯು ಹಗಲು ಅಥವಾ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಯಾವುದೇ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ."
Hindi meaning:
"उल्लू दिन में नहीं देख सकता, कौआ रात में नहीं देख सकता। इसी प्रकार वासना में अंधा व्यक्ति कभी भी नहीं देख सकता, चाहे दिन हो या रात।"
Detailed Discussion of the Shloka:
Breakdown of the Shloka:
दिवा पश्यति नोल्लूकः (divā paśyati nollūkaḥ):
"An owl cannot see during the day": Owls are nocturnal creatures with excellent night vision but poor daytime vision. This line metaphorically introduces the idea of natural limitations in perception.
काको नक्तं न पश्यति (kāko naktaṁ na paśyati):
"A crow cannot see during the night": Crows, being diurnal, are active during the day and rest at night, lacking good night vision. This contrasts with the owl and continues the theme of specific times of blindness.
अपूर्वः कोऽपि कामान्धो (apūrvaḥ ko'pi kāmāndho):
"An extraordinary person blinded by lust": Here, 'apūrva' (extraordinary) signifies someone who, despite their potential, is rendered blind by overpowering desire or lust ('kāmāndho').
दिवा नक्तं न पश्यति (divā naktaṁ na paśyati):
"Cannot see at any time, be it day or night": This concludes the metaphor, illustrating that unlike the owl and the crow, a person blinded by desire is perpetually unable to perceive reality clearly, regardless of time.
Interpretation:
This shloka uses the natural limitations of an owl and a crow to explain a profound psychological and moral principle. Just as these birds are limited in their vision during certain times of the day, a person consumed by desires, especially lust, is blinded in their perception and judgment at all times.
Moral and Ethical Insights:
Desire as a Blinding Force:
Lust and intense desires can cloud a person’s judgment and reasoning. Just as an owl cannot navigate in daylight and a crow in darkness, a person overwhelmed by desire loses clarity in their thoughts and actions.
Impact on Decision Making:
The shloka emphasizes how desires can lead to poor decision-making. When one is driven by intense desires, their ability to discern right from wrong diminishes, leading to potential moral and ethical failures.
Continuous Blindness:
Unlike the owl and the crow, whose blindness is limited to specific times, the blindness caused by desire is constant. This serves as a warning against allowing desires to control one’s life, as it can lead to continuous misjudgment and mistakes.
Conclusion:
The shloka from the Subhashita Ratna Bhandagara offers a timeless lesson on the dangers of unchecked desires. It employs simple yet powerful imagery to convey that desires, especially lust, can blind a person to the truth and lead them astray. By recognizing and controlling our desires, we can maintain clarity and wisdom in our actions and decisions, leading to a more balanced and ethical life.
In essence, the verse teaches us that just as we should be aware of the natural limitations of creatures, we must also be vigilant about our own psychological limitations caused by desires and work towards overcoming them for better judgment and moral integrity.
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