Page 16 - Appreciating Sanskrit
P. 16
SANSKRIT
THE LANGUAGE OF INDIA’S SOUL
prārabhyate na khalu vighnamayena nīcaiḥ prārabhya vighnavihatā viramanti madhyāḥ |
vighnaiḥ punaḥ punarapi pratihanyamānāḥ prārabghamuttamaguṇā na parityajanti ||
।
प्रणरभ्यते। न खलद ववघ्नमयतन नीच ः प्रणरभ्यत ववघ्नवविेण ववरमन्े म्यतणः
ववघ्न ः पदनः पदनरवप प्रतेि्यतमणनणः प्रणरब्घमदत्तमगदर्ण न पररत्यतजन्े
Some from high action through base fear refrain;
The path is difficult, the way not plain.
Others more noble to begin, are stayed
By a few failures. Great spirits undismayed
Abandon never what once to do they swore.
Baffled beaten back, they spring once more,
Buffeted and borne down, rise up again,
And, full of wounds, come on like iron men
(Bhartrihari, Nītiśatakam, Translation by Sri Aurobindo)