In today's quote, an aging poet documents his daily struggles.
Devanagari text:
Source: Subhashita Ratna Bhandagara (सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार), "a treasury of gems of good sayings", an anthology of over 10,000 couplets, available here. There seems to be some disagreement on the identity of the compiler as well as the date of compilation (the date of publication might be as late as 1952!). More importantly (and unfortunately), the compiler provides no information on the authorship or antiquity of the snippets quoted.
1 The original reads आपाण्डुराः शिरसिजाः "palish strands of hair."↩
2 The author uses the word त्रिवली "a collection of three folds of skin" which usually refers to three horizontal lines formed by folds of skin a little above a woman's navel, seen as a mark of great beauty (take a look at this Chola bronze figure of Kali to get an idea); the use of this word to denote facial wrinkles caused by old age is undoubtedly facetious.↩
3 The verse says तात which literally means father but can be used as a term of address for any older respectable man.↩
Devanagari text:
आपाण्डुराः शिरसिजास्त्रिवली कपोले दन्तावली विगलिता न च मे विषादः|
एणीदृशो युवतयः पथि मां विलोक्य तातेति भाषणपराः खलु वज्रपातः||
एणीदृशो युवतयः पथि मां विलोक्य तातेति भाषणपराः खलु वज्रपातः||
Harvard-Kyoto transliteration:
ApANDurAH zirasijAstrivalI kapole dantAvalI vigalitA na ca me viSAdaH|
eNIdRzO yuvatayaH pathi mAM vilokya tateti bhASaNaparAH khalu vajrapAtaH||
eNIdRzO yuvatayaH pathi mAM vilokya tateti bhASaNaparAH khalu vajrapAtaH||
– Anonymous
Loose translation: The grey streaks on my head1, the wrinkles on my cheeks2, and my loosening teeth do not dampen my spirits. What definitely hits me like a thunderbolt, however, is a doe-eyed damsel spotting me in the street and reverently addressing me as father.3
1 The original reads आपाण्डुराः शिरसिजाः "palish strands of hair."↩
2 The author uses the word त्रिवली "a collection of three folds of skin" which usually refers to three horizontal lines formed by folds of skin a little above a woman's navel, seen as a mark of great beauty (take a look at this Chola bronze figure of Kali to get an idea); the use of this word to denote facial wrinkles caused by old age is undoubtedly facetious.↩
3 The verse says तात which literally means father but can be used as a term of address for any older respectable man.↩
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