In Sanskrit poetry there is a form of writing known as PRAHELIKA meaning a riddle, in which the writer gives some hints about an object and asks the reader to identify it.
Some of the Prahelikas test your knowledge of Sanskrit, while in some Prahelikas, the answer is built into the question itself secretly. It is sort of mind game and liked very much, as it tests the intelligence of the reader.
I will post some of the Prahelikas from today. The answer to the Prahelika will be given with the next day’s Prahelika.
Hope you will enjoy this…
अपदो दूरगामी च साक्षरो न च पण्डितः.
अमुखः स्फुटवक्ता च यो जानाति स पण्डितः
apadau doorgaami cha saaKsharo na cha Panditah
Amukhah sphuTavaktaa cha yo jaanaati sa Panditah
apadau = without any feet
doorgaami = one who can traverse/travel long distances
saaKsharah = one with letters, a person who can read and write
Panditah = A person who is a scholar
amukhah = without a mouth
SphuTavaktaa = a person who can express his thought clearly without any ambiguity
The object in question is without any feet, but is able to traverse long distances, is well lettered but is not a Pandit. It is also without any mouth but can express very clearly. If you know what it is, you are a Pandit.
कोऽपि जानाति उत्तरम् ? प्रयत्नं करोतु |
kopi jAnAti vA uttaram ? prayatnAm karotu |