Daily writing prompt

Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?

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The ability to stay calm and make well-considered decisions truly distinguishes a person. We humans are often swayed by our emotions, particularly in matters involving loved ones, leading us to forsake logic and make ill-advised choices. There’s a profound Sanskrit adage that reflects this wisdom: तितिक्षाकवचेनैव सर्वं जयति संवृतः (titikṣākavacenaiva sarvaṃ jayati saṃvṛtaḥ) – ‘Adorned in the armor of patience, one is surrounded by success.’ Thus, we must strive not to be dominated by our emotions.

Thiruvalluvar, through his celebrated Tamil verse, Kural, delves into the corrosive nature of anger, posing the question, ‘நகையும் உவகையும் கொல்லும் சினத்தின் பகையும் உளவோ பிற.’ This translates to ‘What greater foe exists than anger, which snuffs out joy and laughter?’ Motivated by this insightful thought, I’ve translated this Kural into Sanskrit in the Anushtubh meter: ‘प्रकोपतोस्ति किं कोपि जीवने’स्मिन् महान् रिपुः। हसनं तोषणं चैव यदस्माकं विनश्यति।।’ (prakopatosti kiṃ kopi jīvane’smin mahān ripuḥ। hasanaṃ toṣaṇaṃ caiva yadasmākaṃ vinaśyati।।), echoing the sentiment that anger is indeed a formidable enemy, stealing away our capacity for happiness and peace.

Embracing calmness and learning to control anger are keys to unlocking limitless potential in life.