Maxims in Sanskrit / लौकिकन्याया: / ಲೌಕಿಕನ್ಯಾಯಾ:

A maxim is defined as “an expression of general truth or principle”. They are specifically used when characterizing a situation. In Sanskrit literature, many such maxims occur. They are known as “nyayas” and usually take the form of a common occurrence or a story that can be applied as an aphorism to sum up an event, situation or circumstance.

Many of these, though based on stories or incidents that might have occurred in the past, are as relevant today as they were then.

Here are some of the interesting “nyayas” alongwith brief explanations.

अरुन्धतीदर्शनन्याय: / ಅರುಂಧತೀದರ್ಶನನ್ಯಾಯ: / Arundhathidarshana Nyaya

During a wedding ceremony, the bride and the groom pray and worship the Arundhati star (see my article on wedding rituals). In the constellation known as the saptarishi, Arundhati is a small star and hard to locate. So, the couple are first shown the bigger Vasishta star first, which is more easily spotted. And then the smaller Arundhati star next to it is pointed out.

Similarly, when a student is to be taught something hard to grasp, the topic needs to be broached from simpler concepts to harder ones.

गुड्डरिकाप्रवाहन्याय: / ಗುಡ್ಡರಿಕಾಪ್ರವಾಹನ್ಯಾಯ: / Guddarikapravaaha Nyaya

Guddarika means a flock of sheep. This maxim refers to the movement of a flock of sheep. Each sheep blindly follows the sheep in front of it without any thought. If the first one falls into a pit, then the one behind it is sure to fall into the pit too.

When a person blindly copies another person without any thought to abilities, consequences, etc, and ends up in trouble, this maxim can be applied.

काकतालीयन्याय: / ಕಾಕತಾಲೀಯನ್ಯಾಯ: / Kaakathaaleeya Nyaya

A crow files down and sits on a palm tree. Coincidentally, a leaf breaks loose from the tree and falls down. The two incidents are unrelated, and only occurred at the same time.

This maxim is applied when two unrelated events happen to occur at the same time.

भिक्षुपादप्रसारन्याय: / ಭಿಕ್ಷುಪಾದಪ್ರಸಾರನ್ಯಾಯ: / Bhikshupaadaprasara Nyaya

A beggar had no place to live in or even to stretch his legs. A kindly man offered him a place to lie down (stretch his legs). Eventually, the beggar occupied the entire house, throwing out the owner himself.

This maxim is applied when somebody takes advantage of the goodness/kindness of another person.

घट्टकुटीप्रभातन्याय: / ಘಟ್ಟಕುಟೀಪ್ರಭಾತನ್ಯಾಯ: / Ghattakuteeprabhata Nyaya

A toll booth or toll gate is known as ghattakutee. Once a person was travelling in a bullock cart on a road and was near a toll booth around nightfall. Not intending to pay a toll, this person took a deviation from the main road to bypass the toll booth and thought of joining the main road again beyond the toll booth. But in the darkness, he lost his way and travelled around in circles the whole night. At dawn, he figured that he was back at the toll booth which he had wanted to avoid.

This maxim is quoted when a lot of efforts by somebody does not produce the desired results. This maxim is equivalent to the English “penny-wise pound-foolish” maxim.

घुणाक्षरन्याय: / ಘುಣಾಕ್ಷರನ್ಯಾಯ: / Ghunaakshara Nyaya

Ghuna refers to the wood borer termite that eats into timber. Sometimes while making incisions into the wood, it makes cuts that resemble a letter of the alphabet or some other meaningful shape. The worm has no knowledge of this and does not make incisions with the intent of drawing a shape.

This maxim is quoted if something unintentional is done or produced while doing something else.

देहलीदीपन्याय: / ದೆಹಲೀದೀಪನ್ಯಾಯ: / Dehalideepa Nyaya

“Threshold” is known as dehali in Sanskrit. When you place a lamp on a threshold, it sheds light both inside and outside.

Similarly, when you can achieve two results with a single task or activity, then this maxim can be quoted.

सूचीकटाहन्याय: / ಸೂಚೀಕಟಾಹನ್ಯಾಯ: / Soochikataaha Nyaya

Soochi refers to a needle and Kataaha refers to a frying pan. Once a man went to a blacksmith and asked him to make a frying pan for him. In the meantime, another person walked into the blacksmith’s store and asked him for a needle. The blacksmith decided to make the needle first before making the frying pan as the needle would take lesser time to make than the frying pan.

This maxim is quoted when there are multiple jobs/activities to be completed and priority is assigned to them based on the duration of each job.

पिष्टपेषणन्याय: / ಪಿಷ್ಟಪೆಷಣನ್ಯಾಯ: / Pishtapeshana Nyaya

Flour is pistham and the act of pounding is peshanam. Once grain has been pounded, it is converted into flour. There is no point in pounding the flour again.

This maxim is used when somebody says the same thing over and over again or does the same thing again and again (with no change in results).

अन्धगजन्याय: / ಆಂಧಗಜನ್ಯಾಯ: /  Andhagaja Nyaya

This maxim is based on a popular story. A few blindmen wanted to understand what an elephant looked like. And so they all went and touched one.

One of them touched the trunk and thought it was like the stem of the banana plant. Another touched its belly, and thought it was like a wall. The third touched the elephant’s ear and that it was like a winnow (ಮೊರ). With their different perspectives, the blind men started an argument about what the elephant looks like.

This maxim is very apt when people get into an argument over things that they do not understand completely or correctly.

कूपखानकन्याय: / ಕೂಪಖಾನಕನ್ಯಾಯ: / Koopakhaanaka Nyaya

When a person starts digging the ground to construct a well, he will get dirt and mud all over himself. He will also get very tired in the process of digging the well. However, once he strikes water, he can use that water to clean himself and also drink it and relieve his fatigue.

This maxim is quoted when somebody has to endure discomfort and do a lot of hardwork. But, ultimately, when the fruits of the labour are reaped, there is adequate reward and all the hardships and discomfort are forgotten.

मात्स्यन्याय: / ಮಾತ್ಸ್ಯನ್ಯಾಯ: / Maatsya Nyaya

In the waters of this world, there are many different kinds of fish that live. And invariably the food chain involves, bigger fish eating smaller ones. The roles of predator and prey are like a chain. The predator of one fish is the prey of another and so on.

This maxim is quoted to signify a similar hierarchy in the human society. There are different kinds of people living in society. And invariably, it is observed that the stronger ones oppress the weaker ones.

अन्धपङ्गुन्याय: / ಆಂಧಪಂಗುನ್ಯಾಯ: / Andhapangu Nyaya

A blind man is known as an andha. And a lame person is a pangu. Once a blind man and a lame man wanted to reach the same destination. And so they decided to co-operate. The blind man carries the lame man on his shoulder and starts walking. The lame man directs the blind man on the right path and helps him avoid obstacles on the way. Thus, both of them reach their destination.

This maxim can be applied when two people with complimentary qualities co-operate and work together to achieve a goal.

वृद्धकुमारीवाक्यन्याय: / ವೃದ್ಧಕುಮಾರೀವಾಕ್ಯನ್ಯಾಯ: / Vruddhakumarivaakya Nyaya

There was once an old unmarried lady who was very righteous and God-fearing. Once Lord Indra was pleased with her and he offered her a single boon. Being a very clever lady, she asked for a boon thus - “My children must eat plenty of ghee and milk from a golden plate”.

In a single sentence, she achieved a lot. Firstly, to get married and have children, she had to be turned younger. And then she was blessed to have many chidlren. And she had to be blessed with prosperity so that her children could eat well on golden plates. Thus, a single sentence spoken by the old lady achieved many results.

This maxim is quoted when a single expression or sentence has many meanings or when many things are achieved by using simple, short sentences or acts.

बकबन्धप्रयासन्याय: / ಬಕಬಂಧಪ್ರಯಾಸನ್ಯಾಯ: / Bakabandhaprayaasa Nyaya

Once there was a crane standing in a pond. Two friends who were passing by decided to catch the crane. One of them came up with an idea. He suggested that they first put some butter on the head of the crane. Once the butter melts in the sun, it would have obscured the eyesight of the bird and then they could catch the bird easily.

The other friend pointed out that if they could get to the bird and put butter on its head, they could actually catch the bird then itself.

This maxim is quoted when a simple job is unnecessarily complicated.

शतपत्रपत्रशतभेदन्याय: / ಶತಪತ್ರಪತ್ರಶತಭೇದನ್ಯಾಯ: / Shatapatrapatrashatabheda Nyaya

A needle can be poked very easily through a hundred lotus petals if the petals are kept in an orderly fashion next to each other. Even though the needle went through a hundred petals, the task is done easily and very quickly.

Similarly, if many tasks needs to be performed, they can be completed quickly and easily, if everything is organized and carried out in an orderly fashion. This maxim is quoted in such situations.

उष्ट्रलगुडन्याय: / ಉಷ್ಟ್ರಲಗುಡನ್ಯಾಯ: / Ushtralaguda Nyaya

Laguda refers to a stick. Camels are used as beasts of burden and sometimes carry a load of sticks on its back. To goad it on its way, the camel is threatened with one of the very same sticks that it is carrrying on its back.

This maxim is quoted when, in an argument, a person is defeated using his own logic.

श्वश्रूर्निर्गच्छोक्तिन्याय: / ಶ್ವಶ್ರೂರ್ನಿರ್ಗಚ್ಛೋಕ್ತಿನ್ಯಾಯ: / Shvashroornirgachchokti Nyaya

Once a beggar came to a house begging for alms. The daughter-in-law of the house turned him away without giving him anything. As he was walking away, the mother-in-law of the house came out and asked the begger to come back. Elated, he came back hoping to get some alms. However, the mother-in-law said, “I am the boss of this house. My daughter-in-law has no authority to send you back. I am telling you now that I will not give you anything. Go”.

This maxim is used when an easy method to accomplish something is condemned and a more labourious method is used to achieve the same result.

अशोकवनिकान्याय: / ಅಶೋಕವನಿಕಾನ್ಯಾಯ: / Ashokavanika Nyaya

When Ravana abducted Sita, he kept her a prisoner in a garden known as Ashokavana. Was there any reason he chose that place while he could have kept her a prisoner in a prison, jail or palace? He chose the garden for no special reason and kept her there.

This maxim is quoted when some decisions are taken for no specific reason.

गुडजिह्विकान्याय: / ಗುಡಜಿಹ್ವಿಕಾನ್ಯಾಯ: /  Gudajihvika Nyaya

To coax a child to eat a bitter medicine, a piece of jaggery is first smeared on the child’s tongue. Looking forward to the sweet taste again, the child opens its mouth even for the medicine. And eats the medicine thinking it would be sweet like the jaggery.

This maxim is quoted when an incentive is used to persuade a person to do something.

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As you read through this article, I am sure you would have been reminded of events or circumstances where each of these “nyayas” would have applied. Do take the effort to use these in your day-to-day conversations so that others around you also become aware of them.