Subhashita 9. Playing with words.

Lesson 20 done? Good. Now that you are familiar with the सम्बोधन  and the लोट् लकार , i have for you a simply beautiful subhashita that plays around with words. Even if you haven't gone past Lesson 1, you are sure to appreciate this piece of creativity. i first heard it last week from Tarangini, and i was amazed at its expanse in terms of its meaning and expression; and its brevity in terms of words. Just couldn't wait to share it with you.
 
तमाखुपत्रं राजेन्द्र भज माज्ञानदायकम् |
तमाखुपत्रं राजेन्द्र भज माज्ञानदायकम् ||

 

 
Nope, i have not made a mistake...the second line is  written exactly like the first....it just conveys a different meaning, that's all. Just look carefully at how the words have been broken up!
 
Line 1. तमाखुपत्रं राजेन्द्र भज मा + अज्ञानदायकम् |
हे राजेन्द्र O King, मा do not भज take to अज्ञानदायकं तमाखुपत्रं tobacco which is the cause of ignorance(stupidity).
Line 2.  तम् +‚ आखुपत्रं राजेन्द्र भज मा + अज्ञानदायकम् ||
हे राजेन्द्र O King, भज worship. तम्  that आखुपत्रं whose vehicle is the mouse (आखु= mouse, पत्रं =vehicle)....Lord Ganesha,  
मा Goddess Lakshmi ( here it means wealth)  ज्ञानदायकं who gives knowledge.
 
O King, do not take to tobacco which is the cause of ignorance. O King, worship Him... whose vehicle is the mouse, Lord Ganesh, the One who bestows knowledge and wealth.
 
Isn't it a brilliant composition?
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