Meaning Of The Sloka: Keyurani na bhooshayanthi purusham

By

Sunder Rajan

Meaning Of The Sloka: Keyurani na bhooshayanthi purusham 

Keyurani na bhooshayanthi purusham 

Haaraa: na chandrojjwalaa,

na snaanam, na vilepanam, na kuksumam,

na alankruthaa murdha'jaa 

vaan'ekaa sam'alamkarothi purusham 

yaa samskruthaa dhaaryathe 

ksheeyanthae akhila bhooshanaani sathatham 

vaakh-bhooshanam bhooshanam. 

prayatnaM karomi. 

Keyuram = armlets (ornament worn on the upperarm/bicep region)

Keyuraani (plural) = armlets

na bhooshayanthi = na (not) bhooshayanthi (decorate) = do not decorate

purusham = a man (a person) 

Haaraa: (plural) = not necklaces (yes, men used to wear golden necklaces like Mr.T)

chandrojjvalaaH = another ornament perhaps shaped like the cresent moon.

na snAnaM = bathing (doesnt make a person more appealing.)

na vilepanam = neither does scent, sandalwood (or other 'annointing' stuff.)

na kusumam = nor do flowers decorate a person (apparantly men used to decorate themselves with flowers, garlands and whatnot.)

na alankruthaa = does not decorate)

moordhajaa: = hair (moordha is head, moordha'jaa is hair) [i.e. cool hairstyles doesn't make a man more appealing.]

vaani = (good, clear, honest, truthful, and upright) speech 

ekaa (sthrilingam) = alone

sam'alankrothi = sam (good / in a good way) alankarothi (decorates, adorns)

purusham = the person.

yaa (sthrilingam) = one who.... [note that this is not 'ya:' denoting the purusha, but it is yaa, incicating or denoting 'vaani'..]

samskrutaa = well defined (cultured)

dhaaryathe = is worn or carried by.. (i.e. samskrutha vaani - or cultured speech, as opposed to talking all sorts of nonsense talks spoken just to fill silence.)

ksheeyanthe = is decayed, destroyed, or makes insignificant..

khalu = indeed 

bhooshanaani (plural) = ornaments

satatam = constantly, continuously, uninterrupted.

vaagbhooshanam = vaakh + bhooshanam (the ornament of speech, or good cultured speech.)

bhooshanam = is THE ornament.

Meaning:

Human beings are perhaps the only animals that deck themselves with all kinds of metals, fabrics, harmful chemicals, botox injections, beauty-parlour creams, animal fur, or artificial wigs in the hopes to make other people like them... little do they realize that the 'likeability' rests not in their superficial appearance - which depreciates with age - but in the beauty of their character, and in the richness of their culture.

Ornaments, garlands, perfumes, flowers etc may create the first impression, but not a lasting one.. Real impression springs forth from (genuine and heartfelt) speech.. Here speech does not just imply verbal impression or mastery and commend over public speaking.. but speaking in a way where one understands the time, place, and context to say something. Samayaaniki thagu maatalaadene.. or Mitha bhaashi, Smitha bhaashi cha, are words that comes to mind..

There is a very famous anecdote that goes as follows:

When had a conversation with William Gladstone (Prime Minister of Britain long long ago), you left thinking, “My God! Gladstone is the wittiest, the most intelligent, the most charming person around.”  But when you had dinner with Benjamin Disraeli (another Prime Minister, and an arch rival of Gladstone), you left thinking, “**I** am the wittiest, the most intelligent, the most charming person around!”