I adore my Sanskrit Teacher

She starts and ends each class with prayers. She always includes 1-2 SubhAShitas towards the end. She also includes Sanskrit riddles to solve. She makes it fun all the way.

Some of the moral verses, that I really love from her collection are:

वने रणे शत्रुजलाग्नि मध्ये महार्णवे पर्वतमस्तके वा
सुप्तं प्रमत्तं विषमस्थितं वा रक्षन्ति पुण्यानि पुराकृतानि
- नीतिशतक

In forests, in battles, amongst enemies, amidst water or fire, in vast oceans or on the mountain peaks, while asleep, awake or in danger – dharma (good acts) protect you.

In school, all my teachers were so personal and affectionate. In engineering college, except for few rest were close. In PG college, it got reversed, it was only with few professors, with whom went on for hours without noticing time. In the last class, ma’m gave 2 wonderful SubhAshitas.

In 2006, I had to buy a new shelf to accommodate my sis’s 5 years of dental books pertaining only to UG degree. Her PG books and zerox copies are even more voluminous. And she still has 2 cartons of her dental books at home. Yes’day as she was packing, she said, yes, you right. Look at this tome, it is so fresh even after years. I had quoted madam’s verse few days before to her. I used to accumulate books. However, realized practical difficulties of hoarding when you live out suitcases for years. At times, it is better to be like Paulo Coelho’s character who reads a book at a time and exchanges it to get a new one to peruse.

पुस्तकस्था तु या विद्या परहस्तगतं धनम् |
कार्यकाले समुत्पन्ने न सा विद्या न तद्धनम् ||

Knowledge which is in the book, money which has passed on to another hand - in times of need, they are neither your knowledge nor money.

आचार्यात् पादमादत्ते पादं शिष्य: स्वमेधया |
कालेन पादमादत्ते पादं सब्रह्मचारिभि: ||
- महाभारत, उद्योगपर्व

A student acquires quarter knowledge from the teacher, a quarter from his own intelligence, a quarter over time, a quarter from classmates.