Game 4

Question:
वृक्षस्याग्रे फलं दृष्टं फलाग्रे वृक्ष एव च ।
अकारादि सकारान्तं यो जानाति स पण्डितः ॥

vṛkṣasyāgre phalaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ phalāgre vṛkṣa eva ca ।

akārādi sakārāntaṃ yo jānāti sa paṇḍitaḥ ॥

Exposition:
Solve this प्रहेलिका (prahelikā - riddle).

After splitting the composite words (sandhis), it could be read as -

वृक्षस्य अग्रे फलं दृष्टं फल-अग्रे वृक्ष एव च ।
अकार अदि सकार अन्तं यः जानाति सः पण्डितः ॥

vṛkṣasya agre phalaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ phala-agre vṛkṣa eva ca ।

akāra adi sakāra antaṃ yaḥ jānāti saḥ paṇḍitaḥ ॥

Meaning:
At the tip of the tree is the fruit, at the tip of the fruit is the tree; starts with 'a' and ends with 'sa'; he who knows is a wise person.

This is an Antarlāpikā (अन्तर्लापिका) riddle. The answer is hidden inside the verse itself, within the description.

Answer:
अनानस  
anānasa
Pineapple

Now, the picture and the meaning make the answer self-explanatory!

__________________________________________________________________________

Game 3

Question:
न तस्यादिर्न तस्यान्तं मध्ये यस्तस्य तिष्ठति ।
तवाप्यस्ति ममाप्यस्ति यदि जानासि तद्वद ॥

na tasyādirna tasyāntaṃ madhye yastasya tiṣṭhati ।

tavāpyasti mamāpyasti yadi jānāsi tadvada ॥

 

Exposition:
Solve this प्रहेलिका (prahelikā - riddle).

After splitting the composite words (sandhis), it could be read as -

न तस्य आदिः न तस्य अन्तं मध्ये यः तस्य तिष्ठति ।
तव अपि अस्ति मम अपि अस्ति यदि जानासि तत् वद ॥

na tasya ādiḥ na tasya antaṃ madhye yaḥ tasya tiṣṭhati ।

tava api asti mama api asti yadi jānāsi tat vada ॥

Meaning:
It has a 'न' (na) in the beginning, 'न' (na) in the end.  In between sits a 'य'(ya).

You have it too, I have it too, if you know it, say it!

This is an Antarlāpikā (अन्तर्लापिका) riddle. The answer is hidden inside the verse itself, within the description.

Answer:
Now, if we put the clues together, the answer starts with a 'na' and ends with a 'na', has a 'ya' in between.  You have it, and I have it too.  The word comes out to be 'नयन' (nayana)!  

नयन means 'eye'.  That is the answer!

__________________________________________________________________

Game 2

Question:
कृष्णमुखी न मार्जारी द्विजिह्वा न च सर्पिणी ।
पञ्चभर्ता न पाञ्चाली यो जानाति स पण्डितः ॥

kṛṣṇamukhī na mārjārī dvijihvā na ca sarpiṇī ।

pañcabhartā na pāñcālī yo jānāti sa paṇḍitaḥ ॥

Exposition:
This verse is a प्रहेलिका(prahelikā), a riddle.  The challenge is to solve it!

कृष्ण-मुखी न मार्जारी द्वि-जिह्वा न च सर्पिणी ।
पञ्च-भर्ता न पाञ्चाली यः जानाति सः पण्डितः ॥

kṛṣṇa-mukhī na mārjārī dvi-jihvā na ca sarpiṇī ।

pa~nca-bhartā na pā~ncālī yaḥ jānāti saḥ paṇḍitaḥ ॥

Meaning:
Black-faced, not a cat; double-tongued, not a snake;
Has 5 care-takers, not draupadī (of mahābhārata); he who knows is a clever person.

Answer:
This is a Bahirlāpikā (बहिर्लापिका) riddle, as the answer lies outside the verse and must be guessed based on the clues provided.

लेखनी
lekhanī
A Pen!

The nib of a pen is black with ink, and the nib is split in the middle to allow the flow of ink.  The 5 fingers that hold it are its caretakers.  Did you know the answer?  Aren't you clever! :).

____________________________________________________________________________

Game 1

Question:
वृक्षाग्रवासी न च पक्षिराजः
त्रिनेत्रधारी न च शूलपाणिः ।
त्वग्वस्त्रधारी न च सिद्धयोगी
जलञ्च बिभ्रन्न घटो न मेघः ॥

vṛkṣāgravāsī na ca pakṣirājaḥ

trinetradhārī na ca śūlapāṇiḥ ।

tvagvastradhārī na ca siddhayogī

jala~nca bibhranna ghaṭo na meghaḥ ॥

Exposition:
This verse is a प्रहेलिका(prahelikaa), a riddle.  The challenge is to solve it!

वृक्ष अग्र वासी न च पक्षि-राजः
त्रि-नेत्र-धारी न च शूल-पाणिः ।
त्वक् वस्त्र-धारी न च सिद्ध-योगी
जलं च बिभ्रत् न घटः न मेघः ॥

vṛkṣa agra vāsī na ca pakṣi-rājaḥ

tri-netra-dhārī na ca śūla-pāṇiḥ ।

tvak vastra-dhārī na ca siddha-yogī

jalaṃ ca bibhrat na ghaṭaḥ na meghaḥ ॥

Meaning:
Lives in treetops, but not the king of birds
Has three eyes, but isn't Lord Shiva (one who holds the trident) 
Robed in clothes of bark, but isn't an ascetic
Bearing water, but neither a pot nor a cloud!

Answer:
This is a Bahirlāpikā (बहिर्लापिका) riddle, as the answer lies outside the verse and must be guessed based on the clues provided.

नारिकेल
nārikela
A coconut!

Now, that's self-explanatory!

____________________________________________________________________________