Game 7

Question:
नन्दामि मेघान् गगनेऽवलोक्य 
     नृत्यामि गायामि भवामि तुष्टः ।
नाहं कृषिज्ञः पथिकोऽपि नाहं 
     वदन्तु विज्ञा मम नामधेयम् ॥

nandāmi meghān gagane.valokya

nṛtyāmi gāyāmi bhavāmi tuṣṭaḥ ।

nāhaṃ kṛṣijñaḥ pathiko.pi nāhaṃ

vadantu vijñā mama nāmadheyam ॥

Exposition:
Solve this प्रहेलिका (prahelikā - riddle).

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

नन्दामि मेघान् गगने अवलोक्य
     नृत्यामि गायामि भवामि तुष्टः ।
न अहं कृषिज्ञः पथिकः अपि न अहं
     वदन्तु विज्ञाः मम नामधेयम् ॥

nandāmi meghān gagane avalokya

nṛtyāmi gāyāmi bhavāmi tuṣṭaḥ ।

na ahaṃ kṛṣijñaḥ pathikaḥ api na ahaṃ

vadantu vijñāḥ mama nāmadheyam ॥

Meaning:
I rejoice seeing the clouds in the sky, I dance, I sing, I become happy.  I am not a farmer nor am I a traveller.  If you know, tell my name?!

Answer:

A farmer delights at the sight of clouds in the sky.  He may even sing and dance with joy.

A weary traveller in the scorching hot sun may react the same way on seeing the signs of rain.

But the verse says the answer is neither!

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

The answer that fits the bill would be -

मयूर, नीलकण्ठ, शिखी, बर्हि 

mayūra, nīlakaṇṭha, śikhī, barhi

Meaning - Peacock!

A peacock revels and rejoices at the sight of clouds in the sky.  It shows its delight by singing and dancing.  It feels as if it has come alive with happiness!  It is neither a farmer nor a traveller :)

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Game 6

Question:
अहं च त्वं च राजेन्द्र लोकनाथावुभावपि ।
बहुव्रीहिरहं राजन् षष्ठीतत्पुरुषो भवान् ॥

ahaṃ ca tvaṃ ca rājendra lokanāthāvubhāvapi ।

bahuvrīhirahaṃ rājan ṣaṣṭhītatpuruṣo bhavān ॥

Exposition:
Solve this प्रहेलिका (prahelikā - riddle).

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

अहं च त्वं च राजेन्द्र लोकनाथौ उभौ अपि ।

बहुव्रीहिः अहं राजन् षष्ठीतत्पुरुषो भवान् ॥

ahaṃ ca tvaṃ ca rājendra lokanāthau ubhau api ।

bahuvrīhiḥ ahaṃ rājan ṣaṣṭhītatpuruṣo bhavān ॥

Meaning:
Oh king, you and I are both 'lokanātha'-s.  I am rich man, you are only a 6th person!!

Answer:
How could this be?!  This is a play of words.  

Generally, a king is referred as a 'lokanātha', meaning, guardian, protector, supreme power, etc.  But here, a beggar is addressing the king as thus - 'Oh king, you and I are both lokanātha-s!'  

He is saying, 'I am a rich person (one who has lots of dhānyam (grains) - bahu vrīhi (lots of rice)), and you are just a 6th person!'  How is that justified?  

This is a Śleṣa (श्लेष), meaning riddles based on double meanings or puns. A single word or phrase can be split or interpreted in two different ways to solve the puzzle.

Well, it can be done only in Samskṛtam!  The word lokanātha can be split in 2 different ways in 2 different samāsa-s (sorry, no equivalent to this in English, and not to be confused with the snack, 'samosa' ;).  It is a way of giving derivations of words as per different rules!

So, in a samaasa called ṣaṣṭī-tatpuruṣa, it is derived as
लोकस्य नाथः 
lokasya nāthaḥ 

meaning, Lord of the world.  Okay, that makes sense.  

But how can a beggar call himself lokanātha?
Well, in bahuvrīhi samāsa, it is derived as
लोकः नाथः यस्य सः 

lokaḥ nāthaḥ yasya saḥ

means - he whose Lord is the world!  

To expand further, it means the beggar accepts the superiority of the entire world over him, as he survives on the mercy of other beings in the world!! 

The word बहुव्रीहि (bahuvrīhi) means one who has lots of rice (prosperous), as well as refers to the name of the samāsa!
Likewise, षष्ठीतत्पुरुष (ṣaṣṭī-tatpuruṣa) means 6th person, as well as 6th case (as in vibhakti)!

Now, the other meaning of the verse would be - 
O king, you and I are both 'lokanātha's.  Me, as per bahuvrīhi samāsa (i.e., I am under the mercy of the world), you as per ṣaṣṭī-tatpuruṣa (i.e., you are the Lord of the world)!

Although a beggar, he sure seems to have a pretty good grasp of Samskṛtam grammar!  Such play of words would be impossible otherwise!!  He must have obtained a reward rather than a reprimand :). He certainly appeased and convinced the king of his statement! 

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Game 5

Question:
पानीयं पातुमिच्छामि त्वत्तः कमललोचने ।
यदि दास्यसि नेच्छामि न दास्यसि पिबाम्यहम् ॥

pānīyaṃ pātumicchāmi tvattaḥ kamalalocane ।

yadi dāsyasi necchāmi na dāsyasi pibāmyaham ॥

Exposition:
Solve this प्रहेलिका (prahelikā - riddle).

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

पानीयं पातुम् इच्छामि त्वत्तः कमल-लोचने ।
यदि दास्यसि न इच्छामि न दास्यसि पिबामि अहम् ॥

pānīyaṃ pātum icchāmi tvattaḥ kamala-locane ।

yadi dāsyasi na icchāmi na dāsyasi pibāmi aham ॥

If we take the straightforward meaning of the words here, it would mean -
Oh, Lotus-eyed one, I would like to get a drink of water from you.  If you give, I don't want it.  If you won't give, I shall drink!

Meaning:
Well, that doesn't make any sense!  How can one drink without giving, and upon giving, he doesn't want it?!!

This is a Śleṣa (श्लेष), meaning riddles based on double meanings or puns. A single word or phrase can be split or interpreted in two different ways to solve the puzzle.

The trick here is that the word दास्यसि (dāsyasi) has to be split as 

दासी असि (dāsī asi) - servant, you are.

Then the meaning of the verse would change to -

Oh, Lotus-eyed one, I would like to get a drink of water from you.  If you are a dāsī (a servant woman), I don't want it.  If you are not a dāsī, I shall drink!

Answer:

These were the days when untouchability and caste systems were very prevalent.  It was taboo to take food and water from someone who was from a lower caste or a servant.  Hence, the person was confirming the lady's status.  He said he would accept the drink from her hand if she were not a maid, but wouldn't accept it if she was one.

Now, that makes more sense :).

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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!

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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!

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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! :).

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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!

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