An insight into maxims
In good olden days when reading and writing were not known , great philosophical truths were revelations of the great sages and were passed on orally to deserving disciples. Memory was the only vehicle of knowledge. So brevity was the soul of wisdom. Even saving a syllable was considered a treasure. Even short crispy sayings known as maxims, drawn from Nature were quoted in scholarly discussions by the scholars imparted liveliness and useful for clarifying, strengthening and establishing their viewpoint.
A glimpse into some of the maxims will give a clear picture as to how coherent and lively documents of human experience of daily life depicted in succinct manner in these sayings added vigor to the language. In Sanskrit it is called Nyaya meaning ‘ nayati iti nyayah ‘ that which leads to clarification of the subject enabling one to achieve the desired objective or goal .
The maxim of coconut water.
It takes its origin from the difficulty of explaining how sweet, nutrious water could exist inside a coconut fruit, and is used to denote that it is not in the power of man to understand clearly the unique ways of providence.
The maxim of Sunlight and grass.
It is used to denote that a thing which is found to be of essential importance at one time, may at another time prove to be the cause of destruction, just as the Sunlight, which is indispensably necessary for the growth of the grass ,is also the cause of drying up of the same grass.
The maxim of the Moon and her lustre.
This maxim originates from the inseparable connection between the Moon and her pleasing lustre, and is used to denote the inseparableness of two things.
The maxim of the leader of a herd of elephants.
This maxim is used to denote that a popular leader must have the courage, strength and discretion enough to lead, guide ,help and protect his followers, just as a leader of the herd of elephants.
The maxim of the sea and rain.
The maxim is used to denote supply of a thing to one who is in the least need of it just as rain is quite unnecessary in the sea where there is no want of water.
The maxim of fifty in a hundred.
This maxim is used to denote that the whole always contains the part.
The maxim of the limbs of a tortoise
It originates from the fact that a tortoise projects its limbs i.e , its legs and neck, when it has to serve any purpose, and again it draws them in, when that purpose is served, or any danger is apprehended.
It is used denote that a sensible person will, like a tortoise , make an exhibition of his power only where there is proper opportunity or necessity for it.
The maxim of the wind and other humours of the body.
This maxim is used to indicate that as wind, bile, and phlegm, the three humours of the body, though quite different from one another by nature, prove to be the source of sound health when they are harmoniously combined, so acts of very importance may be well performed by persons of different nature and disposition if they act in unison.
The maxim of a forest and the tiger.
This maxim is used to denote the need for mutual help between two persons, just as a forest is preserved by tiger and the tiger by the forest. If there be no tiger in the forest, the herbivorous animals come there in large numbers whenever they choose and eat the plants and the creepers and the forest is destroyed in no time. On the otherhand, if there be no forest it becomes difficult for a tiger to find out a secure place to live in.
The maxim of the lotus stalk.
It takes its origin from the growth of the stalk of a lotus with the increase of water in a tank during the rains. Again when the dry season comes and the surface of the water begins to sink, the stalk of the lotus gets dry but it does not die away. Similarly, when a great man or nation by the freaks of fortune is reduced to a miserable condition, he does not lose therby his natural nobility of mind.
