aneka-śāstraṁ bahu-veditavyam
alpaś ca kālo bahuvaś ca vighnāḥ |
yat sāra-bhūtaṁ tad upāsitavyaṁ
haṁso yathā kṣīram ivāmbhum adhyāt ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darpanam: 15.10)
“There are various texts and so many things to be known. Time is short, and obstacles are numerous. Therefore, the essence is to be appreciated, as a swan can extract milk for the midst of water.”
ananta-pāraṁ kila śabda-śāstraṁ
svalpaṁ tathāyur bahavaś ca vighnāḥ |
sāraṁ tato grāhyam apāsya phalgu
haṁsair yathā kṣīram ivāmbum adhyāt ||
(Pañcatantra: Kathā-mukham, 6)
“Endless indeed are words and texts. Life is short, and obstacles are numerous. Therefore, the essence is to be grasped and the insubstantial set aside, just as milk can be extracted from water by swans.”
haṁsasya corddhva-gamane gatir bhavati niścalā |
tattvātattva-viveko’sti jala-dugdha-vibhāgavat |
ajñāna-jñānayos tattvaṁ vivecayati haṁsakaḥ ||
(Śiva Purāṇa: Rudra-saṁhitā, Sṛṣti-khaṇḍa, 15.10–11)
“A haṁsa’s [i.e., a swan-like sādhu’s] upward movement is unwavering [like a swan’s flight], and he has the ability to discriminate between the real and the unreal as though separating milk from water [like a swan]. A haṁsa ascertains the nature of ignorance and knowledge.”
haṁsāḥ sārāsāra-viveka-caturāḥ |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.3; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 326)
“Haṁsas [lit., “swans”] are those who are expert in discriminating between the essential and non-essential.”
haṁsaḥ padma-vanaṁ samicchhati yathā nīlāmbudaṁ cātakaḥ
kokaḥ koka-nada-priyaṁ prati-dinaṁ candraṁ cakoras tathā |
ceto vāñchati mām ekaṁ paśupate cinmārga-mṛgyaṁ vibho
gaurīnātha bhavat padābja-yugalaṁ kaivalya-saukhya-pradam ||
(Śaṅkarācārya‘s Śivānanda-laharī: 59)
“As the swan longs for the lotus cluster,
The cātaka for the dark blue cloud,
The cakravāka for the sun,
The cakora for the moon, day after day,
So, my heart hankers only for your lotus feet,
Which are the goal of the spiritual path,
And which grant the joy of kaivalya,
O all-pervading One, O Lord of all beings, O husband of Gaurī!”
