Conversational Sanskrit

Here is a well known prayer to Goddess Saraswati. I have written in devanagari, roman transliteration and given the meaning in English. या कुन्देन्दु तुषार हार धवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता  या वीणा वर दण्ड मण्डित करा या श्वेत पद्मासना या ब्रह्म अच्युत शङ्कर प्रभृतिभिः देवैः सदा वन्दिता सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निश्शेष जाड्यापहा yA kundEndu-tuShAra-hAra-dhavalA, yA shubhra-vastrAvRitA | yA vINA-vara-daNDa-maNDita-karA, yA shvEta-padmAsanA| yA brahmA_chyuta-shaGkara-prabhRitibhir_ dEvaiH sadA vanditA | sA mAm pAtu sarasvatI bhagavatI, niHshESha-jADyApahA|| She ( या ) who is fair and lustrous ( धवला ) like the jasmine ( कुन्द), moon ( इन्दु ) or the garland of dew-drops(  तुषार हार  ); She who is draped ( आवृता ) in white  clothes ( शुभ्रवस्त्र);  She whose  hands ( कर) are adorned ( मण्डिता ) with  the boon-bestowing vInA  ( वीणा वर दण्ड); She who sits ( आसना) on the white  lotus ( श्वेत पद्म);  She who  has  always ( सदा)  been praised  ( वन्दिता) by    all  divinities ( देवैः) be

Here is an anecdote from the Kishkindakanda of Ramayana. Rama is worried sick about Sita and dejected because of separation from her. Lakshmana advises him and asks him to keep up his optimism and enthusiasm. I thought these are great words to live by! उत्साहो बलवानार्य   नास्त्युत्साहत्परं    बलम् सोत्साहस्यस्ति   लोके अस्मिन् न किञिदपि   दुर्लभम्   उत्साहः= enthusiasm, resolution, perseverance, fortitude, optimism, strong will, energy, continuous effort   बलवान्= strong आर्य  =o! noble one ( Lakshmana addressing Rama) नास्ति= does not exist उत्साहात्   परम् बलम् = greater  strength than enthusiasm सोत्साहस्य अस्ति लोके   अस्मिन् = for the person with enthusiasm on this earth न किञित्   अपि   दुर्लभम्  = there is nothing that is difficult to achieve.  Enthusiasm is a very strong force, and there is no greater strength than enthusiasm. For the one who is enthusiastic there is nothing on this earth which is difficult to attain.