CANAKYA PANDITA: NITI-SASTRA Chapter 1 1. After paying due reverence to the omnipotent Bhagwan Vishnu, the Lord of entire universe, rare political dictums selected from scriptures are present here. 2. After proper perusal of these maxims and guidelines from religious ethics, the wise decide between do's and don'ts, good and bad. 3. For the sheer benefit of all, I will write down those codes the knowledge of which makes one all-awakened. 4. Even the intelligent one feels aggrieved by imparting learning to the stupid, by rearing ill-willed wife and by having relations with the sorrowful. 5. An ill-natured wife, a crooked friend, a blunt servant, and living in a snake-holed house--all these lead to one's end doubtlessly. 6. One must save for a rainy day; with this savings one must protect one's wife; always safeguard oneself from both of these. 7. One must save money to shun misfortunes. The rich experience fewer misfortunes. Riches change hands, therefore, sometimes, well-protected wealth is also lost. 8. Where there is no respect, no means of living, no hope of having a family, and no possibility of acquiring education, one should not live in such a place. 9. A rich man, a Vedic brahmana, a king, a river and a physician - where these five are not available, one should not stay there even for a day. 10. Means of living, sense of fear, bashfulness and cleverness, spirit of sacrifice - where these five are missing, one shouldn't stay there for even a day. 11. A servant is judged when he is sent somewhere out; kith and kin are known in adversity, friends are tasted in mid-stream; similarly, the better-half is tasted in hours of poverty. 12. That one is a relation who stands by you in sickness, in hours of need, in starvation, in trouble from enemies, in legal affairs, and at the graveyard. 13. One who leaves one's aim and purpose and worries about unaimed; unaimed he slips and the aim is lost as well. 14. The wise may marry an ugly girl from noble family but shouldn't accept beautiful and good-natured from low family. Marriage among equals is appreciated. 15. Rivers, animals having nails and horns, men with weapons and those who are near to the king - one shouldn't trust in these. 16. Nectar from poison, gold even from dirty place, knowledge from low and an auspicious wife even from low family - all these should be accepted. 17. In comparison with men, women have double the hunger, four times the bashfulness, six times the valor and eight times the sexual desire. Chapter 2 1. Telling a lie, eagerness, crookedness, stupidity, utmost avarice, uncleanliness and lack of sympathy - these failings are common in womenfolk. 2. Capacity to eat and to digest it properly, palatables to eat, attractive wife and capacity for sexual intercourse, boundless wealth and inclination for charity - these are fruits of severe penance. 3. One enjoys heaven on earth who has obedient sons, a faithful wife, and contentment from one's wealth. 4. Kinship of sons lies in their loyalty to father; fatherhood lies in the service of his children; friendship lies in the confidence reposed in the friend; wifehood lies in the contentment one gets from wife. 5. Bad friend and even the most sincere one also be not trusted in. Sometimes the most sincere may leak out all your secrets when he is unhappy with you. 6. Intention of mind shouldn't be let out, these should be put in operation like a secret hymn. 7. Foolhardiness and youth are paingiving, it is certain; but living in another's house is painful all the more. 8. All rocks don't contain gems; all elephants don't possess pearls; ascetics are not available everywhere; sandalwood is not found in all jungles - hence precious things are found at rare places. 9. It is duty of wise to depute their sons in fair business; because with a good nature and a sense of fair deal they are respected everywhere. 10. Parents who don't make education available to their children are their worst enemies. Uneducated seldom get place in the congregation of wise as a crow does not grace the company of swans. 11. Undue pot is harmful. Timely use of rod is extremely useful for the benefit of students. 12. Regular and even low practice in studies makes fool a wise. Constant move of a rope on stone leaves its impression. It is duty of all to acquire knowledge, to indulge in good deeds and to be bountiful all the time. 13. Pangs of a low-born lady, disrespect among one's own kins, debt, loyalty to a wicked king, poverty and unwanted company - these all burn one's body even without fire. 14. Trees on the bank of river, married woman who becomes unchaste, king without a counselor - all these see their end before time. It is certain. 15. Power of the Brahmanas lies in their learning, power of the kings lies in their army, power of prostitutes lies in their wealth and power of low caste people lies in their service. 16. Prostitute leaves the man who becomes penniless, subjects leave their defeated king, birds leave the leafless trees and guest leaves host after taking meals. 17. Holy Brahmana leaves the yajamana after getting his due, disciples leave the Guru after giving the offering in faith and deer leave the burnt jungle. 18. A friend who in presence possesses a sweet tongue but behaves quite differently when out of sight, should be discarded like the pitcher which is filled with milk up to visible neck but contains poison underneath. 19. One should avoid the company of those who are licentious, evildoer and live in old... places. Such friendship is harmful. Bad company should be avoided. 20. Friendship among equals, service of king, businesslike dealing in life, most beautiful woman in the family - all these are decorating. Chapter 3 1. No family is blameless; no person is without torture ailment; no one is ever happy. Hence no one is contented for all times. 2. One's behavior reflects one's family, speech indicates one's country, one's treatment shows one's affection, one's body reflects one's diet. 3. Daughter should be married in a noble family; son should be properly educated; the enemy must be entangled in strife and a friend should be employed in good deeds. 4. Between the back-biter and snake - the latter is better, because a snake bites when life is to end, but a back-biter bites at every step. 5. Kings keep only the noble people around them since they stand by them through thick and thin. 6. In tornado the oceans leave their selfhood, but great souls maintain their dignity even in turmoil. 7. Fools should be avoided since a fool is like a biped animal. As a blind pricked by thorns, a fool stings with the arrow of his speech. 8. Handsome, young and those belonging to high family are like fragranceless flowers if they are without education. 9. Sweet voice is the beauty of cuckoos, service of husband is the beauty of a married woman, education is the beauty of ugly black faces. Similarly, sense of tolerance is the beauty of ascetics. 10. An individual should be left if by his sacrifice the whole family is saved, similarly, for the benefit of the village the family should be sacrificed, the village be sacrificed for the country and after the knowledge of self the whole world should be left or sacrificed. 11. Those who put in labor and hard work are seldom poor; those who pay penance get sins relieved; silence does not beget strife; the awakened one has no fear. 12. Sita was abducted because of extreme grace, utmost pride brought the end of Ravana; open-minded charity of Bali brought his fall, hence extreme of anything at any place is unwanted. 13. Nothing is unattainable for those who put in labor; no country is foreign for an educated person. Sweet-tongued has no enemy. 14. A single flowery tree spreads fragrance in the whole jungle, similarly a good son embalms the whole family. 15. A single burning tree destroys the whole jungle, similarly a bad son ruins the whole family. 16. Night is enlightened by the moon, similarly a noble and cultured son enlightens the whole family. 17. Only son who gives relief and protection is better than many who lead to agony and grief. 18. A child should be patted till the age of five; till the age of fifteen he should be treated with a rod, but as he attains the age of sixteen, he should be given a friendly treatment. 19. That one survives oneself who runs away in riots, at the time when enemy attacks, in the hour of drought and when in the company of a wicked person. 20. That one who is without these four - faith, wealth, desires and salvation - faces a meaningless end despite multi-births in human life. 21. Where fools are discarded, grain is protected in storage, husband and wife life cordially - there wealth comes without effort. Chapter 4 1. Age, profession, earning, education and death of a living body - these five manifest with the cell during growth period in the womb. It is certain. 2. The company of saints relieves the son, friends, relatives and their followers from wants of life and with the goodness earned, the whole family is lip up. 3. Fish, crab and sparrow rear up their young beings with utmost care. Similarly, company of the good is meant for all-round protection. 4. As long as the body is healthy, there is no fear from death. Before death one should do good deeds; what would be done at the hour of death? 5. Learning is like "kamadhenu." It fulfills all desires. It yield fruit all times - even in unknown places, it gives protection like a mother. It is like a hidden treasure. 6. Only son who possesses learning is enough. Several foolish sons are useless. It is the only moon that removes darkness and not the several stars. 7. Newly born dead son is better than a long living foolish son. Because the dead gives pain for some time, while the foolish gives pain throughout life. 8. Living in a bad village, service of a low family, substandard food, quarrelsome wife, stupid son, widow daughter, all these six burn without fire. 9. That cow is useless which neither delivers, nor yields milk. That son is useless who is neither a scholar, nor a worshiper of some God. 10. Son, wife and company of friends give solace from tortures of life. 11. Kings and pandits speak only once, daughters are married only once, these three seldom repeat. 12. Meditation in seclusion, reading with two, singing with tree, journey with four, tilling with five and a battle is fruitful with many associates. 13. That one is wife in real sense, who cater all domestic needs, who is pious, active, sacred and truthful and with whom the husband is contented. 14. Home is vacant without son, world around is lonely without relations. Heart of a fool is emotionless, but poverty is paingiving all the more. 15. Learning becomes harmful without revision, or repetition, undigested food, company of the wise for a fool, young girl for the old - all these react like poison. 16. Faith sans mercy, teacher sans learning, quarrelsome wife, unaffectionate relations - all these should be avoided. 17. Constant walking for men, tethering of horses at one place, women devoid of male's bed company, clothes spread in the sun for a long time, all these hasten old age. 18. How is time? How many friends? What place? With whom am I attached? What is my power and capacity? One should keep all these in mind. 19. Fire is godlike for Brahmanas, Ksatriyas and Vaisyas; God of saints lives in their hearts, person with less knowledge see God in statues and a person who has sense of equality finds God everywhere. Chapter 5 1. Husband is Guru for his wife; guest is Guru for all; fire is Guru for Brahmanas, Ksatriyas and Vaisyas; brahmana is Guru for all classes. 2. Gold is tasted by rubbing or cutting, by heating and hammering in the fire; similarly man is judged by his sacrifice, sobriety, goodness and his doings. 3. Have fear from fear so long it has not actually appeared; but when it appears one should attack unhesitatingly. 4. Belonging to the same progeny and taken birth under the same constellation may not be of same qualities as is evident from thorns of Ber. 5. One who has love for a particular thing does not deserve the same; one who is not passionate would not adore cosmetics; one who does not take lesson from the hurdles of life would not speak softly; and one who is plain-speaking would not be a crook. 6. Fools, paupers, widows, prostitutes are inimical to the pandits, the rich, the royal wives and the household ladies respectively. 7. Knowledge is lost without regular practice; lent out money, seedless farm, forces without commander - all these experience loss. 8. Knowledge comes from practice, high name of family is with sobriety, goodness is test of greatness, and anger is judged from eyes. 9. Dharma is protected with wealth, learning with practice and yoga; king lives long with softness and the home is protected with well-behaved wife. 10. Learning Vedas is superfluous; Shastras are meaningless; good conduct is useless - those who feel themselves conducted with such propaganda are superficial people. 11. Charity drives away poverty; good conduct removes bad ways; wisdom removes foolishness and fear vanishes with good feelings. 12. Adultery is the worst ailment; attachment is the bitterest enemy; no fire is like anger, and knowledge is all the more peace-giving. 13. Man takes birth alone, dies alone, reaps his good and bad karmas alone, goes alone to hell or heaven. It is certain. 14. Heaven is like a straw for the Brahma-jnani; life is like straw for hero; woman is like straw for one who has vanquished his senses: the whole world is like straw for one who is wantless. 15. Learning is one's friend in foreign land; wife is one's friend at home; medicine is remedial for the sick; Dharma is the friend after one's death. 16. Rain is useless on ocean; serving food to the contented is useless; charity to a rich is meaningless; lamp in daytime is useless. 17. No water is equal to rainwater; no force is equal to will-power; no light is equal to one's eyesight; nothing is more precious than food. 18. The poor want wealth, the animals aspire for speech; human-beings meditate for heaven; gods wish for salvation. 19. Earth rest on truth; sun's heat is truth; blow of wind is truth; all things of the world contain truth. 20. Wealth is transitory; life is mortal; living is short; family is short- lived. Only Dharma is consistent in this mortal world. 21. Barber among men, crow among sparrows, jackal among animals and fellow- maid among women - all these are worth discarding. 22. Giver of birth, baptizer, guide of Vedas, server of food, the protector from fear - these five are equated with father. 23. Better-half of king, wife of the Guru, wife of friend, mother-in-law and one's own mother - these five are termed as mothers. Chapter 6 1. Shastras help a person to understand his Dharma and shed ignorance. By hearing shastras one attains knowledge and salvation. 2. Crow among sparrows; dog among animals; sin among Rishis; back-bitter among men - all are ill-willed. 3. Ash cleans mint utensils, acid cleans copper vessels, menses purifies women, and flow of water cleans rivers. 4. A king touring for the welfare of his people is respected; visiting brahmanas and yogis are respected but loitering woman becomes prostitute. 5. Wealth regains friends, relations, manhood, learning and everything else. 6. Latent tendency for future controls mind, profession and all associates accordingly. 7. Time regulates all elements, Time decays all human beings, Time sees the ultimate decay and watches the dreams. Time is unsurpassable, this is certain. 8. Blind from birth does not see; indulgent in sex does nor keep a balanced mind; intoxicant does not perceive; and the needy does not care for the failings of the other end. 9. Jiva is responsible for Karma and its fruit; reels in the world himself and gets salvation himself. 10. Kings pays for the wrong done by his subjects, state bishop (purohita) pays for the sins of his king; husband suffers for the sins of his wife and the Guru repays for the sins of his disciples. 11. A father loaded with debt is like an enemy. Similarly corrupt mother, beautiful wife and stupid son like are enemies. 12. Avaricious should be approached with money; egoist with folded hands, stupid according to his status and the Pandit be influenced by truth. 13. Stateless country is better than to live in the state of a cruel king. It is better to be friendless than to have company of the wicked. It is good not to have disciples than to keep rogue as follower. It is better to live without wife than to have a crooked wife. 14. Cruel king, wicked friend, corrupt wife, stupid followers - all these cause constant unhappiness. 15. One lesson from the lion, one from the duckling, four from the cock, five from the crow, six from the dog and three qualities of the donkey must be learned - these are as under: 16. One should act according to one's own will, mind, status and strategy. This quality must be learned from lion. 17. A duckling preys keeping all the parts of its body under control, similarly the wise should move in the world keeping all his senses under control. 18. To rise early, not to turn back in the battle-field, to share everything with fellow-beings and to get one's need by attacking first - all these should be learned from the cock. 19. Indulgence in sex in camera, walking secretly, to store desires things according to need, to be vigilant in all walks of life, not to trust anybody - these five qualities are to be learned from the crow. 20. One must keep capacity to over eat but should feel contented with a little food; must have sound sleep but be alert with a minor noise; must keep affection and show valor for his master - these six should be learned from a dog. 21. To carry load even with entirely tired body, not to bother about winter and summer, to lead a contented life - these three should be learned from donkey. 22. One who keeps these twenty qualities in mind and follows accordingly, he always enjoys success everywhere. Chapter 7 1. The wise shouldn't speak these to anyone: loss of health, grief of mind, shortcoming of his family, whenever duped and insulted by others. 2. A person who behaves unhesitatingly in money transactions, in receiving education, while taking his food and in other social contacts, remains happy. 3. Contentment is like nectar for the cool-minded people: greedy people are devoid of the same. 4. One should feel contented with three things: wife, food and wealth. One shouldn't feel contented with getting education, doing religious performance and giving charity. 5. One shouldn't interfere between two brahmanas, brahmana and fire, wife and husband, master and his servant, bull and the plough. 6. Fire, Guru, brahmana, cow, daughter, aged man and the child shouldn't be touched with foot. 7. Have a distance of five feet from the cart, ten feet from the horse, thousand feet from the elephant and the country of the foolish should be left altogether. 8. Elephant, horse, animals with horns, the wicked man - these should be handled with goad, whip, lathi and sword respectively. 9. Brahmana is satisfied with food, peacock dances with the thundering of clouds, sadhu shows happiness with the increase of others' wealth, the wicked rejoice when others are in trouble. 10. Enemy more powerful than self should be tackled according to his strategy; the weaker enemy should be dealt by following the opposite path; equal should be managed with force or softness - all these should be tackled as per opportunity. 11. Power of own arms is the power of the king; godly knowledge the power of the brahmana; beauty youth sweet tongue is the power of woman. 12. Over-straightness is not advisable: in the jungle, all straight trees are fallen, uneven are left. 13. Swans live in watery tanks; they leave the tank when it is dry; one shouldn't follow this habit. 14. Earned money should be out-spend or given in charity just as an out- flowing tank is preserved fresh. 15. Monied man attracts friend and relation; he commands respect and earns immortality. 16. Love for charity, sweet tongue, worship of gods, serving the brahmana with food to their contentment - these four qualities are evident in those who come from heaven to live here. 17. Utmost anger, ill-tongue, poverty, enmity with fellow-beings, company of the low and their service - these disqualities figure in those who come from hell. 18. One gets 'gajmoti' [pearl from the head of an elephant] near the den of lion, but tail of calf or some portion of donkey is found in the jackal's hole; big things from the big and small from the small are found. 19. Just as the tail of a dog is insufficient to cover his private parts or to far away mosquitoes, similarly the life of man is useless without knowledge. 20. Purity of words is truth; purity of mind is to control wishes. Piety of philanthropist lies in the service of mankind. 21. Just as fragrance in flower, oil in seed, fire in wood, ghee in milk, sugar in sugar-cane, similarly soul is found in body. Chapter 8 1. Downtrodden aspire for money; average man aspire for name and wealth. Men of high birth desire fame because fame is the only true wealth. 2. One can perform religious duties even after taking sugar-cane, water, milk, fruit, betel and medicine. 3. Just as eastern lamp swallows darkness and gives blackness, similarly a man gives offspring according to diet taken by him. 4. O wise man, give your wealth to the deserving, keeping in the mind the example of an ocean whose water gets sweetened in the mouth of clouds from where it irrigates the whole earth and again comes to him. 5. According to seers, one Mleccha is equal to thousand Candalas; no one is inferior to Yavana. 6. After the appliance of oil, after nearing the pyre, after enjoying with a woman and after the shave one becomes consecrated after the bath only. 7. Water is medicine at the time of indigestion, on digestion it gives strength; a little water with food is like Amrita; after the meals it like poison. 8. Knowledge is useless without operation; man is like a lifeless without knowledge; forces are destroyed without commander; wives are ruined without husband. 9. In old age death of wife, wealth gone with the relations, livelihood depending on others cause grief to the person concerned. 10. Without Agnihotra chanting of Vedas is meaningless; without charity Yajna is not considered complete; without dedication no attainment is possible: sense of dedication is important everywhere. 11. God is omniscient. One needs devotion and dedication. Desired fruit can be obtained by worshiping wood, stone and other articles as get desired ends when Lord Vishnu is pleased. 12. Gods do not reside in wood, nor in stone nor in statues; gods live in devotion. This is certain. 13. Peace of mind is greatest penance; contentment is the highest relief; avarice is the most dangerous illness, no faith is bigger than mercy. 14. Anger is Yama personified; greed is Vaitarani; knowledge is Kamadhenu and contentment is Indra's Nandan Van. 15. Talent adds to beauty; nicety bedecks family, attainment brightens knowledge and luxury ornaments wealth. 16. Beauty is meaningless without talent; ill-natured causes loss to family; that one is not educated who is not siddha; untasted wealth is useless. 17. Water below the surface of the earth is pious; wife dedicated to husband is pious; king discharging goodness to people is pious; contented brahmana is pious. 18. Uncontented brahmana and the king with contentment vanish; similarly bashful prostitutes and the unbashful homely women are ruined. 19. An illiterate is useless even if he belongs to high family; a servant is revered by gods even if he belongs to low family. 20. The wise is appreciated everywhere; the wise is given a high place everywhere; knowledge gains everything; knowledge is worshiped everywhere. 21. An illiterate person is like an unfragranted flower even if he is handsome, young and belongs to high family. 22. This earth remains aggrieved and burdened with nonvegetarians, drunkards, illiterates and fools. Such people are like animals. 23. Utmost care be taken in the performance of Yajna. Yajna without serving the food after destroys the kingdom; sermonless Yajna destroys seers and the Yajna without charity destroys the yajamana. Chapter 9 1. O dear brother, if you aspire for salvation, leave the poison of sensual pleasures and drink the nectar of perseverance, gentleness, piety and truth. 2. The fool who lets out secret, vanishes like snake who lives in valmik (anthill). 3. Earlier to creation, none suggested it to Brahma, otherwise He would have given fragrance to gold, fruit to sugarcane, flower to sandalwood, wealth to the wise and immortality to the king. 4. Guduci is superb among the medicines; food is supreme in all wants; eyes are superior to all senses and head is head of the whole body. 5. If brahmana even without any previous reference or discussion or any information of the Zodiac by some messenger, knows about the solar and lunar eclipses, he is certainly a savant. 6. Student, servant, passenger, one who suffers from hunger, the frightened one, kitchen-head, and gate-keeper - all these seven are to be awakened when found asleep. 7. Snake, king, lion, moth, child, other's dog and fool - all these seven shouldn't be alerted when found asleep. 8. That brahmana who charges fees for delivering sermon of Vedas and that who eats food served by Sudra is just like poisonless snake. He is a worthless being. 9. Whose anger does not create any fear, whose happiness does not yield any material gain, who is neither competent to punish, nor is able to show mercy - discontentment of such a person is meaningless. 10. Even a harmless snake must keep a big hood because poison may, or not may be there, but fear of hood is more fearful. 11. Great men should spend their time likewise - in the morning they should read the story of gambling (Mahabharata), at noon they should read the story with reference to woman (Ramayana) and at night they must read the story relating to thieves (Srimad-Bhagavatam). 12. Garland of flowers prepared by own hands, sandalwood grounded by own hands and hymn written by own hands when used for selfish end cause a great damage. 13. Sugarcane, oilseeds, low-caste woman, gold, earth, sandal, curd and betel - grinding of these is useless. 14. Patience is needed at the time of poverty; dirty clothes should be kept clean; unservable food should be kept warm and ugly-looking must keep gentle nature. Chapter 10 1. Poor is never small; rich is one who is strong-willed; a person who is without a gem of education is devoid of all things. 2. One should step ahead with keen observation; should take water after passing it through a piece of cloth; should speak grammatically correct and should do anything after a deep thought. 3. If you need happiness, leave education; if you aspire for education leave the love for happiness - because both these cannot go side by side. 4. Learned perceive everything; women are up to anything; drunkards can use loose tongue to any extent and crows can eat anything. 5. Fate turns the king into a pauper; the rich into poor and vice versa. 6. Beggar is the enemy of the greedy; advice-giver is the enemy of the fools; husband is the enemy of the flirt wife and moon is the enemy of dacoits. 7. Persons devoid of education, penance, charity, gentleness or any other quality are like deer-garbed men on this earth. 8. Die-hards don't respond to advice just as poles don't turn into sandalwood with a mere touch of Malayacal (air from north). 9. Shastras are meaningless for the dullards just as specs are useless for the blind. 10. No solution is available to turn a rogue into a saint just as rectum doesn't become a fine sense although it is washed many a time. 11. Strife with a realist leads to death; strife with other than a realist leads to loss of wealth; strife with a king results in ruin and strife with a brahmana leads to the elimination of the whole family. 12. It is better to live in a jungle hut surrounded by leopards and elephants and to get all needs of living from there than to live poor with one's relatives. 13. Brahmana is a tree whose root is his daily worship, Vedas are his branches, faith and religious duty are his leaves, brahmana should protect the root because after the root is hewed, leaves and branches remain unprotected. 14. The entire universe is the home for that one whose mother, father and relatives are Laksmi, Vishnu and worshiper of Vishnu respectively. 15. Several birds taking shelter on the same tree for the night disperse in different direction in the morning. Nothing to worry in this context. 16. Only the wise is powerful, no power without wisdom: once a mad furious lion was killed by jackal. 17. If God keeps this world, why to worry about the living? If he is not the savior, why mother's breast milk? Considering all this O Lord Vishnu, O Lord Krishna, I spend time at your lotus feet. 18. Although I am well-versed in Sanskrit, yet I aspire to learn other languages as well; just as after taking the Elixir, the gods allure for the wine of lips of the fairies. 19. Wheat-flour is ten times more useful than rice; milk is ten times more useful than wheat-flour; meat is ten times useful than milk; ghee is ten times more useful than meat. 20. Eating of vegetables vegetate diseases; similarly milk nourishes body; ghee thickens semen and flesh enhances flesh. Chapter 11 1. Love for charity, sweet tongue, patience and the knowledge of the rights - these are natural qualities and can't be attained by practice. 2. One who disowns one's class and embraces the other one is ruined; just as kingdom is doomed with sinful act. 3. Elephant is fat but he is controlled by goad. Is trident equal to elephant in weight? Darkness disappears when lamp is lit. Has this darkness any comparison with the lamp? Mountains struck with thunderbolt fall down. Are mountains equal to thunderbolt? It is true power which is might - merely carrying of weight is of no use. 4. Sri Vishnu leaves this earth at passing 10 000 years of Kali-yuga; likewise water of the Ganges leaves this earth after 5 000 years and the village-gods leave this earth after 2 500 years. 5. Home-sick fails in education. Non-vegetarian becomes merciless; greed for wealth eliminates truth and a womanizer loses sobriety. 6. A rogue can't be trained into a good soul; a Nim tree can't yield sweetness even if brought up with milk and ghee. 7. An unclean mind does not gain purity even if dipped in hundreds of holy waters; just as a wine-contained vessel does not become clean even if passed through fire. 8. One who does not know the worth of things, fails to give proper appreciation to that; just as a jungle woman wears a garland of Gunjaphal discarding the pearls found in the head of elephant. 9. Those who chew bread daily keeping mouth shut throughout the century are worshiped in the heaven for hundred thousand years. 10. Adultery, anger, greed, taste of tongue, make-up, playing, over-sleep and utmost service - a student should avoid these eight. 11. That brahmana is called Rishi who eats fruit from unploughed land and who has deep love for forest and serves food to others daily. 12. That brahmana is called "dvija" who feels contented with one meal only, remains occupied with six Karmas i.e. (to perform yajna; to get yajna performed by others; getting and giving knowledge; to accept and to give alms) and intercourses with his wife after she had taken menstrual bath. 13. That brahmana is called Vaisya who keeps himself engrossed in worldly affairs, keeps and manages cattle, deals with commerce and tilling of land. 14. Lack, oils, seeds, flowers, honey, wine and meat - a seller of these is called sudra. 15. That one who destroys the work of others and who is proud, selfish, crooked, quarrelsome and is like a sugarcoated pill is a bogus brahmana. 16. Spring-well, well, tank, garden, and temple - one who destroys all these with a fearless mind is a Mleccha. 17. That one is Candala who corrupts the wealth of his gods, guru and lives with other's wife. 18. Good men should share their wealth and belongings with others, they should not hoard the same; name and fame of Raja Karna and Bali is still immortal. Honey bees grind feet in repentance since their well-collected honey by the ill luck of fate is gone untasted and unserved in charity. Chapter 12 1. A family home that is peaceful and that has wise sons, sweet-tongued wife, sufficient wealth to cater for all needs, love for wife, obedient servants, hospitality for the guests, worship of Siva daily, where delicious food and water is available everyday and where company of the noble is seen daily - such a home is superior to all Asramas. 2. Even an inclination of charity with a merciful mind to the needy brahmana yields unbounded reward, O King! Return from the brahmana is greater than the release to them. 3. Those have reputation in the world, who behave liberally with their own men, show sense of consideration for others, keep tit for tat the bad, love the good, keep alertness from the rogue, softness for the learned, valor for the brave, sense of tolerance for the elders and shrewdness for the womenfolk. 4. O colored jackals, leave your worth insulting bodies since you do not give charity with your hands, do not listen to Vedas with ears, do not walk to places with your feet, rather you fill your belly with ill-earned means and hold you head high. 5. Kirtan of mrdanga resounds discarding notes for those who don't worship the lotus feet of Yasoda's son, whose tongue does not utter appreciating notes for the lover of Radha, who don't listen to the blissful Lord Krishna's Lilas and his tasteful episodes. 6. In spring season thorny bush does not bear any leaf, the former is not to be blamed for that. Sun illuminates all; if an owl does not have eyesight during day, the sun is not blamed for that; similarly if raining drops do not fall into Cataka's mouth, where lies the fault of a cloud in that? It is clear writing by Brahma on one's forehead cannot be altered. 7. Wrong-doers get goodness in the company of good; the company of the bad doesn't influence the good - just as the earth get the fragrance of the flowers and not vice-versa. 8. Sadhus are like holy places, to get their audience is pious; visit to some holy places gives fruit in due course but the audience of the noble gives fruit instantly. 9. Someone enquires from brahmana - O brahmana, name the biggest of the town? Reply - Tar trees. Who is greatest charity-giver? Reply - washerman who takes clothes in the morning and returns by eve. Who is the cleverest? Reply - to mislead other's wives, all are clever. O friend, how you are alive here? Reply - like antiseptic bacteria. 10. That home is like a cremation ground which does not have the impression of the dust got after the feet wash of the brahmanas; which does not enchant the Vedic versions, which does not perform Yajna and ancestral obligations. 11. Truth is my mother; knowledge is my father; Dharma is my brother; contentment is my wife; forgiveness is my son - these six are my kith and kin. 12. A true worshiper finds in Lord Krishna's Lila whereas brahmanas rejoice in going to feasts, cows rejoice in green grass and wives rejoice in the bedding of the husbands. 13. All bodies are mortal, all wealth are temporary and death is near - hence one's faith be preserved. 14. That one is Pandit who consider other's wife his mother, other's wealth a clot of earth and things all beings equal. 15. To follow one's Dharma, to speak sweet, love for charity, not to deceive friend, reverence for the Guru, serenity of mind, honest living, lust for noble deeds, knowledge of Shastras, handsomeness and worship of Siva - O Rama, these qualities reside only in You. 16. O Raghupati Ramacandra! Kalpa Vriksa is wood; Sumeru is mountain; Cintamani is stone; Kamadeva is formless; Raja Bali is Daitya born; Kamadhenu is an animal - these all have higher qualities, yet I fail to find one compare with you. 17. Education is like a friend in a foreign place; wife is a friend in home; medicine is a friend of the sick; Dharma is one's friend after death. 18. Gentlemanliness from princes, beautiful language from Pandits, telling a lie from gamblers and crookedness from woman should be learn. 19. That one is ruined soon who spends his earnings without due consideration, quarrels with others, leaves his wife unaided and lives perturbed everywhere. 20. The wise shouldn't worry about sources of living, they should care for Dharma only. It is certain that sources of living and birth go together. 21. One who is unhesitant in his dealings with food and wealth, in receiving education, in social intercourse and in meals remains happy. 22. A pitcher is filled with a by-and-by drop of water. Similar is the case with education, wealth, and Dharma. 23. Evil mind retain its evilness even in the old age. Even an overbaked pomegranate is not fully sweet. Chapter 13 1. Momentary living for a noble cause is better than a prolonged living of agony and of opposition in the world. 2. The past should not be repented and the future should not be meditated. The wise keep themselves busy in the present. 3. Good nature pleases gods, the noble and the father. Kith and kin are pleased with the appropriate serving of food and the brahmana gets pleasure out of useful talks. 4. Nature of great men is really very surprising. They care little for wealth. Even they get it in plenty they become tender with its weight. 5. The lover has fears; love leads to sorrow, affection is the root of all sorrows. Hence this should be forsaken to attain peace and happiness. 6. Those who take suitable step keeping in mind the future probability and of the agony that is gone, lead happy life. Those who leave the events unnoticed ruin themselves. 7. As is the king so are his people. A religious king gets his subjects religious, a sinful king gets the same at the other end and the normal king gets his people alike. People follow their king. 8. I take a faithless living as dead, because a person having faith in religion is long-living. 9. The birth of that one is meaningless who has not attained even one of these four: Dharma, Kama, Artha, Moksa. 10. Low-bred burn themselves in the fame-fire of the high; and thinking 'grapes are sour' refer to them insultingly. 11. Mind slave to sensual pleasure is bound whereas a mind free from those pleasures is unbound. 12. Only after shedding bodily ego, the mind wherever travels, find deep meditational place. 13. One never gets what one thinks. All is in the hands of God. So one must seek shelter in contentment. 14. Even in a herd, a calf finds its mother. Similarly deeds always follow the doer. 15. A hotch-potch mind feels uneasiness in a lonely or in a crowded place, because a crowded place teases him with company and jungle worries him with seclusion. 16. Just as a man gets water after digging earth with spade, similarly pupil gets the best of his Guru with the service. 17. Fruits follow one's deeds; thinking corresponds to the same deed. Hence the high and the wise take well-thought steps. 18. One should feel restive with one's wife, food and wealth; one should never feel restive in assimilating learning, meditation and charity. 19. One who does not bow before one's Guru from whom one has learned even word, that one after leading hundreds of dog-lives takes birth in a Candala Yoni. 20. Mountains and oceans may leave their places in tremor and turmoil but the great remain stuck to their posts whatever the case may be. Chapter 14 1. On earth three gems are available - water, food and sweet words, but the illiterate count stones among gems. 2. Man's own tree of the offense to the soul yields of poverty, sickness, sorrow, slavery and addictions. 3. Wealth, friend, women and earth can be had repeatedly, but human body cannot be. 4. This is certain that crowd of men conquer the enemy, just as a bundle of straw protects from rain water. 5. Oil in water, secrets with the evil-minded people, alms in a good vessel and a little knowledge with the wise enhances according to the need of the owner. 6. One gets salvation if keeps mind which is required to listen to a religious story and realize the condition of the sick or person in sorrow or persons attending cremation ground. 7. Rise of man is certain, if the state of mind which is present at the time of distress remains prevalent always. 8. One should not be surprised on finding spirit of charity, penance, valor, knowledge and gentleness because the earth is over-loaded with such qualities. 9. Out of sight, out of mind. 10. Sweet discourse is essential for one whom an end is desired: sweet songs entrap a deer. 11. King, fire, Guru and woman should be given a normal treatment - closeness to these causes ruin and distance of these does not bear any fruit. 12. Fire, water, woman, fools, snakes and the kins of kings - these should be dealt cautiously since these six lead to instant death. 13. Life of that one is meaningful who has higher values and faith in dharma - sans this life is meaningless. 14. Have a control over mind which leads to fifteen senses if you desire to ride this world with one action only. 15. That one is Pandit who knows what to do and where to do and who displays anger as per capacity. 16. Yogis see the beauty as dead one, licentious see the same as a damsel, dogs see that as a lump of flesh - thus the same thing is perceived differently by the three. 17. The wise should avoid to tell to others his tasted medicine, his dharma, pitfalls of his family, sexual intercourse, unchaste food and about unnatural death. 18. Silence of cuckoos last to that day only until a note which is pleasing for all does not start. 19. Faith, wealth, food, sermon of a Guru and medicine - these should be stored carefully otherwise life is not prolonged. 20. Leave the company of the bad, embrace a good company, lead a religious life and every day think about mortal and the immortal one. Chapter 15 1. Whose heart enkindles with kindness to others, for him knowledge, lust for salvation, long hair and smearing of ashes all are meaningless. 2. A word from Guru remains unpaid by a student on this earth. 3. Two ways are suggested to get rid of the wrong-doers and thorns. Remove them or destroy them with shoes. 4. Wealth (Laksmi) leaves that one, even if that be Vishnu who dresses badly, keeps teeth unclean, who is glutton, ill-tongued and who remains sleeping after sunrise and near sunset. 5. Friends, wife, servant and well-wisher break away with a poor man. All these take shelter with him when he attains wealth again. 6. Ill-got wealth remains for ten years only; in the eleventh year it slips away. 7. Failing becomes an ornament for a capacitated person and an ornament becomes a failing for a low-born man, just as Amrita caused Rahu's death and Visa ornamented Siva. 8. Left-over food by brahmanas makes a worthy food, goodness is that which includes service to others, wise is that who avoids sin, an unostentatious work is Dharma. 9. In commercial transaction, gem and piece of glass get due evolution even if a gem strolls near foot and a piece of glass is kept on the head. 10. Knowledge is boundless, disciplines of learning are varied, life is short, hurdles are many, hence essence be preferred as swans take out milk mixed with water. 11. That one is Candala who takes own food without paying proper hospitality to a person who has arrived from far, being tired on the way and who has not come with a purpose. 12. Those brahmanas who go through the Vedas without applying proper mental insight, do not reach essence of self-realization, just as fry-spoon remains dry with all the tasteful dishes. 13. When compared with a boat, a brahmana seems very strange. His condition is quite opposite to that of a boat, because who rides the boat goes across but who remains low before a brahmana gets his aim and vice-versa. 14. One has to play a second fiddle in the vicinity of others. Look, the moon who is reservoir of elixir, lord of medicines, Amrita, all graceful and beautiful, becomes indistinct when is near to the sun. 15. Banwara who remains idle and intoxicated with the fragrance of the lily which is found amidst the petals of the lotus, feels contented with the Kutiya Ras more than expectation when he is in foreign land due to some bad luck. 16. O Lord, brahmana-born Agastya drank my originator (Ocean) out of anger; Bhrgu kicked my most beloved husband (Vishnu) at His chest; from childhood to old age, all seers keep Sarasvati my betterest enemy in their mouths, they, brahmanas, steel into my home to get Shriphalapatra for the worship of Umapati (Sankara) - all these factors attribute to my grief. Hence I (Laksmi) even if associated by You (Vishnu) rightly leave the homes of brahmanas. 17. Bonds are many, but attachment of love is supreme. Banwara is sharp enough to make a hole in the wood, but out of affection he becomes inactive in the lotus. 18. Sandal tree even if hewed does not relinquish fragrance, even an old elephant does not avoid playful spirit, sugarcane carries sweetness even after it is pressed out and noble man keeps all his nobility and other qualities even if he is left poor. 19. O lord Kesava, needless to say more, fame is bagged with a great service. Thou lifted a small mountain out of playful spirit and Your attainment is sung all over the universe, Your devotee keeps You in the mind but goes unsung. It is certain you carry the whole universe with You. Chapter 16 1. That person axes the youth of his mother who does not meditate on the holy feet of God to attain salvation, who does not follow right faith to enter into heaven and who does not forget the heavy breasts and thighs even in dreams. 2. Such women who converse with someone, look lovingly to the second and hatch the third in the mind, are never faithful to anyone. 3. A person who out of illusion thinks that some woman is attached to him, he himself becomes a slave to her and plays like a sparrow in her hands. 4. Who has not gone drunk with wealth? Did ever any licentious overpower his hurdles? Whose heart remained undisturbed in sight of woman? Who received the benevolence of the kingdom? Time vanquished all. No beggar ever rose to greatness. And an ill-minded never leads a peaceful life. 5. Golden deer was never made by Brahma or someone else. Like such was never seen or heard about before. Even then Sri Raghunathji ran after such deer. It is evident that man loses power of balanced thinking in adversity. 6. A man attains greatness with his good qualities even if he sits at a low place. A crow sitting on a high tower does not compare with a 'adjutant' (Garuda). 7. Good qualities and not the huge wealth are worshiped everywhere. Weak moon of the second tithi is worshiped and not the full moon. 8. A man sans goodness becomes noble when sung by others. Who speaks about himself remain small even if that be Indra. 9. Noble thoughts shine with the wise. Diamond studded in gold is all beautiful. 10. Shelterless person with all his qualities experiences sorrow even in the company of the gods - just as a valuable gem needs gold for beautification. 11. We don't desire such wealth which is attained in a state of utter sorrow, which is got after undue regard to dharma and which is gained after bowing before an enemy. 12. That money is useless which remains uncirculated for the cause of the common. 13. People die out from this world unsatisfied with wealth, needs of the life and women and foods. Thus it is, thus it was, thus it would be. 14. All charities, Yajnas, Homas, sacrifices, etc. diminish, but a charity for the noble and a sense of fearlessness for all never fade out. 15. Straw is light, lighter than straw is cotton and the beggar is the lightest (lowest) of all. Question arises: why don't wind carry a beggar with it? Answer is: wind fears of beggar's begging. 16. Death is better than to lead a dishonored life, because death is an instant pain but a dishonor is a life-long sting. 17. All like sweet words: speak sweetly. Sweet words are plenty. 18. Sweet words and good company of the noble - these are two heavenly fruits of the tree of universe. 19. Practice of many births employed in the service of charity, learning and penance leads to such practice in future as well. 20. Better to keep one's learning and wealth in hand for use. Learning kept in books and money which is elsewhere, never repay at the time of need. Chapter 17 1. Those who have attained knowledge from books only and have not got the blessing of a Guru remain unwelcome in the congregation like an undevoted wife conceived by one other than her husband. 2. Gratitude must be paid with gratitude. Attack must be countered. There is no harm in paying the bad in his own coin. 3. Impracticable, inaccessible and the distant one can be attained with penance. It is certain that penance is supreme, because with it even the ultimate attainment is made easy. 4. Greediness is the biggest flaw. Habit of back-biting is the biggest sin. Truth is the highest penance. If mind is pure visit to holy places is useless. Gentleness does require any other quality. If one is famous ornaments are useless. Good education outweighs wealth. If others insult you it is more than death. 5. The conch who has fatherhood with ocean, sisterhood with goddess Laksmi, is spread out for begging alms clarifying that unless one doles out charity, one can't expect return. 6. Sadhu is that one who is weak; brahmacari is that one who is poor; devotee of gods is that one who is unhealthy; and old lady is faithful. These all are incapacitated. 7. Nothing in charity is equal to water and food; no tithi is more auspicious than Dvadasi; no sermon is more pious than Gayatri Mantra and no guru equal to mother. 8. Snake has poison in the teeth, gnat has poison in the head; scorpion carries poison in the tail but evil-minded man carries poison in his entire body. 9. Woman who without the permission of her husband performs 'vrata' and fast lessens the age of her husband and herself goes to hell. 10. A woman does not get as much piety by giving offerings, or by keeping fasts, or by visiting holy places as she gets by washing the feet of her husband. 11. Left-over water after washing the feet, left-out water after drinking, left-over water from odd purposes is considered like the urine of a dog. If a Dvija tastes such water, he should perform Candrayana Vrata to regain piety. 12. Hand becomes handsome by making offers and not by wearing bangles, body gets clean by taking bath and not by of scent, elder get contentment with honor and not with dandy food, knowledge ensures salvation, mere make-up does not. 13. One shouldn't get oneself shaved at the residence of the barber; shouldn't adorn oneself with sandal lifted from stone; shouldn't see one's reflection in the water - that one loses wealth by performing these even if that be Indra. 14. 'Kundru' blunts mental faculty instantly; 'Vaca' restores the same; woman swallows energy immediately and milk restores the same at once. 15. If one has beautiful wife, wealth in home, obedient son full of noble ideas and a grandson also - these pleasures are more than to be found in the kingdom of Indra. 16. Hurdles of the way go and paths become full of rewards for those who have goodness for all in their hearts. 17. Lust for eating, sleeping, fear, company of the opposite sex, these are all common in men and animals. Sense of understanding and dharma are the only qualities which make men superior to animal. Hence men sans knowledge are like animals. 18. If some scholar with a sense of appreciation visits a rich man and the latter without paying due regard shuns him away, the rich loses luster by doing so because the whole world is open for the scholar to respect. This idea is brought home by a Banwar who nears intoxicants of some mad elephant to have fragrance but the elephant fans him away. 19. King, prostitute, Yamaraja, fire, thief, small boy, beggar and a thorn - all these remain unwary of the pain of other. 20. Some damsel is watching her body. On being asked by a passerby man as to why she had been looking below on the earth the damsel replies: O fool, you can't understand, I have lost somewhere the diamond of my youth. 21. O Ketaki, snakes find home near you, thou are fruitless, thorny, uneven, springing out from mud, you are like the display of sorrow - yet with a quality of fragrance you are lovely to all, because only one good quality removes a heap of disqualities.