मिथ्योपेतानि कर्माणि सिद्ध्येतादीनि भारत। अनुपायप्रयुक्तानि मा स्म ते....मनः कृथाः
Actions undertaken with false means, O Bhārata, may sometimes succeed, but those done without proper method—do not let your mind dwell on them.
तथैव योगविहितं यत्तु कर्म न सिध्यति। उपाययुक्तं मेधावी न तत्र ग्लपयेन्मनः
Likewise, if an action ordained by discipline does not succeed, the wise should not let their mind be distressed if it is undertaken with proper means.
अनुबन्धानवेक्षेत सानुबन्धेषु कर्मसु। संप्रधार्य च कुर्वीत सहसा न समाचरेत्
One should consider the consequences in actions that have consequences; after careful deliberation, one should act and not act rashly.
अनुबन्धं च संप्रेक्ष्य विपाकं चैव कर्मणाम्। उत्थानमात्मनश्चैव धीरः कुर्वीत वा न वा
Having considered the consequence and the result of actions, and one's own capacity, the wise person should act or not act accordingly.
यः प्रमाणं न जानाति स्थाने वृद्धौ तथा क्षये। कोशे जनपदे दण्डे न स राज्येऽवतिष्ठते
He who does not know the proper measure in growth and decline, in treasury, in the realm, and in punishment, does not maintain the kingdom.
यस्त्वेतानि प्रमाणानि यथोक्तान्यनुपश्यति। युक्तो धर्मार्थयोर्ज्ञाने स राज्यमधिगच्छति
But he who observes these measures as stated, endowed with knowledge of righteousness and profit, he attains sovereignty.
न राज्यं प्राप्तमित्येव वर्तितव्यमसांप्रतम्। श्रियं ह्यविनयो हन्ति जरा रूपमिवोत्तमम्
One should not behave as if the kingdom has already been attained; for, just as old age destroys even the finest beauty, lack of discipline destroys prosperity.
भक्ष्योत्तमप्रतिच्छन्नं मत्स्यो बडिशमायसम्। अन्नाभिलाषी ग्रसते नानुबन्धमवेक्षते
The fish, desiring food, swallows the iron hook hidden in the best bait, not considering the consequence.
यच्छक्यं ग्रसितुं ग्रस्यं ग्रस्तं परिणमेच्च यत्। हितं च परिणामे यत्तदाद्यं भूतिमिच्छता
Whatever can be digested should be eaten, and what has been eaten should be assimilated; that which is beneficial in the end should be first chosen by one who seeks prosperity.
वनस्पतेरपक्वानि फलानि प्रचिनोति यः। स नाप्नोति रसं तेभ्यो बीजं चास्य विनश्यति
He who gathers unripe fruits from a tree does not obtain their taste, and his seed is also lost.
यस्तु पक्वमुपादत्ते काले परिणतं फलम्। फलाद्रसं स लभते बीजाच्चैव फलं पुनः
But he who takes ripe fruit at the proper time obtains the taste from the fruit and, from the seed, fruit again.
यथा मधु समादत्ते रक्षन्पुष्पाणि षट्पदः। तद्वदर्थान्मनुष्येभ्य आदद्यादविहिंसया
Just as the bee gathers honey while protecting the flowers, so should one take wealth from people without causing harm.
पुष्पं पुष्पं विचिन्वीत मूलच्छेदं न कारयेत् । मालाकार इवारामे न यथाङ्गारकारकः
One should gather flowers one by one, but not uproot the plant—like a garland-maker in a garden, not like a charcoal-burner.
किं नु मे स्यादिदं कृत्वा किं नु मे स्यादकुर्वतः। इति कर्माणि सञ्चिन्त्य कुर्याद्वा पुरुषो न वा
What will come to me if I do this? What will come if I do not? Considering thus about actions, a person should act or not act.
अनारभ्या भवन्त्यर्थाः केचिन्नित्यं यथाऽगताः । कृतः पुरुषकारोऽहि भवेद्येषु निरर्थकः
Some aims are achieved even without effort, as if they arrive on their own; but when effort is made for such things, it becomes fruitless.
अनर्थे चैव निरतमर्थे चैव पराङ्भुखम्। न तं भर्तारमिच्छन्ति षण्ढं पतिमिव स्त्रियः
One who is always engaged in what is useless, and turns away from what is useful—women do not desire such a husband, just as they do not desire an impotent man.
प्रसादो निष्फलो यस्य क्रोधश्चापि निरर्थकः। न तं भर्तारमिच्छन्ति षण्ढं पतिमिव स्त्रियः
He whose favor is fruitless, and whose anger is also meaningless—women do not desire such a husband, just as they do not desire an impotent man.
कांश्चिदर्थान्नरः प्राज्ञो लघुमूलान्महाफलान् । क्षिप्रमारभते कर्तुं न दीर्घयति तादृशान्
A wise man quickly undertakes certain aims that have small roots but great fruits; he does not delay with such things.
ऋजु पश्यति यः सर्वं चक्षुषा नु पिबन्निव । आसीनमपि तूष्णीकमनुरज्यन्ति तं प्रजाः
He who sees everything straightforwardly, as if drinking it in with his eyes—even when sitting silently, people are drawn to him.
सुपुष्पितः स्यादफलः फलितः स्याद्दुरारुहः । अपक्वः पक्वसङ्काशो न तु शीर्येत कर्हिचित्
A tree may be full of flowers but bear no fruit; or it may bear fruit but be hard to climb; it may look ripe but not be so, yet it never withers away.
चक्षुषा मनसा वाचा कर्मणा च चतुर्विधम्। प्रसादयति यो लोकं तं लोकोऽनुप्रसीदति
He who pleases the world in four ways—by his eyes, mind, speech, and actions—the world, in turn, is pleased with him.
यस्मात्रस्यन्ति भूतानि मृगव्याधान्मृगा इव। सागरान्तामपि महीं लब्ध्वा स परिहीयते
From whom creatures flee, as deer from a hunter—even if he gains the whole earth up to the ocean, he is diminished.
पितृपैतामहं राज्यं प्राप्यापि स्वेन कर्मणा। वायुरभ्रमिवासाद्य भ्रंशयत्यनये स्थितः
One who attains the kingdom of his fathers and grandfathers by his own actions, if he stands in unrighteousness, is cast down like the wind dispersing a cloud.
धर्ममाचरतो राज्ञः सद्भिश्चरितमादितः। वसुधा वसुसंपूर्णा वर्धते भूतिवर्धनी
When a king follows dharma, as practiced by the virtuous from the beginning, the earth, filled with wealth, prospers and brings forth abundance.
अथ संत्यजतो धर्ममधर्मं चानुतिष्ठतः। प्रतिसंवेष्टते भूमिरग्नौ चर्माहितं यथा
But when he abandons dharma and follows adharma, the earth recoils from him, as leather shrinks away from fire.
य एव यत्नः क्रियते परराष्ट्रविमर्दने। स एव यत्नः कर्तव्यः स्वराष्ट्रपरिपालने
The same effort that is made in attacking another's kingdom should be made in protecting one's own.
धर्मेण राज्यं विन्देत धर्मेण परिपालयेत्। धर्ममूलां श्रियं प्राप्य न जहाति न हीयते
One should obtain a kingdom by dharma, and protect it by dharma; having gained prosperity rooted in dharma, he neither abandons nor loses it.
अप्युन्मत्तात्प्रलपतो बालाच्च परिजल्पतः। सर्वतः सारमादद्यादश्मभ्य इव काञ्चनम्
Even from a madman babbling, or a child prattling, one should take what is valuable from everywhere, as gold from stones.
सुव्याहृतानि महतां सुकृतानि ततस्ततः। सञ्चिन्वन्धीर आसीत शिलाहारी शिलं यथा
Let the wise man gather the well-spoken and virtuous deeds of the great from here and there, as a stone-cutter gathers stones.
गन्धेन गावः पश्यन्ति वेदैः पश्यन्ति ब्राह्मणाः । चारैः पश्यन्ति राजानश्चक्षुर्भ्यामितरे जनाः
Cows perceive by scent, Brahmins perceive by the Vedas, kings perceive by spies, and other people by their eyes.