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.
भूयांसं लभते क्लेशं या गौर्भवति दुर्दुहा । अथ या सुदुघा राजन्नैव तां वितुदन्त्यपि
A cow that is hard to milk suffers much distress; but, O King, a cow that is easy to milk is not harmed even if struck.
यदतप्तं प्रणमति न तत्सन्तापमर्हति। यच्च स्वयं नतं दारु न तत्संनामयेद्बुधः
That which bends without being heated does not deserve to be burned; and a piece of wood that bends on its own should not be bent further by the wise.
एतयोपमया धीरः सन्नमेत बलीयसे। इन्द्राय स प्रणमते नमते यो बलीयसे
By this analogy, the wise man should bow before the stronger; for he bows to Indra, and one bows to him who is more powerful.
पर्जन्यनाथाः पशवो राजानो मन्त्रिबान्धवाः। पतयो बान्धवाः स्त्रीणां ब्राह्मणा वेदबान्धवाः
Cattle depend on the rain, kings on ministers and relatives, women on husbands and kin, and Brahmins on the Vedas and their companions.
सत्येन रक्ष्यते धर्मो विद्या योगेन रक्ष्यते । मृजया रक्ष्यते रूपं कुलं वृत्तेन रक्ष्यते
Righteousness is protected by truth, knowledge by discipline, beauty by cleanliness, and lineage by good conduct.
मानेन रक्ष्यते धान्यमश्वान्रक्षेदनुक्रमात्। अभीक्ष्णदर्शनाद्गावः स्त्रियो रक्ष्याः कुचेलतः
Wealth is preserved by respect, horses by proper care, cows and women by frequent attention, and garments by being kept clean.
न कुलं वृत्तहीनस्य प्रमाणमिति मे मतिः। अन्तेष्वपि हि जातानां वृत्तमेव विशिष्यते
In my view, family is not the measure of one who lacks good conduct; for even among those born in low families, conduct alone stands out.
य ईर्षुः परवित्तेषु रूपे वीर्ये कुलान्वये । सुखसौभाग्यसत्कारे तस्य व्याधिरनन्तकः
He who envies others' wealth, beauty, strength, lineage, happiness, fortune, or honor, is afflicted by an endless disease.
अकार्यकरणाद्भीतः कार्याणां च विवर्जनात्। अकाले मन्त्रभेदाच्च येन माद्येन्न तत्पिबेत्
One should not drink that which causes madness—out of fear of doing wrong, neglecting duty, or revealing secrets at the wrong time.
विद्यामदो धनमदस्तृतीयोऽभिजनो मदः। मदा एतेऽवलिप्तानामेत एव सतां दमाः
There are three kinds of pride: pride of learning, pride of wealth, and pride of noble birth; these are the intoxications of the arrogant, but for the virtuous, they are causes for self-restraint.