अस्तब्धमक्लीबमदीर्घसूत्रं सानुक्रोशं श्लक्ष्णमहार्यमन्यैः। अरोगजातीयमुदारवाक्यं दूतं वदन्त्यष्टगुणोपपन्नम्
They say a messenger should possess eight qualities: firmness, masculinity, promptness, compassion, gentleness, nobility, good health, and noble speech.
न विश्वासाञ्जातु परस्य गेहे गच्छेन्नरश्चेतयानो विकाले। न चत्वरे निशि तिष्ठेन्निगूढो न राजकाम्यां योषितं प्रार्थयीत
A man should never trust another's house, nor enter it at improper times; he should not stand in the square at night in concealment, nor desire a woman sought by the king.
न निह्नवं मन्त्रगतस्य गच्छे- त्संसृष्टमन्त्रस्य कुसङ्गतस्य। न च ब्रूयान्नाश्वसिमि त्वयीति सकारणं व्यपदेशं तु कुर्यात्
He should not go to a place where secret counsel is held, nor to where counsel is mingled with bad company; nor should he say, 'I trust you,' but should give a reasoned explanation.
घृणी राजा पुंश्चली राजभृत्यः पुत्रो भ्राता विधवा बालपुत्रा। सेनाजीवी चोद्धृतभूरिरेव व्यवहारेषु वर्जनीयाः स्युरेते
A king who is compassionate, a wanton woman, a royal servant, a son, a brother, a widow with young children, a soldier, and one who has lost much land—these should be avoided in legal dealings.
अष्टौ गुणाः पुरुषं दीपयन्ति प्रज्ञा च कौल्यं च श्रुतं दमश्च। पराक्रमश्चाबहुभाषिता च दानं यथाशक्ति कृतज्ञता च
Eight qualities illuminate a person: wisdom, noble birth, learning, self-control, valor, restraint in speech, generosity according to ability, and gratitude.
एतान्गुणांस्तात महानुभावा- नेको गुणः संश्रयते प्रसह्य। राजा यदा सत्कुरुते मनुष्यं सर्वान्गुणनेष गुणो बिभर्ति
These qualities, O father, belong to great souls; one virtue draws others to itself. When a king honors a person, that virtue brings all other virtues together.
गुणा दश स्नानशीलं भजन्ते बलं रूपं स्वरवर्णप्रशुद्धिः। स्पर्शश्च गन्धश्च विशुद्धता च श्रीः सौकुमार्यं प्रवराश्च नार्यः
Ten qualities belong to one who is clean: strength, beauty, purity of voice, touch, and scent, cleanliness, prosperity, delicacy, and the best women.
गुणाश्च षण्मितभुक्तं भजन्ते आरोग्यमायुश्च बलं सुखं च। अनाविलं चास्य भवत्यपत्यं न चैनमाद्यून इति क्षिपन्ति
Six qualities belong to one who eats moderately: health, long life, strength, happiness, untroubled offspring, and he is not quickly diminished.
अकर्मशीलं च महाशनं च लोकद्विष्टं बहुमायं नृशंसम्। अदेशकालज्ञममिष्टवेष- मेतान्गृहे न प्रतिवासयेत
One should not allow in one's house those who are lazy, gluttonous, hated by people, deceitful, cruel, ignorant of proper time and place, or of disagreeable appearance.
कदर्यमाक्रोशकमश्रुतं च वनौकसं धूर्तममान्यमानिनम्। निष्ठूरिणं कृतवैरं कृतघ्न- मेतान्भृशार्तोपि न जातु याचेत्
Even in great distress, one should never beg from the miserly, the abusive, the ignorant, the forest-dweller, the cunning, the disrespectful, the arrogant, the harsh, the hostile, or the ungrateful.
संक्लिष्टकर्माणमतिप्रमादं नित्यानृतं चादृढभक्तिकं च। विसृष्टरागं पटुमानिनं चा- प्येतान्न सेवेत नराधमान्षट्
One should not serve six kinds of wretched men: those with troubled deeds, excessive negligence, habitual lying, weak devotion, uncontrolled passions, and clever arrogance.
सहायबन्धना ह्यर्थाः सहायाश्चार्थबन्धनाः। अन्योन्यबन्धनावेतौ विनान्योन्यं न सिद्ध्यतः
Wealth is bound by companions, and companions are bound by wealth; these two are mutually dependent, and without each other, neither prospers.
उत्पाद्य पुत्राननृणांश्च कृत्वा वृत्तिं च तेभ्योऽनुविधाय कांचित्। स्थाने कुमारीः प्रतिपाद्य सर्वा अरण्यसंस्थोऽथ मुनिर्बुभूषेत्
After begetting sons and freeing oneself from debts, providing them with some means of livelihood, and suitably giving all daughters in marriage, then, dwelling in the forest, the sage should desire to subsist.
हितं यत्सर्वभूतानामात्मनश्च सुखावहम्। तत्कुर्यादीश्वरो ह्येतन्मूलं सर्वार्थसिद्धये
One should do what is beneficial for all beings and brings happiness to oneself; for the lord, this is the root of accomplishing all aims.
वृद्धिः प्रभावस्तेजश्च सत्वमुत्थानमेव च। व्यवसायश्च यस्य स्यात्तस्यावृत्तिभयं कुतः
Growth, power, brilliance, courage, advancement, and resolve—where these exist, how could there be any fear of want?
पश्य दोषान्पाण्डवैर्विग्रहे त्वं यत्र व्यथेयुरपि देवाः सशक्रा। पुत्रैर्वैरं नित्यमुद्विग्नवासो यशःप्रणाशो द्विषतश्च हर्षः
See, O son of Pandu, the faults in conflict, where even the gods with Indra would be troubled; constant enmity among sons, perpetual anxiety, loss of fame, and joy for the enemy.
भीष्मस्य कोपस्तव चैवेन्द्रकल्प द्रोणस्य राज्ञश्च युधिष्ठिरस्य। उत्सादयेल्लोकमिमं प्रवृद्धः श्वेतो ग्रहस्तिर्यगिवापतन्खे
If the wrath of Bhishma, yours—equal to Indra's—and Drona's, and King Yudhishthira's, were to swell, it would destroy this world, like a blazing comet falling across the sky.
तव पुत्रशतं चैव कर्णः पञ्च च पाण्डवाः । पृथिवीमनुशासेयुरखिलां सागराम्बराम्
Your hundred sons, Karna, and the five Pandavas could rule the whole earth, with its oceans and skies.
धार्तराष्ट्रा वनं राजन्व्याघ्राः पाण्डुसुता मताः। मा वनं छिन्धि सव्याघ्रं मा व्याघ्रा नीनशन्वनात्
O king, the sons of Dhritarashtra are like the forest, and the sons of Pandu are considered tigers; do not destroy the forest with its tigers, nor let the tigers perish without the forest.
न स्याद्वनमृते व्याघ्रान्व्याघ्रा न स्युर्ऋते वनम्। वनं हि रक्ष्यते व्याघ्रैर्व्याघ्रान्रक्षति काननम्
Without tigers, there would be no forest; without the forest, no tigers. For the forest is protected by tigers, and tigers are sustained by the forest.
न तथेच्छन्ति कल्याणान्परेषां वेदितुं गुणान्। यथेषां ज्ञातुमिच्छन्ति नैर्गुण्यं पापचेतसः
People do not so much wish to know the virtues of others as they desire to discover their faults—such is the way of those with evil minds.
अर्थसिद्धिं परामिच्छन्धर्ममेवादितश्चरेत्। नहि धर्मादपैत्यर्थः स्वर्गलोकादिवामृतम्
Desiring the highest success in aims, one should always act with righteousness; for wealth never departs from righteousness, nor immortality from the world of heaven.
यस्यात्मा विरतः पापात्कल्याणे च निवेशितः। तेन सर्वमिदं बुद्धं प्रकृतिर्विकृतिश्च या
He whose self has turned away from evil and is established in virtue—by him, all this is understood: both nature and its transformations.
यो धर्ममर्थं कामं च यथाकालं निषेवते । धर्मार्थकामसंयोगं सोऽमुत्रेह च विन्दति
He who pursues righteousness, wealth, and desire at the proper time, attains the union of righteousness, wealth, and desire both here and hereafter.
सन्नियच्छति यो वेगमुत्थितं क्रोधहर्षयोः। स श्रियो भाजनं राजन्यश्चापत्सु न मुह्यति
He who restrains the surge of anger and delight when they arise becomes a vessel of prosperity and, as a ruler, does not falter in adversity.
बलं पञ्चविधं नित्यं पुरुषाणां निबोध मे। यत्तु बाहुबलं नाम प्रथमं वलमुच्यते
Hear from me, the fivefold strength of men: first, what is called the strength of arms is regarded as the foremost strength.
अमात्यलाभो भद्रं ते द्वितीयं बलमुच्यते। तृतीयं धनलाभं तु बलमाहुर्मनीषिणः
The acquisition of ministers, O blessed one, is said to be the second strength; the wise declare the acquisition of wealth to be the third strength.
यत्त्वस्य सहजं राजन्पितृपैतामहं बलम् । अभिजातबलं नाम तच्चतुर्थं बलं स्मृतम्
That which is one's own by birth, O king, inherited from father and grandfather, is called noble birth strength and is considered the fourth strength.
येन त्वेतानि सर्वाणि सङ्गृहीतानि भारत । यद्बलानां बलं श्रेष्ठं तत्प्रज्ञाबलमुच्यते
But that by which all these are brought together, O Bharata, the best of all strengths, is called the strength of wisdom.
महते योऽपकाराय नरस्य प्रभवेन्नरः । तेन वैरं समासज्य दूरस्थोऽस्मीति नाश्वसेत्
If a man is capable of doing great harm to another, let him not feel secure by thinking, 'I am far away,' after making enmity with such a one.