Listen, O wise one, to the counsel of the ancient sages as they spoke of the ways of the world and the conduct befitting those who seek to live wisely. They taught that the discerning person must be ever cautious, for trust is a delicate thing and easily misplaced. Who, they asked, would place their faith in women, kings, fire, serpents, the recitation of sacred texts, in serving an enemy, or in the enjoyment of fleeting pleasures? Even with those deemed trustworthy, one should not surrender trust completely, for from trust arises fear, and the pain of betrayal can strike to the very root of one’s being. Consider the folly of making peace with an enemy and then relaxing one's vigilance—it is like sleeping upon the highest branch of a tree, waking only when the fall brings pain. In all actions, one must avoid extremes: neither be too gentle nor too harsh, for gentleness can be overcome by the gentle, and harshness by the harsh. Likewise, excessive straightforwardness or softness is unwise, for the straightest trees are the first to be cut, while the crooked ones endure. See how the fruit-laden trees bend low in humility, and so too do the virtuous bow with modesty. Dry trees and fools, stiff and unyielding, snap and break, for they do not know how to bend. Just as sorrows come and go unbidden, so must a wise person seize opportunity swiftly and silently, like a cat pouncing on its prey. With the noble, act with great care and generosity from beginning to end, but with the ignoble, act as you see fit. Know that a secret entrusted to three people is as good as revealed; with two, it may be safe; but a secret shared only between two is known to none, not even to Brahmā himself. Reflect on the worth of things: what use is a cow that gives no milk and is not pregnant? What value is there in a son who is neither learned nor righteous? Yet even a single good son, endowed with intelligence and virtue, uplifts the whole family, just as the moon brightens the night sky. Like a single fragrant tree that perfumes the entire forest, so does a virtuous son bring honor to his lineage. Of what use are a hundred sons without virtue? One good son dispels darkness, as the moon does, where a thousand stars cannot. In raising a child, indulge him for his first five years, discipline him for the next ten, and when he reaches sixteen, treat him as a friend. Yet, ponder this: at birth, a son claims his mother for himself; as he grows, he seeks his father’s wealth; and at death, he inherits his father’s life—truly, there is no adversary like a son. Be wary, for appearances can deceive: some tigers wear the faces of deer, and some deer the faces of tigers. When true natures are hidden, distrust is wise at every step. Among the patient, only one flaw is found: others may mistake their patience for weakness, but no other fault is theirs. Understand that pleasures are fleeting, and those who are clever remain undisturbed even among the affectionate. When a father passes away, the eldest brother becomes as a father to all, protector and guide. He must treat all younger siblings equally, sharing enjoyment and sustenance fairly, and caring for the sons as well. Unity, even among the weak, is formidable; a rope woven of mere blades of grass can bind an elephant. Beware of giving gifts from wealth that is not your own—the merit belongs to the true owner, while the giver earns only the fruit of wrongdoing. By seizing divine property, taking the wealth of Brahmins, or transgressing against them, a family loses its nobility. For the slayer of a Brahmin, a drinker of liquor, a thief, or one who breaks sacred vows, the virtuous prescribe atonement; but for the ungrateful, there is none. The ancestors and gods refuse the offerings of those who are base, those ruled by their wives, or those in whose homes adultery dwells. Recognize these four as outcastes: the ungrateful, the uncultured, the perpetually angry, and the dishonest; a fifth is born from them. Never underestimate an enemy of wicked intent, even if weak, for a small fire unchecked can consume the world. True tranquility is found in youth; when the body declines, who does not become calm? Wealth, O best of Brahmins, is common to all, like the roads; thinking “this is mine” brings no happiness. The body is governed by its humors and depends on the mind; when the mind falters, the humors perish. Therefore, always protect the mind, for when it is healthy, the body thrives. Sūta now spoke, saying: one should avoid, even from afar, a bad friend among maidens, a wicked king, a bad son, a bad daughter, and a bad country. Righteousness has departed, asceticism is unstable, truth has wandered far, the earth is barren, people are deceitful, Brahmins are greedy, mortals are ruled by women, women are fickle, and the lowly are exalted—alas, life in the Kali age is wretched! Blessed are those who are dead. Fortunate are those who do not see the ruin of their country, the destruction of their family, wives devoted to others, or sons fallen into vice. There is no happiness in a bad son, nor joy in a bad wife; there is no trust in a false friend, nor life in a wicked kingdom. Another’s food, another’s wealth, another’s bed, another’s wife, and living in another’s house—these rob even Indra of prosperity. Through conversation, bodily contact, association, eating, sitting, lying, or traveling together, sin is transmitted among men. Women lose their beauty, asceticism is lost through anger, cows by wandering at the gate, and Brahmins by eating food from Shudras. By sharing a seat, a bed, a meal, or sitting in the same row, sin passes from one to another, just as water flows from pot to pot. There are countless faults in indulgence and many virtues in discipline; therefore, discipline, not indulgence, should be the rule for students and sons. Know that the journey is the aging of those with bodies, water erodes mountains, lack of union ages women, and sunlight wears out garments. Thus, the wise observe the ways of the world and act with discernment, ever mindful of the fleeting nature of life and the importance of virtue.