Garuda Purana

विषादप्यमृतं ग्राह्यममेध्यादपि काञ्चनम् । नीचादप्युत्तमां विद्यां स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि ॥ १,११०.

One should accept nectar even from poison, gold even from something impure, excellent knowledge even from a lowly person, and a gem of a woman even from a bad family.

न राज्ञा सह मित्रत्वं न सर्पो निर्विषः क्रचित् । न कुलं निर्मलं तत्र स्त्रीजनो यत्र जायते ॥ १,११०.

One should never be friends with a king, nor ever trust a snake without venom; there is no family entirely pure where women are born.

कुले नियोजयेद्भक्तं पुत्रं विद्यासु योजयेत् । व्यसने योजयेच्छत्रुमिष्टं धर्मे नियोज्येत् ॥ १,११०.

In the family, one should appoint a devoted son; in learning, one should appoint the learned; in adversity, one should employ an enemy; in righteousness, one should appoint the beloved.

स्थानेष्वेव प्रयोक्ताव्या भृत्याश्चाभरणानि च । न हि चूडामणिः पादे शोभते वै कदाचन ॥ १,११०.

Servants and ornaments should be used only in their proper places; for a crest-jewel never looks beautiful on the foot.

चूडामणिः समुद्रोऽग्निर्घण्टा चाखण्डमम्बरम् । अथवा पृथिवीपालो मूर्ध्नि पादे प्रमादतः ॥ १,११०.

A crest-jewel, the ocean, fire, an unbroken sky, or a king of the earth—if placed on the foot instead of the head, it is due to ignorance.

कुसुमस्तबकस्येव द्वे गती तु मनस्विनः । मूर्ध्नि वा सर्वलोकानां शीर्षतः पतितो वने ॥ १,११०.

Just as a cluster of flowers has only two destinies, so too for the high-minded: either on the head of all people, or fallen to the ground in the forest.

कनकभूषणसंग्रहणोचितो यदि मणिस्त्रपुणि प्रतिबध्यते । न च विरौति न चापि स शोभते भवति योजयितुर्वचनीयता ॥ १,११०.

If a jewel fit for a golden ornament is set in lead, it neither cries out nor shines; it becomes subject to the will of the one who sets it.

वाजिवारणलौहानां काष्ठपाषाणवाससाम् । नारीपुरुषतोयानामन्तरं महदन्तरम् ॥ १,११०.

There is a great difference between horses, elephants, and iron, and between wood, stone, and cloth; so too between women, men, and water.

कदर्थितस्यापि हि धैर्यवृत्तेर्न शक्यते सर्वगुणप्रमाथः । अधः खलेनापि कृतस्य वह्नेर्नाधः शिखा याति कदाचिदेव ॥ १,११०.

Even when harassed, the nature of one who is steadfast cannot be destroyed by all faults; just as the flame of fire, even when pressed down by the wicked, never goes downward.

न सदश्वः कशाघातं सिंहो न गजगर्जितम् । वीरो वा परनिर्दिष्टं न सहेद्भीमनिः स्वनम् ॥ १,११०.

A noble horse does not endure the lash, a lion does not tolerate the roar of an elephant, nor does a hero accept the fearful cries directed at him by others.

यदि विभवविहीनः प्रच्युतो वाशु दैवान्न तु खलजनसेवां काङ्क्षयेन्नैव नीचाम् । न तृणमदनकार्ये सुक्षुधार्तोऽत्ति सिंहः पिबति रुधिरमुष्णं प्रायशः कुञ्चराणाम् ॥ १,११०.

Even if deprived of wealth or cast down by fate, one should never desire to serve the wicked; just as a hungry lion does not eat grass, but drinks the warm blood of elephants.

सकृद्दुष्टञ्च यो मित्रं पुनः सन्धातुमिच्छति । स मृत्युमेव गृह्णीयाद्गर्भमश्वतरी यथा ॥ १,११०.

One who seeks to reconcile with a friend who has once betrayed him is as if embracing death, like taking the embryo of a mule.

शत्रोरपत्यानि प्रियंवदानि नोपेक्षितव्यानि बुधैर्मनुष्यैः । तान्येव कालेषु विपत्कराणि विषस्य पात्राण्यपि दारुणानि ॥ १,११०.

Wise people should not ignore the affectionate words of the enemy's children; at the right time, they become causes of misfortune, like vessels of poison that are truly dreadful.

उपकारगृहीतेन शत्रुणा शत्रुमुद्धरेत् । पादलग्नं करस्थेन कण्टकेनैव कण्टकम् ॥ १,११०.

One should use an enemy who has been won over by favors to defeat another enemy, just as a thorn stuck in the foot is removed by another thorn held in the hand.

अपकारपरान्नित्यं चिन्त येन्न कदाचन । स्वयमेव पतिष्यन्ति कूलजाता इव द्रुमाः ॥ १,११०.

Those who are always intent on harming others will inevitably fall by themselves, like trees growing on the riverbank.

अनर्था ह्यर्थरूषाश्च अर्थाश्चानर्थरूपिणः । भवन्ति ते विनाशाय दैवायत्तस्य वै सदा ॥ १,११०.

Misfortunes sometimes appear as wealth, and wealth sometimes takes the form of misfortune; these always lead to destruction for one whose fate is governed by destiny.

कार्यकालोचितापापा मतिः सञ्जायते हि वै । सानुकूले तु दैवे शं पुंसः सर्वत्र जायते ॥ १,११०.

The mind gives rise to sin according to the demands of the moment; but when fate is favorable, auspiciousness arises everywhere for a person.

धनप्रयोगकार्येषुः तथा विद्या गमेषु च । आहारे व्यवहारे च त्यक्तलज्जः सदा भवेत् ॥ १,११०.

In matters of spending money, acquiring knowledge, seeking food, and conducting business, one should always be free from shame.

धनिनः श्रोत्रियो राजा नदी वैद्यस्तु पञ्चमः । पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न कुर्यात्तत्रत्र संस्थितिम् ॥ १,११०.

Where there is no wealthy person, no learned one, no king, no river, and no physician, one should not remain in such a place.

लोकयात्रा भयं लज्जा दाक्षिण्यं दानशीलता । पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न तत्र दिवसं वसेत् ॥ १,११०.

Where there is no livelihood, no fear, no modesty, no courtesy, and no generosity, one should not stay even for a day.

कालविच्छोत्रियो राजा नदी साधुश्च पञ्चमः । एते यत्र न विद्यन्ते तत्र वासं न कारयेत् ॥ १,११०.

Where there is no learned person, no king, no river, no virtuous person, and no fifth (unspecified), one should not make one's residence there.

नैकत्र परिनिष्ठास्ति ज्ञानस्य किल शौनक । सर्वः सर्वं न जानाति सर्वज्ञो नास्ति कुत्रचित् ॥ १,११०.

Shaunaka, there is no place where knowledge is perfected; no one knows everything, and nowhere is there someone who is all-knowing.

न सर्ववित्कश्चिदिहास्ति लोके नात्यन्तमूर्खो भुवि चापि कश्चित् । ज्ञानेन नीचोत्तममध्यमेन योऽयं विजानाति स तेन विद्वान् ॥ १,११०.

No one in this world knows everything, nor is anyone utterly ignorant; the one who understands by means of superior, average, or inferior knowledge is wise thereby.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् १११ सूत उवाच । पार्थिवस्य तु वक्ष्यामि भृत्यानाञ्चैव लक्षणम् । सर्वाणि हि महीपालः सम्यङ्नित्यं परीक्षयेत् ॥ १,१११.

Sūta said: I will now describe the qualities of a king and his servants; a ruler should always examine all these thoroughly.

राज्यं पालयते नित्यं सत्यधर्मपरायणः । निर्जित्य परसैन्यानि क्षितं धर्मेण पालयेत् ॥ १,१११.

A king who is devoted to truth and righteousness always governs his realm, conquering enemy armies and ruling the land by dharma.

पुष्पात्पुष्पं विचिन्वीत मूलच्छेदं न कारयेत् । मालाकार इवारण्ये न यथाङ्गारकारकः ॥ १,१११.

He should gather flowers one by one, not cut the roots, like a garland-maker in the forest, not like a charcoal-burner.

दोग्धारः क्षीरभुञ्जाना विकृतं तन्न भुञ्जते । परराष्ट्रं महीपालैर्भोक्तव्यं न च दूषयेत् ॥ १,१११.

Those who milk cows take only the milk and do not consume what is spoiled; likewise, kings may enjoy the resources of other lands but should not ruin them.

नोधश्छिन्द्यात्तु यो धेन्वाः क्षारार्थो लभते पयः । एवं राष्ट्रं प्रयोगेण पीड्यमानं न वर्धते ॥ १,१११.

Just as one who seeks salt from a cow by cutting its udder does not obtain milk, so too a kingdom oppressed by improper means does not prosper.

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन पृथिवीमनुपालयेन् । पालकस्य भवेद्भूमिः कीर्तिरायुर्यशो बलम् ॥ १,१११.

Therefore, with every effort, one should protect the earth; for the ruler, land brings fame, lifespan, honor, and strength.