Garuda Purana

न विश्वसेदविश्वस्तं विश्वस्तं विश्वस्तं नातिविश्वसेत् । विश्वासाद्भयमुत्पन्नं मूलादपि निकृन्तति ॥ १,११४.

Do not trust one who is untrustworthy, and do not trust even a trustworthy person too much; for from trust, fear arises, and it can cut even at the root.

वैरिणा सह सन्धाय विश्वस्तो यदि तिष्ठति । स वृक्षाग्रे प्रसुप्तो हि पतितः प्रतिबुध्यते ॥ १,११४.

If, after making peace with an enemy, one remains trusting, it is like sleeping atop a tree—one awakens only after falling.

नात्यन्तं मृदुना भाव्यं नात्यन्तं कूरकर्मणा । मृदुनैव मृदुं हन्ति दारुणेनैव दारुणम् ॥ १,११४.

One should not be excessively gentle, nor excessively harsh in action; the gentle are overcome by the gentle, and the harsh by the harsh.

नात्यन्तं सरलैर्भाव्यं नात्यन्तं मृदुना तथा । सरलास्तत्र छिद्यन्ते कुब्जास्तिष्ठन्ति पादपाः ॥ १,११४.

One should not be too straightforward, nor too gentle; for the straight trees are cut down, while the crooked ones remain standing.

नमन्ति फलिनो वृक्षा नमन्ति गुणिनो जनाः । शुष्कवृक्षाश्च मूर्खाश्च भिद्यन्ते न नमन्ति च ॥ १,११४.

Fruit-bearing trees bend down, and virtuous people are humble; dry trees and fools neither bend nor yield, but break.

अप्रार्थितानि दुः खानि यथैवायान्ति यान्ति च । मार्जार इव लुम्पेत तथा प्रार्थयितार नरः ॥ १,११४.

Just as unasked-for sorrows come and go, so too should a man seize opportunities, like a cat snatching its prey.

पूर्वं पश्चाच्चरन्त्यार्ये सदैव बहुसम्पदः । विपरीतमनार्ये च यथेच्छसि तथा चर ॥ १,११४.

With the noble, act first and last with great care and wealth; with the ignoble, act as you wish.

षट्कर्णो भिद्यते मन्त्रश्चतुः कर्णश्चधार्यते । द्विकर्णस्य तु मन्त्रस्य ब्रह्माप्यन्त न बुध्यते ॥ १,११४.

A secret shared with six ears is revealed; with four ears, it is preserved; but even Brahmā cannot know a secret kept between two.

तया गवा किं क्रियते या न दोग्ध्री न गर्भिणी । कोर्ऽथ पुत्रेण जातेन यो न विद्वान्न धार्मिकः ॥ १,११४.

What use is a cow that neither gives milk nor is pregnant? What is the value of a son who is neither learned nor righteous?

एकेनापि सुपुत्रेण विद्यायुक्तेन धीमता । कुलं पुरुषसिंहेन चन्द्रेण गगनं यथा ॥ १,११४.

Even one good son, endowed with knowledge and intelligence, uplifts the family—just as the moon brightens the sky.

एकेनापि सुवृक्षेण पुष्पितेन सुगन्धिना । वनं सुवासितं सर्वं सुपुत्रेण कुलं यथा ॥ १,११४.

Just as a single blossoming, fragrant tree scents the whole forest, so does a good son bring honor to the entire family.

एको हि गुणवान्पुत्रो निर्गुणेन शतेन किम् । चन्द्रो हन्ति तमांस्येको न च ज्योतिः सहस्रकम् ॥ १,११४.

What is the use of a hundred sons without virtue? One virtuous son dispels darkness, as the moon does, not a thousand stars.

लालयेत्पञ्च वर्षाणि दश वर्षाणि ताडयेत् । प्राप्ते तु षोडशे वर्षे पुत्रं मित्रवदाचरेत् ॥ १,११४.

Indulge a child for five years, discipline him for ten; but when he reaches sixteen, treat your son as a friend.

जायमानो हरेद्दारान् वर्धमानो हरेद्धनम् । म्रियमाणो हरेत्प्राणान्नास्ति पुत्रसमो रिपुः ॥ १,११४.

At birth, a son takes away his father's wife; as he grows, he takes his wealth; and at death, he takes his life—there is no enemy like a son.

केचिन्मृगमुखा व्याघ्राः केचिद्व्याघ्रमुखा मृगाः । तत्स्वरूपपहिज्ञाने ह्यविश्वासः पदेपदे ॥ १,११४.

Some tigers have the faces of deer, and some deer have the faces of tigers; when their true nature is unknown, distrust is needed at every step.

एकः क्षमावतां दोषो द्वितीयो नोपपद्यते । यदेनं क्षमया युक्तमशक्तं मन्यते जनः ॥ १,११४.

Among those who are patient, there is only one fault—no second can be found: people may think a patient person is weak.

एतदेवानुमन्येत भोगा हि क्षणभङ्गिनः । स्निग्धेषु च विदग्धस्य मतयो वै ह्यनाकुलाः ॥ १,११४.

One should accept this: pleasures are fleeting; and among the affectionate, the thoughts of the clever are never disturbed.

ज्येष्ठः पितृसमो भ्राता मृते पितरि शौनक । सर्वेषां स पिता हि स्यात्सर्वेषामनुपालकः ॥ १,११४.

O Śaunaka, when the father has died, the eldest brother is like a father; he should be the father of all and the protector of all.

कनिष्ठेषु च सर्वेषु समत्वेनानुवर्तते । समापभोगजीवेषु यथैवं तनयेषु च ॥ १,११४.

He should behave equally toward all the younger ones, toward those who share equally in enjoyment and livelihood, and likewise toward the sons.

बहूनामल्पसाराणां समवायो हि दारुणः । तृणैरावेष्टिता रज्जुस्तया नागोऽपि बध्यते ॥ १,११४.

The union of many with little strength is indeed formidable; even a rope wrapped with blades of grass can bind an elephant.

अपहृत्य परस्वं हि यस्तु दानं प्रयच्छति । स दाता नरकं याति यस्यार्थास्तस्य तत्फलम् ॥ १,११४.

He who gives gifts after taking another's wealth goes to hell as a giver; the result belongs to the one whose wealth it was.

देवद्रव्यविनाशेन ब्रह्मस्वहरणेन च । कुलान्यकुलतां यान्ति ब्राह्मणातिक्रमेण च ॥ १,११४.

By the destruction of divine property, by the seizure of Brahmins' wealth, and by transgressing against Brahmins, families lose their nobility.

ब्रह्मघ्ने च सुरापे च चोरे भग्नव्रते तथा । निष्कृतिर्विहिता सद्भिः कृतघ्ने नास्ति निष्कृतिः ॥ १,११४.

For a slayer of a Brahmin, a drinker of liquor, a thief, or one who breaks vows, atonement is prescribed by the virtuous; but for an ungrateful person, there is no atonement.

नाश्रन्ति पितरो देवाः क्षुद्रस्य वृषलीपतेः । भार्याजितस्य नाश्रन्ति यस्याश्चोपपतिर्गृहे ॥ १,११४.

The ancestors and gods do not accept offerings from a lowly man, from one defeated by his wife, or from one in whose house there is an adulterer.

अकृजज्ञमनार्यञ्च दीर्धरोषमनार्जवम् । चतुरो विद्धि चाण्डालाञ्जात्या जायेत पञ्चमः ॥ १,११४.

Know these four as outcastes: one who is ungrateful, unrefined, long in anger, and dishonest; by birth, the fifth is born from them.

नोपेक्षितव्यो दुर्बद्धि शत्रुरल्पोऽप्यवज्ञया । वह्निरल्पोऽप्यसंहार्यः कुरुते भस्मसाज्जगत् ॥ १,११४.

An enemy of wicked intent, even if weak, should not be disregarded with contempt; even a small fire, if uncontrolled, can reduce the world to ashes.

नवे वयसि यः शान्तः स शान्त इति मे मतिः । धातुषु क्षीयमाणेषु शमः कस्य न जायते ॥ १,११४.

He who is tranquil in youth, he alone is truly tranquil, in my view; for when the bodily elements are declining, who does not become calm?

पन्थान इव विप्रेन्द्र सर्वसाधारणाः श्रियः । मदीया इति मत्वा वै न हि हर्षयुतो भवेत् ॥ १,११४.

O best of Brahmins, wealth is common to all, like roads; thinking 'it is mine' does not bring joy.

चित्तायत्तं धातुवश्यं शरीरं चित्ते नष्टे धातवो यान्ति नाशम् । तस्माच्चित्तं सर्वदा रक्षणीयं स्वस्थे चित्ते धातवः सम्भवन्ति ॥ १,११४.

The body is subject to the humors and dependent on the mind; when the mind is lost, the humors perish. Therefore, the mind must always be protected; when the mind is healthy, the humors arise.