Garuda Purana

शौर्ये तपसि दाने च यस्य न प्रथितं यशः । विद्यायामर्थलाभे वा मातुरुच्चार एव सः ॥ १,११५.

He whose fame is not established in valor, austerity, charity, learning, or wealth, is like his mother's excrement.

यज्जीव्यते क्षणमपि प्रथितं मनुष्यैर्विज्ञानविक्रमयशोभिरभग्नमानैः । तन्नाम जीवितमिति प्रवदन्ति तज्ज्ञाः काकोऽपि जीवति चिरं च बलिं च भुङ्क्ते ॥ १,११५.

That which is lived, even for a moment, by humans whose knowledge, courage, and honor are unbroken—this alone is called life by the wise; even a crow lives long and eats offerings.

किं जीवितेन धनमानविवर्जितेन मित्रेण किं भवति भीतिसशङ्कितेन । सिंहव्रतं चरत गच्छत मा विषादं काकोऽपि जीवति चिरं च बलिं च भुङ्क्ते ॥ १,११५.

What is the use of life without wealth or honor? What is the use of a friend who is fearful and suspicious? Live with the resolve of a lion, go forth without despair; even a crow lives long and eats offerings.

यो वात्मनीह न गुरौ न च भृत्यवर्गे दीने दयां न कुरुते न च मित्रकार्ये । किं तस्य जीवितफलेनमनुष्यलोके काकोऽपि जीवति चिरं च बलिं च भुङ्क्ते ॥ १,११५.

He who shows no compassion to himself, his teacher, his servants, the poor, or in the affairs of friends—what is the fruit of his life among men? Even a crow lives long and eats offerings.

यस्य त्रिवर्गशून्यानि दिनान्यायान्ति यान्ति च । स लौहकारभस्त्रेव श्वसन्नपि न जीवति ॥ १,११५.

He whose days pass without the three aims of life—he, though breathing, does not live, like a blacksmith's bellows.

स्वाधीनवृत्तेः साफल्यं न पराधीनवर्तिता । ये पराधीनकर्माणो जीवन्तोऽपि च ते मृताः ॥ १,११५.

Success comes from acting independently, not by following others; those whose actions depend on others, though living, are as good as dead.

सु(स्व) पूरा वै कापुरुषाः सु(स्व) पूरो मूषिकाञ्जलिः । असन्तुष्टः कापुरुषः स्वल्पकेनापि तुष्यति ॥ १,११५.

Cowards are always full, like a mouse with a handful of grain; yet the coward, though never satisfied, is pleased even with a little.

अभ्रच्छाया तृणादग्निर्नोचसेवा पथो जलम् । वेश्यारागः खले प्रीतिः षडेते बुद्वुदोपमाः ॥ १,११५.

The shadow of a cloud, fire in grass, water on the roadside, the passion of a courtesan, affection from a wicked person—these six are like bubbles.

वाचा विहितसार्थेन लोको न च सुखायते । जीवितं मानमूलं हि माने म्लाने कुतः सुखम्? ॥ १,११५.

The world is not pleased with words lacking substance; life is rooted in honor—when honor fades, how can there be happiness?

अबलस्य बलं राजा बालस्य रुदितं बलम् । बलं मूर्खस्य मौनं हि तस्करस्यानृतं बलम् ॥ १,११५.

The strength of the powerless is the king; the strength of a child is his crying; the strength of a fool is silence, and the strength of a thief is falsehood.

यथायथा हि पुरुषः शास्त्रं समधिगच्छति । तथातथास्य मेधा स्याद्विज्ञानं चास्य रोचते ॥ १,११५.

As a person studies scripture more and more, so does his intellect grow, and knowledge becomes pleasing to him.

यथायथा हि पुरुषः कल्याणे कुरुते मतिम् । तथातथा हि सर्वत्र श्लिष्यते लोकसुप्रियः ॥ १,११५.

Just as a person directs his mind toward what is good, so he becomes beloved by all people everywhere.

लोभप्रमादविश्वासैः पुरुषो नश्यति त्रिभिः । तस्माल्लोभो न कर्तव्यः प्रमादो नोन विश्वसेत् ॥ १,११५.

A person is destroyed by three things: greed, carelessness, and misplaced trust; therefore, one should not be greedy, should not be careless, nor place trust unwisely.

तावद्भयस्य भेतव्यं यावद्भयमनागतम् । उत्पन्ने तु भये तीव्रे स्थातव्यं वै ह्यभीतवत् ॥ १,११५.

One should fear danger as long as it has not arrived; but when danger arises and is intense, one must stand firm without fear.

ऋणशेषं चाग्निशेषं व्याधिशेषं तथैव च । पुनः पुनः प्रवर्धन्ते तस्माच्छेषं न कारयेत् ॥ १,११५.

A remaining debt, a lingering fire, and an unfinished illness—all these grow again and again; therefore, one should not leave anything unfinished.

कृते प्रतिकृतं कुर्याद्धिंसिते प्रतिहिंसितम् । न तत्र दोषं पश्यामि दुष्टे दोषं समाचरेत् ॥ १,११५.

One should repay what is done, and return harm for harm; I see no fault in this—one should deal with the wicked as they deserve.

परोक्षे कार्यहन्तारं प्रत्यक्षे प्रियवादिनम् । वर्जयेत्तादृशं मित्रं मायामयमरिं तथा ॥ १,११५.

One should avoid a friend who, in private, hinders your work but, in person, speaks pleasantly—such a friend is false, like an enemy in disguise.

दुर्जनस्य हि संगेन सुजनोऽपि विनश्यति । प्रसन्नमपि पानीयं कर्दमैः कलुषीकृतम् ॥ १,११५.

Even a good person is ruined by association with the wicked, just as clear water is polluted by mud.

स भुङ्क्ते सद्विजो भुङ्क्ते समशेषनिरूपणम् । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन द्विजः पूज्यः प्रयत्नतः ॥ १,११५.

That twice-born who partakes, partakes of everything without exception; therefore, a Brahmin should be honored with all effort and care.

तद्भुज्यते यद्द्विजभुक्तशेषं स बुद्धिमान्यो न करोति पापम् । तत्सौहृदं यक्रियते परोक्षे दम्भैर्विना यः क्रियते स धर्मः ॥ १,११५.

He who eats the remnants of food eaten by a Brahmin becomes wise and does not commit sin; that friendship is true which is shown in secret, and that act is righteous which is done without deceit.

न सा सभा यत्र न सन्ति वृद्धाः वृद्धा न ते ये न वदन्ति धर्मम् । धर्मः स नो यत्र न सत्यमस्ति नैतत्सत्यं यच्छलेनानुविद्धम् ॥ १,११५.

That is not an assembly where there are no elders; those are not elders who do not speak of dharma; that is not dharma where there is no truth; and that is not truth which is mixed with deceit.

ब्राह्मणोऽपि मनुष्याणामादित्यश्चैव तेजसाम् । शिरोऽपि सर्वगात्राणां व्रतानां सत्यमुत्तमम् ॥ १,११५.

Among men, the Brahmin is foremost; among lights, the sun is supreme; among all limbs, the head is chief; among vows, truth is the highest.

तन्मङ्गलं यत्र मनः प्रसन्नं तज्जीवनं यन्न परस्य सेवा । तदर्जितं यत्स्वजनेन भुक्तं तद्गर्जितं यत्समरे रिपूणाम् ॥ १,११५.

That is auspicious where the mind is serene; that is life where one does not serve another; that is wealth which is enjoyed by one's own people; that is glory which is won over enemies in battle.

सा स्त्रीया न मदं कुर्यात्स सुखी तृष्णयोज्झितः । तन्मित्रं यत्र विश्वासः पुरुषः स जितेन्द्रियः ॥ १,११५.

He is happy who does not become intoxicated by women, who is free from craving; that is friendship where there is trust; that man is self-controlled who has conquered his senses.

तत्र मुक्तादरस्नेहो विलुप्तं यत्र सौहृदम् । तदेव केवलं श्लघ्यं यस्यात्मा क्रियते स्तुतौ ॥ १,११५.

That alone is praiseworthy where there is no attachment to pearls and gold, where friendship is lost; that alone is to be praised where a person is praised by his own self.

नदीनामग्निहोत्राणां भारतस्य कलस्य च । मूलान्वेषो न कर्तव्यो मूलाद्दोषो न हीयते ॥ १,११५.

One should not seek the source of rivers, sacrificial fires, the Bharata lineage, or the age of time; for the fault does not diminish from the root.

लवणजलान्ता नद्यः स्त्रीभेदान्तं च मैथुनम् । षैशुन्यं जनवार्तान्तं वित्तं दुः खत्रयान्तकम् ॥ १,११५.

Rivers end in salt water, sexual union ends in separation, youth ends in old age, and wealth ends in three kinds of suffering.

राज्यश्रीर्ब्रह्मशापान्ता पापान्तं ब्रह्मवर्चसम् । आचान्तं घोषवासान्तं कुलस्यान्तं स्त्रिया प्रभो (भुः) ॥ १,११५.

Royal fortune ends with a Brahmin's curse, sin ends with Brahminical splendor, ritual ends with the sound of the conch, and a family ends with a woman, O lord.

सर्वे क्षयान्ता निलयाः पतनान्ताः समुच्छ्रयाः । संयोगा विप्रयोगान्ता मरणान्तं हि जीवितम् ॥ १,११५.

All dwellings end in decay, all heights end in a fall; all unions end in separation, and life itself ends in death.