05-01
गुरुरग्निर्द्विजातीनां वर्णानां ब्राह्मणो गुरुः ।
पतिरेव गुरुः स्त्रीणां सर्वस्याभ्यागतो गुरुः ॥ ०५-०१ ॥
The preceptor is the sacred fire for the twice-born; the Brahmin is the preceptor of all the castes; the husband alone is the preceptor of women; and a guest is the preceptor of everyone.
05-02
यथा चतुर्भिः कनकं परीक्ष्यते
निघर्षणच्छेदनतापताडनैः ।
तथा चतुर्भिः पुरुषः परीक्ष्यते
त्यागेन शीलेन गुणेन कर्मणा ॥ ०५-०२ ॥
Just as gold is tested by four means — by rubbing, cutting, heating, and beating — so is a man tested by four means — by his renunciation, his character, his virtues, and his actions.
05-03
तावद्भयेषु भेतव्यं यावद्भयमनागतम् ।
आगतं तु भयं वीक्ष्य प्रहर्तव्यमशङ्कया ॥ ०५-०३ ॥
One should fear dangers only as long as the danger has not yet arrived; but when the danger has actually come, one should strike at it without hesitation.
05-04
एकोदरसमुद्भूता एकनक्षत्रजातकाः ।
न भवन्ति समाः शीले यथा बदरकण्टकाः ॥ ०५-०४ ॥
Though born of the same womb and born under the same stars, men are not alike in character, just as the fruits of the Badarī tree are not like its thorns.
05-05
निःस्पृहो नाधिकारी स्यान् नाकामो मण्डनप्रियः ।
नाविदग्धः प्रियं ब्रूयात्स्पष्टवक्ता न वञ्चकः ॥ ०५-०५ ॥
A man without desire should not hold an office of authority; one without passion should not be fond of adornment; one who is not clever should not speak flatteringly; and one who is plain-spoken should not be a deceiver.
05-06
मूर्खाणां पण्डिता द्वेष्या अधनानां महाधनाः ।
पराङ्गना कुलस्त्रीणां सुभगानां च दुर्भगाः ॥ ०५-०६ ॥
The wise are hated by fools; the extremely wealthy are hated by the poor; a chaste woman is hated by an adulteress; and the fortunate are hated by the unfortunate.
05-07
आलस्योपगता विद्या परहस्तगतं धनम् ।
अल्पबीजं हतं क्षेत्रं हतं सैन्यमनायकम् ॥ ०५-०७ ॥
Learning that comes upon one plagued by laziness, wealth that has passed into another's hands, a field with scant seed, and an army without a commander — all these are as good as destroyed.
05-08
अभ्यासाद्धार्यते विद्या कुलं शीलेन धार्यते ।
गुणेन ज्ञायते त्वार्यः कोपो नेत्रेण गम्यते ॥ ०५-०८ ॥
Learning is sustained by constant practice; lineage is sustained by good character; a noble man is recognized by his virtues; and anger is perceived through the eyes.
05-09
वित्तेन रक्ष्यते धर्मो विद्या योगेन रक्ष्यते ।
मृदुना रक्ष्यते भूपः सत्स्त्रिया रक्ष्यते गृहम् ॥ ०५-०९ ॥
Righteousness is protected by wealth; learning is protected by application; a king is protected by gentleness; and a home is protected by a virtuous wife.
05-10
अन्यथा वेदशास्त्राणि ज्ञानपाण्डित्यमन्यथा ।
अन्यथा तत्पदं शान्तं लोकाः क्लिश्यन्ति चान्यथा ॥ ०५-१० ॥
The books of the Vedas say one thing; knowledge and learning say another thing; and that state of peaceful liberation is yet another thing; thus do people torment themselves, wandering in confusion.
05-11
दारिद्र्यनाशनं दानं शीलं दुर्गतिनाशनम् ।
अज्ञाननाशिनी प्रज्ञा भावना भयनाशिनी ॥ ०५-११ ॥
Charity destroys poverty; good character destroys the path to misfortune; wisdom destroys ignorance; and devout contemplation destroys fear.
05-12
नास्ति कामसमो व्याधिर्नास्ति मोहसमो रिपुः ।
नास्ति कोपसमो वह्निर्नास्ति ज्ञानात्परं सुखम् ॥ ०५-१२ ॥
There is no disease equal to desire; there is no enemy equal to delusion; there is no fire equal to anger; and there is no happiness greater than knowledge.
05-13
जन्ममृत्यू हि यात्येको भुनक्त्येकः शुभाशुभम् ।
नरकेषु पतत्येक एको याति परां गतिम् ॥ ०५-१३ ॥
A man is born alone, dies alone, experiences the fruits of good and evil deeds alone, falls into the hells alone, and goes to the supreme state alone.
05-14
तृणं ब्रह्मविदः स्वर्गस्तृणं शूरस्य जीवितम् ।
जिताशस्य तृणं नारी निःस्पृहस्य तृणं जगत् ॥ ०५-१४ ॥
For one who knows Brahman, even heaven is but a blade of grass; for a hero, life itself is but a blade of grass; for one who has conquered desire, a woman is a blade of grass; and for one who is free from craving, the entire world is a blade of grass.
05-15
विद्या मित्रं प्रवासे च भार्या मित्रं गृहेषु च ।
व्याधितस्यौषधं मित्रं धर्मो मित्रं मृतस्य च ॥ ०५-१५ ॥
Learning is a friend when one is abroad; a wife is a friend at home; medicine is a friend to the sick; and righteousness is the friend of the dead.
05-16
वृथा वृष्टिः समुद्रेषु वृथा तृप्तस्य भोजनम् ।
वृथा दानं समर्थस्य वृथा दीपो दिवापि च ॥ ०५-१६ ॥
Rain upon the ocean is in vain; offering food to one who is already satiated is in vain; charity given by one who is deeply capable is in vain; and a lamp in broad daylight is in vain.
05-17
नास्ति मेघसमं तोयं नास्ति चात्मसमं बलम् ।
नास्ति चक्षुःसमं तेजो नास्ति धान्यसमं प्रियम् ॥ ०५-१७ ॥
There is no water equal to rain; there is no strength equal to one's own self; there is no light equal to that of the eye; and there is no delight equal to that of grain.
05-18
अधना धनमिच्छन्ति वाचं चैव चतुष्पदाः ।
मानवाः स्वर्गमिच्छन्ति मोक्षमिच्छन्ति देवताः ॥ ०५-१८ ॥
The poor desire wealth; four-footed animals desire speech; human beings desire heaven; and the gods desire liberation.
05-19
सत्येन धार्यते पृथ्वी सत्येन तपते रविः ।
सत्येन वाति वायुश्च सर्वं सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ ०५-१९ ॥
The earth is upheld by truth; the sun blazes by truth; the wind blows by truth; everything is founded on truth.
05-20
चला लक्ष्मीश्चलाः प्राणाश्चले जीवितमन्दिरे ।
चलाचले च संसारे धर्म एको हि निश्चलः ॥ ०५-२० ॥
Fortune is fickle, life-breaths are fickle, life itself is fickle in its dwelling. In this ever-changing and unsteady world, righteousness alone is unwavering.
05-21
नराणां नापितो धूर्तः पक्षिणां चैव वायसः ।
चतुष्पादं शृगालस्तु स्त्रीणां धूर्ता च मालिनी ॥ ०५-२१ ॥
Among men, the barber is the most cunning; among birds, the crow; among four-footed animals, the jackal; and among women, the garland-maker's wife.
05-22
जनिता चोपनेता च यस्तु विद्यां प्रयच्छति ।
अन्नदाता भयत्राता पञ्चैते पितरः स्मृताः ॥ ०५-२२ ॥
The father who begets a child, the one who initiates him, the one who imparts learning to him, the one who gives him food, and the one who protects him from fear — these five are remembered as the fathers.
05-23
राजपत्नी गुरोः पत्नी मित्रपत्नी तथैव च ।
पत्नीमाता स्वमाता च पञ्चैता मातरः स्मृताः ॥ ०५-२३ ॥
The wife of the king, the wife of the preceptor, the wife of a friend, the mother of one's wife, and one's own mother — these five are remembered as the mothers.