06-01
श्रुत्वा धर्मं विजानाति श्रुत्वा त्यजति दुर्मतिम् ।
श्रुत्वा ज्ञानमवाप्नोति श्रुत्वा मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ ०६-०१ ॥
Having heard, one knows what is righteous; having heard, one abandons a wicked mind; having heard, one obtains knowledge; having heard, one may attain liberation.
06-02
पक्षिणः काकश्चण्डालः पशूनां चैव कुक्कुरः ।
मुनीनां पापश्चण्डालः सर्वचाण्डालनिन्दकः ॥ ०६-०२ ॥
Among birds, the crow is the lowest; among beasts, the dog; among sages, the sinner is the lowest; but he who slanders all is the lowest of the low.
06-03
भस्मना शुद्ध्यते कास्यं ताम्रमम्लेन शुद्ध्यति ।
रजसा शुद्ध्यते नारी नदी वेगेन शुद्ध्यति ॥ ०६-०३ ॥
Bronze is purified by ashes; copper is purified by acids; a woman is purified by her menstrual course; and a river is purified by its swift current.
06-04
भ्रमन्सम्पूज्यते राजा भ्रमन्सम्पूज्यते द्विजः ।
भ्रमन्सम्पूज्यते योगी स्त्री भ्रमन्ती विनश्यति ॥ ०६-०४ ॥
A king is honoured by his touring the realm; a Brahmin is honoured by his moving about; a Yogin is honoured by his wandering; but a woman who wanders about is ruined.
06-05
यस्यार्थास्तस्य मित्राणि यस्यार्थास्तस्य बान्धवाः ।
यस्यार्थाः स पुमाँल्लोके यस्यार्थाः स च पण्डितः ॥ ०६-०५ ॥
He who has wealth has friends; he who has wealth has kinsmen; he who has wealth is a man of consequence in the world; he who has wealth is the one deemed wise.
06-06
तादृशी जायते बुद्धिर्व्यवसायोऽपि तादृशः ।
सहायास्तादृशा एव यादृशी भवितव्यता ॥ ०६-०६ ॥
That kind of intelligence arises, that kind of resolve comes forth, and just those kinds of companions appear, as the nature of one's destiny dictates.
06-07
कालः पचति भूतानि कालः संहरते प्रजाः ।
कालः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः ॥ ०६-०७ ॥
Time ripens all beings; Time draws back all creatures; Time is awake even when all else sleeps; Time is indeed insurmountable.
06-08
न पश्यति च जन्मान्धः कामान्धो नैव पश्यति ।
मदोन्मत्ता न पश्यन्ति अर्थी दोषं न पश्यति ॥ ०६-०८ ॥
One blind from birth does not see; one blinded by desire certainly does not see; those intoxicated by pride do not perceive; and one obsessed with a purpose does not see his own fault.
06-09
स्वयं कर्म करोत्यात्मा स्वयं तत्फलमश्नुते ।
स्वयं भ्रमति संसारे स्वयं तस्माद्विमुच्यते ॥ ०६-०९ ॥
The self itself performs its own actions; the self itself experiences the fruit; the self itself wanders through the cycle of births; and by the self itself, it is freed from it.
06-10
राजा राष्ट्रकृतं पापं राज्ञः पापं पुरोहितः ।
भर्ता च स्त्रीकृतं पापं शिष्यपापं गुरुस्तथा ॥ ०६-१० ॥
A king bears the sin committed in his kingdom; the officiating priest bears the sin of the king; a husband bears the sin committed by his wife; and likewise, a preceptor bears the sin of his disciple.
06-11
ऋणकर्ता पिता शत्रुर्माता च व्यभिचारिणी ।
भार्या रूपवती शत्रुः पुत्रः शत्रुरपण्डितः ॥ ०६-११ ॥
A father who is a debtor is an enemy; a mother who is unchaste is an enemy; a wife who is excessively beautiful is an enemy; and a son who is unlearned is an enemy.
06-12
लुब्धमर्थेन गृह्णीयात् स्तब्धमञ्जलिकर्मणा ।
मूर्खं छन्दोऽनुवृत्त्या च यथार्थत्वेन पण्डितम् ॥ ०६-१२ ॥
A greedy man should be won over by wealth; an arrogant man by the gesture of folded hands; a fool by compliance with his whims; and a wise man by truthfulness and straightforwardness.
06-13
वरं न राज्यं न कुराजराज्यं
वरं न मित्रं न कुमित्रमित्रम् ।
वरं न शिष्यो न कुशिष्यशिष्यो
वरं न दारा न कुदारदाराः ॥ ०६-१३ ॥
Better no kingdom than a kingdom ruled by a bad king; better no friend than a friendship with a wicked friend; better no disciple than a wicked disciple; and better no wife than a wicked wife.
06-14
कुराजराज्येन कुतः प्रजासुखं
कुमित्रमित्रेण कुतोऽभिनिर्वृतिः ।
कुदारदारैश्च कुतो गृहे रतिः
कुशिष्यशिष्यमध्यापयतः कुतो यशः ॥ ०६-१४ ॥
From a kingdom ruled by a bad king, how can the subjects have happiness? From a friendship with a bad friend, how can there be any peace? From a wicked wife, how can there be any delight in the home? And from teaching a wicked disciple, how can there be any renown?
06-15
सिंहादेकं बकादेकं शिक्षेच्चत्वारि कुक्कुटात् ।
वायसात्पञ्च शिक्षेच्च षट्शुनस्त्रीणि गर्दभात् ॥ ०६-१५ ॥
From a lion, learn one quality; from a crane, one; from a cock, four; from a crow, five; from a dog, six; and from a donkey, three.
06-16
प्रभूतं कार्यमल्पं वा यन्नरः कर्तुमिच्छति ।
सर्वारम्भेण तत्कार्यं सिंहादेकं प्रचक्षते ॥ ०६-१६ ॥
Whatever great or small task a man desires to accomplish, he should apply all his energy to that work — this one trait they say is learned from the lion.
06-17
इन्द्रियाणि च संयम्य रागद्वेषविवर्जितः ।
समदुःखसुखः शान्तः तत्त्वज्ञः साधुरुच्यते ॥ ०६-१७ ॥
Having restrained his senses, free from attachment and aversion, equanimous in sorrow and happiness, tranquil, and knowing the truth — such a man is called a sage.
06-18
प्रत्युत्थानं च युद्धं च संविभागं च बन्धुषु ।
स्वयमाक्रम्य भुक्तं च शिक्षेच्चत्वारि कुक्कुटात् ॥ ०६-१८ ॥
Rising up to meet a foe, fighting, sharing with kinsmen, and consuming what one has personally seized — these four traits, they say, should be learned from the cock.
06-19
गूढमैथुनचारित्वं काले काले च सङ्ग्रहम् ।
अप्रमत्तमविश्वासं पञ्च शिक्षेच्च वायसात् ॥ ०६-१९ ॥
Performing the sexual act in secret, gathering provisions at every opportune season, vigilance, and distrust — these five traits should be learned from the crow.
06-20
बह्वाशी स्वल्पसन्तुष्टः सनिद्रो लघुचेतनः ।
स्वामिभक्तश्च शूरश्च षडेते श्वानतो गुणाः ॥ ०६-२० ॥
Eating much, being content with little, sleeping lightly, waking quickly, loyalty to one's master, and bravery — these six qualities are learned from the dog.
06-21
सुश्रान्तोऽपि वहेद्भारं शीतोष्णं न च पश्यति ।
सन्तुष्टश्चरते नित्यं त्रीणि शिक्षेच्च गर्दभात् ॥ ०६-२१ ॥
Bearing a burden even when exhausted, not regarding heat or cold, and wandering about in contentment — these three traits should be learned from the donkey.
06-22
य एतान्विंशतिगुणानाचरिष्यति मानवः ।
कार्यावस्थासु सर्वासु अजेयः स भविष्यति ॥ ०६-२२ ॥
The man who practices these twenty virtues will prove invincible in all situations.