11-01
दातृत्वं प्रियवक्तृत्वं धीरत्वमुचितज्ञता ।
अभ्यासेन न लभ्यन्ते चत्वारः सहजा गुणाः ॥ ११-०१ ॥
Generosity, pleasant speech, fortitude, and a sense of propriety — these four are innate virtues; they are not obtained through practice.
11-02
आत्मवर्गं परित्यज्य परवर्गं समाश्रयेत् ।
स्वयमेव लयं याति यथा राजान्यधर्मतः ॥ ११-०२ ॥
One who abandons his own group and takes refuge with another group perishes by that very act, just as a king who acts against righteousness.
11-03
हस्ती स्थूलतनुः स चाङ्कुशवशः किं हस्तिमात्रोऽङ्कुशो
दीपे प्रज्वलिते प्रणश्यति तमः किं दीपमात्रं तमः ।
वज्रेणापि हताः पतन्ति गिरयः किं वज्रमात्रं नगा-
स्तेजो यस्य विराजते स बलवान्स्थूलेषु कः प्रत्ययः ॥ ११-०३ ॥
An elephant, though huge in body, is controlled by a mere goad; what comparison is there between the goad and the elephant? When a lamp is lit, the darkness vanishes; what comparison is there between the lamp and the darkness? Mountains are shattered and fall by the thunderbolt; what comparison is there between the thunderbolt and the mountain? He in whom brilliance shines forth is truly powerful; what confidence can be placed in mere bulk?
11-04
कलौ दशसहस्राणि हरिस्त्यजति मेदिनीम् ।
तदर्धं जाह्नवीतोयं तदर्धं ग्रामदेवताः ॥ ११-०४ ॥
In the Kali age, Hari abandons the earth for ten thousand years; for half that period, the water of the Ganges; and for half that, the village deities.
11-05
गृहासक्तस्य नो विद्या नो दया मांसभोजिनः ।
द्रव्यलुब्धस्य नो सत्यं स्त्रैणस्य न पवित्रता ॥ ११-०५ ॥
For one attached to home, there is no learning; for a meat-eater, there is no compassion; for one greedy for wealth, there is no truth; and for a womanizer, there is no purity.
11-06
न दुर्जनः साधुदशामुपैति
बहुप्रकारैरपि शिक्ष्यमाणः ।
आमूलसिक्तः पयसा घृतेन
न निम्बवृक्षो मधुरत्वमेति ॥ ११-०६ ॥
A wicked man is not brought to the state of a good man, even if instructed in many ways; a neem tree, even if watered at its roots with milk and ghee, does not become sweet.
11-07
अन्तर्गतमलो दुष्टस्तीर्थस्नानशतैरपि ।
न शुध्यति यथा भाण्डं सुराया दाहितं च सत् ॥ ११-०७ ॥
A man who is foul within is not purified even by a hundred baths in sacred waters, just as a pot that has held liquor is not purified even by being placed in fire.
11-08
न वेत्ति यो यस्य गुणप्रकर्षं
स तं सदा निन्दति नात्र चित्रम् ।
यथा किराती करिकुम्भलब्धां
मुक्तां परित्यज्य बिभर्ति गुञ्जाम् ॥ ११-०८ ॥
One who does not perceive the excellence of another's merits constantly finds fault with him; there is no wonder in this. Just as a tribal woman throws away a pearl from an elephant's forehead and instead wears a guñjā berry.
11-09
ये तु संवत्सरं पूर्णं नित्यं मौनेन भुञ्जते ।
युगकोटिसहस्रं तैः स्वर्गलोके महीयते ॥ ११-०९ ॥
Those who, for an entire year, constantly take their food in silence are exalted in the heavenly realm for a thousand crores of ages.
11-10
कामक्रोधौ तथा लोभं स्वादुशृङ्गारकौतुके ।
अतिनिद्रातिसेवे च विद्यार्थी ह्यष्ट वर्जयेत् ॥ ११-१० ॥
A student seeking learning should avoid these eight: lust, anger, greed, the craving for sweet delicacies, excessive fondness for adornment, excessive sleep, and excessive indulgence.
11-11
अकृष्टफलमूलानि वनवासरतिः सदा ।
कुरुतेऽहरहः श्राद्धमृषिर्विप्रः स उच्यते ॥ ११-११ ॥
He who constantly takes delight in forest dwelling, subsisting on uncultivated fruits and roots, and who daily performs the rites for the ancestors — he is called a sage, a true Brahmin.
11-12
एकाहारेण सन्तुष्टः षट्कर्मनिरतः सदा ।
ऋतुकालाभिगामी च स विप्रो द्विज उच्यते ॥ ११-१२ ॥
One who is content with a single meal a day, who is ever devoted to the six prescribed duties, and who approaches his wife only in the proper season — that Brahmin is called a true twice-born.
11-13
लौकिके कर्मणि रतः पशूनां परिपालकः ।
वाणिज्यकृषिकर्मा यः स विप्रो वैश्य उच्यते ॥ ११-१३ ॥
A Brahmin who is engaged in worldly affairs, who tends cattle, or who practices trade and agriculture is called a Vaiśya.
11-14
लाक्षादितैलनीलीनां कौसुम्भमधुसर्पिषाम् ।
विक्रेता मद्यमांसानां स विप्रः शूद्र उच्यते ॥ ११-१४ ॥
A Brahmin who sells lac, oil, indigo, safflower, honey, ghee, liquor, and meat is called a Śūdra.
11-15
परकार्यविहन्ता च दाम्भिकः स्वार्थसाधकः ।
छली द्वेषी मृदुः क्रूरो विप्रो मार्जार उच्यते ॥ ११-१५ ॥
One who obstructs the work of others, is hypocritical, seeks his own self-interest, is deceitful, envious, both harsh and gentle — such a Brahmin is called a cat.
11-16
वापीकूपतडागानामारामसुरवेश्मनाम् ।
उच्छेदने निराशङ्कः स विप्रो म्लेच्छ उच्यते ॥ ११-१६ ॥
One who feels no hesitation in destroying wells, tanks, lakes, gardens, and temples — that Brahmin is called a Mleccha.
11-17
देवद्रव्यं गुरुद्रव्यं परदाराभिमर्शनम् ।
निर्वाहः सर्वभूतेषु विप्रश्चाण्डाल उच्यते ॥ ११-१७ ॥
One who steals the property of the gods, steals the property of the preceptor, covets the wives of others, and lives off all beings — that Brahmin is called a Caṇḍāla.
11-18
देयं भोज्यधनं सुकृतिभिर्नो सञ्चयस्तस्य वै
श्रीकर्णस्य बलेश्च विक्रमपतेरद्यापि कीर्तिः स्थिता ।
अस्माकं मधुदानभोगरहितं नाथं चिरात्संचितं
निर्वाणादिति नैजपादयुगलं धर्षन्त्यहो मक्षिकाः ॥ ११-१८ ॥
The virtuous declare, "Give away wealth that should be given and enjoyed; there should be no hoarding of it." The fame of the glorious Karṇa, of Bali, and of Vikramāditya remains even today. The wealth we have long hoarded, without the pleasure of giving through the distribution of honey and other things, will only serve the flies to swarm upon our feet when we have gone to final liberation.