12-01
सानन्दं सदनं सुतास्तु सुधियः कान्ता प्रियालापिनी
इच्छापूर्तिधनं स्वयोषिति रतिः स्वाज्ञापराः सेवकाः ।
आतिथ्यं शिवपूजनं प्रतिदिनं मिष्टान्नपानं गृहे
साधोः सङ्गमुपासते च सततं धन्यो गृहस्थाश्रमः ॥ १२-०१ ॥
A joyous home, wise sons, a beloved wife of sweet speech, wealth that fulfils every desire, pleasure in one's own wife, servants who obey one's commands, hospitality, the daily worship of Śiva, sweet food and drink within the house, and constant attendance upon the company of the good — blessed indeed is the householder's stage of life.
12-02
आर्तेषु विप्रेषु दयान्वितश्च
यच्छ्रद्धया स्वल्पमुपैति दानम् ।
अनन्तपारमुपैति राजन्
यद्दीयते तन्न लभेद्द्विजेभ्यः ॥ १२-०२ ॥
He who, with faith and compassion, gives even a little to the distressed and to the Brahmins attains a reward that is boundless, O king, for what is duly given to Brahmins is never lost.
12-03
दाक्षिण्यं स्वजने दया परजने शाठ्यं सदा दुर्जने
प्रीतिः साधुजने स्मयः खलजने विद्वज्जने चार्जवम् ।
शौर्यं शत्रुजने क्षमा गुरुजने नारीजने धूर्तता
इत्थं ये पुरुषा कलासु कुशलास्तेष्वेव लोकस्थितिः ॥ १२-०३ ॥
Courtesy towards one's own people, compassion for strangers, constant cunning towards the wicked, affection for the good, laughter at the vile, straightforwardness with the learned, valour towards enemies, patience with elders, and shrewdness with women — those men who are thus skilled in these arts are the ones in whom the stability of the world rests.
12-04
हस्तौ दानविवर्जितौ श्रुतिपुटौ सारस्वतद्रोहिणौ
नेत्रे साधुविलोकनेन रहिते पादौ न तीर्थं गतौ ।
अन्यायार्जितवित्तपूर्णमुदरं गर्वेण तुङ्गं शिरो
रे रे जम्बुक मुञ्च मुञ्च सहसा नीचं सुनिन्द्यं वपुः ॥ १२-०४ ॥
O jackal, let go, let go at once this low and highly contemptible body of yours, with hands devoid of charity, ear-cavities that have betrayed the goddess of speech, eyes that have missed the sight of the good, feet that have never gone to a holy place, a belly filled with wealth acquired through injustice, and a head held high with pride.
12-05
येषां श्रीमद्यशोदासुतपदकमले नास्ति भक्तिर्नराणां
येषामाभीरकन्याप्रियगुणकथने नानुरक्ता रसज्ञा ।
येषां श्रीकृष्णलीलाललितरसकथासादरौ नैव कर्णौ
धिक् तान् धिक् तान् धिगेतान् कथयति सततं कीर्तनस्थो मृदङ्गः ॥ १२-०५ ॥
Fie upon them, fie upon them, again fie upon those men who have no devotion to the lotus feet of the husband of Yaśodā, whose tongues are not lovingly attached to the narration of the beloved virtues of the cowherd maidens, and whose ears are never eagerly inclined to the charming and delightful narrations of the divine sports of Śrī Kṛṣṇa — so proclaims the mṛdaṅga drum in the assembly of devotees.
12-06
पत्रं नैव यदा करीलविटपे दोषो वसन्तस्य किं
नोलूकोऽप्यवलोकते यदि दिवा सूर्यस्य किं दूषणम् ।
वर्षा नैव पतन्ति चातकमुखे मेघस्य किं दूषणं
यत्पूर्वं विधिना ललाटलिखितं तन्मार्जितुं कः क्षमः ॥ १२-०६ ॥
If no leaves appear on the branch of the Karīla tree, what fault is it of spring? If an owl cannot see by day, what blame is there for the sun? If rain does not fall into the beak of the Cātaka bird, what fault is it of the cloud? Who is capable of erasing what was previously written on the forehead by fate?
12-07
सत्सङ्गाद्भवति हि साधुना खलानां
साधूनां न हि खलसङ्गतः खलत्वम् ।
आमोदं कुसुमभवं मृदेव धत्ते
मृद्गन्धं नहि कुसुमानि धारयन्ति ॥ १२-०७ ॥
The wicked indeed become good through the company of the virtuous, but the virtuous never become wicked through the company of the wicked. Earth takes on the fragrance of a flower, but flowers never take on the smell of the earth.
12-08
साधूनां दर्शनं पुण्यं तीर्थभूता हि साधवः ।
कालेन फलते तीर्थं सद्यः साधुसमागमः ॥ १२-०८ ॥
The sight of the virtuous is purifying, for the virtuous are holy places. A pilgrimage yields its fruit in time, but the meeting of the virtuous bears fruit immediately.
12-09
विप्रास्मिन्नगरे महान्कथय कस्तालद्रुमाणां गणः
को दाता रजको ददाति वसनं प्रातर्गृहीत्वा निशि ।
को दक्षः परवित्तदारहरणे सर्वोऽपि दक्षो जनः
कस्माज्जीवसि हे सखे विषकृमिन्यायेन जीवाम्यहम् ॥ १२-०९ ॥
O Brahmin, tell me, what great man is there in this city? Who is he? A collection of palm trees. Who is the giver? The washerman gives clothes, taking them in the morning and returning them at night. Who is skillful? Everyone is skillful in seizing the wealth and wives of others. How do you live, O friend? I live by the principle of the worm in poison.
12-10
न विप्रपादोदककर्दमाणि
न वेदशास्त्रध्वनिगर्जितानि ।
स्वाहास्वधाकारविवर्जितानि
श्मशानतुल्यानि गृहाणि तानि ॥ १२-१० ॥
Those houses wherein there is no mud from the water that has washed the feet of Brahmins, where there is no thunderous sound of the Vedic scriptures, and which are devoid of the exclamations of Svāhā and Svadhā — those houses are no better than cremation grounds.
12-11
सत्यं माता पिता ज्ञानं धर्मो भ्राता दया सखा ।
शान्तिः पत्नी क्षमा पुत्रः षडेते मम बान्धवाः ॥ १२-११ ॥
Truth is my mother, knowledge is my father, righteousness my brother, compassion my friend, tranquility my wife, and forgiveness my son. These six are my kinsmen.
12-12
अनित्यानि शरीराणि विभवो नैव शाश्वतः ।
नित्यं संनिहितो मृत्युः कर्तव्यो धर्मसङ्ग्रहः ॥ १२-१२ ॥
Bodies are impermanent; wealth is not everlasting; death is ever near at hand. Therefore, one should accumulate a store of righteousness.
12-13
निमन्त्रोत्सवा विप्रा गावो नवतृणोत्सवाः ।
पत्युत्साहयुता भार्या अहं कृष्णचरणोत्सवः ॥ १२-१३ ॥
Brahmins celebrate an invitation, cows celebrate fresh grass, a wife celebrates a husband full of enthusiasm, and I celebrate nothing but the feet of Kṛṣṇa.
12-14
मातृवत्परदारेषु परद्रव्येषु लोष्ट्रवत् ।
आत्मवत्सर्वभूतेषु यः पश्यति स पण्डितः ॥ १२-१४ ॥
He who looks upon another's wife as a mother, upon another's wealth as a clod of earth, and upon all beings as his own self is truly wise.
12-15
धर्मे तत्परता मुखे मधुरता दाने समुत्साहता
मित्रेऽवञ्चकता गुरौ विनयता चित्तेऽतिभीरता ।
आचारे शुचिता गुणे रसिकता शास्त्रेषु विज्ञानता
रूपे सुन्दरता शिवे भजनता त्वय्यस्ति भो राघव ॥ १२-१५ ॥
Deep devotion to righteousness, sweetness in speech, enthusiasm in giving, guilelessness towards friends, humility towards teachers, profound fear in the heart, purity in conduct, appreciation of the arts, knowledge in the scriptures, beauty in form, and devotion to Śiva — these, O Rāghava, exist in you.
12-16
काष्ठं कल्पतरुः सुमेरुरचलश्चिन्तामणिः प्रस्तरः
सूर्यस्तीव्रकरः शशी क्षयकरः क्षारो हि वारां निधिः ।
कामो नष्टतनुर्वलिर्दितिसुतो नित्यं पशुः कामगौ-
र्नैतांस्ते तुलयामि भो रघुपते कस्योपमा दीयते ॥ १२-१६ ॥
The wish-fulfilling tree is mere wood; Mount Meru is but an immovable rock; the wish-fulfilling gem is just a stone; the sun is of fierce rays; the moon is subject to decay; the ocean of waters is salty; Kāma is bodiless; Bali is the son of Diti; and the wish-fulfilling cow is ever a mere animal. I cannot compare these to you, O Lord of the Raghus; what comparison can possibly be offered for You?
12-17
विद्या मित्रं प्रवासे च भार्या मित्रं गृहेषु च ।
व्याधितस्यौषधं मित्रं धर्मो मित्रं मृतस्य च ॥ १२-१७ ॥
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.
12-18
विनयं राजपुत्रेभ्यः पण्डितेभ्यः सुभाषितम् ।
अनृतं द्यूतकारेभ्यः स्त्रीभ्यः शिक्षेत कैतवम् ॥ १२-१८ ॥
Humility from royal princes, eloquence from the learned, the habit of lying from gamblers, and deceitful tricks from women — these should be learned.
12-19
अनालोक्य व्ययं कर्ता अनाथः कलहप्रियः ।
आतुरः सर्वक्षेत्रेषु नरः शीघ्रं विनश्यति ॥ १२-१९ ॥
A man who spends without considering his income, who is without a protector, who is quarrelsome, and who is afflicted with disease in all his actions perishes quickly.
12-20
नाहारं चिन्तयेत्प्राज्ञो धर्ममेकं हि चिन्तयेत् ।
आहारो हि मनुष्याणां जन्मना सह जायते ॥ १२-२० ॥
A wise man should not brood over food; let him ponder on righteousness alone. For food is indeed provided for human beings along with their birth.
12-21
धनधान्यप्रयोगेषु विद्यासङ्ग्रहणे तथा ।
आहारे व्यवहारे च त्यक्तलज्जः सुखी भवेत् ॥ १२-२१ ॥
In the management of grain and wealth, in the acquisition of learning, in eating, and in worldly dealings, one should abandon all sense of shame and thus be happy.
12-22
जलबिन्दुनिपातेन क्रमशः पूर्यते घटः ।
स हेतुः सर्वविद्यानां धर्मस्य च धनस्य च ॥ १२-२२ ॥
Just as a pot is gradually filled by the falling of drops of water, so is the accumulation of all learning, righteousness, and wealth.
12-23
वयसः परिणामेऽपि यः खलः खल एव सः ।
सम्पक्वमपि माधुर्यं नोपयातीन्द्रवारुणम् ॥ १२-२३ ॥
Even in the final stage of life, a wicked man remains exactly as wicked. Even when fully ripe, the bitter Indravāruṇā fruit never attains sweetness.