16-01
न ध्यातं पदमीश्वरस्य विधिवत्संसारविच्छित्तये
स्वर्गद्वारकपाटपाटनपटुर्धर्मोऽपि नोपार्जितः ।
नारीपीनपयोधरोरुयुगला स्वप्नेऽपि नालिङ्गितं
मातुः केवलमेव यौवनवनच्छेदे कुठारा वयम् ॥ १६-०१ ॥
The state of the Lord has not been meditated upon according to the prescribed rules for the severance of worldly bondage; righteousness, the skillful opener of the bolt on the door of heaven, has not been earned; the heavy, swelling breasts of a beautiful woman have not been embraced even in a dream. Alas, we are but axes felling the forest of our mother's youth.
16-02
जल्पन्ति सार्धमन्येन पश्यन्त्यन्यं सविभ्रमाः ।
हृदये चिन्तयन्त्यन्यं न स्त्रीणामेकतो रतिः ॥ १६-०२ ॥
Women chat with one man, cast amorous glances at another, and cherish yet another in their hearts. A woman's affection is never fixed on one alone.
16-03
यो मोहान्मन्यते मूढो रक्तेयं मयि कामिनी ।
स तस्या वशगो भूत्वा नृत्येत् क्रीडाशकुन्तवत् ॥ १६-०३ ॥
The fool who, out of delusion, thinks, "This passionate woman is in love with me," becomes enslaved by her and dances about like a pet bird, a plaything in a cage.
16-04
कोऽर्थान्प्राप्य न गर्वितो विषयिणः कस्यापदोऽस्तं गताः
स्त्रीभिः कस्य न खण्डितं भुवि मनः को नाम राजप्रियः ।
कः कालस्य न गोचरत्वमगमत् कोऽर्थी गतो गौरवं
को वा दुर्जनदुर्गमेषु पतितः क्षेमेण यातः पथि ॥ १६-०४ ॥
What man, having obtained wealth, has not become arrogant? Whose calamities have ever come to an end? Whose mind on this earth has not been broken by women? Who, indeed, is truly loved by a king? Who has not fallen under the sway of time? What supplicant has ever attained honour? And what man who has fallen into the difficult passes inhabited by the wicked has ever traversed the path safely and securely?
16-05
न निर्मितो न चैव न दृष्टपूर्वो
न श्रूयते हेममयः कुरङ्गः ।
तथाऽपि तृष्णा रघुनन्दनस्य
विनाशकाले विपरीतबुद्धिः ॥ १६-०५ ॥
Never has a golden deer been created, nor has such a thing ever been seen or heard of before. Yet, when his time of destruction had come, even the discerning Rāma came under the sway of a deluded mind that craved such a thing.
16-06
गुणैरुत्तमतां याति नोच्चैरासनसंस्थिताः ।
प्रासादशिखरस्थोऽपि काकः किं गरुडायते ॥ १६-०६ ॥
Men attain superiority through their virtues, not by being seated in high places. Even perched on the pinnacle of a palace, does a crow ever become an eagle?
16-07
गुणाः सर्वत्र पूज्यन्ते न महत्योऽपि सम्पदः ।
पूर्णेन्दुः किं तथा वन्द्यो निष्कलङ्को यथा कृशः ॥ १६-०७ ॥
It is virtues that are honoured everywhere, and not merely vast wealth. Is the full moon ever worshipped in the same way as the slender crescent moon, which is free from blemishes?
16-08
परैरुक्तगुणो यस्तु निर्गुणोऽपि गुणी भवेत् ।
इन्द्रोऽपि लघुतां याति स्वयं प्रख्यापितैर्गुणैः ॥ १६-०८ ॥
A man who has his virtues proclaimed by others becomes a man of merit, even if he is otherwise devoid of merit. Even Indra himself falls into insignificance if he himself proclaims his own virtues.
16-09
विवेकिनमनुप्राप्ता गुणा यान्ति मनोज्ञताम् ।
सुतरां रत्नमाभाति चामीकरनियोजितम् ॥ १६-०९ ॥
When virtues come to reside in a discerning man, they attain a charm; a jewel shines with far greater brilliance when set in refined gold.
16-10
गुणैः सर्वज्ञतुल्योऽपि सीदत्येको निराश्रयः ।
अनर्घ्यमपि माणिक्यं हेमाश्रयमपेक्षते ॥ १६-१० ॥
Even one who is equal to the omniscient in virtues sinks into misery if he is without support and patronage. For even a priceless gem requires a setting of gold to be displayed.
16-11
अतिक्लेशेन यद्द्रव्यमतिलोभेन यत्सुखम् ।
शत्रूणां प्रणिपातेन ते ह्यर्था मा भवन्तु मे ॥ १६-११ ॥
That wealth which comes through excessive hardship, that pleasure which comes through excessive greed, and those gains that come through bowing down to enemies — may such objects of desire never be mine.
16-12
किं तया क्रियते लक्ष्म्या या वधूरिव केवला ।
या तु वेश्येव सामान्या पथिकैरपि भुज्यते ॥ १६-१२ ॥
What is the use of that wealth which, like a married woman confined to one husband, is enjoyed by no one else? But that wealth which, like a courtesan available to all, is enjoyed even by passing strangers is truly praiseworthy.
16-13
धनेषु जीवितव्येषु स्त्रीषु चाहारकर्मसु ।
अतृप्ताः प्राणिनः सर्वे याता यास्यन्ति यान्ति च ॥ १६-१३ ॥
In wealth that can give life, in women, and in worldly pursuits and food, all living beings remain ever unsatisfied — those who have gone, those who are yet to go, and those who are going now.
16-14
प्रियवाक्यप्रदानेन सर्वे तुष्यन्ति जन्तवः ।
तस्मात्तदेव वक्तव्यं वचने का दरिद्रता ॥ १६-१४ ॥
By the giving of pleasant words, all beings are pleased. Therefore, one should speak only such words. What poverty is there in the wealth of speech?
16-15
क्षीयन्ते सर्वदानानि यज्ञहोमबलिक्रियाः ।
न क्षीयते पात्रदानमभयं सर्वदेहिनाम् ॥ १६-१५ ॥
All charitable gifts and offerings — be they sacrifices, oblations into the fire, or offerings to spirits — perish over time; but the gift made to a worthy recipient and the giving of fearlessness to all living beings never perish.
16-16
तृणं लघु तृणात्तूलं तूलादपि च याचकः ।
वायुना किं न नीतोऽसौ मामयं याचयिष्यति ॥ १६-१६ ॥
A blade of grass is light; lighter than grass is cotton; and lighter still than cotton is the supplicant. Why, then, has the wind not carried him away? It only fears, "This man will beg from me."
16-17
वरं प्राणपरित्यागो मानभङ्गेन जीवनात् ।
प्राणत्यागे क्षणं दुःखं मानभङ्गे दिने दिने ॥ १६-१७ ॥
Better is the abandonment of life itself than a life of broken honour. The abandonment of life brings pain for but a moment, but the breaking of honour brings pain day after day.
16-18
संसारविषवृक्षस्य द्वे फलेऽमृतोपमे ।
सुभाषितं च सुस्वादु सङ्गतिः सज्जने जने ॥ १६-१८ ॥
On the poisonous tree of worldly existence, there are two fruits that are like nectar: the first is a well-spoken, sweet word, and the second is association with the good.
16-19
जन्म जन्म यदभ्यस्तं दानमध्ययनं तपः ।
तेनैवाभ्यासयोगेन देही चाभ्यस्यते पुनः ॥ १६-१९ ॥
Whatever has been practiced birth after birth — be it charity, study, or austerity — that very practice is again pursued by the embodied soul through the force of habit.
16-20
पुस्तकस्था तु या विद्या परहस्तगतं धनम् ।
कार्यकाले समुत्पन्ने न सा विद्या न तद्धनम् ॥ १६-२० ॥
Learning that is merely confined to a book and wealth that has passed into another's hand — when the time of need arises, that is neither true learning nor true wealth.