17-01
पुस्तकप्रत्ययाधीतं नाधीतं गुरुसन्निधौ ।
सभामध्ये न शोभन्ते जारगर्भा इव स्त्रियः ॥ १७-०१ ॥
Knowledge acquired merely through the medium of books, without being studied in the presence of a preceptor, does not shine in an assembly, just as a woman pregnant by a paramour does not shine in the midst of virtuous women.
17-02
कृते प्रतिकृतिं कुर्याद्धिंसने प्रतिहिंसनम् ।
तत्र दोषो न पतति दुष्टे दुष्टं समाचरेत् ॥ १७-०२ ॥
A good turn should be repaid by a good turn; violence should be met with counter-violence. No fault attaches to one who returns evil for evil.
17-03
यद्दूरं यद्दुराराध्यं यच्च दूरे व्यवस्थितम् ।
तत्सर्वं तपसा साध्यं तपो हि दुरतिक्रमम् ॥ १७-०३ ॥
That which is far away, that which is difficult to attain, and that which lies at a great remove — all of it can be achieved through austerity, for austerity is truly insurmountable.
17-04
लोभश्चेदगुणेन किं पिशुनता यद्यस्ति किं पातकैः
सत्यं चेत्तपसा च किं शुचि मनो यद्यस्ति तीर्थेन किम् ।
सौजन्यं यदि किं गुणैः सुमहिमा यद्यस्ति किं मण्डनैः
सद्विद्या यदि किं धनैरपयशो यद्यस्ति किं मृत्युना ॥ १७-०४ ॥
If there is greed, what use are other vices? If there is slanderousness, what use are other sins? If there is truth, what need is there for austerity? If the mind is pure, what need is there for a pilgrimage? If there is inherent goodness, what use are further virtues? If there is true greatness, what need is there for external adornments? If there is true learning, what use is wealth? And if there is infamy, what use is death?
17-05
पिता रत्नाकरो यस्य लक्ष्मीर्यस्य सहोदरा ।
शङ्खो भिक्षाटनं कुर्यान्न दत्तमुपतिष्ठते ॥ १७-०५ ॥
He whose father is the lord of gems, the ocean, and whose sister is the goddess of fortune herself, in the form of a conch, still has to roam about begging for alms. No wealth, once given, ever remains permanently.
17-06
अशक्तस्तु भवेत्साधुर्ब्रह्मचारी वा निर्धनः ।
व्याधितो देवभक्तश्च वृद्धा नारी पतिव्रता ॥ १७-०६ ॥
A helpless man may become a saint; a brahmacārin may live without wealth; a sick man may become devoted to God; and an aged woman may remain faithful to her husband.
17-07
नान्नोदकसमं दानं न तिथिर्द्वादशी समा ।
न गायत्र्याः परो मन्त्रो न मातुर्दैवतं परम् ॥ १७-०७ ॥
There is no gift equal to the gift of food and water; there is no sacred day equal to the Dvādaśī; there is no mantra greater than the Gāyatrī; and there is no deity greater than a mother.
17-08
तक्षकस्य विषं दन्ते मक्षिकायास्तु मस्तके ।
वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे सर्वाङ्गे दुर्जने विषम् ॥ १७-०८ ॥
The venom of a viper is in its fangs; that of a fly is in its head; that of a scorpion is in its tail; but in a wicked man, venom is in every part of the body.
17-09
पत्युराज्ञां विना नारी ह्युपोष्य व्रतचारिणी ।
आयुष्यं हरते भर्तुः सा नारी नरकं व्रजेत् ॥ १७-०९ ॥
A woman who observes fasts and vows without the permission of her husband shortens the life of her lord; such a woman goes to hell.
17-10
न दानैः शुध्यते नारी नोपवासशतैरपि ।
न तीर्थसेवया तद्वद्भर्तुः पदोदकैर्यथा ॥ १७-१० ॥
A woman is not purified by charitable gifts, nor by hundreds of fasts, nor by resorting to sacred waters, in the way she is purified by the water that has washed her husband's feet.
17-11
पादशेषं पीतशेषं सन्ध्याशेषं तथैव च ।
श्वानमूत्रसमं तोयं पीत्वा चान्द्रायणं चरेत् ॥ १७-११ ॥
Water that is the remnant from washing feet, water left after drinking, and water left after the evening rites — these are equal to dog's urine. One who drinks such water must perform the Cāndrāyaṇa penance.
17-12
दानेन पाणिर्न तु कङ्कणेन
स्नानेन शुद्धिर्न तु चन्दनेन ।
मानेन तृप्तिर्न तु भोजनेन
ज्ञानेन मुक्तिर्न तु मुण्डनेन ॥ १७-१२ ॥
The hand is beautified by giving, not by bracelets; purity comes through bathing, not through sandal paste; satisfaction comes through honour, not through food; and liberation is achieved through knowledge, not by shaving the head.
17-13
नापितस्य गृहे क्षौरं पाषाणे गन्धलेपनम् ।
आत्मरूपं जले पश्यन् शक्रस्यापि श्रियं हरेत् ॥ १७-१३ ॥
A shave in a barber's house, the application of perfumed paste on a mere stone, and seeing one's reflection in water — these can steal away even the fortune of Indra.
17-14
सद्यः प्रज्ञाहरा तुण्डी सद्यः प्रज्ञाकरी वचा ।
सद्यः शक्तिहरा नारी सद्यः शक्तिकरं पयः ॥ १७-१४ ॥
The castor-oil plant instantly destroys intelligence; speech instantly bestows intelligence; a woman instantly destroys strength; and milk instantly invigorates strength.
17-15
परोपकरणं येषां जागर्ति हृदये सताम् ।
नश्यन्ति विपदस्तेषां सम्पदः स्युः पदे पदे ॥ १७-१५ ॥
For those good men in whose hearts the desire to help others ever remains awake, all their adversities perish, and prosperity comes to them at every step.
17-16
यदि रामा यदि च रमा यदि तनयो विनयगुणोपेतः ।
तनये तनयोत्पत्तिः सुरवरनगरे किमाधिक्यम् ॥ १७-१६ ॥
If one has a beautiful wife, if one has the goddess of fortune, and if one has a son endowed with humility and virtue, then what more is there to be enjoyed in the celestial city of the gods? What more is there than the birth of a son to one's own son?
17-17
आहारनिद्राभयमैथुनानि
समानि चैतानि नृणां पशूनाम् ।
ज्ञानं नराणामधिको विशेषो
ज्ञानेन हीनाः पशुभिः समानाः ॥ १७-१७ ॥
Hunger, sleep, fear, and sexual desire — these man has in common with animals. It is knowledge that is the superior distinction of human beings; those who are devoid of knowledge are equal to beasts.
17-18
दानार्थिनो मधुकरा यदि कर्णतालैर्दूरीकृताः
दूरीकृताः करिवरेण मदान्धबुद्ध्या ।
तस्यैव गण्डयुग्ममण्डनहानिरेषा
भृङ्गाः पुनर्विकचपद्मवने वसन्ति ॥ १७-१८ ॥
If bees desiring honey are driven away by the flapping of an elephant's ears, being filled with blind pride and intoxication, then it is the elephant alone who suffers the loss of the adornment of his own temples. The bees simply go and settle in a garden of blossoming lotuses.
17-19
राजा वेश्या यमश्चाग्निस्तस्करो बालयाचकौ ।
परदुःखं न जानन्ति अष्टमो ग्रामकण्टकः ॥ १७-१९ ॥
A king, a courtesan, Yama, fire, a thief, a child beggar, and a village troublemaker — these seven never understand the sorrows of others.
17-20
अधः पश्यसि किं बाले पतितं तव किं भुवि ।
रे रे मूर्ख न जानासि गतं तारुण्यमौक्तिकम् ॥ १७-२० ॥
"O young maiden, why do you cast your glance downwards? What of yours has fallen upon the earth? O fool, do you not know that the pearl of your youth has slipped away?"
17-21
व्यालाश्रयापि विफलापि सकण्टकापि
वक्रापि पङ्किलभवापि दुरासदापि ।
गन्धेन बन्धुरसि केतकि सर्वजन्तो-
रेको गुणः खलु निहन्ति समस्तदोषान् ॥ १७-२१ ॥
O Ketakī flower, though you are the abode of snakes, though you are fruitless, though you are full of thorns, though you are crooked, though you grow in muddy places and are difficult to reach, yet by your fragrance alone you captivate all creatures. A single excellent quality indeed overcomes all faults. इति चाणक्यनीतिदर्पणः सम्पूर्णः ॥ Thus is the Mirror of Cāṇakya's Ethics completed.