|| चाणक्य नीति शास्त्र ||
मुक्तिमिच्छसि चेत्तात विषयन्विषवत्त्यज |
क्षमार्जवदयाशौचं सत्यं पीयूषवत्पिब ||
My dear child, if you desire to be free from the cycle of birth and
death, then abandon the objects of sense gratification as poison. Drink
instead the nectar of forbearance, upright conduct, mercy, cleanliness
and truth. 9.1
परस्परस्य मर्माणि ये भाषन्ते नराधमाः |
त एव विलयं यान्ति वल्मिकोदरसर्पवत् ||
Those base men who speak of the secret faults of others destroy themselves like serpents who stray onto anthills. 9.2
गन्धः सुवर्णे फ़लमिक्षुदण्डे
नाकरि पुष्पं खलु चन्दनस्य |
विद्वान्धनाढयश्र्च नृपश्र्चिरायुः
धातु पुरा कोsपि न बुद्धिदोsभूत् ||
Perhaps nobody has advised Lord Brahma, the creator, to impart perfume
to gold; fruit to the sugar cane; flowers to the sandalwood tree; wealth
to the learned; and long life to the king. 9.3
सर्वौषधीनाममृता प्रधाना
सर्वेषु सौख्येष्वसनं प्रधानम् |
सर्वेन्द्रियाणां नयनं प्रधानं
सर्वेषु गात्रेषु शिरः प्रधानम् ||
सर्वेषु सौख्येष्वसनं प्रधानम् |
सर्वेन्द्रियाणां नयनं प्रधानं
सर्वेषु गात्रेषु शिरः प्रधानम् ||
Nectar (amrita) is the best among medicines; eating good food is the
best of all types of material happiness; the eye is the chief among all
organs; and the head occupies the chief position among all parts of the
body. 9.4
दूतो न संचरति खे न चलेच्च वार्ता
पूर्वं न जल्पितमिदं न च संगमोस्ति |
व्योम्नि स्थितं रविशाषिग्रहणं प्रशस्तं
जानाति यो द्विजवरः स कथं न विद्वान् ||
पूर्वं न जल्पितमिदं न च संगमोस्ति |
व्योम्नि स्थितं रविशाषिग्रहणं प्रशस्तं
जानाति यो द्विजवरः स कथं न विद्वान् ||
No messenger can travel in the sky and no news come from the sky. The
voice of the inhabitants of the sky can never be heard, nor can any
contact be established with them. Therefore the brahmana who can predict
the eclipse of the sun and the moon which are situated in the sky must
be considered as a vidwan (a man of great learning). 9.5
विद्यार्थी सेवकः पान्थः क्षुधार्थो भयकातरः |
भाण्डारी प्रतिहारी च सप्त सुप्तान्प्रभोदयेत् ||
भाण्डारी प्रतिहारी च सप्त सुप्तान्प्रभोदयेत् ||
The student, the servant, the traveller, the hungry person, the
frightened man, the treasury guard, and the manager: these seven ought
to be awakened if they fall asleep. 9.6
अहिं नृपं च शार्दूलं वृद्धं च बालकं तथा |
परश्र्वानं च मूर्खं च सप्त सुप्तान्न बोधयेत् ||
परश्र्वानं च मूर्खं च सप्त सुप्तान्न बोधयेत् ||
The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child,
the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought not to be
awakened from sleep. 9.7
अर्धाधीताश्र्च यैर्वेदास्तथा शूद्रान्न भोजनाः |
ते द्विजाः किं करिट्ष्यन्ति निर्विशा इव पन्नगाः ||
ते द्विजाः किं करिट्ष्यन्ति निर्विशा इव पन्नगाः ||
Of those who have studied the Vedas for material rewards, and those who
accept foodstuffs offered by shudras, what potency they will have? They
are just like serpents without fangs. 9.8
यस्मिन्रुष्टे भयं नास्ति तुष्टे नैव धनागमः |
निग्रहोSनुग्रहो नास्ति स रुष्टः किं करिष्यति ||
निग्रहोSनुग्रहो नास्ति स रुष्टः किं करिष्यति ||
He who neither arouses fear by his anger, nor bestows a favour when he is
pleased can neither control nor protect. What can he do? 9.9
निर्विषेणापि सर्पेण कर्तव्या महति फ़णा |
विषमस्तु न चाप्यस्तु घटाटोपो भयङ्करः ||
विषमस्तु न चाप्यस्तु घटाटोपो भयङ्करः ||
The serpent, without being poisonous, may raise high its hood, but the
show of terror is enough to frighten people, whether he be venomous or
not. 9.10
प्रतर्द्यूतप्रसन्गेन मध्यान्ने स्त्रीप्रसन्गतः |
रात्रौ चौरप्रसन्गेन कालो गच्छन्ति धीमताम् ||
रात्रौ चौरप्रसन्गेन कालो गच्छन्ति धीमताम् ||
Wise men spend their mornings in discussing gambling, the afternoon
discussing the activities of women, and the night hearing about the
activities of theft. (The first item above refers to the gambling of
King Yuddhisthira, the great devotee of Krishna. The second item refers
to the glorious deeds of mother Sita, the consort of Lord Ramachandra.
The third item hints at the adorable childhood pastimes of Sri Krishna
who stole butter from the elderly cowherd ladies of Gokula. Hence
Chanakya Pandits advises wise persons to spend the morning absorbed in
Mahabharata, the afternoon studying Ramayana, and the evening devotedly
hearing the Srimad-Bhagvatam). 9.11
स्वहस्तग्रथिता माला स्वहस्तघृष्टचन्दनम् |
स्वहस्तलिखितं स्तोत्रं शक्रस्यापि श्रीयं हरेत् ||
स्वहस्तलिखितं स्तोत्रं शक्रस्यापि श्रीयं हरेत् ||
By preparing a garland for a Deity with one's own hand; by grinding
sandal paste for the Lord with one's own hand; and by writing sacred
texts with one's own hand -- one becomes blessed with opulence equal to
that of Indra (The king of demigods). 9.12
Text 13 not available
दरिद्रता धीरतया विराजते
कुवस्त्रता शुभ्रतया विराजते |
कदन्नता चोष्णतया विराजते
कुरूपता शीलतया विराजते ||
कुवस्त्रता शुभ्रतया विराजते |
कदन्नता चोष्णतया विराजते
कुरूपता शीलतया विराजते ||
Poverty is set off by fortitude (the strength of stable mind). The wear
and tear of old garments is set off by keeping them clean. The badness
of food is set off by warming it. The ugliness is set off by good
behaviour. 9.14
