|| चाणक्य नीति शास्त्र ||
कस्य दोषः कुले नास्ति व्याधिना को न पीडितः |
व्यसनं केन न प्राप्तं कस्य सौख्यं निरन्तरं ||
In this world, whose family is there without blemish? Who is free from sickness and grief? Who is happy forever? 3.1
आचारः कुलमाख्याति देशमाख्याति भाषणम् |
संभ्रमः स्नेहमाख्याति वपुराख्याति भोजनम् ||
A man's ancestry may be recognized by his conduct, his country is
recognized by his pronunciation of language, his friendship is
recognized by his warmth and glow, and his capacity to eat is recognized
by his body. 3.2
Give your daughter in marriage to a good family. Engage your son in learning. See that your enemy comes to grief and engage your friends in Dharma (self and God realization). 3.3
Of a rascal and a serpent, the serpent is the better of the two, because he strikes only at the time he is destined to kill, while the rascal strikes at every step. 3.4
सुकुले योजयेत्कन्यां पुत्रं विद्यासु योजयेत् |
व्यसने योजयेच्छत्रुं मित्रं धर्मेण योजयेत् ||
Give your daughter in marriage to a good family. Engage your son in learning. See that your enemy comes to grief and engage your friends in Dharma (self and God realization). 3.3
दुर्जनस्य च सर्पस्य वरं सर्पो न दुर्जनः |
सर्पो दंशति काले तु दुर्जनस्तु पदे पदे ||
Of a rascal and a serpent, the serpent is the better of the two, because he strikes only at the time he is destined to kill, while the rascal strikes at every step. 3.4
एतदर्थे कुलीनानां नृपाः कुर्वन्ति संग्रहं |
आदिमध्यावसानेषु न ते गछन्ति विक्रियाम् ||
Therefore kings gather round themselves men of good families, because they never forsake him either at the beginning, the middle or the end. 3.5
प्रलये भिन्नमर्यादा भवन्ति किल सागराः |
सागरा भेदमिच्छन्ति प्रलयेsपि न साधवः ||
At the time of the pralaya (universal destruction) the oceans are to
exceed their limits and seek to change, but a saintly man never changes.
3.6
मूर्खस्तु प्रहर्तव्यः प्रत्यक्षो द्विपदः पशुः |
भिद्यन्ते वाक्यशल्येन अदृशं कण्टकं यथा ||
Do not keep company with a fool because as we can see he is a two-legged
beast. Like an unseen thorn, he pierces the heart with his sharp words.
3.7
रूपयौवनसंपन्ना विशालकुलसंभवाः |
विद्याहीना न शोभन्ते निर्गन्धाः किंशुका यथा ||
Though men are endowed with beauty and youth and born in noble families,
if they are without education, then they are like the palasa flower
which is void of sweet fragrance. 3.8
कोकिलानां स्वरो रूपं स्त्रीणां रूपं पतिव्रतम् |
विद्या रूपं कुरुपाणां क्षमा रूपं तपस्विनाम् ||
The beauty of a cuckoo is in its notes. Beauty of a woman is in her
unalloyed devotion to her husband. Beauty of an ugly person is in his
scholarship,. Beauty of an ascetic is in his forgiveness. 3.9
त्यजेदेकं कुलस्यार्थे ग्रामस्यार्थे कुलं त्यजेत् |
ग्रामं जनपदस्यार्थे आत्मार्थे पृथिवीं त्यजेत् ||
Give up a member to save a family. Give up a family to save a village.
Give up a village to save a country and give up the country to save
yourself. 3.10
उद्योगे नास्ति दारिद्र्यं जपतो नास्ति पातकम् |
मौनेन कलहौ नास्ति नास्ति जागरिते भयम् ||
There is no poverty for the industrious. Sin does not attach itself to
the person practicing japa (chanting of the holy names of the Lord).
Those who are absorbed in maunam (silent contemplation of the Lord) have
no quarrel with others. They are fearless who remain always alert. 3.11
अतिरूपेण वा सीता अतिगर्वेण रावणः |
अतिदानद्बलिर्बद्धो ह्यतिसर्वत्र वर्जयेत् ||
A woman with extraordinary beauty risks possibility of being kidnapped. A
man with too much of pride will be defeated in all his endeavors.
Person who donates too much beyond his capacity will loose everything.
So avoid these people. 3.12
को हि भारः समर्थानां किं दूरं व्यवसायिनाम् |
को विदेशः सुविद्यानां कः परः प्रियवादिनाम् ||
What is too heavy for the strong and what place is too distant for those
who put forth effort? What country is foreign to a man of true
learning? Who can be inimical to one who speaks pleasingly? 3.13
एकेनापि सुवृक्षेण पुष्पितेन सुगन्धिना |
वासितं तद्वनं सर्वं सुपुत्रेण कुलं यथा ||
एकेन शुष्कवृक्षेण दह्यमानेन वान्हिना |
As a whole forest becomes fragrant by the existence of a single tree
with sweet-smelling blossoms in it, so a family becomes famous by the
birth of a virtuous son. 3.14
एकेन शुष्कवृक्षेण दह्यमानेन वान्हिना |
दह्यते तद्वनं सर्वं कुपुत्रेण कुलं यथा ||
एकेनापि सुपुत्रेण विद्यायुक्तेन साधुना |
As a single withered tree, if set aflame, causes a whole forest to burn, so does a rascal son destroy a whole family. 3.15
एकेनापि सुपुत्रेण विद्यायुक्तेन साधुना |
आल्हादितं कुलं सर्वं यथा चन्द्रेण शर्वरी ||
किं जातैर्बहुभिः पुत्रैः शोकसन्तापकारकैः |
As night looks delightful when the moon shines, so is a family gladdened by even one learned and virtuous son. 3.16
किं जातैर्बहुभिः पुत्रैः शोकसन्तापकारकैः |
वरमेकः कुलालम्बी यत्र विश्राम्यते कुलम् ||
लालयेत्पञ्चवर्षाणि दशवर्षाणि ताडयेत् |
What is the use of having many sons if they cause grief and irritation?
It is better to have only one son from whom the whole family can derive
support and peacefulness. 3.17
लालयेत्पञ्चवर्षाणि दशवर्षाणि ताडयेत् |
प्राप्ते तु षोडशे वर्षे पुत्रे मित्रवदाचरेत ||
उपसर्गेsन्यचक्रे च दुर्भिक्षे च भयावहे |
Fondle a son until he is five years of age, and use the stick for
another ten years, but when he has attained his sixteenth year treat him
as a friend. 3.18
उपसर्गेsन्यचक्रे च दुर्भिक्षे च भयावहे |
असाधुजनसंपर्के यः पलायेत्स जीवति ||
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां यस्यै कोsपि न विद्यते |
He who runs away from a fearful calamity, a foreign invasion, a terrible
famine, and the companionship of wicked men is safe. 3.19
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां यस्यै कोsपि न विद्यते |
अजागलस्तनस्तेव तस्य जन्म निरर्थकम् ||
मूर्खा यत्र न पूज्यन्ते धान्यं यत्र सुसिन्चितम् |
He who has not acquired at least one of the following: religious merit
(dharma), wealth (artha), satisfaction of desires (kama), or liberation
(moksa), life of such an idiot is waste. 3.20
मूर्खा यत्र न पूज्यन्ते धान्यं यत्र सुसिन्चितम् |
दाम्पत्ये कलहो नास्ति तत्र श्रीः स्वयमागता ||
Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, comes of Her own accord where fools are
not respected, where grain is well stored up, and where the husband and
wife do not quarrel. 3.21
