|| चाणक्य नीति शास्त्र ||
अधमा धनमिच्छन्ति धनमानौ च मध्यमाः |
उत्तमा मानमिच्छन्ति मानो हि महतां धनम् ||
उत्तमा मानमिच्छन्ति मानो हि महतां धनम् ||
Low class men desire wealth; middle class men both wealth and respect;
but the noble, honour only; hence honour is the noble man's true wealth.
8.1
8.2 is not available with us
दीपो भक्षयते ध्वान्तं कज्जलं च प्रसूयते |
यदन्नं भक्षयते नित्यं जायते तादृशी प्रजा ||
यदन्नं भक्षयते नित्यं जायते तादृशी प्रजा ||
The lamp eats up the darkness and therefore it produces lamp black; in
the same way according to the nature of our diet (sattva, rajas, or
tamas) we produce offspring of similar quality. (Nature of diet will
decide the nature of our children.) 8.3
वित्तं देहि गुणान्वितेषु मतिमन्नान्यत्र देहि क्वचित्
प्राप्तं वारिनेधेर्जलं घनमुखं माधुर्ययुक्तं सदा |
जीवान्स्थावरजन्गमाश्र्च सकलान्सन्जीव्य भूमण्डलम्
भूयः पश्य तदेव कोटिगुणितं गच्छन्तमंभोनिधिं ||
प्राप्तं वारिनेधेर्जलं घनमुखं माधुर्ययुक्तं सदा |
जीवान्स्थावरजन्गमाश्र्च सकलान्सन्जीव्य भूमण्डलम्
भूयः पश्य तदेव कोटिगुणितं गच्छन्तमंभोनिधिं ||
O wise man! Give your wealth only to the worthy and never to others. The
water of the sea received by the clouds is always sweet. The rain water
enlivens all living beings of the earth both movable (insects, animals,
humans, etc.) and immovable (plants, trees, etc.), and then returns to
the ocean with its value multiplied a million fold. 8.4
चण्डालानां सहस्रैश्च सूरिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः |
एको हि यवनः प्रोक्तो न नीचो यवनात्परः ||
एको हि यवनः प्रोक्तो न नीचो यवनात्परः ||
The wise men who have understood the essence of knowledge have declared
that the yavana (meat eater) is equal in despicability to a thousand
candalas ( the lowest class ), and hence a yavana (meat eater) is the
most despicable of men; indeed there is no one more despicable than him.
8.5
तलाभ्यङ्गे चिताधूमे मैथुने क्षौरकर्मणि |
तावद्भवति चाण्डालो यावात्स्नानं न चाचरेत् ||
तावद्भवति चाण्डालो यावात्स्नानं न चाचरेत् ||
After having rubbed oil on the body, after encountering the smoke from a
funeral pyre, after sexual intercourse, and after being shaved, one
remains a chandala (low class person) until he takes bath. 8.6
अजीर्णे भेषजं वारि जीर्णे वारि बलप्रदम् |
भोजने चामृतं वारि भोजनान्ते विषापाहम् ||
Water is the medicine for indigestion; it is invigorating when the food
that is eaten is well digested; it is like nectar when drunk in the
middle of a meal; and it is like poison when taken at the end of a meal.
8.7
हतं ज्ञानं क्रियाहीनं हतश्र्चाज्ञानितो नरः |
हतं निर्णायकं सैन्यं स्त्रियो नष्टा ह्यभ्रर्तुकाः ||
Knowledge is lost without putting it into practice; a man is lost due to
ignorance; an army is lost without a commander; and a woman is lost
without a husband. 8.8
वृद्धकाले मृता भार्या बन्धुहस्तगतम् धनम् |
भोजनं च पराधीनं तिस्रः पुंसां विडंबनाः ||
भोजनं च पराधीनं तिस्रः पुंसां विडंबनाः ||
A man who encounters the following three is unfortunate; the death of
his wife in his old age, the entrusting of money into the hands of
relatives, and depending upon others for food. 8.9
नाग्निहोत्रं विना वेदा न च दानं विना क्रिया |
न भावेन विना सिद्धिस्तमाद्भावो हि कारणम् ||
न भावेन विना सिद्धिस्तमाद्भावो हि कारणम् ||
Chanting of the Vedas without making ritualistic sacrifices to the
Supreme Lord through the medium of Agni are futile. Sacrifices not
followed by bountiful gifts are futile. Perfection can be achieved only
through devotion to the Supreme Lord because devotion is the basis of
all success. 8.10
There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no
happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness,
and no virtue like mercy. 8.13
Anger is a personification of Yama (the demigod of death); thirst is
like the hellish river Vaitarani; knowledge is like a kamadhenu (the cow
of plenty); and contentment is like Nandanavana (the garden of Indra).
8.14
Moral excellence is an ornament for personal beauty; righteous conduct
is an ornament for high birth; success is an is an ornament for
learning; and proper spending is an is an ornament for wealth. 8.15
निर्गुणस्य हतं रूपं दुः शीलस्य हतं कुलम् |
असिद्धस्य हता विद्या ह्यभोगेन हतं धनम् ||
Beauty is spoiled by an immoral nature; noble birth is spoiled by bad
conduct; learning is spoiled without being perfected; and wealth is
spoiled by not being properly utilized. 8.16
शुद्धं भूमिगतं तोयं शुद्धा नारी पतिव्रता |
शुचिः क्षेमकरो राजा संतोषो ब्राह्मणः शुचिः ||
Water seeping into the earth is pure; and a devoted wife is pure; the
king who is the benefactor of his people is pure; and pure is the
brahmana who is contented. 8.17
असन्तुष्टा द्विजा नष्टाः संतुष्टाश्र्च महीभृतः |
सलज्जा गणिका नष्टा निर्लज्जाश्र्च कुलाङ्गना ||
Discontented brahmanas, contented kings, shy prostitutes, and immodest housewives are ruined. 8.18
किं कुलेन विशालेन विद्याहीनेन देहिनाम् |
दुष्कुलं चापि विदुषो देवैरपि स पूज्यते ||
Of what avail is a high birth if a person is destitute of scholarship? A
man who is of low origin is honoured even by the demigods if he is
learned. 8.19
विद्वान्प्रशस्यते लोके विद्वान् सर्वत्र पूज्यते |
विद्यया लभते सर्वं विद्या सर्वत्र पूज्यते ||
A learned man is honoured by the people. A learned man commands respect
everywhere for his learning. Indeed, learning is honoured everywhere.
8.20
Those who are endowed with beauty and youth and who are born of noble
families are worthless if they have no learning. They are just like the
Kimshuka blossoms ( flowers of the palasa tree) which, though beautiful,
have no fragrance. 8.21
मांसभक्षैः सुरापानैर्मुखैश्र्चाक्षरवर्जितैः |
पशुभिः पुरुशाकारैर्भाराक्रान्ता हि मेदिनी ||
The earth is encumbered with the weight of the flesh-eaters,
wine-drinkers, stupid persons and blockheads, who are beasts in the form
of men. 8.22
अन्नहीनो देहेद्राष्ट्रं मन्त्रहीनश्र्च ऋत्विजः |
यजमानं दानहीनो नास्ति यज्ञसमो रिपुः ||
There is no enemy like a yajna (sacrifice) which consumes the kingdom
when not attended by feeding on a large scale; consumes the priest when
the chanting is not done properly; and consumes the yajaman (the
responsible person) when the gifts are not made. 8.23
