|| चाणक्य नीति शास्त्र ||
सानन्दं सदनं सुतास्तु सुधियः कान्ता प्रियालापिनीइच्छापूर्तिधनं स्वयोषिति रतिः स्वाज्ञापराः सेवकाः |
आतिथ्यं शिवपूजनं प्रतिदिनं मिष्टान्नपानं गृहे
साधोः संगमुपासते च सततं धन्यो गृहस्ताश्रमः ||
He is a blessed grihasta (householder) in whose house there is a
blissful atmosphere, whose sons are talented, whose wife speaks sweetly,
whose wealth is enough to satisfy his desires, who finds pleasure in
the company of his wife, whose servants are obedient, in whose house
hospitality is shown, the auspicious Supreme Lord is worshipped daily,
delicious food and drink is partaken, and who finds joy in the company
of devotees. 1.
आर्तेषु विप्रेषु दयान्वितश्र्च
यत् श्रद्धया स्वल्पमुपैति दानम् |
अनन्तपारमुपैति राजन्
यद्दीयते तन्न लभेद्द्विजेभ्यः ||
One who devotedly gives a little to a brahmana who is in distress is
recompensed abundantly. Hence, O Prince, what is given to a good
brahmana is got back not in an equal quantity, but in an infinitely
higher degree. 2.
दाक्षिण्यं स्वजने दया परजने शाठ्यं सदा दुर्जने
प्रीतिः साधुजने स्मयः खलजने विद्वद्जने चार्जवम् |
शौर्यं शत्रुजने क्षमा गुरुजने नारीजने धूर्तता
इत्थं ये पुरुषा कलासु कुशलास्तेष्वेव लोकस्थितिः ||
men who are generous towards their relatives, who are kind to strangers,
who are indifferent to the wicked people , who are loving to the good
people , who are shrewd in their dealings with the base persons , who
are frank with the learned persons, who are courageous with enemies, and
who are humble with elders, and who are stern with the wife, are happy
people in this world. 3.
हस्तौ दानविवर्जितौ श्रुतिपुटौ सारस्वतद्रोहिणौ
नेत्रे साधुविलोकनेन रहिते पादौ न तीर्थं गतौ |
अन्यायार्जितवित्तपुर्णमुदरं गर्वेण तङ्गं शिरौ
रे रे जम्बुक मुञ्च मुञ्च सहसा नीचं सुनिन्द्यं वपुः ||
नेत्रे साधुविलोकनेन रहिते पादौ न तीर्थं गतौ |
अन्यायार्जितवित्तपुर्णमुदरं गर्वेण तङ्गं शिरौ
रे रे जम्बुक मुञ्च मुञ्च सहसा नीचं सुनिन्द्यं वपुः ||
O jackal, leave aside the body of that man at once, whose hands have
never given in charity, whose ears have not heard the voice of learning,
whose eyes have not beheld a pure devotee of the Lord, whose feet have
never traversed to holy places, whose belly is filled with things
obtained by crooked practices, and whose head is held high in vanity. Do
not eat it, O jackal, otherwise you will become polluted. 4.
येषां श्रीमद्यशोदासुतपदकमले नास्ति भक्तिर्नराणां
येषामाभीरकन्याप्रियगुणकथने नानुरक्ता रसज्ञा |
येषां श्रीकृष्णलीलाललितरसकथासादरौ नैव कर्णौ
धिक् तान् धिक् तान् धिगेतान् कथयति सततं कीर्तनस्थो मृदङ्गः ||
येषामाभीरकन्याप्रियगुणकथने नानुरक्ता रसज्ञा |
येषां श्रीकृष्णलीलाललितरसकथासादरौ नैव कर्णौ
धिक् तान् धिक् तान् धिगेतान् कथयति सततं कीर्तनस्थो मृदङ्गः ||
Shame upon those who have no devotion to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna,
the son of mother Yasoda. Shame upon those who have no attachment for
the describing the glories of Srimati Radharani. Shame upon those whose
ears are not eager to listen to the stories of the Lord's lila. Such is
the meaning of the mridanga sound of dhik-tam dhik-tam dhigatam at
kirtana . 5.
पत्रं नैव यदा करीलविटपे दोषो वसन्तस्य किं
नोलूकोsप्यवलोकते यदि दिवा सूर्यस्य किं दूषणम् ।
वर्षा नैव पतन्ति चातकमुखे मेघस्य किं दूषणं
यत्पूर्वं विधिना ललाटलिखितं तन्मार्जितुं कः क्षमः ॥
नोलूकोsप्यवलोकते यदि दिवा सूर्यस्य किं दूषणम् ।
वर्षा नैव पतन्ति चातकमुखे मेघस्य किं दूषणं
यत्पूर्वं विधिना ललाटलिखितं तन्मार्जितुं कः क्षमः ॥
What fault is of spring that the bamboo shoot has no leaves? What fault
is of the sun if the owl cannot see during the daytime? Is it the fault
of clouds if no raindrops fall into the mouth of the chatak bird
(the bird that drinks only rain drops)? Who can erase what Lord Brahma
has inscribed upon our foreheads at the time of birth? 6.
सत्सन्गात्भवति हि साधुना खलानां
साधूनां न हि खलसन्गतः खलत्वम् ।
आमोदं कुसुमभवं मृदेव धत्ते
मृद्गन्धं नहि कुसुमानि धारयन्ति ॥
आमोदं कुसुमभवं मृदेव धत्ते
मृद्गन्धं नहि कुसुमानि धारयन्ति ॥
A wicked man may develop saintly qualities in the company of a devotee, but a devotee does not become impious in the company of a wicked person. The earth is scented by a flower that falls upon it, but the flower does not contact the odour of the earth. 7.
साधूनां दर्शनं पुण्यं तीर्थभूता हि साधवः ।
कालेन फ़लते तीर्थं सद्यः साधुसमागमः ॥
कालेन फ़लते तीर्थं सद्यः साधुसमागमः ॥
One indeed becomes blessed by having darshan (sight) of a devotee; because the devotee has the ability to purify immediately, whereas the sacred teertha (holy place) gives purity only after prolonged contact. 8
विप्राऽस्मिन्नगरे महान् कथयकस्तालद्रुमाणां गणः
को दाता रजको ददाति वसनं प्रातर्गृ हीत्वा निशि ।
को दक्षः परवित्तदारहरणे सर्वोऽपि दक्षो जनः
कस्माज्जीवसि हे सखे विष कृमिन्यायेन जीवाम्यहम् ॥
को दाता रजको ददाति वसनं प्रातर्गृ हीत्वा निशि ।
को दक्षः परवित्तदारहरणे सर्वोऽपि दक्षो जनः
कस्माज्जीवसि हे सखे विष कृमिन्यायेन जीवाम्यहम् ॥
A stranger asked a brahmana, "Tell me, who is great in this city?" The brahmana replied, "The cluster of Palmyra trees is great." Then the traveller asked, "Who is the most charitable person?" The brahmana
answered, "The washer man who takes the clothes in the morning and
gives them back in the evening is the most charitable." He then asked,
"Who is the ablest man?" The brahmana answered, "Everyone is expert in robbing others of their wives and wealth." The man then asked the brahmana, "How do you manage to live in such a city?" The brahmana replied, "As a worm survives while even in a filthy place so do I survive here!" 9.
न विप्रपादोदकपंकजानिन
वेदशास्त्रध्वनिगर्जितानि ।
स्वाहास्वधाकारविवर्जितानि
श्मशानतुल्यानिगृहाणि तानि ॥
वेदशास्त्रध्वनिगर्जितानि ।
स्वाहास्वधाकारविवर्जितानि
श्मशानतुल्यानिगृहाणि तानि ॥
The house in which the lotus feet of brahmanas are not washed, in which Vedic mantras are not loudly recited, and in which the holy rites of svaha (sacrificial offerings to the Supreme Lord) and swadha (offerings to the ancestors) are not performed, is like a crematorium. 10.
सत्यं माता पिता ज्ञानं धर्मो भ्राता दया सखा
शांतिः पत्नी क्षमा पुत्रः षडेते ममबान्धवाः ॥
शांतिः पत्नी क्षमा पुत्रः षडेते ममबान्धवाः ॥
(It is said that a sadhu, when asked about his family, replied thus): truth is my mother, and my father is spiritual knowledge;
righteous conduct is my brother, and mercy is my friend, inner peace is
my wife, and forgiveness is my son: these six are my kinsmen. 11.
अनित्यानि शरिराणि विभवो नैव शाश्वतः ।
नित्यं सन्निहितो मृत्युः कर्तव्यो धर्मसंग्रहः ॥
नित्यं सन्निहितो मृत्युः कर्तव्यो धर्मसंग्रहः ॥
Our bodies are perishable, wealth is not at all permanent and death is
always nearby. Therefore we must immediately engage in acts of merit. 12
निमन्त्रणोत्सवा विप्रा गावो नवतृणोत्सवाः ।
पत्युत्साहयुता भार्या अहं कृष्णचरणोत्सवः ॥
पत्युत्साहयुता भार्या अहं कृष्णचरणोत्सवः ॥
Arjuna says to Krishna. "Brahmanas (saintly men) find joy in
going to feasts, cows find joy in eating their tender grass, wives find
joy in the company of their husbands, and know, O Krishna, that in the
same way I rejoice in battle. 13
मातृवत्परदारेषु परद्रव्याणि लोष्ठवत् ।
आत्मवत्सर्वभूतानि यः पश्यति स पंडितः ॥
आत्मवत्सर्वभूतानि यः पश्यति स पंडितः ॥
He who regards another's wife as his mother, the wealth that does not
belong to him as a lump of mud, and the pleasure and pain of all other
living beings as his own -- truly sees things in the right perspective,
and he is a true pandit. 14
धर्मे तत्परता मुखे मधुरता दाने समुत्साहता
मित्रेऽवंचकता गुरौ विनयता चित्तेऽतिगम्भीरता ।
आचारे शुचिता गुणे रसिकता शास्त्रेषु विज्ञातृता
रूपे सुन्दरता शिवे भजनता त्वय्यस्तिभी राघवः ॥
मित्रेऽवंचकता गुरौ विनयता चित्तेऽतिगम्भीरता ।
आचारे शुचिता गुणे रसिकता शास्त्रेषु विज्ञातृता
रूपे सुन्दरता शिवे भजनता त्वय्यस्तिभी राघवः ॥
O Raghava (Lord Rama), the love of virtue, pleasing speech, and
an ardent desire for performing acts of charity, guileless dealings with
friends, humility in the guru's presence , deep tranquillity of mind,
pure conduct, discernment of virtues, realized knowledge of the sastras (scriptures),
beauty of form and devotion to God are all found in you." (The great
sage Vasistha Muni, the spiritual preceptor of the dynasty of the sun,
said this to Lord Ramachandra at the time of His proposed coronation).
15.
काष्ठं कल्पतरुः सुमेरुरचलश्चिन्तामणिः प्रस्तरः
सूर्यस्तीव्रकरः शशीक्षयकरः क्षारोहि वारां निधिः ।
कामो नष्टतनुर्बलिदितिसुतो नित्यं पशुः कामगाः
नैस्तांस्ते तुलयामि भो रघुपते कस्योपमादीयते ॥
सूर्यस्तीव्रकरः शशीक्षयकरः क्षारोहि वारां निधिः ।
कामो नष्टतनुर्बलिदितिसुतो नित्यं पशुः कामगाः
नैस्तांस्ते तुलयामि भो रघुपते कस्योपमादीयते ॥
The desire tree is wood; the golden Mount Meru is motionless; the wish-fulfilling gem cintamani
is just a stone; the sun is scorching; the moon is prone to wane; the
boundless ocean is saline; the demigod of lust lost his body (due to
Shiva's wrath); Bali Maharaja, the son of Diti, was born into a clan of demons; and Kamadhenu (the cow of heaven) is a mere beast. O Lord of the Raghu dynasty! I cannot compare you to any one of these (taking their merits into account). 16.
विद्या मित्रं प्रवासे च भार्या मित्रं गृहेषु च ।
व्याधिस्तस्यौषधं मित्रं धर्मा मित्रं मृतस्य च ॥
Realized learning (vidya)
is our friend while travelling , the wife is a friend at home, medicine
is the friend of a sick man, and meritorious deeds are the friends at
death. 17.
विनयं राजपुत्रेभ्यः पंडितेभ्यः सुभाषितम् ।
अनृतं द्यूतकारेभ्यः स्त्रीभ्यः शिक्षेत कैतवम् ॥
Courtesy should be learned from princes, the art of conversation from pandits, lying should be learned from gamblers and deceitful ways should be learned from women. 18.
अनालोक्य व्ययं कर्ता अनाथः कलहप्रियः ।
आर्तः स्त्रीसर्वक्षेत्रेषु नरः शीघ्र विनश्यति ॥
The unthinking spender, the homeless urchin , the quarrel monger, the
man who neglects his wife and is heedless in his actions -- all these
will soon come to ruination. 19.
नाऽऽहारं चिन्तयेत्प्राज्ञो धर्ममेकं हि चिन्तयेत् ।
आहारो हि मनुष्याणां जन्मना सह जायते ॥
The wise man should not be anxious about his food; he should be anxious
to be engaged only in dharma (Krishna consciousness). the food of each
man is created for him at his birth. 20.
धनधान्यप्रयोगेषु विद्यासंग्रहणे तथा ।
आहारे व्यवहारे च त्यक्तलज्जः सुखीभवेत् ॥
He who is not shy in the acquisition of wealth, grain and knowledge, and in taking his meals, will be happy. 21.
जलबिन्दुनिपातेन क्रमशः पूर्यते घटः ।
स हेतु सर्वविद्यानां धर्मस्य च धनस्य च ॥
As small drops will gradually fill a water pot, so also are knowledge, virtue and wealth gradually obtained. 22.
वयसः परिणामेऽपि यः खलः खलः एव सः ।
सम्पक्वमपि माधुर्यं नापयातीन्द्रवारुणम् ॥
The man who remains a fool even in advanced age is really a fool, just
as the Indra-Varuna fruits do not become sweet no matter how ripe they
might become. 23.
