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The knowledge that remains confined to the books (and doesn’t get retained in the reader’s mind) and the money that has gone in other’s hand; neither there is any use of that knowledge nor there is any worth of that money. The inference is obvious. Knowledge must have its application to enhance its value like money must be in one’s control to be of any worth.
Sweet language satisfies all. Hence all must be sweet in their language. Even the excessive use of sweet words does not render anyone poor.
we must keep quite till we are able to converse only in a sweet voice.]
Learn one thing from the lion, one from heron, four from the cock, five from the crow, six from the dog and seven from the donkey.
Learn courtesy from the princes, sweet speech from the learned scholars, lying from the gamblers and deceit from the women.
Whether it be big or small, we must do every work with our full capacity and power. We must learn this quality from the lion.
Controlling all your senses like the heron, and after carefully considering the factors of time and space and the capacity of the self, the wise accomplish their work successfully.
The cock can teach us four things : get up at the right time, fight bitterly, make your brothers flee and usurp and devour their share also.
Stealthy copulation, collecting things and augmenting your resourcefulness from time to time; be alert and not beliveing anybody, making enough noise to make all gather round you–these five things are to be learnt from the crow.
Deriving satisfaction out of a little eating even in the famished condition; be alert despite being deep in slumber, faithfulness and bravery–these six qualities ought to be learnt from the dog.
The capacity to carry the load despite being bone-tired, being undaunted by the vagaries of weather and getting satisfied in all the conditions–these three qualities are to be learnt from the donkey.
Control greedy by money, the arrogant by submissiveness, the fool by preaching and the learned by telling him the reality.
The kings speak but once, so do the learned scholars. The daughter is gifted once. These three actions are performed just once.
One should always think over any Shloka or half or part of it or even a letter of it. This way brooding over (the pithy), ancient saying, studying and giving elms one should utilise one’s each day.
It is through hearing (the facts) that a man realises what is his real Dharma, and through hearing only that he gives up his ignorance (or stupidity). It is through hearing that he acquires knowledge and attain to the Moksha (final Liberation).
the more movement a brahman does, the more knowledge he acquires and hence he wins others adoration. The same is true with the Yogi. But if a woman keeps on moving, she exposes her to a variety of dangers, each being potent enough, in our society set-up, to bring her to disrepute, or the way to doom.]
Gold has no fragrance, sugarcanes have no fruits and the sandalwood has no flowers. A scholar is never wealthy and a king is never long aged. Why did this presciences was not given to Brahma (the creator).
nothing is perfect in the world.]
Virtues enhance the beauty of the form; good manners enhance the glory of the family; perfection enhances the value of education and enjoyment enhances the pleasures of wealth.
Travel ages a man, immobility ages a horse; a woman ages when not copulated with and a clothe ages when dried in the sun.
Wake the following seven up from the slumber (without any hitch): the student, servant, the traveler, the one stricken with hunger, the frightened person; the store incharge and the watchman. [i.e. there is no harm to wake these persons up even from the deep slumber as it is to their own benefit that they should be awakened.]
Do not wake the following up: snake, the king, the wasp, a child, other’s dog and the fool. They are better left sleeping. [They all becomes dangerous or disturbing when woken up from the deep slumber.]
Patience lends grace to even poverty; clean clothes haloes their quality; the stale food appears tempting when heated up and the good manners and behaviour hide even the ugliness.
The greatest piety lies in keeping one’s thoughts and speech pure in practising continuence, in showing mercy to all beings and in doing good to others.
nature and behaviour of the progeny is very much dependent upon the intake of the progenitor.]
The flour gives ten times more strength than the ordinary cereal; milk gives ten times strength more than the flour; meat gives ten times more strength than milk but ghee gives ten time more strength than even the meat. [According to Chankya, ghee (or clarified butter) gives maximum strength to its consumer.]
In indigestion water acts like a medicine. After digestion water gives strength (when imbibed). Drinking water during the meals acts like a nectar but if drink immediately after meals it acts like a poison.
Oil (drop) on (the surface of ) water; a secret leaked out to wicked person; help to the deserving and knowledge to the wise spread (and swell) automatically.
The real gems on this earth are three: food, water and kind words. Fools in vain call the pieces of stone as gems.
if a man drinks hot milk quickly after copulation, his strength gets revived.]
Sorrow aggravates diseases; milk nourishes body quickly; ghee enhances semen in the body and meat-eating only adds to the flesh of the body.
Many hued birds, seated on a tree, leave for different directions in the morning. What is there to grieve about? [All get separated in the world after meeting each other. Thus separation is the regular feature of the world. Why should this cause any grief?]
Blessed are those eyes that guide the way of the blind and protect them from their straying on the thorn-ridden path. [The moral: the ‘haves’ must help the ‘have-nots’.]
Like the trees growing their fruits for others’ benefit, blessed are those men who devote their life to the others’ cause.
सुखस्य मूलं धर्म:। Righteous conduct is the root of happiness.
र्मस्य मूलमर्थ:। The root of Dharma is finance.
अर्थस्य मूलं राज्यम्। The state’s welfare is rooted in good finance.
राज्यमूलमिन्द्रियजम:। Control over the senses – the feedback from people – is the root of a state’s welfare.
इंद्रियजयस्य मूलं विनय:। Humility is the root of the control of senses of a state.
विनयस्य मूलं वृद्धोपसेवा। The root of humility is in the service of the seniors – elderly or old persons.
जितात्मा सर्वार्थे सं युज्येत। He who controls his senses has his all wishes fulfilled. He gets wealth and prosperity in every way.
प्रकृतिकोप: सर्वकोपेभ्यो गरीयान। The wrath of the Nature is the worst wrath.
Without good assistants a king can take no right decisions. [Meaning the king must be assisted by good assistants if he wants to take right decisions.]
नैकं चक्रं परिभ्रमपति। A single wheel can’t move the chariot.
Callousness gets your secrets revealed to your enemy. [Hence the state must guard its secrets securely.]
When the three sides [that of the king’s view, the advisor’s opinion and the minister’s suggestion] concur on one decision, the deliberations will surely be crowned with success in any state endeavour.
A friend is a true friend if he maintains affectionate relations even during the period of your distress. [A friend in need is friend indeed.]
Lazy kings do not even make their sevants work.
संधिविग्रहयोनिर्मण्डल:। Pacts and agreements/treaties with other countries is an endless affair. [The king must be aware of his pacts/treaties with foreign countries all the time. Only then can be derived advantage from them at the suitable time.]
The countries at the border with which we have frequent skirmishes eventually turn our enemies.