Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Innate Qualities, Character Assessment, and Social-Role Typologies

Verse 1

दातृत्वं प्रियवक्तृत्वं धीरत्वमुचितज्ञता । अभ्यासेन न लभ्यन्ते चत्वारः सहजा गुणाः ॥

Generosity, pleasant speech, fortitude, and knowing what is fitting—these four virtues are held to be innate, not gained by practice alone.

Verse 2

आत्मवर्गं परित्यज्य परवर्गं समाश्रयेत् । स्वयमेव लयं याति यथा राजान्यधर्मतः ॥

One who abandons their own circle and takes shelter with another faction comes to ruin of their own accord, like a ruler who acts against dharma.

Verse 3

हस्ती स्थूलतनुः स चाङ्कुशवशः किं हस्तिमात्रोऽङ्कुशो दीपे प्रज्वलिते प्रणश्यति तमः किं दीपमात्रं तमः । वज्रेणापि हताः पतन्ति गिरयः किं वज्रमात्रं नगा- स्तेजो यस्य विराजते स बलवान्स्थूलेषु कः प्रत्ययः ॥

An elephant, though huge, is ruled by a goad; when a lamp is lit, darkness vanishes; even mountains fall when struck by lightning. Truly strong is the one whose inner tejas shines—what trust is there in mere bulk?

Verse 4

कलौ दशसहस्राणि हरिस्त्यजति मेदिनीम् । तदर्धं जाह्नवीतोयं तदर्धं ग्रामदेवताः ॥

In the Kali age, Hari (Viṣṇu) is said to depart the earth for ten thousand (measures of time); half of that sacred presence abides in the waters of the Jāhnavī (the Gaṅgā), and half among the village deities.

Verse 5

गृहासक्तस्य नो विद्या नो दया मांसभोजिनः । द्रव्यलुब्धस्य नो सत्यं स्त्रैणस्य न पवित्रता ॥

One attached to household life has no learning; one who eats meat has no compassion; one greedy for wealth has no truth; one enslaved by women has no purity.

Verse 6

न दुर्जनः साधुदशामुपैति बहुप्रकारैरपि शिक्ष्यमाणः । आमूलसिक्तः पयसा घृतेन न निम्बवृक्षो मधुरत्वमेति ॥

A wicked man does not attain the state of the virtuous, though taught in many ways. Like the neem tree: even watered to the roots with milk and ghee, it does not turn sweet.

Verse 7

अन्तर्गतमलो दुष्टस्तीर्थस्नानशतैरपि । न शुध्यति यथा भाण्डं सुराया दाहितं च सत् ॥

A wicked man with impurity within is not cleansed even by hundreds of baths at sacred fords. Like a vessel—though sound—that does not become clean after being tainted by surā (liquor).

Verse 8

न वेत्ति यो यस्य गुणप्रकर्षं स तं सदा निन्दति नात्र चित्रम् । यथा किराती करिकुम्भलब्धां मुक्तां परित्यज्य बिभर्ति गुञ्जाम् ॥

He who does not recognize another’s excellence always disparages him—there is nothing strange in that. Like the Kirātī woman who, finding a pearl from an elephant’s frontal globes, casts it aside and wears a guñjā seed instead.

Verse 9

ये तु संवत्सरं पूर्णं नित्यं मौनेन भुञ्जते । युगकोटिसहस्रं तैः स्वर्गलोके महीयते ॥

Those who for a full year take their food while constantly observing silence are honored in the heavenly realm for thousands of crores of ages.

Verse 10

कामक्रोधौ तथा लोभं स्वादुश‍ृङ्गारकौतुके । अतिनिद्रातिसेवे च विद्यार्थी ह्यष्ट वर्जयेत् ॥

A student should avoid eight things: desire, anger, greed, indulgence in tasty foods, erotic preoccupation, frivolous amusements or idle curiosity, excessive sleep, and excessive service or attachment.

Verse 11

अकृष्टफलमूलानि वनवासरतिः सदा । कुरुतेऽहरहः श्राद्धमृषिर्विप्रः स उच्यते ॥

He who ever delights in forest-dwelling, lives on uncultivated fruits and roots, and performs śrāddha day after day—he is called a “vipra” and a “ṛṣi”.

Verse 12

एकाहारेण सन्तुष्टः षट्कर्मनिरतः सदा । ऋतुकालाभिगामी च स विप्रो द्विज उच्यते ॥

Content with a single meal, ever devoted to the six prescribed duties, and approaching sexual union only in the proper season—such a one is called a “vipra”, a “dvija”.

Verse 13

लौकिके कर्मणि रतः पशूनां परिपालकः । वाणिज्यकृषिकर्मा यः स विप्रो वैश्य उच्यते ॥

One devoted to worldly work—tending cattle and earning by trade and agriculture—is here called a “vaiśya”, even if elsewhere regarded as a “vipra”.

Verse 14

लाक्षादितैलनीलीनां कौसुम्भमधुसर्पिषाम् । विक्रेता मद्यमांसानां स विप्रः शूद्र उच्यते ॥

A vipra who trades in lac, oils, indigo/dyes, safflower dye, honey, ghee—and also sells liquor and meat—is in this text called a “śūdra”.

Verse 15

परकार्यविहन्ता च दाम्भिकः स्वार्थसाधकः । छली द्वेषी मृदुः क्रूरो विप्रो मार्जार उच्यते ॥

A vipra who thwarts others’ affairs, is hypocritical and self-serving, deceitful and spiteful, outwardly gentle yet inwardly cruel—he is called a “cat”.

Verse 16

वापीकूपतडागानामारामसुरवेश्मनाम् । उच्छेदने निराशङ्कः स विप्रो म्लेच्छ उच्यते ॥

A Brahmin who, without hesitation, destroys stepwells, wells, ponds, gardens, and temples is called a “mleccha” in this moral idiom.

Verse 17

देवद्रव्यं गुरुद्रव्यं परदाराभिमर्शनम् । निर्वाहः सर्वभूतेषु विप्रश्चाण्डाल उच्यते ॥

One who makes a living by misusing temple wealth, a teacher’s property, or by violating another man’s wife—though a Brahmin—is spoken of as a “cāṇḍāla”.