Chapter 14: Chapter 14 (Pragmatic Ethics and Social Discernment)

Verse 1

पृथिव्यां त्रीणि रत्नानि जलमन्नं सुभाषितम् । मूढैः पाषाणखण्डेषु रत्नसंज्ञा विधीयते ॥

On earth there are three gems: water, food, and well-spoken words; the foolish, however, bestow the name “gem” on mere fragments of stone.

Verse 2

आत्मापराधवृक्षस्य फलान्येतानि देहिनाम् । दारिद्र्यदुःखरोगाणि बन्धनव्यसनानि च ॥

Poverty, suffering, and disease—along with bondage and calamity—are the fruits embodied beings reap from the “tree” of their own wrongdoing.

Verse 3

पुनर्वित्तं पुनर्मित्रं पुनर्भार्या पुनर्मही । एतत्सर्वं पुनर्लभ्यं न शरीरं पुनः पुनः ॥

Wealth can be regained, friends regained, a wife regained, and land regained; but the body cannot be regained again and again.

Verse 4

बहूनां चैव सत्त्वानां समवायो रिपुञ्जयः । वर्षाधाराधरो मेघस्तृणैरपि निवार्यते ॥

The union of many beings is a power that overcomes enemies; even a rain-bearing cloud can be checked by mere blades of grass.

Verse 5

जले तैलं खले गुह्यं पात्रे दानं मनागपि । प्राज्ञे शास्त्रं स्वयं याति विस्तारं वस्तुशक्तितः ॥

Oil spreads on water; a secret entrusted to a wicked man spreads; even a small gift, given to the worthy, grows in effect. Likewise, śāstra in an intelligent person expands of itself, by the power of the recipient’s capacity.

Verse 6

धर्माख्याने श्मशाने च रोगिणां या मतिर्भवेत् । सा सर्वदैव तिष्ठेच्चेत्को न मुच्येत बन्धनात् ॥

The mindset that arises during dharma teaching, at the cremation ground, and before the sick—if it stayed with us always, who would not be freed from bondage?

Verse 7

उत्पन्नपश्चात्तापस्य बुद्धिर्भवति यादृशी । तादृशी यदि पूर्वं स्यात्कस्य न स्यान्महोदयः ॥

Such is the discernment that arises after regret; if that discernment were present beforehand, for whom would great success not arise?

Verse 8

दाने तपसि शौर्ये वा विज्ञाने विनये नये । विस्मयो नहि कर्तव्यो बहुरत्ना वसुन्धरा ॥

Do not marvel at generosity, austerity, valor, learning, humility, or prudent conduct; the earth is rich with many gems—many kinds of excellence.

Verse 9

दूरस्थोऽपि न दूरस्थो यो यस्य मनसि स्थितः । यो यस्य हृदये नास्ति समीपस्थोऽपि दूरतः ॥

One who dwells in your mind is not distant even when far away; one who is not in your heart is distant even when close by.

Verse 10

यस्माच्च प्रियमिच्छेत्तु तस्य ब्रूयात्सदा प्रियम् । व्याधो मृगवधं कर्तुं गीतं गायति सुस्वरम् ॥

Whoever seeks what is pleasing from another should always speak what is pleasing to that person; like a hunter who, to kill a deer, sings in a sweet voice.

Verse 11

अत्यासन्ना विनाशाय दूरस्था न फलप्रदा । सेव्यतां मध्यभावेन राजा वह्निर्गुरुः स्त्रियः ॥

Too much closeness leads to ruin; too much distance yields no result. Therefore keep a middle stance toward the king, fire, the teacher, and women.

Verse 12

अग्निरापः स्त्रियो मूर्खाः सर्पा राजकुलानि च । नित्यं यत्नेन सेव्यानि सद्यः प्राणहराणि षट् ॥

Fire, water, women, fools, snakes, and royal households—these six must always be approached with care, for they can swiftly take life.

Verse 13

स जीवति गुणा यस्य यस्य धर्मः स जीवति । गुणधर्मविहीनस्य जीवितं निष्प्रयोजनम् ॥

He truly lives who has virtues; he truly lives who has dharma. The life of one without virtue and dharma is purposeless.

Verse 14

यदीच्छसि वशीकर्तुं जगदेकेन कर्मणा । पुरा पञ्चदशास्येभ्यो गां चरन्ती निवारय ॥

If you wish to bring the world under control by a single act, first restrain the grazing cow—from the fifteen mouths.

Verse 15

प्रस्तावसदृशं वाक्यं प्रभावसदृशं प्रियम् । आत्मशक्तिसमं कोपं यो जानाति स पण्डितः ॥

A learned person knows speech fit for the occasion, pleasing words proportionate to their effect, and anger proportionate to one’s own strength.

Verse 16

एक एव पदार्थस्तु त्रिधा भवति वीक्षितः । कुणपं कामिनी मांसं योगिभिः कामिभिः श्वभिः ॥

One and the same object is seen in three ways: as a corpse by ascetics, as a beloved woman by the lustful, and as meat by dogs.

Verse 17

सुसिद्धमौषधं धर्मं गृहच्छिद्रं च मैथुनम् । कुभुक्तं कुश्रुतं चैव मतिमान्न प्रकाशयेत् ॥

A prudent person should not disclose: a well-proven remedy, one’s own dharma-practice, weaknesses within the household, sexual relations, improper eating, and what has been poorly heard or learned.

Verse 18

तावन्मौनेन नीयन्ते कोकिलैश्चैव वासराः । यावत्सर्वजनानन्ददायिनी वाक्प्रवर्तते ॥

Days pass in silence, and so too with the cuckoo, until speech that delights all people begins to flow.

Verse 19

धर्मं धनं च धान्यं च गुरोर्वचनमौषधम् । सुगृहीतं च कर्तव्यमन्यथा तु न जीवति ॥

Dharma, wealth, provisions, and a teacher’s instruction as “medicine” must be carefully kept and rightly taken up; otherwise one cannot survive.

Verse 20

त्यज दुर्जनसंसर्गं भज साधुसमागमम् । कुरु पुण्यमहोरात्रं स्मर नित्यमनित्यतः ॥

Abandon the company of the wicked; seek the company of the virtuous. Do meritorious deeds day and night, and always remember the world’s impermanence.