Chapter 4: On Fate, Learning, Family, and Practical Social Conduct

Verse 1

आयुः कर्म च वित्तं च विद्या निधनमेव च । पञ्चैतानि हि सृज्यन्ते गर्भस्थस्यैव देहिनः ॥

Lifespan, karma (one’s allotted deeds), wealth, learning, and death—these five are said to be set for the embodied being while still in the womb.

Verse 2

साधुभ्यस्ते निवर्तन्ते पुत्रमित्राणि बान्धवाः । ये च तैः सह गन्तारस्तद्धर्मात्सुकृतं कुलम् ॥

Through association with the virtuous (sādhu), one’s children, friends, and relatives do not turn away; and those who go along with them share in that dharma. By that dharma, the family line is firmly established through merit.

Verse 3

दर्शनध्यानसंस्पर्शैर्मत्सी कूर्मी च पक्षिणी । शिशुं पालयते नित्यं तथा सज्जन-संगतिः ॥

The verse describes a traditional comparison: a fish, a tortoise, and a bird are said to nurture their young respectively through sight, mental attention, and physical contact; in the same manner, association with the virtuous (sajjana-saṅgati) is portrayed as continually protective and sustaining.

Verse 4

यावत्स्वस्थो ह्ययं देहो यावन्मृत्युश्च दूरतः । तावदात्महितं कुर्यात्प्राणान्ते किं करिष्यति ॥

The verse describes a traditional view that, so long as the body remains healthy and death is still distant, one undertakes what is considered beneficial for oneself; when life-breath reaches its end, it suggests, little remains to be done.

Verse 5

कामधेनुगुणा विद्या ह्यकाले फलदायिनी । प्रवासे मातृसदृशी विद्या गुप्तं धनं स्मृतम् ॥

The verse describes learning (vidyā) as possessing the qualities of a wish-fulfilling cow (kāmadhenu), understood as yielding results even when the time is inopportune. It further portrays learning as mother-like during travel or exile, and characterizes it in tradition as a form of concealed wealth.

Verse 6

एकोऽपि गुणवान्पुत्रो निर्गुणेन शतेन किम् । एकश्चन्द्रस्तमो हन्ति न च ताराः सहस्रशः ॥

The verse describes a traditional valuation of quality over quantity: even a single son possessing merit is portrayed as more significant than a hundred lacking merit. It further frames this idea through a celestial metaphor, stating that one moon dispels darkness, whereas thousands of stars do not (in the same way).

Verse 7

मूर्खश्चिरायुर्जातोऽपि तस्माज्जातमृतो वरः । मृतः स चाल्पदुःखाय यावज्जीवं जडो दहेत् ॥

The verse presents a traditional valuation in which a long-lived fool is depicted as less preferable than one who is stillborn; it further suggests that the latter brings only limited grief, whereas a dull person is portrayed as causing ongoing affliction for as long as they live.

Verse 8

कुग्रामवासः कुलहीनसेवा कुभोजनं क्रोधमुखी च भार्या । पुत्रश्च मूर्खो विधवा च कन्या विनाग्निना षट्प्रदहन्ति कायम् ॥

Living in a bad village, serving the low-born, poor food, an anger-faced wife; a foolish son and a widowed daughter—these six burn the body even without fire.

Verse 9

किं तया क्रियते धेन्वा या न दोग्ध्री न गर्भिणी । कोऽर्थः पुत्रेण जातेन यो न विद्वान् न भक्तिमान् ॥

What use is a cow that gives no milk and is not pregnant? What use is a son who is neither learned nor devoted?

Verse 10

संसारतापदग्धानां त्रयो विश्रान्तिहेतवः । अपत्यं च कलत्रं च सतां सङ्गतिरेव च ॥

For those scorched by the heat of worldly life, there are three causes of rest: children, a spouse, and the company of the virtuous.

Verse 11

सकृज्जल्पन्ति राजानः सकृज्जल्पन्ति पण्डिताः । सकृत्कन्याः प्रदीयन्ते त्रीण्येतानि सकृत्सकृत् ॥

A king speaks once, a scholar speaks once, and a daughter is given in marriage once—these three are matters of once only.

Verse 12

एकाकिना तपो द्वाभ्यां पठनं गायनं त्रिभिः । चतुर्भिर्गमनं क्षेत्रं पञ्चभिर्बहुभी रणः ॥

Austerity is for one alone; study for two; singing for three; travel for four; fieldwork for five; battle for many.

Verse 13

सा भार्या या शुचिर्दक्षा सा भार्या या पतिव्रता । सा भार्या या पतिप्रीता सा भार्या सत्यवादिनी ॥

A true wife is pure and capable; devoted to her husband, pleasing to him, and truthful in speech.

Verse 14

अपुत्रस्य गृहं शून्यं दिशः शून्यास्त्वबान्धवाः । मूर्खस्य हृदयं शून्यं सर्वशून्या दरिद्रता ॥

For one without a son, the house is empty; for one without kin, the directions are empty; for a fool, the heart is empty; and poverty makes everything empty.

Verse 15

अनभ्यासे विषं शास्त्रमजीर्णे भोजनं विषम् । दरिद्रस्य विषं गोष्ठी वृद्धस्य तरुणी विषम् ॥

Without practice, a treatise is poison; when undigested, food is poison; for the poor, social gatherings are poison; for the old, a young woman is poison.

Verse 16

त्यजेद्धर्मं दयाहीनं विद्याहीनं गुरुं त्यजेत् । त्यजेत्क्रोधमुखीं भार्यां निःस्नेहान्बान्धवांस्त्यजेत् ॥

Abandon dharma devoid of compassion; abandon a teacher devoid of learning; abandon a wife ruled by anger; abandon relatives devoid of affection.

Verse 17

अध्वा जरा देहवतां पर्वतानां जलं जरा । अमैथुनं जरा स्त्रीणां वस्त्राणामातपो जरा ॥

For embodied beings, travel brings wear; for mountains, water brings wear; for women, lack of union brings wear; for garments, the sun brings wear.

Verse 18

कः कालः कानि मित्राणि को देशः कौ व्ययागमौ । कश्चाहं का च मे शक्तिरिति चिन्त्यं मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

What is the right time, who are my allies, what is the place, how are expense and income; who am I and what is my strength—these should be pondered again and again.

Verse 19

अग्निर्देवो द्विजातीनां मुनीनां हृदि दैवतम् । प्रतिमा स्वल्पबुद्धीनां सर्वत्र समदर्शिनः ॥

For the twice-born, fire (Agni) is divine; for sages, the divine dwells in the heart; for the small-minded, an image is the divine. The even-seeing perceives equally everywhere.