Chapter 6: On Learning, Time, Social Bonds, and Strategic Dispositions

Verse 1

श्रुत्वा धर्मं विजानाति श्रुत्वा त्यजति दुर्मतिम् । श्रुत्वा ज्ञानमवाप्नोति श्रुत्वा मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥

By hearing, one understands dharma; by hearing, one abandons misguided thought. By hearing, one gains knowledge; by hearing, one may attain liberation (mokṣa).

Verse 2

पक्षिणः काकश्चण्डालः पशूनां चैव कुक्कुरः । मुनीनां पापश्चण्डालः सर्वचाण्डालनिन्दकः ॥

Among birds, the crow is called a caṇḍāla; among animals, the dog likewise. Among sages, the sinful one is a caṇḍāla—and he is the one who reviles all caṇḍālas.

Verse 3

भस्मना शुद्ध्यते कास्यं ताम्रमम्लेन शुद्ध्यति । रजसा शुद्ध्यते नारी नदी वेगेन शुद्ध्यति ॥

Bell-metal is cleansed by ash; copper is cleansed by an acid. A woman is cleansed by menstrual blood; a river is cleansed by the force of its current.

Verse 4

भ्रमन्सम्पूज्यते राजा भ्रमन्सम्पूज्यते द्विजः । भ्रमन्सम्पूज्यते योगी स्त्री भ्रमन्ती विनश्यति ॥

A king is honored even while roaming; a twice-born (learned) man is honored even while roaming. A yogin is honored even while roaming; but a woman who roams is said to come to ruin.

Verse 5

यस्यार्थास्तस्य मित्राणि यस्यार्थास्तस्य बान्धवाः । यस्यार्थाः स पुमाँल्लोके यस्यार्थाः स च पण्डितः ॥

He who has wealth has friends; he who has wealth has kin. He who has wealth is deemed a man of consequence in the world; he who has wealth is deemed learned as well.

Verse 6

तादृशी जायते बुद्धिर्व्यवसायोऽपि तादृशः । सहायास्तादृशा एव यादृशी भवितव्यता ॥

As the intellect arises, so does determination; and so too are one’s companions—according to the destiny that is to unfold.

Verse 7

कालः पचति भूतानि कालः संहरते प्रजाः । कालः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः ॥

Time ripens all beings; Time also dissolves peoples. Time stays awake while others sleep; Time is truly hard to overcome.

Verse 8

न पश्यति च जन्मान्धः कामान्धो नैव पश्यति । मदोन्मत्ता न पश्यन्ति अर्थी दोषं न पश्यति ॥

The blind from birth do not see; those blinded by desire do not see either. Those intoxicated with pride do not see; the profit-driven do not perceive fault.

Verse 9

स्वयं कर्म करोत्यात्मा स्वयं तत्फलमश्नुते । स्वयं भ्रमति संसारे स्वयं तस्माद्विमुच्यते॥

The self performs its deeds itself and itself partakes of their fruits; it wanders in saṃsāra by itself, and by itself is released from it.

Verse 10

राजा राष्ट्रकृतं पापं राज्ञः पापं पुरोहितः । भर्ता च स्त्रीकृतं पापं शिष्यपापं गुरुस्तथा ॥

The king bears the sin committed by the realm; the royal priest bears the king’s sin. The husband bears the sin committed by the wife; likewise the teacher bears the student’s sin.

Verse 11

ऋणकर्ता पिता शत्रुर्माता च व्यभिचारिणी । भार्या रूपवती शत्रुः पुत्रः शत्रुरपण्डितः ॥

A father who incurs debt is an enemy; a mother who is unfaithful is an enemy. A wife of excessive beauty is an enemy; a son without learning is an enemy.

Verse 12

लुब्धमर्थेन गृह्णीयात् स्तब्धमञ्जलिकर्मणा । मूर्खं छन्दोऽनुवृत्त्या च यथार्थत्वेन पण्डितम् ॥

Win the greedy with gain; soften the arrogant with deference. Lead the fool by agreeable compliance; address the learned with truthful, accurate speech.

Verse 13

वरं न राज्यं न कुराजराज्यं वरं न मित्रं न कुमित्रमित्रम् । वरं न शिष्यो न कुशिष्यशिष्यो वरं न दार न कुदरदारः ॥

Better no kingdom than a realm under a bad king; better no friend than a bad friend. Better no student than a bad student; better no spouse than a bad spouse.

Verse 14

कुराजराज्येन कुतः प्रजासुखं कुमित्रमित्रेण कुतोऽभिनिर्वृतिः । कुदारदारैश्च कुतो गृहे रतिः कुशिष्यशिष्यमध्यापयतः कुतो यशः ॥

Under a bad king, where is the people’s happiness? With a friend who is truly a bad ally, where is contentment? With a bad spouse, where is joy at home? For a teacher teaching a bad student, where is renown?

Verse 15

सिंहादेकं बकादेकं शिक्षेच्चत्वारि कुक्कुटात् । वायसात्पञ्च शिक्षेच्च षट्शुनस्त्रीणि गर्दभात् ॥

Learn one thing from the lion, one from the crane, four from the rooster; five from the crow, six from the dog, and three from the donkey.

Verse 16

प्रभूतं कार्यमल्पं वा यन्नरः कर्तुमिच्छति । सर्वारम्भेण तत्कार्यं सिंहादेकं प्रचक्षते ॥

Whether the task is great or small, if a man wishes to do it, he should begin it with full effort—like a lion’s single decisive charge.

Verse 17

इन्द्रियाणि च संयम्य रागद्वेषविवर्जितः । समदुःखसुखः शान्तः तत्त्वज्ञः साधुरुच्यते ॥

He is called a “sādhu” who restrains the senses, is free from attachment and aversion, meets pleasure and pain with equanimity, is calm, and knows the true principles (tattva).

Verse 18

प्रत्युत्थानं च युद्धं च संविभागं च बन्धुषु । स्वयमाक्रम्य भुक्तं च शिक्षेच्चत्वारि कुक्कुटात् ॥

From the rooster one should learn four things: rising promptly, fighting when needed, sharing portions among one’s kin, and eating what one has gained by one’s own initiative.

Verse 19

गूढमैथुनचारित्वं काले काले च सङ्ग्रहम् । अप्रमत्तमविश्वासं पञ्च शिक्षेच्च वायसात् ॥

From the crow one should learn five traits: discretion in sexual conduct, storing up at intervals, gathering at the proper time, constant vigilance, and cautious distrust—do not trust too easily.

Verse 20

बह्वाशी स्वल्पसन्तुष्टः सनिद्रो लघुचेतनः । स्वामिभक्तश्च शूरश्च षडेते श्वानतो गुणाः ॥

Six traits are found in a dog: it eats much, is satisfied with little, sleeps readily, keeps a light (unburdened) mind, is devoted to its master, and is brave.

Verse 21

सुश्रान्तोऽपि वहेद्भारं शीतोष्णं न च पश्यति । सन्तुष्टश्चरते नित्यं त्रीणि शिक्षेच्च गर्दभात् ॥

Even when worn out, it bears the load, noticing neither cold nor heat; ever moving, it remains content. Learn these three traits from the donkey.

Verse 22

य एतान्विंशतिगुणानाचरिष्यति मानवः । कार्यावस्थासु सर्वासु अजेयः स भविष्यति ॥

Whoever practices these twenty qualities becomes unconquerable at every stage of any undertaking.