Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Prudence, Restraint, and Social Strategy

Verse 1

अर्थनाशं मनस्तापं गृहे दुश्चरितानि च । वञ्चनं चापमानं च मतिमान्न प्रकाशयेत् ॥

A discerning person should not make public: loss of wealth, mental anguish, misdeeds within the household, deception, or humiliation.

Verse 2

धनधान्यप्रयोगेषु विद्यासङ्ग्रहणे तथा । आहारे व्यवहारे च त्यक्तलज्जः सुखी भवेत् ॥

In using wealth and grain, in acquiring learning, and likewise in food and social dealings, one who sets aside shame lives happily.

Verse 3

सन्तोषामृततृप्तानां यत्सुखं शान्तिरेव च । न च तद्धनलुब्धानामितश्चेतश्च धावताम् ॥

Those filled with the “nectar” of contentment know happiness and peace; the greedy for wealth, whose minds run here and there, do not find that joy.

Verse 4

सन्तोषस्त्रिषु कर्तव्यः स्वदारे भोजने धने । त्रिषु चैव न कर्तव्योऽध्ययने जपदानयोः ॥

Be content in three: your own spouse, food, and wealth. But in three, never be content: study, recitation (japa), and giving (dāna).

Verse 5

विप्रयोर्विप्रवह्न्योश्च दम्पत्योः स्वामिभृत्ययोः । अन्तरेण न गन्तव्यं हलस्य वृषभस्य च ॥

Do not pass between two Brahmins, between a Brahmin and the sacred fire, between husband and wife, between master and servant, nor between a plough and its ox.

Verse 6

पादाभ्यां न स्पृशेदग्निं गुरुं ब्राह्मणमेव च । नैव गां न कुमारीं च न वृद्धं न शिशुं तथा ॥

Do not touch with your feet fire, your teacher, or a Brahmin; nor a cow, an unmarried maiden, an elder, or a child.

Verse 7

शकटं पञ्चहस्तेन दशहस्तेन वाजिनम् । गजं हस्तसहस्रेण देशत्यागेन दुर्जनम् ॥

Safety has its measures: keep five hands from a cart, ten from a horse, a thousand from an elephant; but from a wicked man, keep away by leaving the place.

Verse 8

हस्ती अङ्कुशमात्रेण वाजी हस्तेन ताड्यते । श‍ृङ्गी लगुडहस्तेन खड्गहस्तेन दुर्जनः ॥

An elephant is guided by a mere goad; a horse is corrected by the hand; a horned beast is controlled by a staff in hand; but a wicked man is restrained by a sword in hand.

Verse 9

तुष्यन्ति भोजने विप्रा मयूरा घनगर्जिते । साधवः परसम्पत्तौ खलाः परविपत्तिषु ॥

Brahmins are pleased by a meal; peacocks by thunder’s roar. The virtuous rejoice in another’s prosperity; the wicked rejoice in another’s misfortune.

Verse 10

अनुलोमेन बलिनं प्रतिलोमेन दुर्जनम् । आत्मतुल्यबलं शत्रुं विनयेन बलेन वा ॥

Approach the powerful by agreement; meet the wicked with counter-measures. An enemy equal to your strength is handled either with deference or with force.

Verse 11

बाहुवीर्यं बलं राज्ञां ब्रह्मणो ब्रह्मविद्बली । रूपयौवनमाधुर्यं स्त्रीणां बलमनुत्तमम् ॥

A king’s strength is the vigor of his arms; a brahmin’s strength is the power born of knowledge of Brahman. A woman’s unsurpassed strength is beauty, youth, and sweetness of charm.

Verse 12

नात्यन्तं सरलैर्भाव्यं गत्वा पश्य वनस्थलीम् । छिद्यन्ते सरलास्तत्र कुब्जास्तिष्ठन्ति पादपाः ॥

Do not be overly straightforward. Go and see the forest: the straight trees are cut down there, while the crooked ones remain standing.

Verse 13

यत्रोदकं तत्र वसन्ति हंसा- स्तथैव शुष्कं परिवर्जयन्ति । न हंसतुल्येन नरेण भाव्यं स्त्यजन्तः पुनराश्रयन्ते ॥

Swans dwell where there is water and abandon what has dried up. Do not deem steadfast the man like a swan: he leaves, then returns again to seek refuge.

Verse 14

उपार्जितानां वित्तानां त्याग एव हि रक्षणम् । तडागोदरसंस्थानां परीवाह इवाम्भसाम् ॥

Accumulated wealth is safeguarded by relinquishment—giving and spending—just as pond water is preserved by having an outflow.

Verse 15

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 person of consequence in the world, and is even taken for a learned man.

Verse 16

स्वर्गस्थितानामिह जीवलोके चत्वारि चिह्नानि वसन्ति देहे । दानप्रसंगो मधुरा च वाणी देवार्चनं ब्राह्मणतर्पणं च ॥

One deemed “heaven-abiding” even in this life bears four signs: readiness to give, sweet speech, worship of the gods, and offerings/hospitality to Brahmins.

Verse 17

अत्यन्तकोपः कटुका च वाणी दरिद्रता च स्वजनेषु वैरम् । नीचप्रसंगः कुलहीनसेवा चिह्नानि देहे नरकस्थितानाम् ॥

Signs of one in a “hellish state” are: extreme anger, harsh speech, poverty, enmity among one’s own, association with the base, and service to a family without lineage.

Verse 18

गम्यते यदि मृगेन्द्रमन्दिरं लभ्यते करिकपालमौक्तिकम् । जम्बुकालयगते च प्राप्यते वत्सपुच्छखरचर्मखण्डनम् ॥

Go to the lion’s dwelling and you may gain a pearl from an elephant’s skull; go to a jackal’s lair and you will find only a scrap of donkey-hide and a calf’s tail.

Verse 19

शुनः पुच्छमिव व्यर्थं जीवितं विद्यया विना । न गुह्यगोपने शक्तं न च दंशनिवारणे ॥

Life without learning is as futile as a dog’s tail: it can neither conceal what should be concealed nor prevent biting.

Verse 20

वाचां शौचं च मनसः शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः । सर्वभूतदयाशौचमेतच्छौचं परार्थिनाम् ॥

Purity is purity of speech and purity of mind, together with restraint of the senses; compassion toward all beings is also purity—this is the purity of those devoted to others’ welfare.

Verse 21

पुष्पे गन्धं तिले तैलं काष्ठेऽग्निं पयसि घृतम् । इक्षौ गुडं तथा देहे पश्यात्मानं विवेकतः ॥

Fragrance is in the flower, oil in sesame, fire in wood, and ghee in milk; likewise, within the body discern the Self through discriminative understanding.