Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Merit, Social Order, and the Ethics of Knowledge

Verse 1

अधमा धनमिच्छन्ति धनमानौ च मध्यमाः । उत्तमा मानमिच्छन्ति मानो हि महतां धनम् ॥

The low seek wealth; the middling seek wealth and honor; the highest seek honor, for honor is the wealth of the great.

Verse 2

इक्षुरापः पयो मूलं ताम्बूलं फलमौषधम् । भक्षयित्वापि कर्तव्याः स्नानदानादिकाः क्रियाः ॥

Even after consuming sugarcane, water, milk, roots, betel, fruits, and medicines, customary acts such as bathing, charitable giving, and related observances should still be performed.

Verse 3

दीपो भक्षयते ध्वान्तं कज्जलं च प्रसूयते । यदन्नं भक्षयते नित्यं जायते तादृशी प्रजा ॥

A lamp consumes darkness, yet it also produces soot. Whatever is continually consumed as “food,” a people of that very kind comes to be.

Verse 4

वित्तं देहि गुणान्वितेषु मतिमन्नान्यत्र देहि क्वचित् प्राप्तं वारिनिधेर्जलं घनमुखे माधुर्ययुक्तं सदा । जीवान्स्थावरजंगमांश्च सकलान्संजीव्य भूमण्डलं भूयः पश्य तदेव कोटिगुणितं गच्छन्तमम्भोनिधिम् ॥

Give wealth to the virtuous and discerning; do not bestow it elsewhere. Water drawn from the ocean, reaching the face of a rain-cloud, becomes sweet, revives all beings and sustains the earth—then returns to the sea multiplied many times over.

Verse 5

चाण्डालानां सहस्रैश्च सूरिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः । एको हि यवनः प्रोक्तो न नीचो यवनात्परः ॥

Even set against thousands of caṇḍālas and sages who see the truth, a single “yavana” is called the lowest; nothing is regarded as lower than a yavana.

Verse 6

तैलाभ्यङ्गे चिताधूमे मैथुने क्षौरकर्मणि । तावद्भवति चाण्डालो यावत्स्नानं न चाचरेत् ॥

With oil-anointing, smoke from a funeral pyre, sexual intercourse, and shaving, one is said to be like a “cāṇḍāla” until one has bathed.

Verse 7

अजीर्णे भेषजं वारि जीर्णे वारि बलप्रदम् । भोजने चामृतं वारि भोजनान्ते विषापहम् ॥

In indigestion, water is medicine; after digestion, water gives strength. With a meal, water is like nectar; at the end of eating, water removes the effect of poison.

Verse 8

हतं ज्ञानं क्रियाहीनं हतश्चाज्ञानतो नरः । हतं निर्णायकं सैन्यं स्त्रियो नष्टा ह्यभर्तृकाः ॥

Knowledge without practice is ruined; a person is ruined by ignorance. An army without a decisive commander is ruined; and a woman without a husband, in the old social norm, is said to be without protection.

Verse 9

वृद्धकाले मृता भार्या बन्धुहस्तगतं धनम् । भोजनं च पराधीनं तिस्रः पुंसां विडम्बनाः ॥

Three humiliations for a man: a wife dying in old age, wealth falling under relatives’ control, and food that depends on others.

Verse 10

नाग्निहोत्रं विना वेदा न च दानं विना क्रिया । न भावेन विना सिद्धिस्तस्माद्भावो हि कारणम् ॥

Without agnihotra the Vedas are not truly realized; without giving, action is not complete. Without inner disposition (bhāva), success is not attained; therefore bhāva is the cause.

Verse 11

काष्ठपाषाणधातूनां कृत्वा भावेन सेवनम् । श्रद्धया च तथा सिद्धिस्तस्य विष्णुप्रसादतः ॥

Even wood, stone, and metal, when approached with devotional intent and tended with faith, are said to yield efficacy; that efficacy is by the grace of Viṣṇu.

Verse 12

न देवो विद्यते काष्ठे न पाषाणे न मृण्मये । भावे हि विद्यते देवस्तस्माद्भावो हि कारणम् ॥

Divinity is not in wood, nor in stone, nor in clay. Divinity is in bhāva—inner disposition; therefore bhāva is the cause.

Verse 13

शान्तितुल्यं तपो नास्ति न सन्तोषात्परं सुखम् । अपत्यं च कलत्रं च सतां सङ्गतिरेव च ॥

No austerity equals peace; no happiness surpasses contentment. Children, a spouse, and the company of the virtuous are prized goods.

Verse 14

क्रोधो वैवस्वतो राजा तृष्णा वैतरणी नदी। विद्या कामदुधा धेनुः संतोषो नन्दनं वनम्॥

Anger is King Vaivasvata (Yama); craving is the Vaitaraṇī river. Knowledge is the wish-fulfilling cow; contentment is the Nandana grove.

Verse 15

गुणो भूषयते रूपं शीलं भूषयते कुलम् । प्रासादशिखरस्थोऽपि काकः किं गरुडायते ॥

Virtue adorns beauty; good conduct adorns lineage. Even if a crow stands on a palace peak, it does not become Garuḍa.

Verse 16

निर्गुणस्य हतं रूपं दुःशीलस्य हतं कुलम् । असिद्धस्य हता विद्या ह्यभोगेन हतं धनम् ॥

Beauty is ruined in one without virtue; lineage is ruined in one of bad conduct. Learning is ruined when not brought to fruition; wealth is ruined when not put to use.

Verse 17

शुद्धं भूमिगतं तोयं शुद्धा नारी पतिव्रता । शुचिः क्षेमकरो राजा सन्तोषो ब्राह्मणः शुचिः ॥

Pure is the water found within the earth; pure is the wife devoted to her husband. Pure is the king who is clean and brings security; pure is the Brahmin who is clean and content.

Verse 18

असन्तुष्टा द्विजा नष्टाः सन्तुष्टाश्च महीभृतः । सलज्जा गणिका नष्टा निर्लज्जाश्च कुलाङ्गना ॥

A dissatisfied brahmin is deemed ruined; a ruler who is content and complacent is also deemed ruined. A modest courtesan is deemed ruined; and a shameless woman of a respectable household is likewise ruined.

Verse 19

किं कुलेन विशालेन विद्याहीनेन देहिनाम् । दुष्कुलं चापि विदुषो देवैरपि स पूज्यते ॥

What use is a great lineage to one who lacks learning? Even a man of low birth, if learned, is honored—by the gods themselves.

Verse 20

विद्वान्प्रशस्यते लोके विद्वान् सर्वत्र पूज्यते । विद्यया लभते सर्वं विद्या सर्वत्र पूज्यते ॥

The learned are praised in the world and honored everywhere. Through learning one gains all; learning is revered in every place.

Verse 21

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

A father who brings debt is an enemy; a mother who is sexually wayward is an enemy. A wife of excessive beauty is an enemy; an unlearned son is an enemy.

Verse 22

मांसभक्ष्यैः सुरापानैर्मुखैश्चाक्षरवर्जितैः । पशुभिः पुरुषाकारैर्भाराक्रान्ता हि मेदिनी ॥

The earth is weighed down by beasts in human form—meat-eaters, drinkers of liquor, and mouths without letters (without learning).

Verse 23

अन्नहीनो दहेद्राष्ट्रं मन्त्रहीनश्च ऋत्विजः । यजमानं दानहीनो नास्ति यज्ञसमो रिपुः ॥

A realm without food is consumed; a priest without mantras ruins the rite; a sacrificer without gifts harms the sacrifice. No enemy equals a sacrifice when its supports are lacking.