हितोपदेश - अनर्थकारण

यौवनं धनसंपत्तिः प्रभुत्वमविवेकिता |
एकैकमप्यनर्थाय किमु यत्र चतुष्टयं ||

- हितोपदेश

Youth, wealth, power, stupidity - any one of them is a recipe for calamity. What can I say when all of them are present in one place? The poet is commenting on what could happen to a stupid prince.

- Hitopadesha

मनुस्मृति - साधु

योऽसाधुभ्योऽर्थमादाय साधुभ्यः संप्रयच्छति |
स कृत्वा प्लवमात्मानं संतारयति तावुभौ ||

- मनुस्मृति

If a person takes away from the bad people and gives it to the virtuous people, then he becomes boat using which both can cross this world of misery.

- Manu Smriti

मनुस्मृति - राजा

योऽरक्षन् बलिमादत्ते करं शुल्कं च पार्थिवः |
प्रतिभागं च दण्डं च स सद्यो नरकं व्रजेत् ||

- मनुस्मृति

A king who collects varieties of taxes, tolls, shares, fines without actually protecting the subjects or their properties will surely end in hell.

- Manu Smriti

मनुस्मृति - स्वप्रशंसा

योऽन्यथासंतमात्मानं अन्यथा सत्सु भाषते |
स पापकृत्तवो लोके स्तेन आत्मापहारकः ||

- मनुस्मृति

He whose actions are solely directed towards getting praised by others or giving an impression of nobility is a sinner, a con man (thief) and is destroying himself.

- Manu Smriti

सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार - अधीशः

यो न वेत्ति गुणान्यस्य न तं सेवेत पण्डितः |
न हि तस्मात्फलं तस्य सुकृष्टा दूषरादिव ||

- सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार

A wise man must never serve a master who can not value his qualities. Serving him will be like trying to cultivate on barren land. No matter how hard you plough the land and sow seeds, there will be no crop.

- Subhashitaratnabhandagara

उपमितिभवप्रपंच - कूपमण्डूकः

यो न निर्गत्य निःशेषां विलोकयति मेदिनीं |
अनेकाद्भुतवृत्तांतां स नरः कूपदर्दुरः ||

- उपमितिभवप्रपंच

If a person never gets out of his home (home town) and sees the world full of surprises, then he is to be considered as a frog in a well.

- Upamitibhavaprapancha

मनुस्मृति - पापचेतसः

ये कार्यिकेभ्योऽर्थमेव गृह्णीयुः पापचेतसः |
तेषां सर्वस्वमादाय राजा कुर्यात् प्रवासनम् ||

- मनुस्मृति

A king must identify those wicked corrupt officials who take bribe from people who come for help. He must confiscate all their wealth and chase them out of the country.

- Manu Smriti

सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार - शूरः पण्डितः

युध्यन्ति पशवः सर्वे पठन्ति शुकसारिकाः |
दातुं जानाति यो वित्तं स शूरः स च पण्डितः ||

-सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार

All animals know to fight. Even birds like parrots can talk. Ability to fight and talk do not make us any better than them. He who has the ability to give away money (or any other wealth, like knowledge) should alone be called as brave or wise.

- Subhashitaratnabhandagara

मनुस्मृति - कुपुत्रः

यादृशं फलमाप्नोति कुप्लवैः संतरन् जलम् |
तादृशं फलमाप्नोति कुपुत्रैः संतरंस्तमः ||

- मनुस्मृति

If you plan to navigate through darkness(miseries) of the world with the help of a bad son, then you will meet with the same fate as if you tried to cross the ocean using a bad boat (with holes).

- Manu Smriti

विष्णुपुराण - तृष्णा

या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर्या न जीर्यति जीर्यतः |
तां तृष्णां संत्यजेत् प्राज्ञः सुखेनैवाभिपूर्यते ||

-विष्णुपुराण

Wicked people can not get rid of it. It does not get weaker in spite of you getting weaker due to old age. Such is the nature of greed. A wise man will realize that he has to distance himself from it. That is the only way he will be surrounded by happiness.

- Vishnupurana

अनर्घराघव - न्यायप्रवृत्ति

यांति न्यायप्रवॄत्तस्य तिर्यंचोऽपि सहायतां |
अपंथानं तु गच्छंतं सोदरोपि विमुंचति ||

- अनर्घराघव

When a man is righteous (like Rama) even animals (like the monkeys) help him achieve his goals. If a man is a rogue (like Ravana) even his own brother (like Vibhishana) will desert him.

- Anargharaghava

सुभाषितसुधानिधि - याचना

याचना हि पुरुषस्य महत्वं
    नाशयत्यखिलमेव तथा हि |
सद्य एव भगवानपि विष्णु-
    र्वामनो भवति याचितुमिच्छन् ||

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

Beggary will destroy all the good qualities that a man has. Look at even Lord Vishnu. He had to become Vamana (midget) when he chose to beg alms from Raja Bali.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi - Begging

किरातार्जुनीय - सिद्धिप्राप्तिः

यशोऽधिगंतुं सुखलिप्सया वा
    मनुष्यसंख्यामतिवर्तितुं वा |
निरुत्साकानामभियोगभाजां
    समुत्सुकेवांकमुपैति सिद्धिः ||

- किरातार्जुनीय

Greatness like fame, happiness and ability to rise above human mediocrity comes naturally (as if coincidental) to people who have trained themselves not to react to joy and sadness and believe in action

- Kiratarjuniya

मनुस्मृति - कर्मफल

यदि नात्मनि पुत्रेषु न चेत्पुत्रेषु नप्तृषु |
न त्वेव तु कृतोऽधर्मः कर्तुर्भवति निष्फलः ||

- मनुस्मृति

The consequences of one's mis deeds has to be suffered by him, or his children, or his grand children or his great grand children. There is no way that it will go unaccounted for.

- Manu Smriti

मनुस्मृति - विद्या

यथा काष्ठमयो हस्ती यथा चर्ममयो मृगः |
पुमान्यस्चानधीयानः त्रयस्ते नाम बिभ्रति ||

- मनुस्मृति

An elephant made out of sticks, a deer made out of just skin (not speed) and a person without education are all useless. Their only accomplishment is to be counted as an elephant, deer or a man.

- Manu Smriti

महाभारत - उद्योग पर्व - तृष्णा

यत् पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशवः स्त्रियः |
नालमेकस्य तत्सर्वमिति मत्वा शमं व्रजेत् ||

- महाभारत - उद्योग पर्व

All the food grains, gold, animals (husbandry/poultry/cattle) and the women in the world, if given to one person will also never satisfy him. Hence, one must stop efforts towards satisfying greed and concentrate on eliminating it.

- Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva

शिशुपालवध - स्वार्थ

यजातां पाण्डवः स्वर्गमवत्विन्द्रस्तपत्विनः |
वयं हनाम द्विशतः सर्वः स्वार्थं समीहते ||

- शिशुपालवध

Let Yudhistira do penance, let Indra take care of heaven, let the sun give sunlight (and heat), let us kill the enemies. Every one in this world works for their own selfish reasons.

- Shishupalavadha

महाभारत - शान्तिपर्व - तृष्ण

यच्च कामसुखं लोके यच्च दिव्यं महत्सुखम् |
तृष्णाक्षयसुखस्यैते नार्हतः षोडशीयं कलाम् ||

- महाभारत, शान्तिपर्व

The happiness got by satisfying your desires, or the happiness got in heaven does not even match up to a sixteenth portion of the real happiness that is attained through limiting your desires.

- Mahabharata, Shantiparva

पञ्चतंत्र - मित्रभेद - कीर्तिः

मृतैः संप्राप्यते स्वर्गो जीवद्भिः कीर्तिरुत्तमा |
तदुभावपि शूराणां गुणावेतौ सुदुर्लभौ ||

- पञ्चतंत्र, मित्रभेद

Speaking about soldiers fighting a war - the dead attain heaven. Those who live will enjoy fame. Brave courageous men will enjoy both. It is very difficult for common man to attain both.

- Panchatantra, Mitrabheda

सुभाषितसुधानिधि - मृतस्य कीर्तिः

मृतः कीर्तिं न जानाति जीवन् कीर्तिं समश्नुते |
मृतस्य कीर्तिर्मर्त्यस्य यथा माला गतायुषः ||

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

A dead man will not enjoy his fame. Fame can be relished only when he is alive. Fame for a dead man is as useless as the garland that is put over his dead body.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi

मनुस्मृति - कामजः दश गणः

मृगयाक्षो दिवास्वप्नः परिवादः स्त्रियो मदः |
तौर्यत्रिकं वृथाट्य च कामजो दशको गणः ||

- मनुस्मृति

The following are the ten types of sin a person commits due to his desires - hunting, gambling, sleeping during day (laziness), flirting with women, intoxication, triple symphony of song, dance, and instrumental music and wandering aimlessly.

- Manu Smriti

पञ्चतंत्र - मित्रभेद - द्वेष

मूर्खाणां पण्डिता द्वेष्या निर्धनानां महाधनाः |
व्रतिनः पापशीलानामसतीनां कुलस्त्रियः ||

- पञ्चतंत्र - मित्रभेद

It is very natural that the fools hate the wise people, poor hate rich, corrupt hate the righteous and promiscuous hate the chaste.

- Panchatantra, Mitrabheda

सुभाषितसुधानिधि - मूर्ख व्यवहार

मूर्खा न द्रष्टव्या द्रष्टव्यास्चेन्नतैस्तु सह तिष्ठेत् |
यदि तिष्ठेन्न कथयेद्यदि कथयेन्मूर्खवत्कथयेत् ||

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

One must not see a fool. Avoid him. If you happen to see one, then avoid standing next to him. If you happen to stand next to him, avoid talking to him. If you absolutely have to talk to him, then talk to him like a fool only. A fool will not understand any way of communicating other than his own foolish way.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi

कात्यायन स्मृति - निःसार

मनुष्ये कदलीस्तंभे निःसारे सारमार्गणम् |
यः करोति स संमूढो जलबुद्बुदसन्निभे ||

- कात्यायन स्मृति

One must not search for a purpose/meaning in human life which is as dry (devoid of strength/life/sap) like a stem of banana plant and as ephemeral as a water bubble.

- Katyayana Smriti

पञ्चतंत्र - मित्रभेद - हितैषि

माता मित्रं पिता चेति स्वभावात् त्रितयं हितम् |
कार्यकारणतश्चान्ये भवन्ति हितबुद्धयः ||

- पञ्चतंत्र, मित्रभेद

Mother, friend and father - these are the only three people who will help you by nature. All other become well-wishers only to serve their own purpose.

- Panchatantra, Mitrabheda

पञ्चतंत्र - मित्रभेद - स्पर्धा

महद्दिः स्पर्धमानस्य विपदेव गरीयसी |
दन्तभङ्गोऽपि नागानां श्लाघ्यो गिरिविदारणे ||

- पञ्चतंत्र, मित्रभेद

When you are competing with the mighty, even if you face deep trouble you still have your honor. If an elephant breaks its tusk while it tries to break the mountain (by ramming into it) it still looks majestic.

- Panchatanra, Mitrabheda

तंत्रवार्तिक - कृष्णशुक्ल विवेक

महताऽपि प्रयत्नेन तमिस्रायां परामृशन् |
कृष्णशुक्लविवेकं हि न कश्चिदधिगच्छति ||

- तंत्रवार्तिक

In pitch darkness, one can not know the difference between white or black no matter how hard you try. The same difficulty exists when trying to know right from wrong if you are in the darkness of ignorance.

- Tantravartika

शिशुपालवध - कर्मफल

महतस्तरसा विलङ्घय -
    न्निजदोषेण कुधीर्विनश्यति |
कुरुते न खलु स्वयेच्छया
    शलभानिन्धनमिद्धदीधितिः ||

- शिशुपालवध

When a rogue tries to trouble a noble man, it is the rogue who gets destroyed by his own actions. The fire will not hunt down the moth. But it is the moth that tries to conquer fire, and gets burnt in the process.

- Shishupalavadha

विष्णुपुराण - मनोरथ

मनोरथानां न समाप्तिरस्ति
    वर्षायुतेनापि तथाब्दलक्षैः |
पूर्णेषु पूर्णेषु मनोरथानां
    उत्पत्तयः सन्ति पुनर्नवानाम् ||

- विष्णुपुराण

There is no end to the desires. They never get satisfied even after a lakh years of prosperity. As and when some desires get fulfilled, some more are born.

-Vishnu Purana

देवीभागवत - प्रमाद

मधु पश्यति मूढात्मा प्रपातं नैव पश्यति |
करोति निंदितं कर्म नरकान्न बिभेति च ||

- देवीभागवत

When he looks at the honey comb hanging off the cliff, a fool sees only honey. He does not see the danger of falling into the valley below. Just like that people only see the short term pleasures and not their consequences (like miserable time in hell)

- Devi Bhagavata