हितोपदेश - विग्रह - मूर्ख

शतं दद्यान्न विवदेदिति सुज्ञस्य सम्मतम् |
विना हेतुमपि द्वंद्वं तत्स्यान्मूर्खस्य लक्षणम् ||

- हितोपदेश - विग्रह

A wise man will avoid arguments if it can be avoided with some loss (about a hundred rupees). He thinks like that because he knows that the hundred he would save by an argument is not worth the fight. On the other hand, a fool would kick up an argument even if he has no reason to do so. He may be just hoping that the other person will just give up some money. Money so earned will never do any good.

- Hitopadesha

आवेग

शर्करास्वादमत्तेन मक्षिका चेदुपेक्ष्यते |
साकं प्रविश्य जठरं विपत्तिं तनुते न किम् ||

In a hurry to taste the sugar, if you ignore the fly sitting on top of it - it is bound to create trouble in your stomach. Hence one must not hurry at the sight of anything pleasant. One must be patient.

किरातार्जुनीय - मानहीनः

शक्तिवैकल्यनम्रस्य निःसारत्वाल्लघीयसः |
जन्मिनो मानहीनस्य तृणस्य च समा गतिः ||

- किरातार्जुनीय

A blade of grass bends due to lack of strength. It flies away due to lack of weight. A person without honour is just like a grass - without inner strength or weight.

- Kiratarjuniya

मनुस्मृति - दम्बः

शक्तः परजने दाता स्वजने दुःखजीविनि |
मध्वापातो विषास्वादः स धर्मप्रतिरूपकः ||

- मनुस्मृति

If one's family members and relatives are in trouble and still he helps others in search of fame, then it is not Dharma (moral code of life). It only looks like Dharma. It may seem like honey in the beginning, but will turn into poison. In fact, it is exactly opposite to Dharma.

- Manu Smriti

मनुस्मृति - प्रदुष्टभाव

वेदाः त्यागश्च यज्ञाश्च नियामाश्च तपांसि च |
वि विप्रदुष्टभावस्य सिद्धिं गच्छन्ति कर्हिचित् ||

- मनुस्मृति

The vedas, mindset for sacrifice, rituals of offerings to God, prayers, penances can never be mastered by any one with a corrupted mind - a mind that chases sensory pleasures.

- Manu Smriti

सुबंधु - सुभाषितसुधानिधि - पिशुनः

विषधरतोऽप्यतिविषमः
    खल इति न मृषा वदन्ति विद्वांसः |
यदयं नकुलद्वेषी
    कुलविद्वेषी पुनः पिशुनः ||

- सुबंधु - सुभाषितसुधानिधि

Between a rogue rumor monger and a snake wise men say that the rogue is more dangerous. It is indeed true. A snake is not an enemy to your entire clan (it hates only mongoose). But a wicked man is. It is a play of words here. In sanskrit नकुल, means mongoose. It also means "not entire family" when broken down differently.

- Subandhu Subhashitasudhanidhi

भोधिचार्यावतार - दोष

विषं रुधिरमासाद्य प्रसर्पति यथा तनौ |
तथैव छिद्रमासाद्य दोषस्चित्ते प्रसर्पति ||

- भोधिचार्यावतार

Just like how poison spreads through the entire body with the help of blood, one bad quality (weakness) will spread through the entire mind using a single opportunity (a moment of weakness).

- Bhodhicharavatara

मृच्छकटिक - मूर्खः

विपर्यस्तमनश्चेष्टैः शिलाशकलवर्ष्मभिः |
मांसवृक्षैरियं मूर्खैः भारक्रान्ता वसुन्धरा ||

- मृच्छकटिक

There are huge people walking this earth with weird mind and behavior, whose body is as hard as stone (indestructible) and whose only purpose in this earth is to increase the weight on earth. They are the fools.

- Mrucchakatika

शिशुपालवध - शत्रुः

विधाय वैरं सामर्षे नरोऽरौ य उदासते |
प्रक्षिप्योदर्चिषं कक्षे शेरते तेऽभिमारुतम् ||

- शिशुपालवध

After hurting an enemy, one must expect him to be filled with ideas for revenge. Hence one must not relax. If he does relax, he will be destroyed. Much similar to a person setting fire to a stretch of grass and sleeping against the direction of wind. The wind will soon carry the fire to him and burn him down.

- Shishupalavadha

शिशुपालवध - अल्पधीः अपायः

विदुरेष्यदपायमात्मना
    परतः श्रद्दधतेऽथवा बुधाः|
न परोपहितं न च स्वतः
    प्रमिमीतेऽनुभवादृतेऽल्पधीः ||

- शिशुपालवध

A wise man can foretell the problems that may come in his way. If he misses it, then he will at least listen when others tell him about the troubles he is going to face. But an idiot will neither see it himself, not listen to people who warn him about it. He comes to know about it only when he will experiences it (and unprepared).

- Shishupalavadha

भागवत - कलौ वित्तं

वित्तमेव कलौ नृणां जन्माचारगुणॊदयः |
धर्मन्यायव्यवस्थायां कारणं बलमेव हि ||

- भागवत

In the epoch of Kali (present age) money assumes too much importance. It is what determines the nobility of the family you are born in, your character and all your qualities. He who has the money will be considered noble, of good character and believed to have good qualities. In the global system of morality, economy and justice - the mighty will always have their way. They derive their might from the money they possess.

- Bhagavata

मनुस्मृति - राजधर्म

विक्रोशंतो यस्य राष्ट्राद्ध्रियंते दस्युभिः प्रजाः |
संपश्यतः सभृत्यस्य मृतः स न तु जीवति ||

- मनुस्मृति

A king and his officers are as good as dead under whose watch the thieves (and other rogues) steal from and trouble subjects. It is the duty of a king to keep his subjects safe.

- Manu Smriti

प्रसन्नराघव - विमला विद्या

वार्ता च कौतुकवती विमला च विद्या
    लोकोत्तरः परिमलश्च कुरङ्गनाभेः |
तैलस्य बिन्दुरिव वारिणि दुर्निवारं
    एतत्त्रयं प्रसरति स्वयमेव भूमौ ||

- प्रसन्नराघव

Sensational news, pure education (knowledge) and the smell of the musk deer's secretion - these three will spread all around the world without any help from others. Much like a drop of oil on th surface of water.

- Prasanna Raghava

मृच्छकटिक - वेश्या

वाप्यं स्नाति विचक्षणो द्वजवरो मूर्खोऽपि वर्णाधमः
फुल्लां नाम्यति वायसोऽपि हि लतां या नामिता बर्हिणा |
ब्रह्यक्षत्रविशस्तरंति च यया नावा तयैवेतेरे
त्वं वापीव लतेव नौरिव जनं वेश्याऽपि सर्वं भज ||

- मृच्छकटिक

In a pond all kinds of people take bath - the learned, fools, brahmins, common men, people of lower caste, so on. A creeper full of flowers will bend if a peacock sits on it. It does also bend if a crow sits like wise. While crossing a river, you can find all kinds of people on a boat. Just like a boat, or the pond or the creeper a prostitute does serve everyone of her clients equally favoring none.

- Mrucchakatika

अन्योक्तिस्तबक - हंस बक

वाग्देव्या सह सख्यमाचर वह ब्रह्माणमाविष्कुरु
  प्राविण्यं गतिषु प्रदर्शय निजं विद्याबलं निर्मलम् |
मीनं मा स्पृश मौक्तिकं कवलय क्रीड द्रुतं द्यौस्तले
  चेदव्रीड बकाधम प्रतिभया हंसत्वमाकांक्षसि ||

- अन्योक्तिस्तबक

Oh Duck! you secretly wish to be a swan. I will tell you what you need to do to become one. You must be friends with Saraswathi (goddess of learning). You must climb the back of Lord Brahma (the creator). You must show elegance in your walking. You must study more and increase your knowledge. You must give up eating fish. Instead you must have pearls (pure crystal water) for food. You must learn to fly in the sky. When you can do all these, then you can wish to be a swan.

- Anyoktistabaka

मनुस्मृति - व्यसन

व्यसनस्य च मृतोश्च व्यसनं कष्टमुच्यते |
व्यसन्यधोऽधो व्रजति स्वर्यात्यव्यसनी मृतः ||

- मनुस्मृति

Between addiction and death, death is better. By death one may rise up to heaven. But with addiction there is only one way - down and down.

- Manu Smriti

हितोपदेश - संधि - राग

वनेऽपि दोषाः प्रभवन्ति रागिणां
    गृहेऽपि पंचेन्द्रियनिग्रहं तपः |
अकुत्सिते कर्मणि यः प्रवर्तते
    निवृत्तरागस्य गृहं तपोवनम् ||

- हितोपदेश, संधि

A person with lot of desires will not at peace even in a forest. He will find something or the other to indulge in. On the other hand, if a person has over come greed and desires and can control his senses - he can find peace right in his home. If you are earning your daily food by a respectable occupation and give up all the desires - your own home will become a penance ground.

- Hitopadesha, Sandhi

किरातार्जुनीय - मायावि

व्रजन्ति ते मूढधियः पराभवं
    भवन्ति मायाविषु येन मायिनः |
प्रविश्य हि घ्नंति शठास्तथाविधान्
    असंवृताङ्गान् निशिता इवेषवः ||

- किरातार्जुनीय

If person does not deal with a crook in crooked manner, he is bound to face defeat. They must be paid back in their own coin. Just like how an arrow most certainly hits (and hurts) that part of the body (how ever small) that is not covered by the armor, such deceitful people search and hurt only those people who are innocent and incapable of deceit themselves.

- Kiratarjuniya

हितोपदेश - मित्रलाभ - लोभ

लोभेन बुद्धिश्चलति लोभो जनयति तृषाम् |
तृषार्तो दुःखमाप्नोति परत्रेह च मानवः ||

- हितोपदेश - मित्रलाभ

Greed forces wisdom to abandon you. It gives rise to various desires. Desires lead to sorrow - both in this world as well as the after life.

- Hitopadesha, Mitralabha

लोभ

लोभाविष्टो नरो वित्तं वीक्षते नैव चापदम् |
दुग्धं पश्यति मार्जारो यथा न लगुडाहतिम् ||

A person blinded with greed can only see ways acquiring wealth - not the dangers associated with them. A cat sees the milk but can not see the danger of getting beaten with a stick when caught.

मनुस्मृति - तामस लक्षण

लोभः स्वप्नोऽधृतिः क्रौर्यं नास्तिक्यं भिन्नवृत्तिका |
याचिष्णुता प्रमादश्च तामसं गुणलक्षणम् ||

- मनुस्मृति

The following are the qualities of darkness (found in a person): greed, laziness (always dreaming), fear, cruelty, disbelief, lacking righteousness in occupation, beggary, insanity.

- Manu Smriti

सुभाषितसुधानिधि - दम्भ

लोभः पितातिवृद्धो जननी माया सहोदरः कूटः |
भ्रुकुटीरचना च विद्या पुत्रो दम्भस्य हुंकारः ||

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

This is the verse that enumerates the relatives of deceit. Greed is his father, illusion his mother, fraud is his brother, art of making eyebrows knot is his education and grunting is his son. Such is the nature of his company.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi

रघुवंश - सुपुत्रः

लोकान्तरसुखं पुण्यं तपोदानसमुद्भवम् |
सन्ततिः शुद्धवंश्या हि परत्रेह च शर्मणे ||

- रघुवंश

If you want to be happy in your afterlife, then you have to do a lot of penance and charity in this life. But it is a good son (or daughter) brought up in righteous upbringing that can give you happiness both in this world as well as the after life.

- Raghuvamsha

भागवत - आशा

लोकः स्वयं श्रेयसि नष्टदृष्टि-
    र्योऽर्थान् समीहेत निकामकामः |
अन्योन्यवैरः सुखलेशहेतो-
    रनन्तदुःखं च न वेद मूढः ||

- भागवत

He who begs money for his own sake will never prosper. He will get on himself lot of grief that comes from hating others. But stupid as they are, will never realize this (and hence continue to do so).

- Bhagavata

दक्षस्मृति - कुतपस्विनः

लाभपूजानिमित्तं हि व्याख्यानं शिष्यसंग्रहः |
एते चान्ये च बहवः प्रपंचाः कुतपस्विनां ||

- दक्षस्मृति

There are a many rogues posing as mendicants. They sole aim to gather as many followers as possible so that it maximizes the profit they can make from rituals.

- Dakshasmriti

हितोपदेश - सुहृद्भेद - स्वभाव

लाङ्गूलचालनमधश्चरणावपातं
    भूमौ निपत्य वदनोदरदर्शनं च |
श्वा पिण्डदस्य कुरुते गजपुंगवस्तु
    धीरं विलोकयति चाटुशतैश्च भुङ्क्ते ||

- हितोपदेश, सुहृद्भेद

Look at the difference between a dog and an elephant. A dog shakes its tail, falls at the feet, shows a sorry face and does belly up antics in front of the person who gives it food. But an elephant maintains its composure, majestic look. On the other hand, the mahout has to cajole the elephant with hundred nice words in order to make it eat. We all have choices whether to behave like a dog or an elephant.

- Hitopadesha, Suhrudbheda

अन्योक्तिस्तबक - स्वभाव

लशुने कुसुमाधिवासनं पिशुने सज्जनताप्रसंजनम् |
शुनि किंच शुचित्वकल्पनं न विधेरप्यधिकारगोचरम् ||

- अन्योक्तिस्तबक

The following are impossible even by order of fate - making perfumes from the flowers of garlic, making a virtuous man out of a rumor monger, teaching a dog to be clean.

- Anyoktistabaka

भल्लटशतक - अधिकारि

रे रे रासभ वस्त्रभारवहनात् कुग्रासमश्नासि किं
    राजाश्वावसथं प्रयाह्जि चणकभ्यूषान् सुखं भक्षय |
सर्वान् पुच्छवतो हयानभिवदन्त्यत्राधिकारे स्थिताः
    राजा तैरुपदिष्टमेव मनुते सत्यं तटस्थाः परे ||

- भल्लटशतक

Oh Oh Donkey! Why are you eating garbage after having carried so much weight? Go to the royal stable where they keep the horses. Don't mind the officers there. They consider anything with a tail as a horse. That place is filled with yes-men who consider the kings words to be the ultimate truth. The others (who can know right from wrong) will not mind (do not care) you eating there.

- Bhallatashataka

सुभाषितसुधानिधि - राग

रागो नाम मनश्यल्यं गुणद्रविणतस्करः |
राहुर्विद्याशशांकस्य तपोवनहुताशनः ||

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

Desire is the nail that drills into your mind and hurts it. It is the thief who steals all your good qualities. He is the Rahu who eats the moon of knowledge (your wisdom). He is the fire that burns the garden of penance.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi

अविमारकम् - यौवन

रागं विजृंभयति संश्रयते प्रमादं
    दोषान् न चिंतयति साहसमभ्युपैति |
स्वच्छंदतो व्रजति नेच्छति नीतिमार्गं
    बुद्धिं शुभां सुविदुषामवशीकरोति ||

-अविमारकम्

It increases desires. It accompanies madness. It does not let you see your own mistakes. It makes you take up risky adventures. It makes you yearn for a care-free existence. It forces you to go away from the right path. It controls your wisdom even though are intelligent. Such is the effect of youth on a person.

- Avimarakam

सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार - परोपकार

रत्नाकरः किं कुरुते स्वरत्नैः
    विन्ध्याचलः किं करिभिः करोति |
श्रीखण्डखण्डैः मलयाचलः किं
    परोपकाराय सतां विभूतयः ||

- सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार

What is the use of gems to an ocean? What do the forests of Vindhya have to gain from the famous elephants that roam them? Does the Malaya forests gain by the sandalwood trees that grow there? Noble men are always like that. Their actions always help others.

- Subhashitaratnabhandagara