पञ्चतंत्र - मित्रभेद - दण्ड

सामादिदण्डपर्यन्तो नयः प्रोक्तः स्वयंभुवा |
तेषां दण्डस्तु पापीयान् तं पश्चाद्विनियोजयेत् ||

- पञ्चतंत्र, मित्रभेद

The creator (of the world) has enumerated many ways deal with adversaries - starting from patience to punishment. Among them punishing/penalizing some one has some sin attached to it. Hence one must resort to punishment only as a last resort.

- Panchatantra, Mitrabheda

पञ्चतंत्र - काकोलुकीय - दूतः

साकारो निःस्पृहो वाग्मी नानाशास्त्रविचक्षणः |
परचित्तावगंता च राज्ञो दूतः स इष्यते ||

- पञ्चतंत्र, काकोलुकीय

A king needs a spy who has the following characters - agreeable looks, selfless, good oratory skills, learned in various disciplines, ability to read another's mind.

- Panchatantra, Kakolukiya

यशस्तिलक - कर्णेजपैस्तु भोग्यानि

समरभरः सुभटानां फलानि कर्णेजपैस्तु भोग्यानि |
करिदशना इव नृपतेर्बाह्याः क्लेशाय खादनेंऽतस्थाः ||

- यशस्तिलक

The brave soldiers win the war outside the country. But the benefits are enjoyed by rumormongers and ear biters with in the state. Just like all the hard work is done by the tusks of the elephant and the internal molars enjoy biting the food.

- Yashastilaka

रामायण - अरण्य - कामवृत्तं महीपतिम्

सक्तं ग्राम्येषु भोगेषु कामवृत्तं महीपतिम् |
लुब्धं न बहु मन्यन्ते श्मशानाग्निमिव प्रजाः ||

- रामायण - अरण्य

If king muses himself with the coarse sensory pleasures only and is greedy also, then his subjects will not honor him. They will treat him with same disdain as a fire in a cemetery (burning bodies).

- Ramayana, Aranya

रामायण - अरण्य - स्थानभ्रष्ट राज

शुष्कैः काष्ठैर्भवेत् कार्यंं लोष्टैरपि च पांसुभिः |
न तु स्थानात् परिभ्रष्टैः कार्यं स्यावसुधाधिपैः ||

- रामायण, अरण्य

There is use for dry twigs fallen from a tree. There are uses for lump of mud, or just dust. But a king who has been displaced from his throne is utterly and completely useless.

- Ramayana, Aranya

योगवासिष्ठ - वैराग्य - समदृष्टिः प्रभुः

श्रीमानजननिंद्यश्च शूराश्चाप्यविकत्थनः |
समदृष्टिः प्रभुश्चैव दुर्लभाः पुरुषास्त्रयः ||

- योगवासिष्ठ, वैराग्य

A rich person whom people do not loathe, a courageous person who does not boast about his bravado, a level headed king - all the three are very rare in this world.

- Yogavasishta, Vairagya

पञ्चतंत्र - लब्धप्रणश - कंटकेनेव कंटकम्

शत्रुमुन्मूलयेत्प्राज्ञः तीक्ष्णं तीक्ष्णेन शत्रुणा |
व्यथाकरं सुखार्थाय कंटकेनेव कंटकम् ||

- पञ्चतंत्र, लब्धप्रणश

A strong enemy must be vanquished by taking help of another enemy. To relieve the pain, a thorn must be taken out (of the foot) by using another thorn only.

- Panchatantra, Labdhapranasha

महाभारत - सभा - शत्रुपक्षं समृद्यंतं

शत्रुपक्षं समृद्यंतं यो मोहात् समुपेक्षते |
व्याधिराप्यायित इव तस्य मूलं छिनत्ति सः ||

- महाभारत, सभा

One must not ignore the ascendancy of a rival. People are usually in denial when they hear about their rivals making good progress. If he does ignore, his enemies will finish him - much the same way as a long ignored disease would finish him.

- Mahabharata, Sabha

रामायणमञ्जरी - अरण्य - सत्यं राज्ञां विभूषणम्

वैराग्यमिव वृद्धानामौचित्यं महतामिव |
शुचिशीलमिवार्याणां सत्यं राज्ञां  विभूषणम् ||

- रामायणमञ्जरी, अरण्य

To be free from worldly desires is an old man's duty. To be humble is the duty of the virtuous. To be clean and chaste is the duty of any person who expects respect. To be truthful to his responsibilities is the fore most duty of a king.

- Ramayanamanjari, Aranya

पञ्चतंत्र - काकोलुकीय - प्रमत्तसचिव

लुब्धस्य नश्यति यशः पिशुनस्य मैत्री
    नष्टक्रियस्य कुलमर्थपरस्य धर्मः |
विद्याफलं व्यसनिनः कृपणस्य सौख्यं
    राज्यं प्रमत्तसचिवस्य नराधिपस्य ||

- पञ्चतंत्र, काकोलुकीय

A greedy person soon loses any shat at fame. A rumormonger loses his friends. A perpetual wrong-doer loses his family. A person whose only aim is to earn money strays from the path of dharma - the moral code of life. An addict loses any chance at getting good education. A miser loses piece of mind. A king with a bad (mad) minister loses his kingdom.

- Panchatantra, Kakolukiya

मनुस्मृति - शठाः

राज्ञो हि रक्षाधिकृताः परस्वादायिनः शठाः |
भृत्या भवन्ति प्रायेण तेभ्यो रक्षेदिमाः प्रजाः ||

- मनुस्मृति

Those officials appointed by the king himself can turn rogue and loot money from the subjects. Hence a King has to be aware of such people and protect the subjects from such rogues.

- Manu Smriti

भोजप्रबंध - यथा राजा तथा प्रजाः

राज्ञि धर्मिणि धर्मिष्ठाः पापे पापपराः सदा |
राजानमनुवर्तन्ते यथा राजा तथा प्रजाः ||

- भोजप्रबंध

The subjects will be as righteous as the king himself. If the king is a sinner, so will be the subjects. People always follow their king. Like King, like subjects.

- Bhojaprabandha

महाभारत - शान्ति - राज्यं

राज्यं हि सुमहत्तन्त्रं धार्यते नाकृतात्मभिः |
न शक्यं मृदुना वोढुमायासस्थानमुत्तमम् ||

- महाभारत, शान्ति

Governing a state is a huge responsibility. A person who has not conquered his senses can not carry out the responsibility. Also a person who is too soft and gets tired easily can not be a king.

- Mahabharatha, Shanti

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महाभारत - शान्ति - राजा

राजानां प्रथमं विन्देत्ततो भार्यां ततो धनम् |
राजन्यसति लोकस्य कुतो भार्या कुतु धनम् ||

- महाभारत, शान्ति

One must first find a king (who will protect him). Only then he must find a wife and later wealth. If he can not find a benevolent king, where is the question of wife and wealth.

- Mahabharata, Shanti

रामायण - अरण्य - राजा

राजा धर्मश्च कामश्च द्रव्याणां चोत्तवो निधिः |
धर्मः शुभं वा पापं वा राजमूलं प्रवर्तते ||

- रामायण, अरण्य

A king must be the source of guidance for the subjects in matters of morality and pleasures. He must also be the source of wealth. All actions in the state - moral, good or bad are all attributed to the king.

- Ramayana, Aranya

कुवलयानन्द - राजसेव

राजसेवा मनुष्याणामसिधारावलेहनम् |
पञ्चाननपरिष्वङ्गो व्यालीवदनचुंबनम् ||

- कुवलयानन्द

Serving a king is a risky business. It is as risky as licking the sharp end of a blade, hugging a lion or kissing a snake.

- Kuvalayananda

रामायण - किष्किन्धा - राजा

राजभिर्धृतदण्डास्तु कृत्वा पापानि मानवाः |
निर्मलाः स्वर्गमायान्ति सन्तः सुकृतिनो यथा ||

- रामायण, किष्किन्धा

If a sinner gets the right punishment (from a king) then he becomes pure again. He shall go to heaven just like people who have always done only good work.

- Ramayana, Kishkindha

रामायण - अरण्य - सचिवा

ये तीक्ष्णमंत्राः सचिवा भज्यन्ते सह तेन वै |
विषमेषु रथाः शीघ्रा मंदसारथयो यथा ||

- रामायण, अरण्य

Just like a cart is destroyed along with all its travelers because of going over horrible roads by a unskilled carts man, a king and his kingdom will be destroyed if he listens to a minister who has extreme views.

- Ramayana, Aranya

रामायण - अयोध्या - राज

यानि मिथ्याभिशस्तानां पतंत्यस्राणि राघव |
तानि पुत्रपशून् घ्नंति प्रीत्यर्थमनुशासतः ||

- रामायण, अयोध्या

Oh Bharatha! If a king rules a kingdom for his own sake then his subjects will suffer. Tears from such subjects will destroy the kings wealth, progeny (sons) and husbandry (cattle, horses and others).

- Ramayana, Ayodhya

रामायण - युद्ध - दूत

यस्तु हित्वा मतं भर्तुः स्वमतं संप्रभाषते |
अनुक्तवादी दूतः सन् स दूतो वधमर्हति ||

- रामायण, युद्ध - दूत

It is a messenger's duty to stay true to his masters message (and intentions). Instead of that, if he conveys his own feelings, or tries to convey some thing never told by his master - then he deserves to be killed.

- Ramayana, Yuddha

मनुस्मृति - दण्डः

यदि न प्रणयेद्राजा दण्डं दण्डेष्व तंद्रितः |
शूले मत्स्यानि वापक्ष्यन् दुर्बलान् बलवत्तराः ||

- मनुस्मृति

If a king is not vigilant enough to punish the guilty then the mighty will destroy the weak as if they are fish to be eaten.

- Manu Smriti

महाभरत - उद्योग - करः

यथा मधु समादत्ते रक्षन् पुष्पाणि षट्पदः |
    तद्वदर्थान् मनुष्येभ्यः आदद्यादविहिंसया ||
पुष्पं पुष्पं विचिन्वीत मूलच्छेदं न कारयेत् |
    मालाकार इवारामे न यथांगारकारकः ||

- महाभरत, उद्योग

A king must extract tax from his subjects just as painlessly as a bee extracting nectar from a flower. He must act like florist who plucks flowers but takes good care of the plants in return. He must not be like a coal miner who destroys the source of his income day by day.

-Mahabharatha, Udyoga

पञ्चतंत्र - मित्रभेद - अमात्य

यथा नेच्छति निरोगः कदाचित्सुचिकित्सकं |
तथापद्रहितो राजा सचिवं नाभिवाछति ||

- पञ्चतंत्र, मित्रभेद

Just like a healthy person never wishes to go to a doctor, a king would not wish to consult a minister unless there is some trouble. But when there is trouble, a minister is as important as a doctor during illness.

- Panchatantra, Mitrabheda

रामायण - अयोध्या - राजा

यथा ह्यनुदका नद्यो यथा वाप्यतृणं वनं |
अगोपाला यथा गावस्तथा राष्ट्रमराजकम् ||

- रामायण, अयोध्या

Subjects without their king are like a river without water, a forest without grass or cattle without the herdsmen. They are neither safe nor productive.

- Ramayana, Ayodhya

रामायण - अयोध्या - राजा

यथा दृष्टिः शरीरस्य नित्यमेव प्रवर्तते |
तथा नरेन्द्रो राष्ट्रस्य प्रभवः सत्यधर्मयोः ||

- रामायण, अयोध्या

Just like eyes help us to perceive the outside world and there by determine what is good or bad for us (the body), the king is the custodian of honesty and Dharma (moral code of life) for the entire kingdom.

- Ramayana, Ayodhya

रामायण - अरण्य - चतुर्भाग

यत् करोति परं धर्मं मुनिर्मूलफलाशनः |
तत्र राज्ञश्चतुर्भागः प्रजा धर्मेण रक्षतः ||

- रामायण, अरण्य

If the king is protecting his subjects properly (according to the moral code of life) then he is entitled to one fourth of the 'good-will' earned by sadhus doing penance in his kingdom.

- Ramayana, Aranya

पञ्चतंत्र - काकोलूकीय - शत्रु

य उपेक्षेत शत्रुं स्वं प्रसरन्तं यदृच्छया ||
रोगं चालस्यसंयुक्तं स शनैस्तेन हन्यते ||

- पञ्चतंत्र, काकोलूकीय

A person who ignores an enemy who is growing from strength to strength, who ignores an ailment due to laziness - both share the same fate. They will both be, in time, killed by what they ignored.

- Panchatantra, Kakolukiya

रामायण - किष्किन्धा - मूलमर्थः

मूलमर्थस्य संरक्ष्यमेष कार्यविदां नयः |
मूले हि सति सिध्यन्ति गुणाः पुष्पफलोद्गमाः ||

- रामायण, किष्किन्धा

The real essence (root) of an endeavor must not be lost. This is what all the successful people say. The root is the heart of the tree. If the root is protected, only then can one expect to see flowers and fruits.

- Ramayana, Kishkindha

भारतमंजरी - रिपुः

मूलच्छेदं रिपोः कुर्यादथवा न प्रकोपयेत् |
अन्यथासौ विनाशाय पादस्पृष्ट इवोरगः ||

- भारतमंजरी

One must destroy the enemy by his roots. If not able to do so, he must not provoke the enemy. Otherwise it will be like stamping a snake and getting bitten in return.

- Bharathamanjari

ब्रह्मचारि तु निर्धनः

अशक्तस्तु भवेत्साधुः ब्रह्मचारी तु निर्धनः |
रोगार्तो दैवभक्तः स्यात् वृद्धा नारी पतिव्रता ||

He who is weak will never hurt others. A penniless fellow will always be celibate. A person who is sick will seek God. An old woman is always chaste. All these people are virtuous not because they are good by nature - but only because they can not be otherwise.