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