1. Agni is the
worshipable person for the twice born; the brahmana for the
other castes; the
husband for the wife; and the guest who comes for food at
the midday meal for all.
2. As gold is tested in
four ways by rubbing, cutting, heating and beating -- so
a man should be tested
by these four things: his renunciation, his conduct, his
3. A thing may be
dreaded as long as it has not overtaken you, but once it has
come upon you, try to
get rid of it without hesitation.
4. Though persons be
born from the same womb and under the same stars,
they do not become alike
in disposition as the thousand fruits of the badari
tree.
5. He whose hands are
clean does not like to hold an office; he who desires
nothing cares not for
bodily decorations; he who is only partially educated
cannot speak agreeably;
and he who speaks out plainly cannot be a deceiver.
6. The learned are
envied by the foolish; rich men by the poor; chaste women
by adulteresses; and
beautiful ladies by ugly ones
7. Indolent application
ruins study; money is lost when entrusted to others; a
farmer who sows his seed
sparsely is ruined; and an army is lost for want of a
commander.
8. Learning is retained
through putting into practice; family prestige is
maintained through good
behaviour; a respectable person is recognised by
his excellent qualities;
and anger is seen in the eyes.
9. Religion is preserved
by wealth; knowledge by diligent practice; a king by
conciliatory words; and
a home by a dutiful housewife.
10. Those who blaspheme
Vedic wisdom, who ridicule the life style
recommended in the
satras, and who deride men of peaceful temperament,
come to grief
unnecessarily.
11. Charity puts and end
to poverty; righteous conduct to misery; discretion to
ignorance; and scrutiny
to fear.
12. There is no disease
(so destructive) as lust; no enemy like infatuation; no
fire like wrath; and no
happiness like spiritual knowledge.
13. A man is born alone
and dies alone; and he experiences the good and bad
consequences of his
karma alone; and he goes alone to hell or the Supreme
abode.
14. Heaven is but a
straw to him who knows spiritual life (Krsna
consciousness); so is
life to a valiant man; a woman to him who has subdued
his senses; and the
universe to him who is without attachment for the world.
15. Learning is a friend
on the journey; a wife in the house; medicine in
sickness; and religious
merit is the only friend after death.
16. Rain which falls
upon the sea is useless; so is food for one who is
satiated; in vain is a
gift for one who is wealthy; and a burning lamp during the
daytime is useless.
17. There is no water
like rainwater; no strength like one's own; no light like
that of the eyes; and no
wealth more dear than food grain.
18. The poor wish for
wealth; animals for the faculty of speech; men wish for
heaven; and godly
persons for liberation.
19. The earth is
supported by the power of truth; it is the power of truth that
makes the sunshine and
the winds blow; indeed all things rest upon truth.
20. The Goddess of
wealth is unsteady (chanchala), and so is the life breath.
The duration of life is
uncertain, and the place of habitation is uncertain; but in
all this inconsistent
world religious merit alone is immovable.
21. Among men the barber
is cunning; among birds the crow; among beasts
the jackal; and among
women, the malin (flower girl).
22. These five are your
fathers; he who gave you birth, girdled you with
sacred thread, teaches
you, provides you with food, and protects you from
fearful situations.
23. These five should be
considered as mothers; the king's wife, the
preceptor's wife, the
friend's wife, your wife's mother, and your own mother.
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