1. By means of hearing one
understands dharma, malignity vanishes,
knowledge is acquired,
and liberation from material bondage is gained.
2. Among birds the crow
is vile; among beasts the dog; the ascetic whose sins
3. Brass is polished by
ashes; copper is cleaned by tamarind; a woman, by
her menses; and a river
by its flow.
4. The king, the
brahmana, and the ascetic yogi who go abroad are
respected; but the woman
who wanders is utterly ruined.
5. He who has wealth has
friends. He who is wealthy has relatives. The rich
one alone is called a
man, and the affluent alone are respected as pandits
6. As is the desire of
Providence, so functions one's intellect; one's activities
are also controlled by
Providence; and by the will of Providence one is
surrounded by helpers.
7. Time perfects all
living beings as well as kills them; it alone is awake when
all others are asleep.
Time is insurmountable.
8. Those born blind
cannot see; similarly blind are those in the grip of lust.
Proud men have no
perception of evil; and those bent on acquiring riches see
no sin in their actions.
9. The spirit soul goes
through his own course of karma and he himself suffers
the good and bad results
thereby accrued. By his own actions he entangles
himself in samsara, and
by his own efforts he extricates himself.
10. The king is obliged
to accept the sins of his subjects; the purohit (priest)
suffers for those of the
king; a husband suffers for those of his wife; and the
guru suffers for those
of his pupils.
11. A father who is a
chronic debtor, an adulterous mother, a beautiful wife,
and an unlearned son are
enemies ( in one's own home).
12. Conciliate a
covetous man by means of a gift, an obstinate man with
folded hands in
salutation, a fool by humouring him, and a learned man by
truthful words.
13. It is better to be
without a kingdom than to rule over a petty one; better to
be without a friend than
to befriend a rascal; better to be without a disciple
than to have a stupid
one; and better to be without a wife than to have a bad
one.
14. How can people be
made happy in a petty kingdom? What peace can we
expect from a rascal
friend? What happiness can we have at home in the
company of a bad wife?
How can renown be gained by instructing an
unworthy disciple?
15. Learn one thing from
a lion; one from a crane; four a cock; five from a
crow; six from a dog;
and three from an ass.
16. The one excellent
thing that can be learned from a lion is that whatever a
man intends doing should
be done by him with a whole-hearted and
strenuous effort.
17. The wise man should
restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish
his purpose with due
knowledge of his place, time and ability.
18. To wake at the
proper time; to take a bold stand and fight; to make a fair
division (of property)
among relations; and to earn one's own bread by
personal exertion are
the four excellent things to be learned from a cock.
19. Union in privacy
(with one's wife); boldness; storing away useful items;
watchfulness; and not
easily trusting others; these five things are to be
learned from a crow.
20. Contentment with
little or nothing to eat although one may have a great
appetite; to awaken
instantly although one may be in a deep slumber;
unflinching devotion to
the master; and bravery; these six qualities should be
learned from the dog.
21. Although an ass is
tired, he continues to carry his burden; he is unmindful
of cold and heat; and he
is always contented; these three things should be
learned from the ass.
22. He who shall
practice these twenty virtues shall become invincible in all
his undertakings.
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