Slokas Combined

K v ananthanarayanan irs, additional commissioner of incometax, trivandrum
यजेत ् धमर्ं दयाहीनम ् िवद्याहीनं गु ं यजेत ्।

यजेत ् क्रोधमख
ु ीं भायार्म ् िनः नेहान ् बा धवां जेत ् ।।
chanakya neethi
thyajeth dharmam dhayaaheenam vidhyaaheenam gurum tyajeth
thyajeth krodhamukheem bhaaryaam nih snehaan baandhavaamstyajeth
ത്യജേത് ധര്മ്മം ദയാ ഹിനം വിദ്യാഹീനം ഗുരും ത്യജേത്

ന്യജേത് ക്രോധമുഖീം ഭാര്യാം നിഃസ്നേഹാന് ബാന്ധവാംസ്ത്യജോത്
one should abandon for ever any law which is without compassion, one
should not stick to a teacher whose erudition is suspect and who lacks
knowledge, it is better for one to steer clear of a wife who is always
showing an angry face ( applicable for the unruly husbands also) and
one should not keep company with the so called relatives who have no
love and attachment for him.
kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com 09446508855
लाङ्गल
ू चालनमध रणावघातम ्
भूमौ िनप य वदनोदरदशर्नं च।
ा िप डद य कु ते गजपंग
ु व तु
धीरं िवलोकयित चाटुशतै भङ्
ु क्ते।।
Barthruhari neethisatakam
Laangoola chalanam adhah charanaavaghaatham

bhhomau nipathya vadhanodhara darsanam cha
shwaa pindadasya kuruthey gajapungavsthu
dheeram vilokayathi chatu sathaischa bhungthey
ലാംഗൂലചാലനമധശ്ചരണാവഘാതം
ഭൂമൌ നിപത്യ വദനോദരദര്ശനം ച
ശ്വാ പിണ്ഡദസ്യ കുരുതേ ഗജപുംഗവസ്തു
ധീരംവിലോകയതി ചാടുശതൈശ്ച ഭുങ്തേ
The dog, to get a morsel of food wags his tail vigorously before his master, bends
his leg and falls on the ground and makes pathetic exhibitions of his face and
belly, but the dignified elephant just looks boldly at the face of his master and the
master has to utter innumerable endearing words to persuade the elephant to eat
a lump of food.
This is the difference between the silly sycophant and the bold dignified
deputy. The former has to enact so many humiliating gimmicks to get some favour
from his master. The dog is by nature too eager to get his food and when his food
is in sight he cannot conceal his greed and capitulates before the provider of the
food, and taking advantage of this the master also teases him utmost before
throwing the food at him. Some people are also like this by nature. Even for a silly
fillip they will not hesitate to perform any sort of action which would degrade their
self esteem. In contrast, an elephant which is also a servant of its owner, just casts
a graceful glance at the master and even if he is hungry he would take food only
after receiving so many persuasive and endearing words from the matter. The
master poet bharthruhari in fact describes the attitude of the elephant to highlight
the approach of the bold and dignified person towards receiving favours . He just
approaches the master and looks straight at his face and in fact receives the
remuneration for his toil and the master has to deal with him with utmost respect
and dignity. In fact the treatment receive by the two depends on the way they
react to the small favours. The dog jumps and dances and gets humiliated but the
elephant receives the same in a regal fashion. In fact the master feels favoured
himself by offering something to the dignified servant who receives the same
without losing his self respect.
जा यं िधयो हरित िस जित वािच स यम ्

मानो नितं िदशित पापमपाकरोित।
चेतः प्रसादयित िदक्षु तनोिष कीि म
र् ्
स संगितः कथय िकं न करोित पंस
ु ाम ्।।
bharthruhari neethisathakam
jaadyam dhiyo harathi sinchathi vaachi satyam

maanonnathim dishatha paapamapaakarothi
chethah prasadayathi dikshu thanoshi keerthim
satsangathi kathaya kim na karothi pumsaam
ജാഡ്യം ധിയോ ഹരതി സിഞ്ജതി വാചി സത്യം

മാനോന്നതിം ദിശതി പാപപമപാകരോതി
ചേതഃപ്രസാദയതി ദിക്ഷു തനോതി കീര്ത്തിം
സത്സംഗതിഃ കഥയ കിം ന കരോതി പുംസാം
Tell me, what is there that cannot be achieved for a human being
through the company of great and noble persons (satsanga)? Such
company removes the stagnation of the intellect.. Constant
interaction with the great men fills our tongue with truth....gradually
the capacity and tendency to speak untruth vanishes. Being present
in the presence of such enlightened souls enhances our own self
respect and stature. Getting in constant touch with such seers
washes away all our sins. Satsang invigorated our mind beyond
words. Such friendships enhances our fame also in all direction. Tell
what more is necessary for an honest and upright person?
4
कपूरर् धल
ू ीकिलतालवाले
क तूिरकाकि पतदोहल ीः।
िहमांबुकापैरिभिष यमानः
प्रा चं गण
ु ं मु जित नो पला डः।।
NEETHI SAARAM
karpooradhoolee kalithalavaley
kasthurikaakalpitha dohalasreeh
himambukapairabhishichyamaanah
prancham gunam munchathi no palaandah
കര്പ്പൂരധൂളീകലിതാലവാലേ
കസ്തൂരീകാകല്പിതദോഹലശ്രീഃ
ഹിമാംബുകാപൈരഭിഷിച്യമാനഃ
പ്രാഞ്ചം ഗുണം മുഞ്ചതി നോ പലാണ്ഡഃ
you prepare the base for planting it with finely powdered camphor, and add
manure of only musk (kasthuri) and you irrigate it with water collected of pure
dew and rose essence, and plant and nurture an onion tuber this way....
but when harvested, you will get the increased crop of onion with the same old
odour...the onion cannot abandon its inherent nature.
If one plants onion and change the system of soil, manure and irrigation , but
the product onlon will be the same old qulity of pungent stink. One cannot
change ones nature which are in the genes.
This reminds one of the old tenali rama story where he tried to change the colour
of a black dog by soaking it for long in water treating its skin with lime and
rubbing its body rough with the sharpened edge of a broken coconut shell...in the
end the dog barked and whined a lot perhaps shed some bled but the king was
taught the lesson that he could not make changes in a man by mere religious
rituals.
See the politicians, filmstars and people who flaunt glamour, if you try to
approach the core the old hypocrat will show his face from under the surface
skin. This analogy can be elaborated in so many ways....it is for the learned to
think and expand on it.
5
तावद्भयेषु भेत यं यावद्भयमनागतम ्।
आगतं तु भयं वी य प्रह र् यं अशङ्कया।।
chanakya neethi
താവദ്ഭയേഷു ഭേതവ്യം യാവദ്ഭയമനാഗതം

ആഗതംതുഭയാ വീക്ഷ്യ പ്രഹര്ത്തവ്യം അശങ്കയാ
a person has to fear ( be anxious of) objects of fear so long as they dont make the
appearance. But if the fearful object really manifests, he should beat it flat
without any doubt or indecision.
One can be cautious and therefore be vigilant not to bring upon himself fearful
situations. This alacrity can be there till the situation causing fear arises. But
once the fearful situation has to be faced anyway as it is confronting him face to
face, the only thing he can do it to beat the stuffing out of it. If he does not beat it,
it will beat him, may be it will destroy him. The advice of the master is
appropriate especially to persons exposed to dangers like soldiers, policemen
etc. For the common man also such situation can arise. If he has an elephant he
need not always fear that the elephant will run rut and run riot. His pet dog need
not turn mad always. There may be a poisonous snake hiding somewhere but
when he sees it he can use a strong stick to finish it. It is meaningless to be
anxious of things which has not happened. The bold person should meet the
situation as it comes. It is meaningless to start howling just because one expects
to be born as a dog in his next life.
6
पत्रं नैव करीरिवटपे दोषो वस त य िकम ्
ू ो यवलोकतॆ यिद िदवा सूयर् य िकं दष
नोलक ू णम ्।
ु े मेघ य िकं दष
वष नैव पति त चातकमख ू णम ्
य पव
ू र्ं िविधना ललाटिलिखतं त मािजर्तंु कःक्षमः।।
chanakya neethi
pathram naiva kareeravitapey dosho vasanthasya kim

nolookopyavalokathey yadhi divaa sooryasya kim dooshanam
varsham naiva pathanthi chathakamukhey meghasya kim dooshanam
yatpoorvam vidhinaa lalaatalikhitham tanmaarjithum kah kshamah
പത്രം നൈവകരീരവിടപേ ദോഷോ വസന്തസ്യ കിം

നോലൂകോപ്യവലോകതേ യദി ദിവാ സൂര്യ്യസ്യ കിം ദൂഷണം
വര്ഷം നൈവപതന്തി ചാതകമുഖേ മേഘസ്യ കിം ദൂണം
യത്പുര്വം വീധിനാ ലലാടലിഖിതം തന്മാര്ജിതും കഃ ക്ഷമഃ
With the arrival of spring season all trees are covered by foliage but
the bamboo tree gets no leaves, is it the fault of Spring season?
When the sun rises, the owi is not able to see, is it the fault of the
sun?
A lot of clouds form and pour rain but all the rain does not fall into
the mouth of the chakora bird which is wailing for rainwater. It is
definitely not the fault of the rainclouds.
Whatever is written by the fate on the forehead of a being at its
birth is indelible. Who is having the capacity to erase that
document?.
Chanakya is emphasizing the power of fate. It is our belief that

ones fate is already recorded indelibly on his forehead.. And this
premeditated enactment cannot be amended by any force in the
world. The bamboo leaves are sparse in spring, the owl is blind
during the daytime and the mythological chakora bird which is always
looking up and wailing at the clouds in the sky for rain to pour and is
keeping its mouth open in expectation that all the rain will fall into its
open mouth is in for disappointment. Only a few drops may fall on its
open mouth that too by chance. The crafty Brahmadeva had already
recorded the fate of everyone on the respective forehead (may be
the record will be large if one has a bald pate) and there is no way
of cirumventing the dicta of fate. Elsewhere we might have
read, harinaapi harenapi brahmanaapi surairapi, Lalaatey likhitha
rekha sakyathey key na maarshtithum. It is also said, alanghaneeyaa
kamalasanaajna. Even for Vishnu Siva, Brahma, or the devas, the
writing on the forehead is impossible of erasure. The orders of the
occupant of the lotus seat ( brahma) cannot be circumvented. The
master talks about the inevitability of the vagaries of fate and
also indicates the futility of one's action in blaming others for once
or misfortune. If your gold is very rich in copper and tin,, what is
the meaning of assaulting the goldsmith?
7
पापात ् िनवारयित योजयते िहताय गु ं िनगूहित गुणान ् प्रकटीकरोित।
आपद्गतं च न जहाित ददाित काले सि मत्रलक्षणिमदं प्रवदि त स तः ।।
barthruhari neethistakam
paapaat nivarayathi yojayathey hithaya guhyam nigoohathi gunan prakateekarothi

aapatagatham cha na jahaathi
dhadhathi kaley sanmitralakshanamidham pravadanthi santhah
പാപാത് നിവാരയതി യോജയതേ ഹിതായ ഗുഹ്യം നിഗൂഹതി

ഗുണംപ്രകടീകരോതി
ആപദ്ഗതം ച ന ജഹാതി ദദാതി കാലേ സന്മിത്രലക്ഷണമിദംപ്രവദന്തി
സന്തഃ
The qualities of a good friend are defined by the noble and learned persons in the
following manner.
A good friend will not permit you to commit a sinful act but disssuade you from
such action at any cost.He works always for your good and he introduces you to
other noble souls for your own benefit.
If you have a secret which is to be guarded and if you share it with a real friend, he
will keep your confidence and never expose you ( this is the best part of
friendship) .
A true friend is always eager to praise and bring to limelight the excellent qualities
which may be perhaps hidden in you.
A good friend will never forsake you when you are in mortal danger.
And in the most needful hours he will help you with resources and money .
If one is to study this definition fully one may perhaps wonder if there can be any
true friend other than the yet unseen God. Daman and Pythias and Krishna and
Kuchlea are all fictional characters...Okey , we can consider ourselves gifted if we
have friends who will conform to at least one tenth of the above criteria. Keeping
a friend's secret and helping him with money at the crunch hour appear to be alien
to normal human nature.
Barthruhari sir, it is nice that you are not alive now for a long time, or else, many of
your friends would have sold you for even for a fraction of the price they decided
for God Jesus which was thirty silver coins.
स यं माता िपता ज्ञानं धम भ्राता दया सखा ।

शाि तः प ी क्षमा पत्र
ु ो षडेते मम बा धवाः।।
chanakya
satyam maathaa pithaa jnanam dharmo bhrathaa dhaya sakhaa

shanthih pathnee kshama putro shadethey mama bandhavaah
സത്യം മാതാ പിതാ ജ്ഞാനം ധര്മ്മോ ഭ്രാതാദയാ സഖാ

ശാന്തിഃ പത്നീ ക്ഷമാ പുത്രോ ഷഡേതേ മമ ബാന്ധവാഃ
The closest relatives one should have as prescribed by the master are, truth
should be his mother, deep knowledge should be his father, proper adherence to
the exalted norms of the society should be his brother, mercy should be his
friend, calmness his wife and patience his son.
The master lawmaker does not imply the physical relationships as is evident
from the fact that he has pointed out calmness as one's wife and patience as his
son (wonderful). But the six virtues if loved like the relatives equated to them
by chanakya will make a man perfect.
वापीकूपतटाकानाम ् आरामसुरवे मनाम ्

उ छे दने िनराशङ्क स िवप्रो ले छ उ यते
chanakya neeti
vāpīkūpataṭākānām ārāmasuaveśmanām
ucchedane nirāśaṅka sa vipro mleccha ucyathe
If a learned person who is indifferent to or is indulging in without any hesitation in

the destruction of ponds, wells, lakes, gardens and abodes of God (temple), he is
to be treated as a lowborn foreign enemy who is to be shunned in all respects.
10
अकामान ् कामयित यः कामयानान ् पिरिद्वषन ्

बलव तम ् च यो द्वे ि त तमाहुमढ
ूर् चेतसम ्
Mahabharatham Vidhuraneethi
akāmān kāmayati yaḥ kāmayānān paridviṣan

balavanram ca yo dveṣti tamāhurmūḍhacetasam
അകാമാന് കാമയതി യഃ കാമയാനനാന് പരിദ്വിഷന്

ബലവന്തം ച യോ ദ്വേഷ്ടി തമാഹുര്മൂഢചേചതസം
One who befriends or desires for something which is not to be desired or

befriended and at the same time instills animosity in persons who should be
befriended at any cost, and he who deliberately attracts the enmity of the really
powerful people that man is called a person whose intellect has been rendered
absolutely idiotic.
Here vidhura is called upon to give some sane advice to his elder brother who is about to alienate the
powerful pandavas because their presence in his palace is not palatable to his own sons and sharing
the kindgom with pandavas irritates the father and son. Vidhura is frank about his views, if powerful
people are unnecessarily irritated the results can be disastrous.
11
यजेत ् कुलाथ पु षम ् ग्राम याथ कुलम ् यजेत ्

ग्रामम ् जनपथ याथ आ माथ प ृ वीम ् यजेत ्
tyajet kulārthe puruṣam grāmasyārthe kulam tyajet
grāmam janapathasyārthe ātmārthe pṛthvīm tyajet
vidura neethi
ത്യജേത് കുലാര്ഥേ പുരുഷം ഗ്രാമസ്യാര്ഥേ കുലം ത്യജേത്
ഗ്രാമം ജനപഥസ്യാര്ഥേ ആത്മാര്ഥേ പൃഥ്വീം ത്യജേത്
one should be bold enough to abandon an individual member for the sake of a
family, one should give up the family when the welfare of the village call for it, and
it is not improper to sacrifice a village for the sake of a whole country and a seeker
after the supreme self will be doing right in forsaking the whole earth for attaining
it.
If a son or a member of the family is so harmful to the interests of the family as a

whole then the best policy will be to steer clear of him if the family is to hold
together. If one family becomes a nuisance for the whole village the family should
be ignored for the progress of the village. Likewise when a village stand in the way
of progress of the country, the village should be abandoned for the sake of the
country. These are political and material dicta. The abandoning of the whole
world for realizing the supreme soul is a spiritual matter.
12
अिय मुरिळ मुकु द मेरवक्त्रारिव द सनमधु रसज्ञे वाम ् प्रण याद्य याचे
अधरमिणसमीपम ् प्रा व याम ् भव याम ् कथय रहिस कण म शाम ् न दसन
ू ोः
sreekrishna karanmrutam
ayi murali mukundasmeravaktraaravinda swasana madhu rasaney twaam
pranamya adhya yaache
adharamani sameepam praaptavathyaam bhavathyaam kathaya rahasi karne
maddasaam nandasoonoh
അയി മുരളി മുകുന്ദ സ്മേരവക്ത്രാരവിന്ദ ശ്വസനമധുരസജ്ഞേ ത്വാം
പ്രണമ്യാദ്യ യാചേ
അധരമണിസമീപം പ്രാപ്തവത്യാം ഭവത്യാം കഥയ രഹസി കര്ണ്ണേ
മദ്ദശാം നന്ദസൂനോ
you the fortunate flute, who are always immersed in the thrill of enjoying the
sweet breath of the ever smiling face of my Krishna, it prostrate before you and
beg a favour from you...when you are placed very near the rubyred lips of the lord,
your other end will be very near the eternal singers ear, then please put in a word
in secret in the divine ear in favour of this wretched human who spends his life
yearning to attain Krishna.
13
िन यपु पा िन यफला तरवः क धिव तत

ृ ाः
काले वषीर् च पजर् यः सख
ु पशर् मा तः
ब्रा णा क्षित्रया वै याः शद्र
ू ाः लोभ िवविजर्ताः
वकमर्सु प्रवतर् ते तु ाः वैरेव कमर्िभः
आसन ् प्रजाः धमर्रताः रामे शासित नानत
ृ ाः
सव लक्षण स प नाः सव धमर्परायणाः
दशवषर् सह ािण दसवषर् शतािन च
भ्रातिृ भः सिहतः ीमान ् रामो रा यमकारयत ्
nityapuṣpā nityaphalā taravaḥ skandhavistṛtāḥ

kāle varṣī ca parjanyaḥ sukhasparśaśca mārutaḥ
brāhmaṇā kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāḥ lobha vivarjitāḥ
svakarmasu pravartante tuṣṭāḥ svaireva karmabhiḥ
āsan prajāḥ dharmaratāḥ rāme śāsati nānṛtāḥ
sarve lakṣaṇa sampannāḥ sarve dharmaparāyaṇāḥ
daśavarṣa sahasrāṇi dasavarṣa śatāni ca
bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaḥ śrīmān rāmo rājyamakārayat
ेम वा मीिक रामायणम ्
śreemad vātmīki rāmāyaṇam
When Rama ruled the earth the trees having wide stems and branches were
flowering and bearing fruiits all the days round the year, The four prominent group
of people were living in plenteousmess and mutual amity, well satisfied with their
functions.Rama's subjects were always virtuous and truthful, all bearing the
physical signs of their well being and all engaging themselves in activities in
furtherance of the welfare and benefit of all. Thus ruled Rama, along with his
beloved brothers, ten millenia and ten centuries.
This is the description of the reign of Rama in the aadikaavyam.
Let us wish on this day that the prosperity and plenty of ramarajya visit us on this
happy day and stay with us for ever.
14
अन तपारं िकल श द-शा ं

व पं तथायुर ् बहव िवघ्नाः।
सारं ततो ग्रा म ् अपा य फ गु
हं सरै ् यथा क्षीरम ् इवा बुम यात ्॥
anantapāraṁ kila śabda-śāstraṁ

svalpaṁ tathāyur bahavaśca vighnāaḥ |
sāraṁ tato grāhyam apāsya phalgu
haṁsair yathā kṣīram ivāmbumadhyāt ||
Panchatantram of Vishnusarma
അനന്തപാരം കിലശബ്ദശാസ്ത്രം
സ്വല്പംതഥായുര് ബഹവശ്ച വിഘ്നാഃ
സാരം തതോ ഗ്രാഹ്യം അപാസ്യ ഫല്ഗു
ഹംസൈര്യഥാക്ഷീരമിവാംബുമധ്യാത്
The science of words (language, literature etc.,) is of unending magnitude and is

incapable of mastering because the lifetime availble is very limited and even
during that period there can be so many impediments to the study. Therefore to
get hold of worldly knowledge on should absorb the essence of it and not the
embellishments-- like the swan just consumes the milk alone from a dilute
mixture of it with water.
this is in the beginning part of the celebrated Panchatantram. A king was having
a few sons who were absolute idiots and not inclined to study anything at any
cost. He was worried that the fellows will become future liabilities. And they
had already spent years together in blissful ignorance. So the time at his disposal
to show the right path was very limited and the pigheadedness of the fellows did
not in any way further his cause. Hence he was in the process of finding a guru
who would show the right path to the idiots. Therefore this remark.
15
उद्योिगनं पु ष-िसंहम ् उपैित ल मीर्

दै वेन दे यम ् इित कापु षा वदि त।
दै वं िनह य कु पौ षम ् आ म-शक् या
य े कृते यिद न िस यित कोत्र दोषः॥३३॥
Hitopadesam
udyoginaṁ puruṣa-siṁham upaiti lakṣmīr

daivena deyam iti kāpuruṣā vadanti |
daivaṁ nihatya kuru pauruṣam ātma-śaktyā
yatne kṛte yadi na sidhyati kotra doṣaḥ ||33
ഉദ്യോഗിനം പുരുഷസിംഹം ഉപൈതി ലക്ഷ്മീര്

ദൈവേന ദേയമിതി കാപുരുഷാ വദന്തി
ദൈവം നിഹത്യ കുരു പൌരുഷമാത്മശക്ത്യാ
യത്നേ കൃതേ ന സിദ്ധ്യതി കോത്ര ദോഷഃ
Wealth and welfare always visits the lion like man who is industrious and
enterprising.
The naive fatalists mumble that fortune has to come to them from the hands of
fate or serendipity.
Setting aside your fatalism engage in your enterprises putting in the best of your
efforts,
If you work hard at something and if you do not attain the expected results, what is
wrong about it?
(You can try again)
Here the idea is not to instill arrogance and challenge to the powers of God in
humans. The excessive dependence in fate and the philosophy that God is giving
everything , if such ideas become roadblocks for one's industriousness, then
success will be a pipe dream for him. Nothing is lost by an earnest attempt even
if such attempt does not bear fruit always
16
ऋत य दातारम ् अनु म य िनिधं िनधीनां चतुर वयानाम ्

ये नािद्रय ते गु म ् अचर्नीयं पापान ् लोकान ् ते ज यप्रित ान ्
ṛtasya dātāram anuttamasya nidhiṁ nidhīnāṁ caturanvayānām

ye nādriyante gurum arcanīyaṁ pāpāān lokān te vrajantyapratiṣṭhān
Mahaabharatham Aaadiparvam (Sambhava parvam) chapter 71
ഋതസ്യ ദാതാരാം അനുത്തമസ്യ നിധിം നിധീനാം ചതുരന്വയാനാം

യേ നാദ്രിയന്തേ ഗുരും അര്ചനീയം പാപാന് ലോകാന് തേ
വ്രജന്ത്യപ്രതിഷ്ഠാന്
They that, having acquired knowledge, injure their preceptor who is always an
object of worship, who is the giver of knowledge, who is the most precious of all
precious objects on Earth, come to be hated on Earth and finally go to the regions
of the sinful.'
This is a statement by Kacha as told to his guru, Sukraacharya. Kacha has

come to learn the sanjeevini Vidya (bringing back to life a dead person) from
Sukracharya. The asuraas knowing that Kacha the son of Brihaspathi was a
deva and hated him. They tried to kill him in many ways, but through the
intervention of Devayani Sukras daughter, the guru rejuvenated him to life.
Finally, the asuras killed him, burnt him to ashes, and mixed these ashes to the
intoxicant drink which Sukracharya used to take. Sensing the absence of Kacha
and the evil attitude of the asuras, Devayani once again requested her father to
bring back Kacha to life. But now the acharya realized that the remains of
Kacha were lying in his stomach and if he used the sanjeevani vidya, Kacha
would come out destroying Sukra's body and causing his death. So after much
deliberation Sukra taught the Sanjeevini Vidya to Kacha whom he had revived
in his stomach and asked him to come out splitting the Guru's body but
requested that he should use the Sanjeevani vidya to revive Sukra. While
assuring that he would definitely do it, Kacha says these words. The Guru, who
is the greatest treasure one can have, who has imparted all the knowledge to the
disciple, is an object of worship, and if his desires are not fulfilled by the disciple
the latter would be berated by all while he is alive and on death finally he will
reach hell. And Kacha kept his promise and revived Sukra.
18
ऋणकतार् िपता शत्रःु माता च यिभचािरणी

भायार् पवती शत्रःु पत्र
ु ः शत्ररु पि डतः
Chanakya neethi
ṛṇakartā pitā śatruḥ mātā ca vyabhicāriṇī

bhāryā rūpavatī śatruḥ putraḥ śatrurapaṇḍitaḥ
ഋണകര്ത്താ പിതാ ശത്രുഃ മാതാ ച വ്യഭിചാരിണീ

ഭാര്യാ രൂപവതീ ശത്രുഃ പുത്രഃശത്രുരപണ്ഡിതഃ
One's father becomes one's staunch enemy when he is just incurring debts. The
immoral mother is still another enemy. A beautiful wife can prove to be a greater
enemy. And the worst in the list of enemies is a son who is not capable or is
refusing to acquire sufficient knowledge.
A father or a head of family, if he incurs expenses beyond his means and takes
loans indiscriminately, he will not be able to keep his family in comfort during his
lifetime and if he dies, his liabilities have to be taken over by the son. Nothing
more is to be said about the mother of loose character. The dangers of having a
beautiful wife are too famous to recount. One may lose her, one may find
difficulties is keeping her pleased, and usually arrogance goes with physical
beauty....... What one can do for a son is to have him properly educated and if he
is either an idiot or fritters away his opportunities to learn he can become a boil in
the neck of his father.
19
द ु जर्नं स जनं कतुर्ं उपायो निह भत

ू ले
अपानम ् शतधा धौतं न े ं इि द्रयं भवेत ्
durjjanaṁ sajjanaṁ kartuṁ upāyo nahi bhūtale
apānam śatadhā dhautaṁ na śreṣṭhaṁ indriyaṁ bhavet
चाणक्य नीित
cāṇakya nīti
ദൂര്ജ്ജനം സജ്ജനം കര്ത്തും ഉപായോ ന ഹി ഭൂതലേ
അപാനം ശതധാ ധൌതം നശ്രേഷ്ഠം ഇന്ദ്രിയം ഭവേത്
there is no method availabe in the whole of earth to convert an evil fellow to a

good one. Even if the excretory organs are washed thousand times, they will not
get the status as the best organs in the body
Chanakya abhors evil so much that he has allowed himself to use the
comparison. The process of persuading the people of evil disposition to become
good samaritans is an action in futility according to the master. Habits die very
hard. It is like the elephant who is given a thorough wash immediately breathes
up all the dirt and throws it on his own body.
20
अनाहूत प्रिवशित अप ृ ो बहु भाषते

िव स यप्रम ेषु मढ
ू चेता नराधमः
महाभारतम ् िवदरु नीित
anāhūta praviśati apṛṣṭo bahu bhāṣate

viśvsattyapramatteṣu mūḍhacetā narādhamaḥ
mahābhāratam viduranīti
അനാഹൂത പ്രവിശതി അപൃഷ്ടോ ബഹുഭാഷതേ

വിശ്വസത്യപ്രമതതേഷു മൂഢചേതാ നരാധമഃ
He is indeed the most deplorable idiot among men

who enters the presence of a respectable person or an august assembly without
being summoned,
who always talks too much even without being asked
and
who blindly believes people who are untruthful when they spread scandals about
good people.
The Indian culture was always not to parade unsolicited advice or views and not to
enter a group without being asked to do so in the proper manner. In Ramayana it
is said of Rama that he would never venture to talk to anyone unless he is first
spoken to. Our culture never tolerated people who simply reeled off their opinions
without being asked to.
The empty pot makes a lot of noise. Regarding scandals, the learned have always
emphasized on getting facts verified impartially before reaching any conclusion.
Vidura neethi, in fact precedes most of the literature in Sanskrit, and may be most
of the world literature. These values are reiterated by enlightened souls till date.
We admire the British reserve but practice the loquacity of some other
cultures. But the Indian gentleman is described aptly by Vidura.
21
यक्षः
ु ेः िकं ि वत ् उ
िकम ् ि वत ् गु तरं भम तरम ् च खात ्
िकं ि वत ् शीघ्रतरम ् वायोः िकं ि वत ् बहुतरम ् तण
ृ ात ्
यिु धि रः
माता गु तरा भूमेः िपता उ चतर खात ्
मनो शीघ्रतरम ् वायोः िच ता बहुतरो तण
ृ ात ्
yakṣaḥ
kim svit gurutaraṁ bhumeḥ kiṁ svit ucctaram ca khāt
kiṁ svit śīghrataram vāyoḥ kiṁ svit bahutaram tṛṇāt
yudhiṣṭiraḥ
mātā gurutarā bhūmeḥ pitā uccataraśca khāt
mano śīghrataram vāyoḥ cintā bahutaro tṛṇāt
महाभारतम ् वनपवर्म ् यक्षप्र ख ड २९७

mahābhāratam vanaparvam yakṣapraśna khaṇḍa 297
The Yaksha asked, 'What is weightier than the earth itself? What is higher than the
heavens?' What is fleeter than the wind? And what is more numerous than grass?'
Yudhishthira answered ''The mother is weightier than the earth; the father is
higher than the heaven; the mind is fleeter than the wind; and our thoughts are
more numerous than grass.
(translation of Kisar Mohan Ganguly)
The pandavas are driven to forests by the machinations of the Kauravas and one
day yudhistira the eldest Pandava, feeling thirsty, sent his youngest brother
Sahadeva to fetch water from a lake which he found during their
wanderings. Sahadeva approached the lake and. a Crane which was sitting nearby.
warned that if he were to take water from the lake first he should answer some
questions to be put forth by the Crane (This Crane later manifested as a Yaksha,
but in fact, it was Lord Yamadharma himself in disguise). Sahadeva ignored the
Crane and fell dead on touching the water. Nakula, Arjuna and Bheemasena were
also sent on the same mission and they also ignored the Crane-Yaksha and met
with the same fate. Finally the King Yudishtira himself approached the lake and
was confronted by the Yaksha (Crane). The wise king heeded to the queries of the
Yaksha and answered them appropriately. This is the famous Yaksha Prasna part in
Vanaparvam of Mahabharatham. The questions and answers have become eternal
landmarks in Indian thought . The above quotation is of one of the questions of
the Yaksha and the answer to it by Yudhistira. Many such questions were
answered and the pleased Yaksha finally revealed his identity. He was none other
than the Lord of death, Yamadharma himself who has come to test the mettle of
his son Yudhistira.
The mother is the weightiest object for anyone but it is not the physical weight but
the weight of love, The father is tallest not because of the of the height measured
by any rods but the father stands tall representing the ideal icon for uprightness,
greatness and for all that is to be followed by a son. The human mind simply jumps
from one thought to another in the shortest span of time and thus is moving faster
than even the wind. And human thought are so many, and they are uncountable
like leaves of grass growing on earth.
22
क्रोधो हषर् दपर् ी त भो मा यमािनता
यम ् अथार्न ् नापकषर्ि त स वै पि डत उ यते
िवदरु नीित महाभारतं उद्योग पवर्ं ख ड ३३
krodho harṣaśca darpaśca hrīstambho mānyamānitā
yam arthān nāpakarṣanti sa vai paṇḍita ucyate
vidura nīti mahābhārataṁ udyoga parvaṁ khaṇḍa 33
He whom neither anger nor joy, nor pride, nor false modesty, nor stupefaction,
nor vanity, can draw away from the high ends of life, is considered as wise.
(translation : Kisari Mohan Ganguly)
Vidura, the learned younger brother of Dhritarashtra is discussing the righteous

way of life for the benefit of his elder brother. This treatise has become the
ultimate guide in righteous living and many later texts in Sanskrit have drawn
inspiration from this incomparable piece of wisdom.
There are many roadblocks even for the most learned, in the course of their
jouney towards achievement of lofty goals they have set unto themselves.
The first drawback is uncontrollable anger.
Next comes excessive desire for pleasure.
In material as well as spiritual pursuits, we attain some minor achievements at
first but if we slacken our enthusiasm with a view to enjoy such minor things
forgetting the ultimate goal, we are in for disappointment . Excessive
pride makes one arrogant and derail him from the path towards victory.
False Modesty comes in the way of one's achievement because this tendency
prevents one from viewing things from the right perspective and approaching the
right persons and resources to strengthen his pursuits.
It is the most common human trait to stand aghast without doing anything when
temporary setbacks are encountered.
It is for the wise man to realise that such stupefaction will not help him in any
way and that going ahead with greatest self control along the difficult path one
has set for himself alone will enable him to reach the final goal. Another
deterrent in the path of success is vanity.

Vanity also makes a man arrogant, excessively confident and makes him lose
sight of the exalted goal.
So Vidura advises that a learned man should steer clear of the above
impediments and forge ahead relentlessly towards the lofty goals.
23
दािक्ष यं वजने दया पिरजने शा यं सदा दज

ु न
र् े
प्रीितः साधज
ु ने नयो नप
ृ -जने िवद्व जने चाजर्वम ्।
शौयर्ं शत्र-ु जने क्षमा गु -जने का ता-जने ध ृ ता
ये चैवं पु षाः कलासु कुशला ते वेव लोक-ि थितः॥२२॥
नीितशतकम ् भ ह
र्ृ िरिवरिचतं
dākṣiṇyaṁ svajane dayā parijane śāṭhyaṁ sadā durjane

prītiaḥ sādhujane nayo nṛpa-jane vidvajjane cārjavam |
śauryaṁ śatru-jane kṣamā guru-jane kāntā-jane dhṛṣṭatā
ye caivaṁ puruṣāaḥ kalāsu kuśalāsteṣveva loka-sthitiaḥ ||22||
nītiśatakam bharttṛhariviracitaṁ
ദാക്ഷിണ്യം സ്വജനേ ദയാ പരിജനേ ശാഠൃം സദാ ദുര്ജ്ജനേ

പ്രീതിഃ സാധുജനേ നയോ നൃപജനേ വീദ്വജ്ജ ജനേ ചാര്ജവം
ശൌര്യം ശത്രുജനേ ക്ഷമാ ഗൂരുജനേ കന്താജനേ ധൃഷ്ടതാ
യേചൈവംപുരുഷാഃ കലാസു കുശലാഃതേഷ്വേവ ലോകസ്ഥിതഃ
The destiny of the world depends on great people who are very
discernig is their attitude to various types of other people. They
have to be kind and considerate to their own kith and kin. They shoul
be compassionate while dealing with the servants. They should be
always tough when it comes to interaction with evil people. They
should exhibit a pleasant and satified demeanour to the pious
people. They should be highly diplomatic while attending on the Royal
persons. In confronting the enemies they should show all their
valour. In the company of elders, preceptors and parents they
should show utmost courtesy and patience. The womanfolk should
be dealt with with utmost authoritativeness.
Bharthruhari shows his expertise in management of people. We have very little to

add to his advice even after two millenia. Any paradigm shift away from the above
prescription can create utter chaors for a man and the environments.
24
भक्तं शक्तं कुलीनं च न भ ृ यं अवमानयेत ्।
पुत्रव लालयेि न यं य इ चेि च्रयमा मनाः॥३८२॥
राजा तु ोिप भ ृ यानाम ् अथर्-मात्रं प्रय चित।
ते तु स मािनता त य प्राणैर यप
ु कुवर्ते॥३८३॥
प चत त्रम ्
bhaktaṁ śaktaṁ kulīnaṁ ca na bhṛtyaṁ avamānayet |
putravallālayennityaṁ ya icceccriyamātmanāḥ ||382||
rājā tuṣṭopi bhṛtyānām artha-mātraṁ prayaccati |
te tu sammānitāstasya prāṇairapyupakurvate ||383||
pañcatantram
One who is desirous of wealth and welfare for himself should never insult of ill-
treat his servant who is devoted to his master, who is powerful and who is of
proper birth.
Such a servant should be treated with affection as if he were the son of the
master.
Even a king who is extremely pleased with his servant will at best present his
with a lot of money.
But a noble servant who is honoured by the king will repay his debt with his own
life.
A well born person would have taken up the job of a servant only because of
personal compulsions.
Usually what he expects from his master is some affection and understanding.
The wages would be a lesser priority.
If the servant is devoted and also powerful (physically, possessing knowledge,
intelligence) he is a great asset. And the employers be it an individual, a
corporate entity or the megalith called the government should understand this.
The servant develops great affection and sense of indebtedness towards the
master and is always prepared even to lay down his life for the sake of the
master.
Corporate sector all over the world and sensible and noble individuals have
always treated their servants well. And when it comes to government sector, the
relationship becomes faceless.
Maybe, this is the reason why the bureaucrats never give their best to the
employer especially when their role is not taken note of.
We have to remember with gratitude the patriotic soldiers, policemen etc., who
have always placed their lives at the disposal of the government, always prepared
to offer the supreme sacrifice.
If such employees are not treated well, there will not be any progress or welfare
for the country as a whole.
25
या यं न धैयर्ं िवधुरेिप काले

धैयार्त ् कदािच गितम ् आ नय
ु ात ् सः।
यथा समुद्रेऽिप च पोतभङ्गे
सांयाित्रको वा चित ततम
ुर् ् एव॥३४५॥
प चत त्रं
tyājyaṁ na dhairyaṁ vidhurepi kāle
dhairyāt kadācid gatim āpnuyāt saḥ |
yathā samudre'pi ca potabhaṅge
sāṁyātriko vāñcati tartum eva ||345||
pañcatantraṁ
ത്യാജ്യം ന ധൈര്യം വിദുരേപി കാലേ

ധൈര്യാത് കദാചിത് ഗതിമാപ്നുയാത് സഃ
യഥാ സമുദ്രേപി ച പോതഭംഗേ
സാംയാത്രികോ വാഞ്ഛതി തര്ത്തുമേവ
A sensible person should never give up his boldness even on the face of the worst
calamities. Because, if one remains bold, it is possible that some means of escape
will manifest itself. A sailor negotiating rough seas with his vessel damaged, never
gives up, he attempts to survive and reach the shore with all his ingenuity.
The greatest support one can derive is from out of his self confidence. Once a
person loses his self confidence, he becomes powerless. His body and brain
forsakes him. In fact all the human beings in the world are created equal but the
difference one makes is to the extent of his boldness. Physical power, wealth,
education and all other resources simply fail come to a rescue of a person bereft of
faith in oneself.
26
प्रथमवयिस द ं तोयम पं मर तः
िशरिस िनिहतभाराः नािळकेरा नराणां
सिललममत
ृ क पम ् दद्युराजीवना तं
न िह कृतमप
ु कारं साधवो िव मरि त
नीितसारम ् सुभािषतािन
prathamavayasi dattaṁ toyamalpaṁ smarantaḥ
śirasi nihitabhārāḥ nāḻikerā narāṇāṁ
salilamamṛtakalpam dadyurājīvanāntaṁ
na hi kṛtamupakāraṁ sādhavo vismaranti
nītisāram subhāṣitāni
പ്രഥമവയസിദത്തം തോയമല്പം സ്മരന്തഃ

ശിരസിനിഹിതഭാരാഃ നാളികേരാഃ നരാണാം
സലിലമമൃതകല്പം ദദ്യുരാജീവനാന്തം
ന ഹികൃതമുപകാരം സാധവോ വിസ്മരന്തി
The tall coconut tree is bearing the heavy load of fruits filled with nectarlike drink
for the consumption of humans gratefull remembering the small amount of water
these men have poured on their roots while the trees were just saplings. Noble
souls are also like this. They never forget even a little favour done to them by
others and are waiting eagerly to be of service to their benefactors at all times.
The idea of gratefulness runs like a golden thread throughout our ancient
culture. Indians always consider themselves as indebted for their lifetimes any
favour done to them. Any person who refuses to subscribe to this idea is not
worthy to be called a human being at all. Absence of gratefulness in listed as one
of the greatest sins in all our scriptures.
27
वेदमनू य आचय ऽ तेवािसनमनश

ु ाि त। स यं वद। धमर्ं चर। वा याया मा प्रमदः।
आचायार्य िप्रयं धनमा य प्रजात तुम ् मा यव छे सीः। स या न प्रमिथत यं। ।
धमार् न प्रमिथत यं। कुशला न प्रमिथत यं। व यायप्रवचना याम ् न प्रमिथत यं।
दे विपतक ृ े वो भव। िपत ृ दे वो भव। आचायर्देवो भव। अितिथदे वो
ृ ायार् न प्रि थत य।्ं मातद
भव। या यनवद्यािन कमार्िण। तािन सेिवत यािन। नो इतरािण। या य माकं सुचिरतािन।
तािन वयोपा यािन नो इतरािण।
तै रीय उपिनष िशक्षावली ११ भागः
vedamanūcya ācaryo'ntevāsinamanuśāsti | satyaṁ vada| dharmaṁ cara|

svādhyāyānmā pramadaḥ| ācāryāya priyaṁ dhanamāhṛtya prajātantum mā
vyavacchetsīḥ| satyānna pramathitavyaṁ| | dharmānna pramathitavyaṁ|
kuśalānna pramathitavyaṁ| svadhyāyapravacanābyām na pramathitavyaṁ|
devapitṛkāryānna pramthitavyṁ| mātṛdevo bhava| pitṛ devo bhava| ācāryadevo
bhava| atithidevo bhava| yānyanavadyāni karmāṇi| tāni sevitavyāni| no itarāṇi|
yānyasmākaṁ sucaritāni| tāni tvayopāsyāni no itarāṇi|
taittarīya upaniṣad śikṣāvalī 11 (bhāgaḥ)
On completion of the term of imparting vedic knowledge perfectly the preceptor

gives the following advice to his disciple.
SPEAK THE TRUTH..
Follow the ordained conduct.
Never develop indifference to the reciting and study of the scriptures.
At the time of departure, it is your bounden duty to offer the gift which the
preceptor likes most.
Go ahead and marry in the appropriate way so that your family lineage is not
broken.
Never fail to pay attention to whatever truth is spoken to you.
Never fail to perform the duty ordained to you.
Never be careless about the things which are proper and good for you.
Never shy away from propagating and teaching what you have learned.
You should never be negligent in offering to the gods and the manes(departed
elders in the family line) what is expected of you.
Let your mother be GOD to you.
Let your father be GOD to you.
Let your guru be GOD to you.

Treat your guests as equal to God.
You should only indulge in actions which are irreproachable and have the stamp
of approval of scriptures and the laws of society.
Never move away from such proper path.
You must emulate the good practices we (your preceptors) have been following
and you should never deviate from the path shown by us (your gurus)
Taittariya upanishad is a supporting text to Krishna yajurvedam.

One would marvel at the clinically precise advise the guru imparts as the
guidelines at the time of a person leaves the School.
Can we imagine any modern house of Knowledge improvising on this?
Please note. the first and foremost advise given is to SPEAK THE TRUTH
28
म ृ ा नदाता शरणािग्नहोत्री
वेदा तिव च द्र सह जीवी
मासोपवासी च पित ता च
ष जीवलोके मम व दनीयाः
नीित सारं सुभािषतं
mṛṣṭānnadātā śaraṇāgnihotrī
vedāntavid candra sahasrajīvī
māsopavāsī ca pativratā ca
ṣadjīvaloke mama vandanīyāḥ
nīti sāraṁ subhāṣitaṁ
The following six categories of noble souls always command utmost respect.
One who offers to all a sumptuous meal,
one who is engaged in offering oblation to the fire,
one who is erudite is scriptures
, the grand old person who has lived to see thousand full moons,
one who fasts at least one day in a month,
and the chaste lady who is devoted to her husband.
I have to point out that no male chauvinism is involved. This is evident from the
fact that our tradition reveres women. And it is the practice of authors to use
masculine gender when universal truths are involved…in such situations we have
to read it as applying on all fours to females also. Devotion of a husband to his
wife is of equal importance as paativrityam.
29
िसंहादे कं बकादे कं िशक्षे च वािर कुक्कुटा ।
वायसा प चिशक्षे च ष शन
ु ीिण ग र्भा ॥
प्र ृ ं कायर्म पं वा यो नरः कतिुर् म छित।
स वार्रंभेण त कायर्ं िसंहादे कं प्रचक्षते॥
इि द्रयािण च संय य बकव पि डतो नरः।
दे शकालबलं ज्ञा वा स वर्कायार्िण साधयेत ्॥
प्रागु थानं च यद्ध

ु ं च संिवभाग ब धष
ु ।ु
वयमाक्र य भिु क्त च िशक्षे च वािर कुक्कुटा ॥
गूडमैथुनधीर वं काले काले च संग्रहं ।
अप्रम मिव ासं च प च िशक्षे च वायसात ्॥
ब ाशी व पसंतु ः सुिनद्रो लघच

ु त
े नः।
वािमभिक्त शूर वं षडेते ानतो गुणाः॥
सु ा तोऽिप वहे द्भारं शीतो णौ न च प यित।
स तु रते िन यं त्रीिण िशक्षे च गदर् भात ्॥
य एतान ् िवंशित गुणानाचिर यित मानवः।
कायार्व थासु सवार्सु िवजयी स भिव यित॥
Neethi Saaram.
siṁhādekaṁ bakādekaṁ śikṣetcatvāari kukkuṭād|
vāyasād pañcaśikṣetca ṣaḍ śunastrīṇi garddabhād||
pravrṛttaṁ kāryamalpaṁ vā yo naraḥ kartumicchati|
sarvvāraṁbheṇa tatkāryaṁ siṁhādekaṁ pracakṣate||
indriyāṇi ca saṁyamya bakavadpaṇḍito naraḥ|
deśakālabalaṁ jñātvā sarvvakāryāṇi sādhayet||
prāgutthānaṁ ca yuddhaṁ ca saṁvibhāgaśca bandhuṣu|
svayamākramya bhuktisca śikṣetccatvāri kukkuṭād||
gūḍamaithunadhīratvaṁ kāle kāle ca saṁgrahaṁ|
apramattamaviśvāsaṁ ca pañca śikṣetca vāyasāt||
bahvāśī svalpasaṁtuṣṭaḥ sunidro laghucetanaḥ|
svāmibhaktiśca śūratvaṁ ṣaḍete śvānato guṇāḥ||
suśrānto'pi vahedbhāraṁ śītoṣṇau na ca paśyati|
santuṣṭaścarate nityaṁ trīṇi śikṣetca gardabhāt||
ya etān viṁśati guṇānācariṣyati mānavaḥ|
kāryāvasthāsu sarvāsu vijayī sambhaviṣyati||
We can learn lessons from the lion in one subject, the crane in one subject, four
from the cock, five from the crow, six from the dog, and three from the donkey.
One thing we can learn from the lion is the unity and intensity of purpose. Once
a man has taken up a matter for performance, he should do it with all devotion
and concentration just like the lion, who will never give up if it has set its eye on
a prey however small it is.
The crane waits on the banks of a pond keeping itself immobile waiting for
the whole day if necessary for a fish to appear on the surface of water and then
makes swift movements to catch the creature unawares. Just like that the learned
man should control his sense organs and wait for his favourable time
and place to reach his goal.
The four characteristics of raising up early, fighting for his cause effectively,
sharing whatever it has with friends and relatives, earning food by one’s own
concerted efforts, should be followed from the cock.
To be secretive in copulation, great boldness, the tendency to save a part of

whatever it gets for a bad day in future, complete alertness, in-credulousness(not
believing anything in a hurry)—these five qualities in a crow are worthy of
emulation.
The dog eats well when food is available, but will be happy even if it gets very
little. It sleeps very deep but is always woken up at the smallest provocation. It is
completely devoted to its master and is very aggressive. These six traits of the
dog can be applied in their lives by men to great advantage.
The donkey, even when it is absolutely tired, plods on with the heavy load placed
on its back, it is never affected by ever extreme cold or hot weather and survives
them, and it is very happy always singing its own song. These three habits can
be applied to great benefit by men also.
If these twenty traits are emulated, men will be always successful
30
आतुरे यसने प्रा े दिु भर्क्षे शत्र-ु संकटे ।

राजद्वारे मशाने च यि त ित स बा धवः॥
āture vyasane prāpte durbhikṣe śatru-saṁkaṭe |
rājadvāre śmaśāne ca yastiṣṭhati sa bāndhavaḥ||
cāṇakya nīti
ആതുരേ വ്യസനേ പ്രാപ്തേ

ദുര്ഭിക്ഷേ ശത്രു സംകടേ
രാജദ്വാരേ ശ്മശാനേ ച
യസ്തിഷ്ഠതി സ ബാന്ധവഃ
The real kinsman is one who stand by us at the most difficult situations in life. The
situations may be when you are afflicted by serious illness, when you are deep
sorrow for some reason, when there is a great famine and food is scarce, when
strong enemies attack you, when you are hauled up by the law enforcers to the
kings court, and when your near relative or yourself are dead and taken to the
burial ground
Relatives of all hues and colours throng your household when you have fame,
health and wealth. But you can expect only a few of them to come to your rescue
when the times are unfavourable. When you are ill you may find a large number
of people watching indifferently when you are carried to the hospital, but the
genuine relative will wait upon you and help in your treatment.
When you are overcome by sorrow most of the pseudo relatives will simply avoid
you.
If the region is visited by a famine and food to share is at a premium, only the
loving relative will have a mind to share whatever he has with you.
Moreover, when you are attacked and abused by an enemy, most of the people
around you will either remain passive onlookers or clear the field. Only the
concerned relative will stand by you.
The worst situation in life is when you are caught up at the wrong side of the law
and you are taken away be the law enforcers. Here only the close relatives will
stake their personal safety and will be of some help to you.
The ultimate loss you can have is the death of a near relative and the occasiion of
his burial can be most painful. The dearest relatives will never fail to accompany
you to the burial ground and console you and partake in your sorrow with full
heart.
31
अ यादरो भवे यत्र कायर्-कारण-विजर्तः।

तत्र शङ्का प्रकतर् या पिरणामेसख
ु ावहा॥४४६॥
atyādaro bhaved yatra kārya-kāraṇa-varjitaḥ |
tatra śaṅkā prakartavyā pariṇāmesukhāvahā ||446||
pañcatantraṁ
അത്യാദരോ ഭവേദ്യത്ര കാര്യകാരണവര്ജ്ജിതഃ

തത്രശങ്കാ പ്രകര്ത്തവ്യാ പരിണാമേ സുഖാവവഹാ
if a person is shown excessive respect in a place without any rhyme or reason, he

should be skeptical and behave with great circumspection there. The results of
such caution will be of immense benefit.
People are usually very selfish in nature, If they bestow upon others unreasonable
favours, it can be inferred that the former have some axe to grind. The demands
and entreaties will follow soon. Therefore if the person on whom undue praiseis
heaped upon, should never relax his vigil. The sycophant is just trying to apply
excessive soap on him is doing so with some definite purpose. Such chamchas will
be found everywhere and specially so along the lobbies of power. If such chamcha
has managed to achieve his purpose then he will no more show any familiarity
with the benefactor because he knows that the latter is no more of any use
for him.
32
आ मानं रिथनम ् िविद्ध शरीरं रथमेव च।
बुिद्धम ् तु सारिथ ं िविद्ध मनः प्रग्रहमेव च॥
इि द्रयाि ण हयानाहु िवषयां तेषु गोचरान ्।
आ मेि द्रयमनोयक्त
ु ं भोक्ते याहुमर्नीिषणः॥
कठोपिनष तत
ृ ीयवि लः ोकाः ३- ४
ātmānaṁ rathinam viddhi śarīraṁ rathameva ca |
buddhim tu sārathiṁ viddhi manaḥ pragrahameva ca||
indriyānṇi hayānāhu viṣayāṁsteṣu gocarān|
ātmendriyamanoyuktaṁ bhoktetyāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ||
kaṭhopaniṣad tṛtīyavalliḥ ślokāḥ 3- 4
The Individual aatma is the owner and rider of the chariot, The external body
with its limbs skin bone and blood is the chariot itself The intellect is the
charioteer and the mind is the rein. The sense organs are the horses, and their
paths are the sense objects. The learned call the individual the enjoyer who is
integrated in body, the senses and the mind.
Naachiketah, son of Vajasravas, was watching his father performing a

sacrifice. He saw that the father in the course were giving away barren cows as
gifts, and was bringing upon himself ignomity and sin. The young boy was sad
and he asked his father as to whom he was going to give his son Nachiketha at a
gift. The father was irritated but did not answer the questions the first few times.
Finally in sheer anger he shouted that he was giving his son to Yama, the god of
death. Taking his fathers word as a holy command, the child went to the abode
of Yama and waited there as Yama had gone out on some duty and came back
only three days later. When the Yama saw a brahmachari languishing for three
days at his doorsteps he was overcome by remorse and after offering the boy the
respects due to him and after hearing his story, offered him three boons. With
these boons Nachiketa desired to attain knowledge of the life in the mundane
world and the nether world and also the blessings of his father who was angry
with him. The yama dharma while describing the ways of humans and proper
conduct imparts this manthra to Nachiketha.
The aatma or the holder of life cannot be seen in the context of the vedantic
jeevatma and paramaatma. Here it is the thing that holds the body and sense
alive. In his day to day existence, the individual uses his body as if it is a vehicle.
The intellect, the power to see the difference between right and wrong act as the
driver, the mind as the reins held by the intellect. The unruly sense organs are
the horses and they are raring to charge along the long path ahead and this path
is the enjoyment of the sense organs. It is only the person who has the proper co
ordination of the body, sense and the mind can be called a good rider travelling
in the right path.
In such a short expostulation the entire purpose of jnana and yoga are
revealed and such cryptic slokas have been subjected to detailed analysis by
Sankara, Ramanuja, Madwa and other great souls.
33
अ यादरो भवे यत्र कायर्-कारण-विजर्तः।

तत्र शङ्का प्रकतर् या पिरणामेसख
ु ावहा॥४४६॥
atyādaro bhaved yatra kārya-kāraṇa-varjitaḥ |
tatra śaṅkā prakartavyā pariṇāmesukhāvahā ||446||
pañcatantraṁ
aതയ്ാദേരാ ഭേവദയ്്രത കാരയ്കാരണവര്‌jിതഃ

ത്രതശ ാ ്രപകര്‌tവയ്ാ പരിണാേമ സുഖാവവഹാ
if a person is shown excessive respect in a place without any rhyme or reason, he

should be skeptical and behave with great circumspection there. The results of
such caution will be of immense benefit.
People are usually very selfish in nature, If they bestow upon others unreasonable
favours, it can be inferred that the former have some axe to grind. The demands
and entreaties will follow soon. Therefore if the person on whom undue praiseis
heaped upon, should never relax his vigil. The sycophant is just trying to apply
excessive soap on him is doing so with some definite purpose. Such chamchas will
be found everywhere and specially so along the lobbies of power. If such chamcha
has managed to achieve his purpose then he will no more show any familiarity
with the benefactor because he knows that the latter is no more of any use
for him.
32
वेदा तिवज्ञान िविनि चताथार्ः स यसयोगाद्यतयः शुद्धस वाः।

ते ब्र लोके तु परा तकाले परामत
ृ ात ् पिरमु यि त सव॥
द म ् िवपापं वरवे मभत
ू ं य पु डरीकम ् पुरम यसँ थं।
तत्रािप द े गगनं िवशोकं ति मन ् यद त तदप
ु ािसत यं॥
यो वेदादौ वरः प्रोक्तो वेदा ते च प्रिति तः।
त य प्रकृितलीन य यः परः स महे रः॥
vedāntavijñāna viniscitārthāḥ sannyasayogādyatayaḥ śuddhasatvāḥ|
te brahmaloke tu parāntakāle parāmṛtāt parimucyanti sarve||
dahram viapāpaṁ varaveśmabhūtaṁ yatpunḍarīkam puramadhyasa sthaṁ|
tatrāpi dahre gaganaṁ viśokaṁ tasmin yadantastadupāsitavyaṁ||
yo vedādau svaraḥ prokto vedānte ca pratiṣṭhitaḥ|
tasya prakṛtilīnasya yaḥ paraḥ sa maheśvaraḥ||
ी महानारायणोपिनषत ् द्वादशोऽनव
ु ाकः १५-१६-१७
śrī mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat dvādaśo'nuvākaḥ 15-16-17
Having attained the Immortality consisting of identificationwith the Supreme, all

those aspirants who strive for self-control, who have rigourously arrived at the
conclusion taught by vedanta through direct knowledge, and who have attained
purity of mind throgh the practice of the discipline of yoga and steadfastness in
the knowledge of brahman preceded by renunciation, get themselves released
into the regions of Brahman at the dissollution of the body.
In the citadel of the body there is the small sinless and pure lotus of the heart
which is the residence of the supreme. Further in the interior of this small area
there is the sorrowless ether.. That is to be meditated upon continuously.
He is the supreme Lord who transcends the Syllabe Om which is uttered at the
commencemnt of recital of the Vedas, which is well establishe in the Upanoshads
and which is dissolved in the primal cause(prakriti) during contemplation
The above anuvakas in Mahanarayanopanishat, which is a part of advanced

yajurvedic learning along with taittareeyopanishat, in three stanzas describle the
way of renunciated people, the location of the Supreme Self in the anahata lotus
at the heart of the living being and identifies the Brahman who is to be
worshipped. These three stanzas along with Na karamana Na prajaya
dhanena..... is chanted wherever the great Aacharys who have renunciated
everything and walk on this earth as living gods are present.
33
बलोपप नोऽिप िह बुिद्धमान ् नरः

परे नयेत ् न वयमेव वैिरताम ्।
िभषङ्ग्ममा तीित िविच य भक्षये
अकारणात ् को िह िवचक्षणो िवषम ्॥११३॥
प त त्रम ्
balopapanno'pi hi buddhimān naraḥ
pare nayet na svayameva vairitām |
bhiṣaṅgmamāstīti vicintya bhakṣayed
akāraṇāt ko hi vicakṣaṇo viṣam ||113||
panñctantram
A wise man should not deliberately pick up enmity with others just because he
feels that he is endowed with sufficient power to defeat others.
No sensible person will venture to consume poison without any reason just
because he has engaged a very efficient doctor.
The human life is full of conflicts because the expectations of everyone is too hight
in comparison to his resources. In the pursuit of it so happens that some attain a
point of advantageour point of power perhaps by mere chance. But this fact should
not be taken as a carte blacnche to quarrel with others and create chaos. The
tables can be turned against anyone, because time is a very tricky fellow. Then no
one should try to stab to death a person standing nearby just because the former
has acquired a sharp knife/
35
काक ि बर्क यानं ानिनद्रा तथैव च

अ पाहारो जीणर्व म ् एत िवद्याितर्लक्षनम ्
नीितसारं चानक्यनीित
kākadṛṣṭirbakadhyānaṁ śvānanidrā tathaiva ca

alpāhāro jīrṇavastram etad vidyārtilakṣanam
nītisāraṁ cānakyanīti
The best signs of a pupil concentrated on education alone are possessing the keen
sight of a crow, the unswerving concentration of a crane, limited food habits and
tattered clothes.
An initiate should be always be seeing everything around him with care and
alacrity.. He will learn a lot from what is around him if he emulates the crow which
will ever be on the lookout of its prey whethere perching on the branchh of a tree
of just flying around. It has nothing to look for other than food and safety.
Similarly a student should always be on the lookour for more and more knowledge.
Similarly the student should always be an embodiment of deep concentration like
the bird Crane. The crane's capacity to concentrate purposefully is
monumental. To get hold of a single fish it is capable of sitting motionless,
sometimes from sunrise to sunset on the banks of a water spot and it would not
even move except gobble up the fish as and when it comes ups to the surface of
the water accidentally. For a student, the appetite should be for acquiring
knowledge. Eating away rich food makes him more comfortable, flabby and
lazy, and such qualities with hamper his capacity to learn. The reason for the
prescription of tattered clothes is that if the vidyaarthi goes after stylish clothes
and ostentatious outfits, he will become noted by others especially by the
members of the other sex and his attention will be scattered away.
The education in modern campus is usually an antithesis to the above rules of our
ancestors. It is worthwhile to consider whether the comforts of Camput life today
has in any way heleped the intern in his quest for acquiring more knowlege. Of
course in the past knowledge was pursured in its entirety and the occupations base
on it came as a natural corollary. But the present education appears to be just a
passport to gain some occupation and then never to apply the knowledge if any
acquired to poper purpose.
36
नागो भाित मदे न खं जलधरै ः पूण दन

ु ा शवर्री
शीलेन प्रमदा जवेन तरु गो िन यो सवैमिर् दरं
वाणी याकरणेन हँसिमथुनःै नद्यः सभा पि डतैः
स पुत्रन
े गह
ृ म ् नप
ृ ेण वसुधा लोक यम ् भानुना
नीितसारं
nāgo bhāti madena khaṁ jaladharaiḥ pūrṇendunā śarvarī
śīlena pramadā javena turago nityotsavairmandiraṁ
vāṇī vyākaraṇena hamsamithunaiḥ nadyaḥ sabhā paṇḍitaiḥ
satputrena gṛham nṛpeṇa vasudhā lokatryam bhānunā
nītisāram
The bull elephant is at its beautiful best when it is about to manifest rut, the sky is
most bountiful where it is arrayed with raining clouds, the night is most elegant
when the full moon rises a lady is most adorable when she has a noble character
(this will apply to men also) a horse becomes celebrity with its speed, a household
becomes attractive when there are frequent celebrations, a speech becomes
attractive with the proper use of words, grammar and syntax. the rivers add to
their glory by housing attractive swan duos. The family is the most gifted when it
has an eminent son. The earth, meaning the country shines with the good ruler.
And the whole three world is brightened absolutely by the presence of the one and
only Sun.
37
यक्षः
िकंि व आ मा मनु य य िकंि व दै वकृतः सखा।
उपजीवनं िकंि वद य िकंि वद य परायणम ्॥
युिधि रः
पुत्र आ मा मनु य य भायार् दै वकृता सखा।
उपजीवनं तु पजर् यो दानं अ य परायणं॥
yakṣaḥ
kiṁsvid ātmā manuṣyasya kiṁsvid daivakṛtaḥ sakhā|
upajīvanaṁ kiṁsvidasya kiṁsvidasya parāyaṇam||
yudhiṣṭiraḥ
putra ātmā manuṣyasya bhāryā daivakṛtā sakhā|
upajīvanaṁ tu parjanyo dānaṁ asya parāyaṇaṁ|
यक्षप्र ं महाभारतं वनपवर्म ्

yakṣapraśnaṁ mahābhārataṁ vanaparvam
The Yaksha asked,-

'What is the soul of man
Who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods?
What is man's chief support?
And what also is his chief refuge?
Yudhishthira answered,--'
The son is a man's soul:
the wife is the friend bestowed on man by the gods;
the clouds are his chief support;
and gift is his chief refuge.
It is the cardinal concept of Indian life that one's son is just the external growth of
oneself, to be loved, to be possessed, to be trained and to be cherished as one
would do for himself. The srutis say, when a son is born, while performing his
samskaras, we have to tell him that you are born as a part of myself..aatma vai
putra naamasi.. (here again gender is not important...it applies to the daughter
also... ) . The best friend ordained by God himself for any man is his wife. Good or
bad, learned or imbecile the man is, the poor woman always keeps his company.
(The feminists may have a different view, but in our country the vast majority is
like that. For the support of ones livelihood in this earth, the clouds that pour the
nectar of pure water to sustain the earth and the life on it, is the most important
factor. A man gains sustenance in the nether world by making bounteous gifts to
the needy in this world and there for it is his refuge. Sometimes gift come as a
refuge for the poor on this earth when it is recieved by the needy.
The circumstances leading to the dialogue between Yaksha and Yudistira is already
explained earlier.
38
तदे ष ोको भवित। तदे व सक्तः सहकमर्णिै त िलङ्गं मनो यत्र िनषक्तम य।
प्रा या तं कमर्ण त य यि क चेह करो ययं। त मात ् लोकात ् पन
ु रै य मै लोकाय कमर्ण
इित नु कामयमानोऽथाकामयमानो
योऽकामो िन कामः आ कामो आ मकामो न त य प्राणा उ क्रामि त ब्र व
ै सन ्
ब्र ा येित
tadeṣa śloko bhavati| tadeva saktaḥ sahakarmaṇaiti liṅgaṁ mano yatra
niṣaktamasya| prāpyāntaṁ karmaṇastasya
yatkiñceha karotyayaṁ| tasmāt lokāt punaraityasmai lokaya karmaṇa iti nu
kāmayamāno'thākāmayamāno
yo'kāmo niṣkāmaḥ āptakāmo ātmakāmo na tasya prāṇā utkrāmanti brahmaiva
san brahmāpyeti
बह
ृ दार यकोपिनषत ् ९ उप ्।ई।३-४--३५
bṛhadāranyakopaniṣat 9 (up|ī|3-4)--35
On the question of rebirth there is a sloka

To whatever object a man's mind is attached, to that goes his inner self with the
deed, being attached to it alone.
After exhausting the results of whetever works hed in this world, he comes back
from that world to this world for work again.
So much for the man who desires.
But as to the man who does not desire, who is without desire, who is freed from
desire, whose desire is satisfied, whose desire is for Self only -- his vital spirit does
not depart elsewhere. Being brahman he goes to brahman.
This mantra comes by way of expostulation of the secret of the emancipaton from
the cycle of births, by Yaajnavalkya to Janaka.
When a man departs from this earth with unfulfilled desires for mundane pleasure,
he is led to worlds which are designed to enable him to enjoy or expiate the
earthly virtues and sins he has committed in the immediate chapter of life. Once
the enjoyment or expiation is over, he is born in this earth again to be engaged in

Karma (work) the results of which again draws him to the cycle of births and death
without stop.
But for a person who has given up all his desires in this world even before death
and has become absolutely detached, when he casts off his mortal coils, He is led
to the Supreme Self, being part of the Supreme self Himself and he merges with
the supreme self. For his there are no comebacks. The Supreme soul he is he
remais blissful for ever.
This upanishad vakya finds a shadow in Gita in many occasion.. Yam kim vapi
smaran papam tyajatyanthe kalebharam.... Karmanenaiva samsiddhim aasthithah
janakaadayah... the idea is spun with a golden thread in gita. That would require a
lot of discussion.
Talking of desire one has to marvel at Yajnavalkya's razor sharp intellect which
defines the abandonment of desire so tersely.. man who does not desire, who is
without desire, who is freed from desire, whose desire is satisfied, whose desire is
for Self only
(of course by self it is meant here the aatma... jeevatama and paramaatma for
those who see them as two or for the advaitin the absolute Supreme soul. It should
not be confused with this mundane body and mind conglomerate, the gasbag filled
with ego, arrogance and self pity)
39
स त ायिस संि थत य पयसो नामािप न ज्ञायते

मक्त
ु ाकारतया तदे व निलनी-पत्र-ि थतं राजते।
वातौ सागर-शुिक्त-कुिक्ष-पिततं तज ् जायते मौिक्तकं
प्रायेणाधम-म यमो म-गण
ु ाः संवासतो जायते॥२७३॥
santaptāyasi saṁsthitasya payaso nāmāpi na jñāyate
muktākāratayā tadeva nalinī-patra-sthitaṁ rājate |
svātau sāgara-śukti-kukṣi-patitaṁ taj jāyate mauktikaṁ
prāyeṇādhama-madhyamottama-guṇāḥ saṁvāsato jāyate ||273||
pañcatantraṁ
സnപ്‌ത ആയസി സംsിതസയ് പയേസാ നാമാപി ന
jായെത
മുkാകാരതയാ തേദവ നലിനീപ്രതsിതം രാജെത
സവ്ാതവ്‌ സാഗര ശുkി കുkി പതിതം തദ്‌ ജായേത
െമൗkികം
്രപാേയണാധമ മധയ്മ utമഗുണാ സംവാസേതാ ജായേത
water poured on redhot iron disappears without any trace immediately, the same
water appears like very bright crystal globules when it is placed on the surface of a
lotus leaf. the very same water when it falls as a drop into the pearl oyster on the
days of star swaati, it becomes a beautiful pearl.... Verily, the good attributes of a
person manifest themselves out of his association with the wretched, the average
and the noble people in that order.
One who associates himself with a wretched fellow ultimately disappears from the
face of the earth nameless like water poured on hot iron. The same person when
he keeps company with men of average character and stature, may look bright and
beautiful at first sight but such flicker is only delusive.. like the water drop on a
lotus leaf which gives the appearance of a crystal ball but is of no practical use and
with the movement of the leaf just rolls down to anonymity. However a drop of
water coming out of the rain in the inner seas, when it falls into the open shells of
a pearl oyster, it transforms itself into a beautiful pearl. This is just like the
association of a person with a really noble soul. The ordinary is transformed into
extraordinary.
It is believed that when water drops are imbibed by a pearl oyster on the day of
star Swwathi especially on full moon day ( chitra -swathi combination would come
as the full moon day which we call chitrapaurnami in the first month of the solar
celendar -- mesha or chitthirai) will transform itself into a large a very rare and
beautiful pearl.. Even persons born on that day are supposed to achieve great
eminence. The usage in telugu "swaathimukthyam" has originated from this belief
. It was on one such day the Lord Gauthama the Buddha incarnated on the earth.
40
िवपिद धैयर्ं अथा यद

ु ये क्षमा
सदिस वाक्य-पटुता यिु ध िवक्रमः।
यशिस चािभ िचर् यसनं ुतौ
प्रकृित-िसद्धम ् इदं िह महा मनाम ्॥३२॥
िहतोपदे शं
vipadi dhairyaṁ athābhyudaye kṣamā
sadasi vākya-paṭutā yudhi vikramaḥ |
yaśasi cābhirucir vyasanaṁ śrutau
prakṛti-siddham idaṁ hi mahātmanām ||32||
hitopadeśaṁ
വിപദി ൈധരയ്ം aഥാഭയ്ുദേയ kമാ

സദസി ച aഭിരുചി യുധി വി്രകമം
യശസിചാഭിരുചി വയ്സനം ്രശുതവ്‌
്രപകൃതിസിdം iദം ഹി മഹtനാം
Nonchalance and absolute presence of mind when facing danger, patience and
detachment while there is abundance in life, keen interest in participating and
enlivening the proceedings of the meetings of august bodies, great valour in
fighting great adherence to once own reputation and deep sorrow when
subjected to unwanted scanda... these virtues come naturaally to the noble soul.
The real mettle of the noble is tested in the crucible of adversity. Anyone can
pose that he is very bold when things are okey but to keep the same attitude
when unpleasant things face one is a special talent. Even at the face of some silly
position being given people arrogate to themselves all greatness and consider it
their birthright to show impatience to fellow mortal. But the really great man is
not affected by neither plenty or penury. If there is great knowledg inherent and
acquired present in a person, he has to give expression to it in appropriate fora
for the benefit of the world. The noble warriors show their valour in its
sublimest best in battles never giving any thought to personal safety. For such
persons impeccable reputation is paramount in life and unwarranted scandals
cause them great distress /
41
पश
ृ निप गजो हि त िजघ्रन ् अिप भज
ु ँगमः।
हस न ् अिप नप
ृ ो हि त मानय निप दज
ु न
र् ः॥८२॥
प चत तम ्
spṛśannapi gajo hanti jighran api bhuja gamaḥ |
hasann api nṛpo hanti mānayannapi durjanaḥ ||82||
pañcatantam
സ്‌്രപുശnപി ഗേജാ ഹnി ജി്രഘ aപി ഭുജംഗമ
ഹസ aപി നൃേപാ ഹnി മാനയnപി ദുര്‌ജന
an elephant can prove to be our killer by a mere touch, a venomous snake can
awards us death by just sniffing, the king can send us to the gallows through a
mere smile, but the evil fellows can cause death to us by meretly thinking of us.
An elephant may just touch his follower afftectionately with its trunk and the
impact can sometimes kill. It is believed that some poisonous snakes can simply
spray venome through their breath and kill the people. If one offends the king,
he can order him to be killed even while the smile on the royal countenance
remains intact. But the evil persons can manage our annihilation just be
thinking of us in their own way.. See the purveyors of terrorism regardless of
their ideologies.. they kill for the heck of it.
--
42
१ युिधि रः
िकं कतर् यं मनु येण लोकयात्रा िहतािथर्ना
कथं वै लोकयात्रां तु िकम ् शीलश ् च समाचरे त ्
२ भी म
कायेन ित्रिवधं कमर् वाचा चािप चतुिवर्धं
मनसा ित्रिवधं चैव दश कमर् पथा यजेत ्
३ प्राणाितपातं तै यं च परदानं अथािप च
त्रीिण पापािन कायेन सवर्तः पिरवजर्येत ्
४ असत ् प्रलापं पा यं पैशु यं अनत

ृ ं तथा
च वािर वाचा राजे द्र न ज पेन ् नानिु च तयेत ्
५ अनिभ या पर वेषु सवर्स वेषु सौ दं
कमर्णां फलं अ तीित ित्रिवधं मनसा चरे त ्
६ त मा वाक्कायमनसा नाचरे अशुभं। नराः
शभ
ु ाशभ
ु ा याचरन ् िह त य त या त
ु े फलम ्
महाभारते आनश
ु ािसकपवर्िण १३
1 yudhiṣṭiraḥ
kiṁ kartavyaṁ manuṣyeṇa lokayātrā hitārthinā
kathaṁ vai lokayātrāṁ tu kim śīlaś ca samācaret
2 bhīīṣma
kāyena trividhaṁ karma vācā cāpi caturvidhaṁ
manasā trividhaṁ caiva daśa karma pathāmstyajet
3 prāṇātipātaṁ stainyaṁ ca paradānaṁ athāpi ca
trīṇi pāpāni kāyena sarvataḥ parivarjayet
4 asat pralāpaṁ pāruṣyaṁ paiśunyaṁ anṛtaṁ tathā
catvāri vācā rājendra na jalpen nānucintayet
5 anabhidhyā parasveṣu sarvasattveṣu sauhṛdaṁ
karmaṇāṁ phalaṁ astīti trividhaṁ manasā caret
6 tasmād vākkāyamanasā nācared aśubhaṁ| narāḥ
śubhāśubhānyācaran hi tasya tasyāśnute phalam
mahābhārate ānuśāsikaparvaṇi 13
"Yudhishthira said, 'What should a man do in order to pass pleasantly through

this and the other world. How, indeed, should one conduct oneself? What
practices should one adopt with this end in view?'
"Bhishma said, 'One should avoid the three acts that are done with the body, the
four that are done with speech, the three that are done with the mind, and the ten
paths of action. The three acts that are done with the body and should be wholly
avoided are the destruction of the lives of other creatures, theft or appropriation
of what belongs to other persons, and the enjoyment of other people's wives. The
four acts that are done with speech, O king, and that should never be indulged in
or even thought of, are evil conversation, harsh words, publishing other people's
faults, and falsehood. Coveting the possessions of others, doing injury to others,
and disbelief in the ordinances of the Vedas, are the three acts done with the
mind which should always be avoided. Hence, one should never do any evil act
in word, body, or mind. By doing good and evil acts, one is sure to enjoy or
endure the just consequences thereof. Nothing can be more certain than this.'"
Anusaasika parvam is where bheeshmapitamaha is lying in a bed of arrows waiting

for relinquishing his vital energy with the advent of uttarayana. The noble yudishtira
along with the blessed Krishna and others are in converstion with him about the laws
of life. The entire conversation attains added sacredness on account of the divine
presence of Krishna and the laws laid down by bheeshma have influenced all later
lawmakers and scholars including chanakya to the modern authors of the Constitution.
Please watch what bheeshma prescribes about the four evil deeds to be adopted in
speech. Evil conversation or gossip, intemperate words, giving publicity to others'
faults and telling lies. Other qualities espoused by bheeshma like nonviolence,
undue desire for others wealth debauchery. Bheeshma is categoric in stating that if
bad deeds are perpetuated in this world the doer will definitely pay the price for it.
43
यक्ष
मत
ृ ं कथं यात ् पु षः कथं रा म ् मत
ृ म ् भवेत ्
ाद्धम ् मत
ृ ं कथं च यात ् कथं यज्ञो मत
ृ ो भवेत ्
युिधि र
मत
ृ ो दिरद्रः पु षो मत
ृ ं रा अराजकं
मतृ ं अ ोित्रयं ाद्धम ् मत
ृ ो यज्ञो वदिक्षणः
yakṣa
mṛtaṁ kathaṁ syāt puruṣaḥ kathaṁ rāṣṭram mṛtam bhavet
śrāddham mṛtaṁ kathaṁ ca syāt kathaṁ yajño mṛto bhavet
yudhiṣṭira
mṛto daridraḥ puruṣo mṛtaṁ rāṣṭra arājakaṁ
mṛtaṁ aśrotriyaṁ śrāddham mṛto yajño tvadakṣiṇaḥ
യk
മൃതം കഥം സയ്ാത്‌ പുരുഷ കഥം രാ്ര ം മൃതം ഭേവത്‌
്രശാdം മൃതംകഥം ച സയ്ാത്‌ കഥം യജ്‌േനാ മൃതം ഭേവത്‌
യുധിഷ്‌ഠിരന്‌
മൃേതാദരി്രദ പുരുഷ മൃതംരാ്ര ം aരാജകം
മൃതം aെ്രശാതൃയം ്രശാdം മൃേതാ യj തു aദkിണമ്‌
The Yaksha asked,--'For what may one be considered as dead? For what may a
kingdom be considered as dead? For what may a Sraddha be considered as dead?
And for what, a sacrifice?' Yudhishthira answered,--'For want of wealth may a
man be regarded as dead. A kingdom for want of a king may be regarded as
dead. A Sraddha that is performed with the aid of a priest that hath no learning
may be regarded as dead. And a sacrifice in which there are no gifts to
Brahmanas is dead
A man without money is more or less dead.A nation without a good leader is
dead. A religious ceremony without proper care and proper gifts to the
participants is also dead/
This is from the Yakshapraanam of Mahabharatam Vanaparvam/
44
अित पेण वा सीता अितगवण रावणः।
अितदाना बिलर् बद्धो ित सवर्त्र वजर्येत ्॥१२॥
atirūpeṇa vā sītā atigarveṇa rāvaṇaḥ |
atidānād balir baddhohyati sarvatra varjayet ||12||
cāṇakya nīti
aതി രൂേപണ വാ സീതാ aതിഗ േവണ രാവണ

aതിദാനാത്‌ ബലി ബd aതി സ വ്രത വ ജെയത്‌
It is perhaps on account of excessive beauty that Devi Sita had to languish in the
captivity of Ravana.
Ravana was finally destroyed by his limitless arrogance.
Mahabali had to suffer the tightness of the rope of Varuna because of his
excessive generosity.
Therefore, vice or virtue, excesses should always be avoided.
Mahabli had promised three feet of land to Vamana who changed his shape and
measured the entire univers with two feetlengths and Bali had to offer his own
crow as the third measure.. then his army started to attack the Thrivikram, the
lord in universal form and to end the strife and complete the deal the Lord tied
Bali with varunapasam and sent him to an abode in a lower world. The
consequences or Mata Sitas beauty and Ravanas arrogance are too well known,
So the master chanakya advices moderation in place of excursiveness in all fields.
--
45
शनैःशनै भोक्त यं वयं िव म ् उपािजर्तम ्।

रसायनम ् इव प्राज्ञैर ् हे लया न कदाचन
śanaiaḥśanaiśca bhoktavyaṁ svayaṁ vittam upārjitam |
rasāyanam iva prājñair helayā na kadācana
pañcatantraṁ
ശൈനഹ്‌ശൈനഹ്‌ ച േഭാkവയ്ം സവ്യം വിtമുപാ ജിതം
രസായനം iവ ്രപാjയ്‌ േഹലയാ ന കദാചന
the money one earns, if he is an intelligent person (for an idiot, no advice is
necessary), should be spent at a very slow pace with a lot of caution, and not in a
carefree manner. It is like taking medicines at the prescribed time and dosage.
what we find in this world is that people go all out to earn and amass money by
fair means or foul. But when it comes to spending they throw caution to the
winds. The advice in panchantantram is that one should earn money by himself
but when it comes to spending he should definitely be very cautious and
slow. There is no room for frivolity. It is just like many medicinal preparations
especially in ayurveda.. to prepare the rasaayanaas the doctor has to spend a lot of
time..the medicine maybe even very delicious. But for the patient the doctor
prescribes appropriated dosages...may be in small quantities. The patient has to
be insane to gobble up the whole medicine at a single sitting rather than
consuming it at timed intervals. Thrift is really a great virtue.... perhaps miserliness
is not.
46
गात्रं स कुिचतं गितर् िवगिलता द ताश ् च नाशंगताः
ि भ्रार् यित पम यप
ु हतं वक्त्रं च लालायते।
वाक्यं नैव करोित बा धव-जनाः प ी न शु ूषते
िधक् क ं जरयािभभत
ू -पु षं पुत्रोऽ यवज्ञायते॥१८९॥
gātraṁ samkucitaṁ gatir vigalitā dantāś ca nāśaṁgatāḥ
dṛṣṭirbhrāmyati rūpamapyupahataṁ vaktraṁ ca lālāyate |
vākyaṁ naiva karoti bāndhava-janāḥ patnī na śuśrūṣate
dhik kaṣṭaṁ jarayābhibhūta-puruṣaṁ putro'pyavajñāyate ||189||
pancatantram
ഗാ്രതം സംകുചിതം ഗതി വിഗളിതം ദnാ നാശംഗത

ദൃ ി ്രഭാമയതി രൂപമപയ്പഹതംവ്രkം ച ലാലായാെത
വാകയ്ം ൈനവ കേരാതി ബാnവജനാ പത്‌നി ന ശു്രശൂഷേത
ധിക്‌ ക ം ജരയാഭിഭൂതപുരുഷം പുേ്രതാപയ്വjായാെത
the pathetic condition of an elderly patriarch who has spend a whole life for the
upkeep of this family is desribed vividly in an extract from Panchatantram. The
body of the grandfather is shrunken, he negotiates his steps in a disorderly way, his
teeth have bidden him adiew with a promis to meet again in the next birth, his
eyballs are rolling around but providing him with little vision, the attractiveness of
the yonder youth if he had any had forsaken him and from the purselike mouth
flows the secretions from the mouth incessantly. The so-called relative do not
deem it prudent to utter any word to him and the wife has many other urget
occupations other than helping the husband at least in observing his daily chores
with some dignity, and to top it all the son nevermissed an opportunity to insult
this human being who is afflicted with old age
Friends this is the condition of all the elders who have striven hard and given
everything within their power, and in most cases gone out of their way to place all
they possess at the disposal of wife, children and family without any
selfishness. Whatever be their physical condition now, they are to be worshipped
like Gods, whether the old person is a male or female. In fact I have extracted such
a gruesome picture form an old kavyam only to appeal one all that it is our duty to
ensure that the old gems of our family and nation are bestowed the greatest
attention and care which are their fundamental right. Mind you, the
same condition is awaiting everyone.
47
९ यिु धि र
प्र यक्षं लोकतः िसद्धम ् लोका ागम पूवक
र् ाः
िश ाचारो बहुिवधो ब्रूिह तन ् मे िपतामह
१० भी म
धमर् य ि यमाण य बलविद्भर् दरु ा मिभः
सं थाय ैर ् अिप कृता कालेन पिरिभद्यते
११ अधमार् धमर् पेण तेणःै कूपा इवावत
ृ ाः
तत तैर ् िभद्यते व ृ म ् शण
ृ ु चैव युिधि र
१२ अव ृ या ये च िभ दि त त
ु यागपरायणाः
धमर्िवद्वे िषणो म दा इ यक्त
ु ा ते न स शयाः
१३ अत ृ य त तु साधन
ू ाम ् य एवागम बुद्धयः
परिम येव संतु ा तान ् उपास व च प ृ छ च
१४ कामाथ प ृ ताः कृ वा लोभमोहानस
ु ािरणौ
धमर् इ येव स बुद्धातान ् उपास व च प ृ छ च
१५ न तेषाम ् िभद्यते व ृ म ् यज्ञ वा यायकमर्िभः
आचाराः कारणम ् चैव धमर् ैवत्रयम ् पन
ु ः
9 yudhiṣṭira
pratyakṣaṁ lokataḥ siddham lokāścāgama pūrvakāaḥ
śiṣṭācāro bahuvidho brūhi tan me pitāmaha
10 bhīṣma
dharmasya hriyamāṇasya balavadbhir durātmabhiaḥ
saṁsthāyatnair api kṛtā kālena paribhidyate
11 adharmā dharmarūpeṇa teṇaiaḥ kūpā ivāvṛtāaḥ
tatastair bhidyate vṛttam śṛṇu caiva yudhiṣṭhira
12 avṛttyā ye ca bhindanti śrutatyāgaparāyaṇāaḥ
dharmavidveṣiṇo mandā ityuktāste na samśayāḥ
13 atṛpyantastu sādhūnām ya evāgama buddhayaḥ
paramityeva saṁtuṣṭāstān upāsasva ca pṛccha ca
14 kāmārthau pṛṣṭhatāḥ kṛtvā lobhamohānusāriṇau
dharma ityeva sambuddhātān upāsasva ca pṛccha ca
15 na teṣām bhidyate vṛttam yajñasvādhyāyakarmabhiaḥ
ācārāḥ kāraṇam caiva dharmaścaivatrayam punaḥ

'Tell me, O grandsire, which among these (four) is most authoritative, viz., direct
perception, inference from observation, the science of Agama or scriptures, and
diverse kinds of practices that distinguish the good.'
"Bhishma said, 'While Righteousness is sought to be destroyed by wicked

persons possessed of great might, it is capable of being protected for the time
being by those that are good exerting themselves with care and earnestness. Such
protection, however, avails not in the long run, for destruction does overtake
Righteousness at the end. Then, again, Righteousness often proves a mask for
covering Unrighteousness, like grass and straw covering the mouth of a deep pit
and concealing it from the view. Hear, again, O Yudhisthira! In consequence of
this, the practices of the good are interfered with and destroyed by the wicked.
Those persons who are of evil conduct, who discard the Srutis--indeed, those
wicked wights who are haters of Righteousness,--destroy that good course of
conduct (which could otherwise be set up as a standard). Hence, doubts attach to
direct perception, inference, and good conduct. Those, therefore, among the
good that are possessed of understanding born of (or cleansed by) the scriptures
and that are ever contented, are to be regarded as the foremost. Let those that
are anxious and deprived of tranquillity of soul, approach these. Indeed, O
Yudhishthira., do thou pay court to them and seek of them the solutions of thy
doubt! Disregarding both pleasure and wealth which always follow cupidity and
awakened into the belief that only Righteousness should be sought, do thou, O
Yudhishthira, wait upon and ask those persons (for enlightening thyself). The
conduct of those persons never goes wrong or meets with destruction, as also
their sacrifices and Vedic study and rites. Indeed, these three, viz., conduct as
consisting of overt acts, behaviour in respect of (mental) purity, and the Vedas
together constitute Righteousness.'
In the anusaasika parva these questions are raised by yudhistira to

bheeshma, under the advise of Lord Krishna himself. The enforcers of law have
a tendency to hold on to citations favourable to them and their interests and by
passage of time the original fundamental principles get obliterated. In such
situations reference to the original texts and taking the advise of the impartial
judges alone is the right way. Sticking to redundant precedents will often given
benefit only to vested interest. This is relevant as an argument even in a modern
court of law.
48
का ता-िवयोगः वजनापमानं ऋण य शेषं कुनप
ृ य सेवा।
दािर य-भावा िवमख
ु ं च िमत्रं िवनािग्नना प च दहि त कायम ्॥१४॥
चाणक्य नीित दपर्णं २ १४
kāntā-viyogaḥ svajanāpamānaṁ ṛṇasya śeṣaṁ kunṛpasya sevā |
dāridrya-bhāvād vimukhaṁ ca mitraṁ vināgninā pañca dahanti kāyam ||14||
cāṇakya nīti darpaṇaṁ 2 14
കാnാവിേയാഗ സവ്ജനാപമാനം ഋണസയ് േശഷം കു്രനിപസയ്

േസവാ
ദാരി്രദയ്ഭാവാത്‌ വിമുഖം ച മി്രതം വിനാgിനാ പ ച
ദഹnി കായം
The following five situations in life scorch one's body even without fire. (1) Loss
of one's wife (2) Insult from one's own kinsmen (3) the constant nagging of
indebtedness (4) service under a wicked king or government (5) the lack of
attachment exhibited by a dear friend when one is in poverty.
One usually feels so safe and secure when his wife is alive and is in constant
company either silently or otherwise. But when that companion for lifetime is
lost then alone the real pain is felt. Insult by kinsmen, indebtedness and the
unfriendly attitude of the so called friends when one is in penury are usual
happenings in one's life but situations are nevertheless most painful. Having a
wicked administration to control one is bad and the compulsion to serve under
such ruler is worse still...it hangs like a Damocles sword over one's head
49
त ृ णां िछि ध भज क्षमां जिह मदं पापे रितं मा कृथाः
स यं ब्रू नय
ु ािह साध-ु पदवीं सेव व िवद्व जनं।
मा यान ् मानय िविद्वषोऽ यनुनय प्रख्यापय प्र यं
कीितर्ं पालय दःु िखते कु दयाम ् एतत ् सतां चेि तम ्॥७८॥
नीितशतकं भतहर् ृ िर
tṛṣṇāṁ chindhi bhaja kṣamāṁ jahi madaṁ pāpe ratiṁ mā kṛthāaḥ
satyaṁ brūhyanuyāhi sādhu-padavīṁ sevasva vidvajjanaṁ |
mānyān mānaya vidviṣo'pyanunaya prakhyāpaya praśrayaṁ
kīrtiṁ pālaya duaḥkhite kuru dayām etat satāṁ ceṣṭitam ||78||
nītiśatakaṁ bhartṛhari
give up avariciousness for ever, practice patience, steer clear of arrogance, never
even think of committing a sin, always speak the truth, follow the path of the
great, serve withe devotion the learned people, give utmost respect where it is
due, be humble, always strive to safeguard the good reputation, be kind to one
who is in distress,...these are the natural course of action and code of conduct for
a blessed life.
even if we are able put to action even a small portion of the contents of this long
checklist, our lives will be much better in many respects
50
सु दां िहतकामानां न करोतीह यो वचः

स कूमर् इव दब
ु िुर् द्धः का ात ् भ्र ो िवन यित
suhṛdāṁ hitakāmānāṁ na karotīha yo vacaḥ
sa kūrma iva durbuddhiḥ kāṣṭāt bhraṣṭo vinaśyati
pañcatantraṁ
Let us have the full story from panchatantram
The person who does not heed his wellwishers and friends, owing to
hisfoolishness, meets the same destruction as
the stupid tortoise who fell from the stick and died."
In a lake there lived a tortoise namedKambugreeva. Two swans,

named Sankatand Vikat were his very close friends.Everyday the
three would sit by the lake andtalk about various devarshi,
maharshi and so on, and when the sun set they wouldreturn to their
homes. After some days, because of lack of rain, thelake slowly
started to dry up. The tortoise
was very sad and worried. Seeing him the swans said "Friend! This
lake has dried up.Now only swampy mud remains. Without
water how shall we live? This thought is worrying us."
On hearing the swans, the tortoise said -"Now, due to the lack of
water, my survival is not possible. Yet, you two should think about
saving me. It is said that" –
"In bad times, one should not abandon patience. It is quite possible
that with patience one can be delivered from the calamity. When the
boat breaks in the middle of the sea, its owner does not leave
patience and hope. On the contrary, hethinks of ways to reach the

shore."
"In addition, Manu has said" –
"During bad times an intelligent man shouldmake efforts to save his

kith and kin from the calamity. Through sincere efforts, it ispossible
to keep away trouble."
"You can get a strong rope or a small piece of stick. Search another
lake that has plenty of water. I will hold the middle of rope or
stickwith my teeth, and you can hold the twoends and fly, taking me
to the other lake."
The swans heard what Kambugreeva had tosay. They said, "Friend
we will do as youhave said. But, in this situation you will have to be
silent. If you are not silent you will fallfrom the stick."
After making the necessary arrangements, the swans were flying

and Kambugreevacould see the town below. The people in thetown
were astonished and were shouting,
"see! see! the birds are taking a circular thingand flying." On

hearing the people's din below,Kambugreeva said, "Friends! what is
this noise ?" Even before he could complete that he fell from the sky
and the people cut him to pieces. The loudmouthed tortoise was
done in by his own mouth.
With pranams from K.V,Ananthanarayanan, IRS, Addl Commissioner of Incometax, Trivandrum
1 devotion makes god out of stone
न दे वो �वद्यते का�े न पाषणे नमृण्म

भावे �ह �वद्यते देवः तस्माद् भावो �ह का
चाणक्यनी�तशतक
na devo vidyate kāṣṭhe na pāṣaṇe na mṛṇmaye|
bhāve hi vidyate devaḥ tasmād bhāvo hi kāraṇaṁ||
caaṇakyanītiśatakaṁ
ന േദേവാ വിദ�െത കാഷ്െട ന പാഷാെണ ന മൃന്
ഭാേവ ഹി വിദ�െത േദവ: തസ്മാത് ഭാേവാ ഹി കാര
It is futile to argue that god resides only in a piece of wood, or a part of a rock
or a lump of clay. It is the mind of the devotee which attributes divinity to an
idol made of wood, stone or clay. It is his devotion that is reflected by the
idol. So the attitude of the mind is the cause of everything.
The master implies that the idols are only symbols. True, but when millions of
minds perceive sacredness in that idol the idol will definitely turn into God.
--
2water, the mother and physician
ओमानम ् आपो मानुषीर ् अमु�ं

घात तोकाय तनयाय शं योः।
यूयं �ह � �भषजो मातृतमा
�व�स्य स्थातुर् जगतो ज�नत
ऋग्वेद ६----५०--७
oomānam āpo mānuṣīr amuktaṁ
ghāta tokāya tanayāya śa ṁ yoḥ|
yūyaṁ hi ṣṭha bhiṣajo mātṛtamā
viśvasya sthātur jagato janitrī||
ṛgvedaṁ 6----50--7
waters, you are the greatest friends of human beings, please give your
unfailing protection and blessings to our sons and grandson.
For you are the most benevolent and motherly physician, no, you are the
mother of all that are moving in remaining still.
The greatness and the life sustaining nature of the water was recognized all
the time and our forefathers were aware that the existence of future
generations hinged on our earnest attempt to worship and preserve the water
resource... so they equated water to the mother, the physician etc.,
--
kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com mob 09446508855

3initiative
प्रारभ्यते न खलु �वघ्नभयेनन

प्रारभ्य �वघ्न�नहता �वरमिन्त म
�वघ्नैमुर्हुमुर्हुर्र�प प्र�तहन
प्रारब्धमु�मगुणाः न् प�रत्यज
भतृर्हरे नी�तशतकम ् धैयर्पद्ध

prārabhyate na khalu vighnabhayena nīcai ḥ
prārabhya vighnanihatā viramanti madhyāḥ|
vighnairmuhurmurhurapi pratihanyamānā ḥ
prārabdhamuttamaguṇāḥ n parityajanti||
bhartṛhareḥ nītiśatakam dhairyapaddhatiḥ
praarabhyate na khalu vighnabhayena niichaiH

praarabhya vighnanihataa viramanti madhyaaH.
vighnairmuhurmurhurapi pratihanyamaanaaH
praarabdhamuttamaguNaaH n parityajanti..
bhartR^ihareH niitishatakam dhairyapaddhatiH
Men who are by nature cowards will never think of any new initiative
because the fear of defeat, real or imaginary has taken deep roots in their
psyche.
Another category of men are those who would give a try if the environs are
propitious, but would silently backout at the sight of the slightest possibility of
a setback.
But the really bold visionaries who are the salt of the earth, would start a
project with meticulous planning and will bring it to victorious conclusion
even if they face multiple roadblocks-many of them really tough-
(of course there is a difference between people who are assiduous and who are assinine... i
can be crowned as the leader of the second group... against heavy odds.. the worst being
eccentricity, I am prodding on with these slokas for about a year now... but i have not given
up not because i am noble but I do not have anything worthy to do apart from this.)

4 Aaapadi Kim Karaneeyam...?

By ananthanarayanan vaidyanatan
Aapadi Kim Karneeyam? Smaraneeyam padyayugalam ambaayaah, tat

smaranam kim kurute ? brahmaadeenapi kimkareekurute
॥आप�द �कं करणीयं स्मरणीयं पदयुगळमम्बायाः तद् स्मरणं �क ं कुरुते ब्र�
�कंकर�कुरुते
When one faces real threat to his existence, the only way out for him is the worship of
the lotus feet of Ambaa Sree Lalithaambika. And even if one remembers her for a
fleeting second, the entire world including the Brahmadeva Himself wait on his side
prepared to obey his orders.
The worship of a male god, as the fountainhead of all virtues and strength and a female
counterpart as the source of beauty, wealth and fertility is a common thread that runs
throughout almost all the ancient civilizations in the world. The greatest ever
civilization in the world, that of India also has the same tradition. In tribal worship we
can find the presence of this, either as Sakthi and Siva, Prakriti and Purusha or
whatever format and name that appealed to the ancient mind. The remnants of
Mohanjadaro and Harappa, which according to some schorlars is the starting point of
our Hindu Tradition, and by some others is a separate culture has left the remnants of a
fatherly male god the protector with a prominent phallus and a mother goddess, the
mother from whom springs all living beings, whose symbol is yonimudra. Whether that
culture was a separate one which went into ruins by some serious and shortlived
calamity, or which gave us the prototype of the prime Indian religion in its present
form, the worship of linga and yoni representing Shiva and shakti remains for ever.
In the beginning of Vedic culture the prominence was for the male gods under the
commandership of Indra with goddesses like Ushas, Medha, etc getting only fleeting
reference. Even in those periods the names of Goddesses like Swaahaa and Swadhaa
were prominent in connection with agni (fire) and aryamaa (the god of
pitrus). However may be out of human experience that one's own mother was the
greatest source of energy and protection for each of us and also the fact that the woman
as the wife alone can make the life of a male worth living, people started giving
prominence to the female as a deity. Through passing ages, in some cults, the mother
goddess gained ascendancy over the male counterpart. The tendency was germane even
in Vedas where great mantras were always considered as representing a female
deity. Gayathri is the most prominent example.
The prominence of Devi became unquestionable because life was never easy for any
members of an evolving culture, especially when it was subjected to a great extent by
non democratic controls by stronger constituents of the society, and the
suffering human being always craved for some mercy and tenederness and the woman

was always the embodiment of these virtues while the strong male was always
domineering.
In our country the fusion of the male and female divine forces is really
wonderful. Every great thinker and philosopher has underlined the mutual
complimenting of the male and the female forces.
Maybe the evolution is like this. The Lord Parameswara carried the entire universe on
His head in the shape of a crescent representing the upper worlds. In his matted hair he
carried the entire resources for the existence of humans, in the form of Ganga. He
carried the the two most potent natural sources of energy, the Sun and the Fire, in his
two eyes and the moon took his third eye. When concentrated evil oozed out in the form
of the poison Halahalam he gobbled it up and kept it as a concentrated lump in his
throat so that it cannot harm anyone. All the demonic forces, he kept under his feet in
the form of apasmaara. Then he burned of Kamadeva who created mutual attraction
between male and female, which represented happiness and fertility. This was too
much. The Sakthi, the prakriti, challenged this. She burned herself using her own yogic
powers. The world came to a standstill. Siva the purusha could not suffer the pangs of
separation. He carried the body of the burning Sakthi and ran amuck across the whole
country running and crying half in anger and half in anguish all the time. The
diplomat that is Mahavishnu, saw the catastrophe overtaking the universe and hence
he followed the Rudra at a safe distance and tactfully cut off one part after another of
the burning body of Sakthi. The pieces fell in one hundred and eight places in our
sacred country and each place became Sakthi Stala and the presence of Siva the great
and Vishnu the protector could be seen everywhere.
The things took a beautiful turn when the Sakthi again took birth as Parvathi and
adorned the Siva with the marriage garlands and the latter, realizing that it was too
difficult for himself to bear the brunt of maintaining the whole world all alone, gifted
half of his body to Shakthi, to become Ardhanaareeswara.
Adi Sankara, who is Lord Shiva himself. knew this well and so he proclaimed in the
Soundaryalahari....Sivah Sakthya yuktho yadi bhavati sakthah prabhavithum, na ched
evem devo na khalu kushalah spandithumapi.... Shiva when in the company of Shakthi
is capable of performing all the functions of creation, maintenance and destruction, but
the same God, if Sakthi is not with him will have the capacity even to move. a little
॥�शवः शक्त्या यु�ो य�द भव�त श�ः प्रभ�वतु चेदेवं दे वो न खलु कुशलः स्पिन्दतुम�
To express our gratitude to the mother who is the source of knowledge, wealth, energy
and all that is great we celebrate the Navarathri. The greatness of the celebration is in
its uniqueness that it is the one festival which is observed all over the country in all the
temples or households irrespective of what is the favourite deity of that temple or the
househlod.
May we place our pranaams at the lotus feet of the mother.Sree Maatre
Namah ॥श्रीमात्रे

5path to eterninty
प्राणाघातािन्नवृ��ः परधनह
संयमः सत्यवाक्य
काले शक्त्या प्रदानं युव�तज
मूकभावः परे षां
तृष्णास्रोतो�वभङ्गो गुरुषु च
सवर्भूतानुकम्
सामान्यं सवर्शा�ेष्वनुपहत�व
श्रेयसामेष पन्थ
भतृर्हरेः नी�तशतकम
prāṇāghātānnivṛttiḥ paradhanaharaṇe
saṁyamaḥ satyavākyaṁ|
kāle śaktyā pradānaṁ yuvatijanakathā
mūkabhāvaḥ pareṣāṁ
tṛṣṇāsrotovibhaṅgo guruṣu ca vinayaḥ
sarvabhūtānukampā
sāmānyaṁ sarvaśāstreṣvanupahatavidhiḥ
sreyasāmeṣa panthāḥ||
bhartṛhareḥ nītiśatakam
The following actions and traits will make a person eternally famous.
1. Abstaining from causing danger to the life of all beings.
2.Lack of inclination to steal others' wealth.
3.Truthfulness in words and deed
4.Inclination to help others financially at the appropriate time according to
ones own capacity.
5.Absolute silence when it comes to the question of respectable ladies of other
families.
6.Being helpful to poor and indigent people.
7.Complete sense of surrender to preceptors.
8.Capacity to see equality in all living beings and exhibiting compassion to
them.
9.Adequate knowledge in all types of arts and sciences.
The prescription of Bharthruhari is rather very tough and costly. If we can

emulate at least a few of the qualities, our lives will be splendid.

(friends, when i give the meaning of the verses, I do not go by the word by word
translation or consideration of syntax and grammatical rules..an erudite elaboration of
the ideas of the masters is beyond my idiotic mind. )
--

6bursting at the seams?

स भारः सौम्य भतर्व्यो यो नरं नावसादये
तदन्नम�प भो�व्यं जीयर्ते यद् अना
श्रीमद्वात्मी�करामायणं आरण् ५०--२७
sa bhāraḥ saumya bhartavyo yo naraṁ nāvasādayet|
tadannamapi bhoktavyaṁ jīryate yad anāmayaṁ||
śrīmadvātmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ āraṇyakāṇḍaṁ 50--27
സ ഭാര: െസൗമ� ഭര്തവ�ം േയാ നരം നാവസാദെയ
തദ് അന്നമപി േഭാക്തവ�ം ജീര�ാെത യദ്
One should undertake to bear only that much of load that he is capable of.
Similarly one should eat food only to the extent it will maintain him without
any illness.
It is the tendency of the overly ambitious persons to undertake to perform
things far beyond their capacity. In the end they are likely to fail and lose
respectability. The tendency to overeat is the cause of almost half the
problems in this worl

7intellectual slavery
परे षां चेतां�स प्र�त�दवसमारध्य बह
प्रसादं �कं नेतुं �वश�स हृदय क्लेशक�
प्रसन्ने त्वय्यन्तः स्वयमु�दत�चन
�व�व�ः सङ्कल्पः �कम�भल�षतं पुष्य�त न
भतृर्ह� वैरग्यशतक
pareṣāṁ cetāṁsi pratidivasamāradhya bahudhā
prasādaṁ kiṁ netuṁ viśasi hṛdaya kleśakalitaṁ|
prasanne tvayyantaḥ svayamuditacintamaṇigaṇo
viviktaḥ saṅkalpaḥ kimabhilaṣitaṁ puṣyati na te||
bhartṛhari vairagyaśatakaṁ
പേരഷാം േചതാംസി ്രപതിദിവസമാരധ� ബഹുധ

്രപസാദം കിം േനതും വിശസി ഹൃദയ േ�ശകലിത
്രപസെന്ന ത�യി: സ�യമുദിതചിന്താമണിഗേ
വിവിക: സങ്കല: കിമഭിലഷിതം പുഷ�തി ന െത
Oh my mind, why do you labour hard and repeatedly to please the hearts and
moods of others? If you can make yourself calm and clear, will not very pure
and spontaneous gems of thought arise from you ? And such noble thoughts
will pave way for the attainment of all your cherished goals.
Life is quite cumbersome for people who are forced to speculate in advance
what would please the boss or the elite who are to provide for
their subsistence. Gradually it becomes a habit with the ordinary human being
to extoll rightly or wrongly the thoughts and actions of others. Such dependence
on the whims of others kills the capacity of a human being to think calmly and
clearly and take decisions for himself. Intellectual slavery is worse than the
most potent poison.

8neither near nor too far
अत्यासन्ना �वनाशाय दूरस्था न फलप्

सेव्यतां मध्यभवेन राजा व��र् गुरुः ि�
चाणक्य नी�त
atyāsannā vināśāya dūrasthā na phalapradāḥ|
sevyatāṁ madhyabhavena rājā vahnir guruḥ striyaḥ||
cāṇakya nītiḥ
If one gets too close to a king, to fire, to a preceptor or a woman, it is doom for
him. But it will be equally disastrous to keep too much distance from them. A
sensible persons will do well to keep a balanced proximity with these people.
The favour of the king and men in power are essential for our existence. But
they wield the power to finish us in toto. A lot of discretion is required to deal
with them and also save our skin. Similarly, without fire, survival for us is well
nigh impossible. It is nice to cook our food but it may not be pleasant to cook
ourselves.
The preceptor is also of the same category. If we keep close to him he will be
driving us crazy with his dicta all the time and can become a stone tied around
our necks. But without the preceptor's advise and guidance we will be
nowhere. Here again discretion is the better part of valour. ( this would apply to
mother in laws also.)
The same discretion will save the day when we deal with women. They are like
beautiful and fragrant flowers to watch from the correct distance. If you go
near, the makeup will show. If you are far off, you will see nothing,
Familiarity breeds contempt.

9character
कदित्थर्तस्या�प च धैयर्वृ
न शक्यते धैयर्गुणः प्राम
अधोमुखस्या�प कृतस्य व�े
नाऽधः �शखा यािन्त कदा�चदेव
भ�ृर्ह� नी�तशतकं
kadartthitasyāpi ca dhairyavṛtter
na śakyate dhairyaguṇaḥ pramārṣṭuṁ|
adhomukhasyāpi kṛtasya vahner
nā'dhaḥ śikhā yānti kadācideva||
bharttṛhari nītiśatakaṁ
Even when a person with innate steady character is insulted and forced to
submission, he does not lose his boldness and capitulate. It is just like a flame
of a lamp. Even if the burning wick of lamp is held upside down, the flame
holds itself directed upwards alone.
Hard times can never dampen the character of a bold man.

10 live today
गते शोको न कतर्व्यो भ�वष ्यम् नैव �चन् तय

वतर्मानेन कालेन व�र्यिन्त �वच�ण
चIणक्यनी�
gate śoko na kartavyo bhaviṣyam naiva cintayet|
vartmānena kālena varttayanti vicak ṣaṇāḥ||
caṇakyanīti
ഗേത േശാേകാ ന കര്തേവ�ാ ഭവിഷ�ം ൈനവ ചിന്ത

വര്തമാെനന കാേലന വര്തയന്തി വ):
do not grieve over what has already happened, and do not worry over what is
going to happen.
The learned and brave men live up to the present situation with utmost ability
and sincerity.
Every lifestyle consultant or author has uses this dictum to encourage people
to live their life full.
Dale Carnegie asked us to live "in day tight compartments"
Someone said, "tomorrow, do thy worst, for I have lived today"
Shelley wrote
"We look before and after,
And pine for what is not:
Our sincerest laughter
With some pain is fraught;
Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought."
The advice by the master Chanakya and other greats should not lead us to
hedonism. We should be always conscious of the path we have trodden in
reaching the present state. Moreover we should have a clear-cut action plan
for the future. But while performing today's duties we should not be bogged
down by our past and future.
--

11 the supreme being
अपा�णपादो जवनो गृह�ता

पश्यत्यच�ुः सशृणत्यकण
स वे�� वेद्यं न च तस्यािस्त
तं आहुर ् अस्यं पुरुषं iन्तं
�ेता�तरोप�नषद ३-१९
apāṇipādo javano gṛhītā
paśyatyacakṣuḥ sa śṛuṇatyakarṇaḥ|
sa vetti vedyaṁ na ca tasyāsti vettā
taṁ āhur asyaṁ puruṣaṁ mahantaṁ||
śvetāśvataropaniṣad 3-19
അപാണിപാേദാ ജവേണാ ഗൃഹിതാ
പശ�ത�ചക്ഷു സ ്രശുണത�त
സ േവത്തി േവദ�ം ന ച ത)സ്തി േവ)
തംആഹൂര്‍ അo പുരുഷം മഹാന്
Without hands or feet he walks and grips, without eyes he sees everything,
without ears, he hears everything.
He knows whatever that is to be known but none knows what He is.
Him we call the almighty primordial god (purusha)
This stanza in upanishad comes from the awe and respect we have for the
unknown force whose presence we feel but whom we are not able to measure
through our sense organs.

12 Fwd: glorious deeds
द�रद्र कृतं दानं शून्य�लङ्गस्य पूजन

अनाथप्रेतसंस्कारः अस्वमेधसमं �व
सुभा�षतशतकत्र
daridrāya kṛtaṁ dānaṁ śūnyaliṅgasya pūjanam|
anāthapretasaṁskāraḥ asvamedhasamaṁ viduḥ|
subhāṣitaśatakatrayaṁ
ദരി്രദായ കൃതം ദാനം ശൂന�ലിംഗസ� പൂജന
അനാഥേ്രപതസംസ്കാരം അസ�െമധസമം വി:
In our religion and culture, performance of the Aswamedha sacrifice is
considered to be the most pious and glorious action in a successful mans life.
Such performance is supposed go bestow one with all prosperity and
suzeranity over people. Some of the philanthropic act are equated to this
great sacrifice in this sloka. To lend a helping hand to the suffering fellow
human being comes first. Sometimes the idols of some temples (here idol of
Lord Siva is cited) are left uncared due to change in the circumstance of the
inhabitants of the terrain. If one takes it upon himslelf the renovation of the
fallen temple and arranging for proprer worship of the God in the shape of
idol, the same benefits as that would enure on performance of aswamtha
yagna. A human being, however poor and helpless he is deserves a diginified
burial or cremation of his mortal remains. If a person voluntarily undertakes
to perform the final rites for the dead person, he is equal in status to one who
has performed aswamedha.
True, aswamedha is a meaningless rite today. But we should see its

importance as seen by our forefathers of four or five millenia ago.
Helping the poor, taking initiative in the renovation of a place of worship and
most important helping in giving a diginified burial to an unclaimed human
corpse are really glorious acts even today. (I have seen many
pamphlet calling for help for temple renovation...This is an appropriate sloka
which can form caption to such appeals)

13 beware of inborn enemies
कापर्ण्येन यशः क्रुधा गुणचयो दंभेन सत्यम

मयार्दा व्यसनैधर्नं च �वपदास् प्रमादै�द्व
पैशुन्येन कुलं मदेन �वनयो दु�े�या पौरु
दा�र�येण जनादरो ममतया चात्मप्रकशो ह
सुभ�षतशतकत्र
kārpaṇyena yaśaḥ krudhā guṇacayo daṁbhena satyam kṣudha
maryādā vyasanairdhanaṁ ca vipadā sthairyaṁ pramādairdvijaḥ|
paiśunyena kulaṁ madena vinayo duśceṣṭayā pauruṣaṁ
dāridryeṇa janādaro mamatayā cātmaprakaśo hataḥ||
subhaṣitaśatakatrayaṁ
A man's reputation is lost by idiotic actions. By exhibition of uncontrollable
anger he loses all his noble traits. Honesty is sacrificed at the altar of pride. A
person is forced to shed all his dignity on the face of insatiable hunger. All the
hard earned money will be squandered away through bad habits. When one
faces extreme danger, his courage drains away. A learned man is ruined by
wrong actions committed through forgetfulness. Deliberate cruelty perpetrated
by a member annihilates the entire clan. A fellow throws to winds his humility
because of excessive arrogance..
A person's manhood is ruined by wrong and immoral actions. When a person is
reduced to penury, his popularity and respect in the society reach lowest ebbs.
And a person loses all his knowledge and discretion when a sense of excessive
attachment to mundane things haunts him.
--

14 balance of convenience
वरं न राज्यं न कुराज राज्

वरं न �मत्रं न कु�मत्र�
वरं न �शष्यो न कु�शष्य�शष
वरं न दारा न कुदारदार॥
चाणक्यनी�त
varaṁ na rājyaṁ na kurāja rājyaṁ
varaṁ na mitraṁ na kumitramitraṁ|
varaṁ na śiṣyo na kuśiṣyaśiṣyo
varaṁ na dārā na kudāradāra ||
cānakyanītiḥ
വരം ന രാജ�ം ന കുരാജ രാജ�ം
വരം ന മി്രതം ന കുമി്രതമി്
വരം ന ശിേഷ�ാ ന കുശിഷ� ശിേഷ�ാ
വരം ന ദാരാ ന കുദാരദാരാ
It would be better for one to wander as a nomad than staying as a subject of a
wicked king.
It is far more beneficial for one to remain friendless than having a circle of
friends who would not hesitate to scheme against him or double-cross him.
It would give more peace of mind to a scholar or teacher if he does not have
any disciple than having unruly wicked disciples in plenty.
And it would the greatest boon for any man not to have a wife than being
bound by wedlock to a shrew

15 accountability
राजा रा�कृतम ् भुङ्�े रा�ः पापं पुरो�हतः

भतार् च �ीकृतं पापं �शष्यपापं गुरुस्
चाणक्य नी�त
rājā rāṣṭrakṛtam bhuṅkte rājñaḥ pāpaṁ purohitaḥ|
bhartā ca strīkṛtaṁ pāpaṁ śiṣyapāpaṁ gurustathā||
cāṇakya nītiḥ
രാജാ രാ്രഷ്ടകൃതം ഭുങ്ങ്െ: പാപം പുേരാഹിത:

ഭര്ത്താഷ ച സ്്രതീകൃതം പാപം ശിഷ�പാപം ഗു
The ruler has to bear the brunt of all the sins committed by his subjects. The
Royal preceptor will have to suffer for the sins of the King. The husband is
responsible for the wrong actions of his wife and will have to atone for them
and the sins of the disciples goes to the teacher.
Chanakyas logic is that the subjects tend to go wayward when the ruler is not
effective. It is the duty of the royal preceptor who is also the minister to aid and
advise the king and lead him in the right path. The lady (of the relevant period)
was under the protection and care of the husband and if there are aberrations
in her activities, the husaband was solely responsible for it. The disciple learns
all the lessons of his life from his teacher, and if the teacher imparts improper
education the disciple will lose proper direction in life and the sin should
definitely be credited to the account of the guru.
--

16 what is our worth?
न�लनीदलगतजलम�ततरलं तद्वद्जी�वतम�तशयचप
�विध्दव्याध्य�भमानग लोकं शोकगतं च समस्तं
याव�द्व�ोपाजर्नश�ः तावद् �नजप�रवारो
प�ाद् जीव�त जजर्रदे हे वातार्म् कोऽ�प न पृच्छ�त ग
यावत्पवनो �नवस�त देहे तावद्पृच्छ�त कुशलं गे
गतव�त वायौ दे हापाये भायार् �बभ्य�त तिस ्मन् का
nalinīdalagatajalamatitaralaṁ tadvadjīvitamatiśayacapalaṁ|
vidhdivyādhyabhimānagrastaṁ lokaṁ śokagataṁ ca samastaṁ||
yavadvittopārjanaśaktaḥ tāvad nijaparivāro raktaḥ|
paścād jīvati jarjaradehe vārtām ko'pi na pṛcchati gehe||
yāvatpavano nivasati dehe tāvad pṛcchati kuśalaṁ gehe|
gatavati vāyau dehāpāye bhāryā bibhyati tasmin kāye|
भजगो�वन्द शङ्करभगवत्पद
bhajagovindaṁ śaṅkarabhagavatpadāḥ
The water droplet that land up on a lotus leaf retain their globular nature and
run helter skelter and in fleeting seconds they will fall into the lake and
disappear. Likewise our life is also very fleeting and one can never guess when
the semblance of life leave our body. And this body is governed by diseases,
arrogance and anxiety. and the world is in the grip of abject sorrow
So long as we are capable of earning money everyone in our family will be very
cordial to us. Once we retire or are not in a position to bring in money to the
household, everyone will be oblivious of us. They will feign ignorance of our
existence to the extent that they will not even talk to us.
So long as the life breath lingers in our body everyone around will be making
anxious enquiries about our welfare. One the final breath is gone and the body
just falls flat, even one's own wife will be terrified of the body.
So in this world of pain and contrasts there is only one way to exists... pray
hard to Lord Govinda ..
भज गो�वन्दं भज गो�वन्दं गो�वन ्दम् भज मूढ
bhaja goivindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ govindam bhaja mūḍhamate
--

17 beautiful forests
आञ्जनगिन्धम् सुर�
ब�न्नां अकृषीवलां
प्राहंमृगाणां मात
अरण्यानीम् अशिम्सष
ऋग्वेदम१०-१४६-६
āñjanagandhim surabhiṁ
bahvannāṁ akṛṣīvalāṁ|
prāhaṁ mṛgāṇāṁ mātaraṁ
araṇyānīm aśamsiṣaṁ||
ṛgvedam10-146-6
ആന്ജനഗന്ധിംസുര
ബഹ�ന്നാം ആകൃഷിവല
്രപാഹംമൃഗാനാം മാതര
ആരണ�്ആനിം അശംസിഷം
we shower praise on Aranyaani, the beautiful goddess of forest, who is always

soothing with balms born in her trees and herbs, who spreads her fragrance far
and wide, who is self sufficient in food for her inhabitants and guests, who is the
mother of all animals who have taken shelter in her bosom, and possesses lands
untouched by ploughs.
the importance of pristine forests was always recognised by our ancestors. No

poaching.

18 goats and their king fox
स्वा�मना प्र�तकूलेन प्रजास्ती�णेन

र�यमाणा न वधर्न्ते मेष गोमायi यथi॥
वाल्मी�करामायणम आरण्यकण्डम४१-----१४
svāminā pratikūlena prajāstīkṣṇena rāvaṇa|
rakṣyamāṇā na vardhante meṣa gomāyuna yatha||
vālmīkirāmāyaṇam āraṇyakaṇḍam 41-----14
സ�ാമിനാ ്രപതികുെലന ്രപജാസ്തീക്ഷ് െണന

രക്ഷ�മാണാ ന വര്ധ്
this is again an advise from the wizened bird gransire jadayu to the arrogant
Ravana, who is in the process of abducting seethadeve. But it can easily form
the part of the preamble tp any civilized constitution
with a ruler who cares nothing for the welfare of his subject but in tern very
stern and cruel to them, the population of the country dwindles in population
as if the subjects are goats and sheep and the rule is a fox.
the contemporary siginificance of this sloka needs no elaboration. If our rulers

just glance through such great texts, even if it not our of devotion, our destiny
would have been safer in their hands

18 devotion makes god out of stone
न दे वो �वद्यते का�े न पाषणे नमृण्म

भावे �ह �वद्यते देवः तस्माद् भावो �ह का
चाणक्यनी�तशतक
na devo vidyate kāṣṭhe na pāṣaṇe na mṛṇmaye|
bhāve hi vidyate devaḥ tasmād bhāvo hi kāraṇaṁ||
caaṇakyanītiśatakaṁ
ന േദേവാ വിദ�െത കാഷ്െട ന പാഷാെണ ന മൃന്
ഭാേവ ഹി വിദ�െത േദവ: തസ്മാത് ഭാേവാ ഹി കാര
It is futile to argue that god resides only in a piece of wood, or a part of a rock or
a lump of clay. It is the mind of the devotee which attributes divinity to an idol
made of wood, stone or clay. It is his devotion that is reflected by the idol. So
the attitude of the mind is the cause of everything.
The master implies that the idols are only symbols. True, but when millions of
minds perceive sacredness in that idol the idol will definitely turn into God.
--

19 water, the mother and physician
ओमानम ् आपो मानुषीर ् अमु�ं

घात तोकाय तनयाय शं योः।
यूयं �ह � �भषजो मातृतमा
�व�स्य स्थातुर् जगतो ज�नत
ऋग्वेद ६----५०--७
oomānam āpo mānuṣīr amuktaṁ
ghāta tokāya tanayāya śaṁ yoḥ|
yūyaṁ hi ṣṭha bhiṣajo mātṛtamā
viśvasya sthātur jagato janitrī||
ṛgvedaṁ 6----50--7
waters, you are the greatest friends of human beings, please give your unfailing
protection and blessings to our sons and grandson.
For you are the most benevolent and motherly physician, no, you are the
mother of all that are moving in remaining still.
The greatness and the life sustaining nature of the water was recognized all the
time and our forefathers were aware that the existence of future generations
hinged on our earnest attempt to worship and preserve the water resource... so
they equated water to the mother, the physician etc.,
--

20 initiative
प्रारभ्यते न खलु �वघ्नभयेनन

प्रारभ्य �वघ्न�नहता �वरमिन्त म
�वघ्नैमुर्हुमुर्हुर्र�प प्र�तहन
प्रारब्धमु�मगुणाः न् प�रत्यज
भतृर्हरे नी�तशतकम ् धैयर्पद्ध

prārabhyate na khalu vighnabhayena nīcaiḥ
prārabhya vighnanihatā viramanti madhyāḥ|
vighnairmuhurmurhurapi pratihanyamānāḥ
prārabdhamuttamaguṇāḥ n parityajanti||
bhartṛhareḥ nītiśatakam dhairyapaddhatiḥ
praarabhyate na khalu vighnabhayena niichaiH

praarabhya vighnanihataa viramanti madhyaaH.
vighnairmuhurmurhurapi pratihanyamaanaaH
praarabdhamuttamaguNaaH n parityajanti..
bhartR^ihareH niitishatakam dhairyapaddhatiH
Men who are by nature cowards will never think of any new initiative because
the fear of defeat, real or imaginary has taken deep roots in their psyche.
Another category of men are those who would give a try if the environs are
propitious, but would silently backout at the sight of the slightest possibility of a
setback.
But the really bold visionaries who are the salt of the earth, would start a
project with meticulous planning and will bring it to victorious conclusion even
if they face multiple roadblocks-many of them really tough-
(of course there is a difference between people who are assiduous and who are assinine... i can be
crowned as the leader of the second group... against heavy odds.. the worst being eccentricity, I am
prodding on with these slokas for about a year now... but i have not given up not because i am
noble but I do not have anything worthy to do apart from this.)

21 path to eterninty
प्राणाघातािन्नवृ��ः परधनह
संयमः सत्यवाक्य
काले शक्त्या प्रदानं युव�तज
मूकभावः परे षां
तृष्णास्रोतो�वभङ्गो गुरुषु च
सवर्भूतानुकम्
सामान्यं सवर्शा�ेष्वनुपहत�व
श्रेयसामेष पन्थ
भतृर्हरेः नी�तशतकम
prāṇāghātānnivṛttiḥ paradhanaharaṇe
saṁyamaḥ satyavākyaṁ|
kāle śaktyā pradānaṁ yuvatijanakathā
mūkabhāvaḥ pareṣāṁ
tṛṣṇāsrotovibhaṅgo guruṣu ca vinayaḥ
sarvabhūtānukampā
sāmānyaṁ sarvaśāstreṣvanupahatavidhiḥ
sreyasāmeṣa panthāḥ||
bhartṛhareḥ nītiśatakam
The following actions and traits will make a person eternally famous.
1. Abstaining from causing danger to the life of all beings.
2.Lack of inclination to steal others' wealth.
3.Truthfulness in words and deed
4.Inclination to help others financially at the appropriate time according to ones
own capacity.
5.Absolute silence when it comes to the question of respectable ladies of other
families.
6.Being helpful to poor and indigent people.
7.Complete sense of surrender to preceptors.
8.Capacity to see equality in all living beings and exhibiting compassion to them.
9.Adequate knowledge in all types of arts and sciences.

The prescription of Bharthruhari is rather very tough and costly. If we can

emulate at least a few of the qualities, our lives will be splendid.
(friends, when i give the meaning of the verses, I do not go by the word by word translation or
consideration of syntax and grammatical rules..an erudite elaboration of the ideas of the masters
is beyond my idiotic mind. )
--

22 bursting at the seams?
स भारः सौम्य भतर्व्यो यो नरं नावसादये

तदन्नम�प भो�व्यं जीयर्ते यद् अना
श्रीमद्वात्मी�करामायणं आरण् ५०--२७
sa bhāraḥ saumya bhartavyo yo naraṁ nāvasādayet|
tadannamapi bhoktavyaṁ jīryate yad anāmayaṁ||
śrīmadvātmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ āraṇyakāṇḍaṁ 50--27
സ ഭാര: െസൗമ� ഭര്തവ�ം േയാ നരം നാവസാദെയ
തദ് അന്നമപി േഭാക്തവ�ം ജീര�ാെത യദ്
One should undertake to bear only that much of load that he is capable of.
Similarly one should eat food only to the extent it will maintain him without any
illness.
It is the tendency of the overly ambitious persons to undertake to perform
things far beyond their capacity. In the end they are likely to fail and lose
respectability. The tendency to overeat is the cause of almost half the
problems in this world.

23 test for friendship
आढ्यो वाऽ�प द�रद्रो वा दुः�खतः सु�खतोऽ�प

�नद�षो वा सदोषो वा वयस्यः परमा ग�तः
श्रीमत्वात्मी�करामायणं �किष्कन्द८---८
āḍhyo vā'pi daridro vā duḥkhitaḥ sukhito'pi vā|
nirdoṣo vā sadoṣo vā vayasyaḥ paramā gatiḥ||
śrīmatvātmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ kiṣkindākaṇḍaṁ 8---8
A bosom friend should be given protection at any cost, whether he is from a

high family or whether he is from a lowly background, whether he is in a
depressed mental condition or he is happy, whether he is innocent or is guilty of
some offence,
The basic human law is that one should not give upon his friend even when the
latter is placed in the most desparate conditions. When the friend is having a
good name and other comforts, and when there is expectation of getting
something back, all persons will be magnanimous and play the friendship card
with enthusiasm. But the litmus test for real friendship comes when one of
them is in dire strait and the other has to take bold and risky steps to provide
succour to the suffering friend.

24 humility or right perception?
आ प�रतोषाद् �वदुषां न साधु मन्ये प्रयोग�वI

बलवद�प �श��तानाम ् आत्मन्यप्रत्ययं II
का�लदास शाकुन्तल
मन्दः क�वयशः प्राथ� ग�मष्याम्युपहास
प्रांशुलभ्ये फले लोभत् उद्बाहु�रव व
का�लदास रघुवंशं
ā paritoṣād viduṣāṁ na sādhu manye prayogavijñānaṁ
balavadapi śikṣitānām ātmanyapratyayaṁ cetaḥ
kālidāsa śākuntalaṁ
mandaḥ kaviyaśaḥ prārthī gamiṣyāmyupahāsyatāṁ|
prāṁśulabhye phale lobhat udbāhuriva vāmanaḥ||
kālidāsa raghuvaṁśaṁ
Kaalidasa the greatest Indian poet ever born, declared in the opening part of
abijnana saakunthalam that he could never be confident of his capacity to
create a Nataka, till the same is staged and approved by the learned. He
quips, "even in the thoroughly learned, lack of self assuredness is very
manifest."
Again while chronicling the lives of the great monarachs of the race of Raghu in
his Mahakavyam.. Raghuvamsam, he is faced with lack of self confidence....he
says, " perhaps a dull person as I am and is in pursuit of immortal fame in
wordcraft, and my state is verily same as a dwarf standing under a tall mango
tree ladent with fruits and jumping up again and again in the hope of plucking
some fruits when the fruits are confined to the reach of really tall men
If Kalidasa felt so how should the lesser mortals feel?
--

25 raaja dharma is curious
न ृशंसमन ृशंसं वा प्रजार�णकारणात

पातकं वा सदोषं वा कतर्व्यम् र�ता सद
राज्यभार�नयु�ानां एष धमर्ः सनतI
श्रीमद्वाल्मी�करामयणम् बाल २५-१८
nṛśaṁsamanṛśaṁsaṁ vā prajārakṣaṇakāraṇāt|
pātakaṁ vā sadoṣaṁ vā kartavyam rakṣatā sadā||
rājyabhāraniyuktānāṁ eṣa dharmaḥ sanatanaḥ
śrīmadvālmīkirāmayaṇam bālakāṇḍaṁ 25-18
We find an apparent conflict between ethics and political duty even in the first
ever Kaaya in Sanskrit.
The first and foremost duty of a ruler is to look after the welfare of his subjects,
this the the eternal duty ordained to him. In the process of ensuring the welfare
of his own people the king may do things which are praiseworthy and
acceptable to all or at times he may have to do things which may not be popular
at all. The action may involve committing sin in the general sense, the action
may be condemnable in the eyes of the onlookers. but the superior dharma of a
king that will overshadow and act in conflict with the copybook virtues is to
ensure the welfare of his own subjects.
The laws of governance are quite complicated. The government may have to
use cruel tricks and heavy punitive measures to shatter rebellious moves against
the integrity of his Nation. In diplomacy it may be forced to tell utter lies
and resort to colourable means like espionage to safeguard the Nations
interest. It may be forced to be tough and intolerant against groups whose
ideas may be noble but pedagogic especially when dry principles may cut deep
at the root of the sovereignty of the Nation. Every country will have its own
secret sins but such sins committed to safeguard the welfare and unity of the
Nation usually become symbols of national pride. When it comes to one's own
country nothing can be wrong if it is done for its welfare.
--

26 no labour when the stomach is empty
काल�तक्रमणाच्चैव भ�वेतनोयोभृर्
भतुर्ः क ुप्यिन्त दुष्यिन्त सोऽनथर्ः सुमहान

श्रीमत्वाल्मी�करामयणं अयोध्याका१००-३४
kālatikramaṇāccaiva bhaktavetanoyorbhṛtāḥ|
bhartuḥ kupyanti duṣyanti so'narthaḥ sumahānsmṛtaḥ||
śrīmatvālmīkirāmayaṇaṁ ayodhyākannḍaṁ 100-34
കാലാതി്രകമണാത് ൈചവ ഭക്തെവതനേയാര്ബ്

ഭര്ത കുപ�ന്തി ദുഷ�ന്തി േസാനര്ത്ഹ സുമഹാ
A great principle of strategic importance is envisaged in the aadikaavayam. If a

king makes inordinate delay in providing adequate food and salary to his
troops, the warriors get angry with the master, and in time start to speak about
him in abusive terms and such a situation is the harbinger of future disaster.
It is a universal fact that everyone works for others under the expectation that
he will be adequately rewarded with salary in time. The workers dreams and
expectations all rally round the pay packet. If the salary is not forthcoming at
the appropriate time no one will have any motivation to go further. This
situation has led to many a revolution in human history. All wage earners are
vulnerable when in comes to salary, but the soldiers are more so. They have to
keep themselves fit to defend the ruler, and simultaneously they have to look
after their near and dear who are living far away, counting days in expectation
of financial supplies from the soldier.

27 account is not yet closed
ननु सद्योऽ�वनीतस्य दृश्यते कमर्ण

कालोऽप्यङ्गीभवत्यत्र सस्याना�मव
श्रीमद्वाल्मी�करामायणं आरण्यक४१--२७
nanu sadyo'vinītasya dṛśyate karmaṇaḥ phalaṁ|
kālo'pyaṅgībhavatyatra sasyānāmiva paktaye||
śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ āraṇyakānḍam 41--27
The evil effects of committing sinful acts do not manifest immediately. Like
seed sowed in a field the effects of sin also take time to germinate and grow
strong enough.
But there a huge difference. The sins committed take the gestation period to
grow strong and hit back at us.. But the seed grow(if the seeds are good) to give
us the wealth of grain.
The slow and sure behaviour of Fate often lulls us into a state of false
security. We commit unpardonable sins without any immediate backlash. So
we get bolder under the notion that nothing will happen and we can get away
with anything. But be sure, we will get it back with principal and penal interest.

28 time - space combination never reapeats
दे शकाल�वह�ना�न कमार्�ण �वपर�तवत्

�क्रयमाणा�न दुष्यिन्त हवींष्यप्रय
श्रीमद्वाल्मी�करामायणं युद्६३--६
deśakālavihīnāni karmāṇi viparītavat|
kriyamāṇāni duṣyanti havīṁṣyaprayateṣviva||
śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ yuddhakāṇṭaṁ 63--6
േദശകാലവിഹീനാനി കര്മdണി വിപരീതവത

്രകിയമാനാനി ദുഷ�ന്തി ഹവീമ്ഷി അ്രപയെ
Even a very noble act performed without considering the location and time may
not yield the desired result but can boomerang on us. Comparison can be
drawn from the sacred offering for a yajna prepared meticulously being kept in
a dirty pot getting rotted.
For everything there is a time. To cite one glaring example found among the neo
rich, and neo prominent leading lights of the society. They may have their
parents and other dear ones suffering in poverty and ailment in the remotest
places. But when they die, a lot of noises are made.. The dead body is decked
in silk and exhibited in air conditioned environment. Sandals and unguents
rinsed in crocodile tears abound. Sycophants and so called friends throng
around the affluent son or daughter and blow sonorous conches, but had a
very little portion of this attention been devoted to the departed soul in his
lifetime, the calamity would not have happened at all. We appear to be
excellent undertakers(who look after the dead body) but not good in
performing what we undertake.

29 till when the soil is damp and fertile
यावत ् स्वस्थो�यं दे
यावत ् मृत्यु� दूरतः
तावदात्म�हतं कुयार ्
प्राणान्ते �कं क�रष्
चाणक्यनी�
yāvat svasthohyayaṁ deho
yāvat mṛtyuśca dūrataḥ|
tāvadātmahitaṁ kuryāt
prāṇānte kiṁ kariṣyati||
cāṇakyanīti
യാവത് സ�സ്േതാഹ�യം േദേ
യാവത് മൃത�ുശ്ച്ച ദ
താവദ് ആത്മഹിതം കുര
്രപാണാേന്ത കിം കരിഷ
ചാണക�നീതി
One should perform all good and fruitful deeds to enhance his own status on
this earth and beyond it, when he is in the peak of physical and mental health
and can presume with reasonable assurance that death is far away. What can
be done for a person once his lifespan is over?
This terse advice is given by all the philosophers, gurus and lifestyle consultants
all the time. May be the words and sentences would be couched in hyperbole.
It is a truth everyone should realize and tell others also. The great master
Chanakya naturally included this in his treatise.

30 the unbreakable knot
पूषा त्वेतो नयतु हस्तग

अि�ना त्वा प्र् वहतां र
गृहान ् गच्च गृहप�ी यथास
व�शनी त्वम् �वदथं आ वदा�
ऋग ् १०-७५-२६
सुमङ्गल��रयं वध
इमां समेत पश्य
सौभाग्यम् अस्यै द�वा
ऽथास्तं �व परेत
ऋक् १०-८५-३३ अथ १४--२--२७
सम्राजी �शुरे
सम्राजी ��वां
ननान्द�र सम्राजी
सम्राह� अ�ध देवृ
ऋग ् १०-८५-४६ अथ १४-२-४४
समञ्जन्तु �व�े देव
सं आपो हृदया�न न
सं मात�र�ा सम ् धाता
समुद्रे�ी दधातु
ऋक् १०-८५-४७
द�घार्युरस्तु मे प�तर् जीवा�त शरदः शतम

अथ ् १४-२-६३
इहे मा�वन्द्र सं नुद चक्रवाक ेव
अथ ् १४-२-६४
इहैव स्तम् मा �व यौ�

�व�ं आयुर ् व्य�ुत

क्र�ळन्तो पुत्रै र् न�
मोदमानौ त्वे गृह
ऋग ् १०-८५-४२
पु�त्रणा ता कुमा�र
�व�ं आयुर ् व्य�ुत
उभा �हरण्यपेशस
ऋग ् ८-३१-८
pūṣā tveto nayatu hastagṛhya
aśvinā tvā pr vahatāṁ rathena
gṛhān gacca gṛhapatnī yathāsau
vaśinī tvam vidathaṁ ā vadāsi
ṛg 10-75-26
sumaṅgalīriyaṁ vadhū
imāṁ sameta paśyata
saubhāgyam asyai dattvāyā
'thāstaṁ vi paretana
ṛk 10-85-33 atha 14--2--27
samrājī śvaśure bhava
samrājī śvaśrvāṁ bhava
nanāndari samrājī bhava
samrāhī adhi devṛṣu
ṛg 10-85-46 atha 14-2-44
samañjantu viśve devāh
saṁ āpo hṛdayāni nau
saṁ mātariśvā sam dhātā
sanudreṣṭrī dadhatu nau
ṛk 10-85-47
dīrghāyurastu me patir jīvāti śradaḥ śatam|
ath 14-2-63
ihemmamindra saṁ nuda cakravākeva daṁpatī
ath 14-2-64
ihaiva stam mā vi yauṣṭhaṁ

viśvaṁ āyur vyaśnutaṁ

krīḻanto putrair naptṛbhir
modamānau tve gihe
ṛg 10-85-42
putriṇā tā kumāriṇā
viśvaṁ āyur vyasnutaḥ
ubhā hiraṇyapeśsā
ṛg 8-31- 8
One friend had asked me to indicate some important marriage manthras and
accordingly I do it.
The procedural rituals vary from place to place and I shall try to convey the
basic rituals in a different individual message. The manthras quoted above are
tribute to all ladies who enter the conjugal vow with men..The respect given to
the woman in the house as a wife perhaps may not find any parallel in any other
culture. There may be the mother icons everywhere, but the importance as a
wife herself is underlined without room for equivocation in the hoary traditions
recorded in the Vedas. The uniformity in thought can be gauged from the fact
that the manthras get repeated in the most ancient rig veda and the
comparatively modern atharva veda.
The bride is entering the ritualistic location, her hand held by the god puushan
(one form of the sun god) the twin gods of medicine the Ashwins are
accompanying her in the chariot.. and she is going away from her house to that
of her husband and she is blessed that she may become the ruler of the
household and the main spokesperson of the assembly in her husbands place.
The nubile bride who has become sumangalii is introduced to all. 'This bride has
attained the status of a wife..she is bringing fortune to this house..come all of
you and look at her...Please wish her full happiness before you return home'.
The bride is blessed to join the supreme place in the household " May your
father in law treat you with affection as if you were a queen. May your mother
in law treat treat you with love as if you were a queen. May your sisters in law
love and respect you as if you were a queen. May your brothers in law repect
and adore you as if you were a queen"
The husband prays for conjugal unity " May all Gods and all waters unite our
hearts. Especially the gods Mathariswa, dhaata, and dheshtri, make us very
close.

The bride prays to the gods and elders " May my husband live long, and we will
live together for hundred years...bless us"
The elders pray for the couple " Join the couple here, Indra... they resemble the
chakravaka and its mate. ( The chakravaka is a symbol for mutual devotion of
the couple. if one loses its life, the mate will die in grief.)
The lifelong union of the ideal couple as expressed by elders in their blessing
"May you two dwell in this house, never parted, you enjoy the full life span as
prescribed by vedas, may you have the fotune to play together with your sons
and grandsons,"
The prayer of the couple "With sons and daughters abounding, may we live long
adorned in rich dresses an precious ornaments".

31 i hold thy hand
गृ�ा�म त्वाम् सौभगत्वाय हस

मया पत्या जरद��र् यथासः
भगो अयर्मा स�वता पुरिन्द
म�म ् त्वादुर् गाहर्पत्याय देव
ऋग्वेदं१०-८५-३६ अथवर्णवेदं१४-१-५०
gṛhṇāmi tvām saubhagatvāya hastaṁ
mayā patyā jaradaṣṭhir yathāsaḥ|
bhago aryamā savitā purandir
mahyam tvādur gārhapatyāya devāḥ|
ṛgvedaṁ 10-85-36 atharvaṇavedaṁ 14-1-50
gruhnami twaam saubhagatvaaya hastham

mayaa patyaa jaradhashtir yadasah
bhago aryamaa savitaa purandir
mahyam twaadur gaarhpatyaaya devaah
I take your hand in mine for good fortune with the prayer that you also will to
old along with me, your husband.
Deities bhage, aryamaaa savitha and purandhi have given you to me to be the
mistress of my house.
This paanigrahana mantram has united couples of India for thousand of
years. The word garhapathyam implies that the good wife becomes the real
leading spirit of the household taking the husband to her protection and
affection. There is another aaseervadahmanthram in vedas, दशास्याम् पुत्राण
अन्ते प�तमेकादशम् कृ�धdaśāsyām putrāṇam ante patimekādaśam kṛdhi, you
beget ten sons and make your husband the eleventh son.. the position given to
woman as a wife in our cuture was indedd very exalted

32 international concord
सं�ानम ् स्वे�भः सम ्ज्अनं अरणे�भ

सम्�ानं अि�ना युव
इहास्मासु �न यच्छत१॥
सं जानामहे मनसा सं �च�कत्व
मा युष्म�ह मनसा दैव्ये
मा घोषा उत स्युर् बहुले �व�नहर्
मेषुः प�द् इन्द्रस्याहन्२॥
अथवर्णवेदम्७--५२
saṁjñānam svebhiḥ samanaṁ araṇebhiḥ|
samjñānaṁ aśvinā yuvaṁ
ihāsmāsu ni yacchataṁ||1||
saṁ jānāmahe manasā saṁ cikitvā
mā yuṣmahi manasā daivyena |
mā ghoṣā uta syur bahule vinirhate
meṣuḥ paptad indrasyāhanyāgate||2||
atharvanavedam 7--52
May there be concord with our people, may there be concord with foreign
people,
Aswins (you two inseparable twins--gods of medicine) may you two create
concord amongst ourselves and concord with the foreigners
May we unite in our minds, unite in our purposes and NOT fight against the
divine spirit within us.
And may not the battle cry rise amidst many that lay slain all around
May the arrows of Indra (who defends us from foes) fall only for limited use.
It is indeed a great feel to see that many peace charters of universal peace
might have knowingly or unknowingly used the same idea while reaching the
concord. Here, the twin gods ashwins are invoked because they are inseparable
and devoid of any mutual acrimony. They are also the gods of medicine, and
indeed great role can be played by medical men in effecting unity among all
races.. the idea of not using fire against rescue teams of the Red Cross etc., are
germane in this ancient vedic mantra.
--

33 no fear when all around us are friends
अभयं �मत्र अभयं अ�मत्र

अभयं �ाताद अभयम ् पुरो यः।
अभयं न�ं अभयं �दवा नः
सवर आशा मम �मत् भवन्तु
अथवर्णवेद १९--१५--६
abhayaṁ mitrād abhayaṁ amitrād
abhayaṁ jñātād abhayam puro yaḥ|
abhayaṁ naktaṁ abhayaṁ divā naḥ
sarva āśā mama mitraṁ bhavantu||
atharvaṇavedaṁ 19--15--6
abhayam mitraad abhayam amitraad
abhyam jnaathaad abhayam puro yah
abhayam naktham abhayam dive nah
saravaa aasha mama mitram bhavanthu
(i am giving the plain english transliteration because the machine created transliteration sometimes show
as garbage in some machines.)
Let there be no fear for us from our friends. Let there be no fear for us from
those who are not our friends. Let there be no fear for us from what is known
to us. Let there be no fear for us the one who stands before us.. Let
fearlessness envelop us all along days and nighths. Let us pray that all beings
and phenomena around us become our dearest friends.
The fearlessness comes from the recognition that we have only friends all
around and that friends will ensure that we will remain fearless for ever.
Maybe a friendship day message from Atharavana Vedam.

34 from nothingness
नासद् आसीन्नो सद् आसीत् तदा

नासीद् रजो नो व्योमो परो यत
�कम ् आवर�वः कुह कस्य शम-
न्नम्भः �कम् आसीद् गहनं गभी१
न मृत्युर् आसीद् अमृतम् न त�
न रा�या अ� आसीत ् प्रकेत
आनीद् अवातं स्वध्या तद्
तस्माद्धान्यन् न परः �कं च२
nāsad āsīnno sad āsīt tadānīṁ
nāsīd rajo no vyomo paro yat|
kim āvarīvaḥ kuha kasya śarma-
nnambhaḥ kim āsīd gahanaṁ gabhīraṁ||1
na mṛtyur āsīd amṛtam na tarhi
na rātryā ahna āsīt praketaḥ|
ānīd avātaṁ svadhyā tad ekam
tasmāddhānyan na paraḥ kiṁ canāsa||2
ऋग्वेदं१०-१२९
ṛgvedaṁ 10-129
there was neither non reality, nor reality then; there was no air or the ether
beyond it; how to know what lay covered by whom and where, who gave it
shelter, whether there were the deep fathomless waters? There was no death
and there was no life immortal, there were no means to indicate day and night,
but the ONE (the supreme) breathed, without air, and apart from
THAT(supreme being) there was nothing else, whatsoever.
The above are the first two stanzas of Naasadiiya sooktham, the hymn to
nothingness, and human mind was just pondering over the state of the
universe before it evolved to the present state. Every researcher studying the
theories on evolution, must have started from this exalted gem of human

thought.
One should say Human thought never soared to dizzier heights beyond this
--

36 till your land and do not play dice
अ�ैर् मा द�व्यः कृ�षम् इत् कृषस

�व�े रमस्व बहु मन्यमान
तत्र गावः �कतव तत्र

तन ् मे �व च�े स�वतायं अयर्ः
akṣair mā dīvyaḥ kṛṣim it kṛṣasva
vitte ramasva bahu manyamānaḥ|
tatra gāvaḥ kitava tatra jāyā
tan me vi caṣṭe savitāyaṁ aryaḥ||
ऋग्वेदं१०---३४---१३
ṛgvedaṁ 10---34---13
Oh man! Do not waste your time in playing dice, go and till the soil and grow the
grains. Enjoy yourself on the gains you earn and you earn your respect also in
turn. The supreme Lord Savita says that your cows and calves, your wife and
family and your welfare are all existing there (in hard work) in safety.
Even the ancient Vedic Wisdom understood the average man's tendency to live
an idle life and earn easy money through gambling. Vedas also recognized the
fleeting nature of gains from such activities. Agriculture was the primary job of
the earliest inhabitants of the Indus--gangetic plane and it is advised that one
can have a settled and purposeful life only by engaging in purposeful work and
spending the days in the sweet company of one's wife and family.
The working of the human mind has changed very little till now.

37 pranams to Lord Ganesha
संपूजकानां प�रपालकानां िजतेिन्द्रयाणां च तपोधनान

दे शस्य र�स्य कुलस्य र करोतु �स�द्धं भगवान् गणेश
saṁpūjakānāṁ paripālakānāṁ jitendriyāṇāṁ ca tapodhanānāṁ|
deśasya raṣṭrasya kulasya rājñaḥ karotu siddhiṁ bhagavān gaṇeśaḥ||
may Lord Ganesa who is the fountainhead of all glory, ensure the welfare of the
devotees who worship Him, the noble men who look after and protect the
establishment of lofty ideas and projects, the sages who have won over their
sense organs and are rich in penance. May He also bless our region, our
beloved country, the clans and the king (the established government).
Pranams to the Supreme Lord on Chaturthi day
Lord Ganesha symbolizes knowledge, simplicity, universal love and
brotherhood, victory of virtue over evil, self control, penance, and all lofty ideas
human brain could conceive of. Millenniums ago the worship of Ganesha has
started, perhaps even before the start of codified and well defined religions. All
around the globe wherever we go we are sure to find some symbolic worship of
this great Lord..For us in India, Lord Ganesha is the symbol of our national pride
and we can never forget the role played by Ganesha worship in our struggle for
independence. Whatever we offer Him, He accepts with love and returns to us
thousandfold. The tattwa of Ganapathi transcends and will outlive all religions
and cults.
Let us offer our profound love to the most adorable Godhead represented by
Ganesha.

38 apt indicators
अभ्यासाद्धायर्ते
कुलं शीलेन धायर्ते
गुणेन �ायते त्वायर
कोपो नेत्रेण गम्य
abhyāsāddhāryate vidyā
kulaṁ śīlena dhāryate|
guṇena jñāyate tvāryaḥ
kopo netreṇa gamyate||
चाणक्य ने�तसूत
cāṇakya neetisūtraṁ
Education is entirely dependent on practice and more practice, a man's nobility

in birth is measured by his good character, the respectable preceptor is
recognized by his innate good manners and the anger exploding in the mind of a
man can be easily identified by the fire lurking in his eyes.
There are so many opinions endorsing the greatness of constant practice.."
practice makes it perfect.." "intelligence is one hour of inspiration and 23 hours
of perspiration...etc."
Only a man with an exemplary character can be credited with high birth and
caste or creed are no criteria. A guru should first develop the exemplary
manners he expects to find in his disciples. And most of us who are working
under hierarchically rigid bosses may not be able to show our anger explicitly
but the eyes will show it. Even If we have no bosses still we have wives, mothers
or sisters and may be the mother-in-law --excellent replicas of the bosses.

39 anger is the worst enemy
क्रुद्धः पापं न कुयार्त्कः क्रुद्धो हन

क्रुद्धः परुषया वाचा Iधून�ध��पेत ्॥
श्रीमद्वात्मी�कर सुन्दरकाण् ५५---५
kruddhaḥ pāpaṁ na kuryātkaḥ kruddho hanyātgurūnapi|

kruddhaḥ paruṣayā vācā naraḥ sadhūnadhikṣipet||
śrīmadvātmīkirāmayaṇaṁ sundarakāṇḍaṁ 55---5
A man under the grip of anger may commit even the most heinous crimes
because he has lost all his senses. He may murder his preceptors or parent
even. He may cause irreparable damage to himself and the noble men by
abusing the latter in harshest terms. There is no sin that is beyond him in such a
state of mind.
Maybe a man who is mad or drunk is better than a man who is in rage.
--

40 no expiation for the ungrateful
ब्र�घ्ने च सुरापे च चोरे भग्नव्रत

�नष्कृ�त�वर्�हता स�द्भः कृतघ्ने नािस्त �नस
brahmaghne ca surāpe ca core bhagnavrate tathā|
niṣkṛtirvihitā sadbhiḥ kṛtaghne nāsti niskṛtiḥ||
श्रीमद्वात्मी�करामायणं �किष्कन् ३४----१२

śrīmadvātmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ kiṣkindhākāṇḍaṁ 34----12
The learned sages have prescribed suitable expiation for the grave sins like
murdering of a learned man, consuming hooch, burglary or breaking of holy
vows. But no expiation is prescribed for the sin of being ungrateful.

41 colleagues or enemies?
उपायकुशलं वैध्यं भृत्यसंदूषणे रत

शरमै
ू �यर्कामं च यो न हिन्त स वध्य
श्रीमद्वात्मी�करामायणं अयोध्य १००----३०
upāyakuśalaṁ vaidhyaṁ bhṛtyasaṁdūṣaṇe rataṁ|
śūramaiśvaryakāmaṁ ca yo na hanti sa vadhyate||
śrīmadvātmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ ayodhyākāṇḍaṁ 100----30
If a person does not restrain a colleague who is (1) not responsive to the advice
of the learned, (2) who is taking extra pleasure in constantly maligning and
teasing his own subordinates and servants (3) who is bold but extremely
avaricious in the matter of material wealth, he will be visited with ruin.
In fact the sloka in the epic would suggest that if a person does not annihilate a
colleague with the above three qualities, the former would lose his life. But
contextually we cannot imply death or murder here. It is clear that
the qualities mentioned above are inborn in persons who are ambitious but
immature. The problem with such people is that they can not only ensure their
own downfall but also drag even innocent associates to ruin.

42 all alone
कः कस्य पुरुषो बन्धुः �कमाप्यं कस्य केन

यदे को जायते जन्तुर ेक एव �वनश्य�
श्रीमद्वाल्मी�करामायणं अयोध्या१०८----३
kaḥ kasya puruṣo bandhuḥ kimāpyaṁ kasya kenacit|
yadeko jāyate jantureka eva vinaśyati||
śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ ayodhyākāṇḍaṁ 108----3
43 retaliate and be ruined
न परः पापमाद�े परे षां पापकमर्णां

समयो र��तव्यस्तु सन्त�ा�रत्रभू
�श्रमद्वाल्मी�करामायणं युद्११६---४२
na paraḥ pāpamādatte pareṣāṁ pāpakarmaṇāṁ|
samayo rakṣitavyastu santaścāritrabhūṣaṇāḥ||
śrimadvālmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ yuddhakāṇḍaṁ 116---42
Noble men do not waste their time in dwelling upon and retaliate the insults
and slightings they receive at the hands of the mean people. For them time is
very precious and has to be saved with care to maintain their own character and
purity.
One of the greatest psychological truths is describes with such ease in the
aadikaavya. If one is to think of retaliation and revenge in respect of the wrong
action on the part of others, his own mind will be vitiated and he will be left
with hardly any time of good sense to mind his own better business.
--

44 sin of the subject catches the king
यो �धमर्काय� वा �वषये पा�थर्वस्य

करो�त चाश्रीमूलं तत्पुरे वा दुमर्�तन
��प्रं च नरकं या�त स च राजा न संशय
yo hyadharmakāryaṁ vā viṣaye pārthivasya tu|
karoti cāśrīmūlaṁ tatpure vā durmatirnaraḥ||
kṣipraṁ ca narakaṁ yāti sa ca rājā na saṁśayaḥ|
श्रीमद्वाल्मी�करा उ�रकाण्डं७४---२९
śrīmadvālmīkirāmāyaṇaṁ uttarakāṇḍaṁ 74---29
A wicked man committing an unlawful and condemnable act, of course invites

for himself incarceration in the worst hell. He does not stop with this. He
attaches the sin committed by him on the ruler of the kingdom and duly drags
the innocent monarch also to the hell to enjoy the privileges of the original
sinner.
Even though democracy was not a widely accepted political theory in India of
yore, accountability of the ruler towards his subject was a well established
idea. It was the duty of the king to prevent any sin being committed by anyone
in his kingdom.
--

44 forward march
प्रेता जयता नर इन्द्र वः शमर्

उग्रा वः सन्तु बाहवोऽनाधृष्या यथ
ऋग्वेद१०---१०३--१३ सामवेद १८६२ यजव
ु �द वाजसने�य सं�हत १७--४६ अथवर्वेद३-
-१९--७
pretā jayatā nara indra vaḥ śarma yacchatu|
ugrā vaḥ santu bāhavo'nādhṛṣyā yathāsatha||
ṛgveda 10---103--13 sāmaveda 1862 yajurveda vājasaneyi saṁhita 17--
46 atharvaveda 3--19--7
this is a song of victory.. wishing success to all in their endeavours, though

symbolically it is a war song.
Go forward and conquer, you heroes! May God give you protection. Valiant be
your arms, so that you may remain unconquered.
The intrinsic character of our ancestors was to be bold and worship heroism.
They never allowed fear or hesitation to mar their march to victory.
The greatest significance of this mantra is that it is universal in nature, it finds its
place in all the four vedas.

45 Saraswathi
यस्ते स्तनः शशयो यो मयोभू

येन �व�ा पुष्य�स वायार्�
यो र�धा वसु�वद् यः सुदत
सरस्व�त तं इह धातवे कः
ऋग्वे---शुक्लयजुव�--अथवर्णवे
yaste stanaḥ śaśayo yo mayobhūr
yena viśvā puṣyasi vāryāṇi|
yo ratnadhā vasuvid yaḥ sudatraḥ
sarasvati taṁ iha dhātave kaḥ ||
ṛgveda---śuklayajurveda--atharvaṇaveda
O mother Sarawathi ( the goddess as well as the river) Your breast is the source
all well-being. You feed and nourish all that is good with your breast. They are
the source of all treasures, wealth and gifts to your children... Mother you lay
them bare for our nourishment.
The supreme power of intellect is portrayed as mother here. Also, the eternal
source of life, namely the water borne by the river has also the status of
mother.

46 krishna, my sweet krishna
अधरं मधुरं वदनं मधुरं

नयनं मधुरं ह�सतं मधुरं।
हृदयं मधुरं गमनं मधुर
मथुरा�धपतेर�खलम ् मधुरं॥
मथुरा�कं ----वल्लभाचाय
adharaṁ madhuraṁ vadanaṁ madhuraṁ
nayanaṁ madhuraṁ hasitaṁ madhuraṁ|
hṛdayaṁ madhuraṁ gamanaṁ madhuraṁ
mathurādhipaterakhilam madhuraṁ||
mathurāṣṭakaṁ----vallabhācārya
His lips are sweet, His face is sweet, His eyes are sweet, His smile is sweet, His
heart is sweet, His gait is sweet, everything that relates to the Monarch of
Mathura is sweet and sweet alone.
Today is celebrated as the birthday of the greatest ever myth and reality human
mind has ever created or felt...Krishna. What are we to call him.. a living being,
a phenomenon, an school of thought incarnate, a tribal deity, a consummate
teacher, a benevolent despot... like his innumerable names, his qualities are
also innumerable. Human life, at least Hindu life and its culture could not have
been sustained without the idea of Krishna. In other religions He is existing
in different names, perhaps.
When a sannyasi who has renounced everything worldly, Vallabha, is recalling
the sweetness of the lips, face, eyes, smile, heart and the gait of this wonderful
Child, one can feel how deeply the lovely tattwa of Krishna has mesmerized
even the most mature minds of all times.

47 like father like son
ज्ये�ो भ्राता �पता चैव य� �वद्यां प्

त्रयस्ते �पतरो �ेया धम� प�थ �ह व�तर
यवीयानत्मनः पुत्रः �शष्य�ा�प गुणो�
पुत्रव�े त्रयि�न्त्या धमर्�ेदत
वात्मी�करामायणम् �किष्कन्धाका १८ १३--१४
jyeṣṭho bhrātā pitā caiva yaśca vidyāṁ prayacchati|
trayaste pitaro jñeyā dharme pathi hi vartinaḥ||
yavīyānatmanaḥ putraḥ śiṣyaścāpi guṇoditaḥ|
putravatte trayaścintyā dharmaścedatra kāraṇaṁ||
vātmīkirāmāyaṇam kiṣkindhākāṇḍaṁ 18 13--14
Our elder brother and the great preceptor who imparts knowledge to us are to
be given respect equal to our own father, yes, all of them are our fathers.
Likewise, the younger brother and the virtuous disciple are to be treated by us
with equal affection as is due to our own sons, yes all of them are our own
sons.
--

48 kaamokaarshiid manyurakaarshiid namo namah
कामोऽकाष�न्नम नमः। कामोऽकाष�त्काम करो�त नाहं करो�म कामः कतार् नाहं कता
कामः कार�यता नाहं कार�यता एष ते काम कामाय स्वाहाः
मन्युरकाष�न्न नमः। मन्युरकाष�न्मन्युः क्रो�त नाहम् करो�म मन्युः कतार्ना
मन्युः कार�यता नाहं कार�यता एष ते मन्यो मन्यवे स्वा
महानरायणोप�नषत ् ६१ ६२
kāmo'kārṣīnnamo namaḥ| kāmo'kārṣītkāma karoti nāhaṁ karomi kāmaḥ
kartā nāhaṁ kartā kāmaḥ kārayitā nāhaṁ kārayitā eṣa te kāma kāmāya
svāhāḥ|
manyurakārṣīnnamo namaḥ | manyurakārṣīnmanyuḥ kroti nāham karomi
manyuḥ kartā
nāhaṁ kartā manyuḥ kārayitā nāhaṁ kārayitā eṣa te manyo manyave svāhāḥ|
mahānarāyaṇopaniṣat 61 62
Salutations to the gods. Desire performed the act. Desire did the act. Desire is
doing the act, not I. O Desire, fascinating in for, let this oblations be offered to
thee, Hail
Salutations to the gods. Anger performed the act. Desire did the act. Anger is
doing the act, not I. O anger, let this oblation be offered to thee.
These mantras as from Taittariya Aranyaka of Krishna Yajurveda. The latter is
found in rgveda also. Brahmins belonging to the Krishna yajurveda school,
chant a shortened form of this manthra every day once during the oblations
to Sandhya three times a day. On the upakarma day, this year it falls on today,
this manthra in shortened form is repeated 1008 times as expiation by way of
confession that many of our acts are instigated by desire and anger over which
we have little control most of the time, and, therefore we are trying to
propitiate them so that they will get out of our way.

49 shadow of friendship
आरम्भगुव� ��यणी क्रम

लघ्वी पुरा वृ�द्धमती च प�ा
�दनस्य पूवार्द्धर् पराद्धर
च्छायेव मैत्री खलसज्जन ान
ārambhagurvī kṣayiṇī krameṇa|
laghvī purā vṛddhimatī ca paścāt||
dinasya pūrvārddha parārddha bhinnā|
cchāyeva maitrī khalasajjanānām||
भतृर्ह� नी�तशतकं ४९
bhartṛhari nītiśatakaṁ 49
The friendship with a silly idiotic person will appear to be very serious and
weighty in the beginning but slowly the relation will get thinner and thinner
with time to disappear into obscurity. However the friendship of a noble person
may look insignificant at the start but as time progresses and the understanding
is fortified, it progresses from strength to strength
The two phenomena are like the disappearance and the growth of a shadow in
step with the movement of the Sun from dawn to midday and midday to
dusk. The shadow at sunrise will be very long but by midday it will be very
small or inexistent. This phase is compared to the friendship with an idiot. From
midday to sunset, the shadow gets longer and longer..and this is compared to
the friendship with noble souls.
--

50 Lord Dhanwantari in human form
गुरोरधीता�खल वैद्य�व
पीयूषपा�णः कुशलः �क्रयास
गतस्पृहो धैयर्धरःकृपा
शद्धोऽ�धकार
ु � �भषगीदृशः स ्य
guroradhītākhila vaidyavidyaḥ
pīyūṣapāṇiḥ kuśalaḥ kriyāsu|
gataspṛho dhairyadharaḥ kṛpālu
śuddho'dhikārī bhiṣagīdṛśaḥ syāt|
The ideal doctor is described here.
He should have acquired abundance of education from the Masters in the field
and also have training . He should be so learned and beloved that he should be
considered the living form of the Lord Sree Dhanwantari with the pot of
Nectar, He should be dexterous in absolute terms while engaged in
profession.. While on his profession he should be bereft of personal likes or
dislikes and the removal of the distress of the patient alone should be his
concern. He should be and should appear to look very bold and confident while
giving treatment. His compassion should know no bounds. He should be clean
physically and mentally... The candidate for this profession should be
slected from the most eligible.
The doctor trained in Allopathy is expected to take the following oath and
follow it to his end.
THE OATH OF HIPPOCRATES
I SWEAR by Apollo the physician and Æsculapius, and Health, and All-heal,
and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment,
I will keep this Oath and this stipulation — to reckon him who taught me this
Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and
relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing
as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it,
without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of
instruction,
I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers,
and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of

medicine, but to none others.

I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and
judgement, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever
is deleterious and mischievous.
I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel;
and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion.
With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my Art.
I will not cut persons labouring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by
men who are practitioners of this work. Into whatever houses I enter, I will go
into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of
mischief and corruption; and, further, from the seduction of females or males, of
freemen and slaves. Whatever, in connection with my professional service, or not
in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be
spoken of abroad,
I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret. While I
continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and
the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times. But should I trespass
and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot.
Do we find any difference between the Indian expectation spelt out in a simple
sloka and the above oath in the name of Apollo?
And to the great credit of professionals in this field, the Doctors world
over have alway lived up to the expectations of the patients except perhaps for
small and rare aberrations .
They as a class have been the greatest boon from God and have kept the world
blessed by their presence.

51 young or old, lion is lion
�ुत ् �ामोऽ�प जराकृशो�प �श�थलप्रायोऽ�प क�ां दशा

आपन्नोऽ�प �वपन्नद��ध�तर�प प्राणेषु नश्यत
म�ेभेन्द्र�व�भन्नकुंभ�प�शतग्रासैकबद्
�कं जीण� तृणम�� मानमहतामग्रेसरः केसर
kṣut kṣāmo'pi jarākṛśopi śithilaprāyo'pi kaṣṭāṁ daśāṁ|
āpanno'pi vipannadīdhitirapi prāṇeṣu naśyatsvapi||
mattebheendravibhinnakuṁbhapiśitagrāsaikabaddha spṛhaḥ|
kiṁ jīrṇaṁ tṛṇamatti mānamahatāmagresaraḥ kesarī||
भ�ृर्ह� नी�तशतकं २१
bharttṛhari nītiśatakaṁ 21
Will the lion eat the sun dried grass in the forest, even if he is emaciated with
hunger, even if he is dogged by old age, even if he is facing very difficult times,
even if he has lost all his vigour and ebullience of his prime youth, what to say,
even if he is facing a real threat of losing his own life?
The food for the king of the forest can be only the hard pieces of flesh he has
extracted from the forehead of a rowdy elephant by splitting it with his
powerful hits. The lion is very proud of his eminence and valour and his own life
is not very important to it in comparison.
The master poet is explaining how a person with true self respect should
behave. Bad times, poverty, ill health, and even the possibility of imminent
death should not deter him from his upright and bold attitude, because death
overtakes everyone one day or the other, but the really great people outlive the
death of the physical body.

52 character is the charm
�मत्रं स्वच्छततया �रपुं नयबलैलुर्ब्धं धनै

काय�ण �द्वजमादरेण युव�तं प्रेम्णा समैबार
अत्युग्रं स्तु�त�भर् गुरुं प्रण�त�भमूर्ख� कथा
�वद्याभी र�सकं रसेन सकलम् शीलेन कुयार्द
mitraṁ svacchatatayā ripuṁ nayabalairlubdhaṁ dhanairīśvaraṁ|
kāryeaṇa dvijamādareṇa yuvatiṁ premṇā samairbāndhavaṁ||
atyugraṁ stutibhir gururṁ praṇatibhirmūrkhaṁ kathābhirbhudhaṁ|
vidyābhī rasikaṁ rasena sakalam śīlena kuryādvaśaṁ||
�हतोपदे शम ्
hitopadeśam
One can always maintain intimacy with a bosom friends by being just natural.
With appropriate strategy and show of strength one can keep his enemy at bay.
A miser can be kept pleased only by supply of more funds,( so also every officer
superintendent)
One's favourite God can be propitiated through service ( to all humans).
A beautiful young lady can be made happy through romance (not for old uncles
like me....I just quote hitopadesam). One's relatives will be happy if one shows
the sense of equality and identity with them. We lose many close relations by
flaunting our own so called status. For the parents we are just the sons and
daughters and for the siblings we are only brothers or sisters.( for them does it
make any difference that you are a top bureaucrat or a stinkingly rich
businessman?)
To keep a ferocious being away from attacking us is only by vocal praise in
place or out of place ( the ferocious thing can appear in so many forms....wife,
boss. mother in law, to cite a few examples) .
The only way the preceptor can be kept happy is by prostrating at his feet (it
will do more good to the disciple than the teacher..especially when the disciple
is prostrating to just pull the master down).
The learned person will be pleased when one shares his knowledge and
erudition with humility. .
One can keep an inveterate idiot only by engaging him with silly talk.
A connoisseur in fine arts will be pleased when the art is performed to

perfection.
And everyone in the world will be pleased with one's good manners and
character.
--

53 let me blow the conch even if it is on deaf ears.
धम� भजस्व सततं त्यज लोकधमार

सेवस्व साधुपुरुषाञ्ज�ह कामतृष्
अन्यस्य दोषगुण�चन्तनमासु मुक
सेवाकथारसमहो �नतरां �पब त्वं
dharmaṁ bhajasva satataṁ tyaja lokadharmān
sevasva sādhupuruṣāñjahi kāmatṛṣṇāṁ|
anyasya doṣaguaṇacintanamāsu muktvā
sevākathārasamaho nitarāṁ piba tvaṁ||
श्री �शल्हण�मश्रस्य शािन ्

śrī śilhaṇamiśrasya śāntiśatakāt
follow the virtuous path with staunch determination, give up the silly mundane
functions, seek out and serve the noble men , give up for ever carnal
desires, give up the habit of always contemplating and elaborating on the faults
and foible of others and praise the service of others and engage yourself in
fruitful service.
I think the first step in the pathway to virtue is giving up telling about the
wrong deeds of others and starting to interpret how bad you yourself are. Then
giving up on Carnal desires.. every person nowadays wants to look at
and craves to being looked upon as a don juan or venus...how to give up that
habit? And seeking out the noble man to serve... in an atmosphere where
leaders of our society would expect us that if we see a seer and a serpant
together, to kill the seer first,, And again how can anyone survive without
shifting the blame of others.. a man running carelessly along a slippery path
falls down and breaks his head but blames the sight of a cat or a widow in the
morning as the cause, one committing a mistake in office starts blaming
everything right from printing paper, computer keyboard, the absence of peon
or the bald head of his boss, but not anything about his own inefficiency..
I am really wasting my morning sleep, but it is not a big deal because I am an

incurable insomniac...

And one will see a consummate idiot in me when I repeat the same thing, but
again it is a fact

54 life is fleeting
प्राणं वा�प प�रत्यज्य मानमेवा�भ

अ�नत्यो भव�त प्र मानमाचन्द्रता
prāṇaṁ vāpi parityajya
mānamevābhirakṣatu
anityo bhavati
prāṇaḥ mānamācandratārakaṁ
്രപാണം വാപി
പരിത�ജ� മാനെമവാഭിരക്ഷ
അനിേത�ാ ഭവതി ്രപാണ മാനം
ആച്രന്ദതാ
do not hesitate even to lay down your life to

uphold your rectitude and unblemished
name. This life is flleeting but ones good
name survives so long as the moon and sun
last.

55 worst sins
अकायर्कायर्वक�ण� स्तेनो भ्रूणह गुरु

वरुणोऽपामघम्रषणस् तसात् पापात् �मुच
akāryakāryavakīrṇo steno bhrūṇaha gurutalpagaḥ|
varuṇo'pāmaghamraṣaṇastasāt pāpāt prmucyate||
महानारायणोप�नषत ् १-----६८
mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat 1-----68
the Lord of Waters and the destroyer of Sins Varuna, will expiate one who
worships the gods of water, of even the five mahaapatakas or most heinous sins
, (1) working contrary to the dictates of the scriptures, (2) being disloyal to ones
own promises out of cowardice (3) causing destruction to the human foetus in
the womb (4) indulging in robbery or coveting the wealth of others and (5)
causing disrepect to the preceptor by entering his bed .
This mantra has twin purpose. First, to extoll the greatness of water... it is said
to release one from the panchamahapaatakas themeselves. It should not be
taken as a licence to commit sins. One should not think that he can gleefully
commit all the sins and wash off his hand. Secondly the moral standards of our
ancestors. Absolute faithfulness to the Vedas, one can understand. Our
ancestors strongly believed that if solemn promises made by the constituents of
the society are not kept it would lead to imbalance even in the working of
natural forces. When Yudistira lied even once partially, it is said that his chariot
which always moved floating about one foot above the ground suddenly
dropped down to earth with a thud. Now our society is very permissive about
termination of pregnancies but our ancestors could not ondone it. They belived
more in continence. In fact sexual copulation was ordained to be limited only
for the furtherace of the race. The fate of Aswathaam who directed the
Brahmasiraastram on the womb of Uttara to annihilate the foetus of
abhimanyus son growing there is well known. And entering the Guru,s bed has
more serious meaning to it.... it is not mere sleep.

56 they keep us alive
अमृतं सद्गुणा भायार्अमृतं बालभा�ष

अमृतं राजसम्मनं अमृतम् मानभोजनं
amṛtaṁ sadguṇā bhāryā amṛtaṁ bālabhāṣitaṁ|
amṛtaṁ rājasammanaṁ amṛtam mānabhojanaṁ||
The following are like elixir for a man's life. A wife rich in adorable qualities,
presence of small children at home with their endearing talks, obtaining
honours and respects from the king or the government, and the capacity to
have daily meals in a respectable way.
Once a schism develops between a man and his wife, the lives of both are lost
for ever. At present we are trying to find many alternate remedies for it but it
would appear definite that for the human race the pairing of one male and a
female for a lifetime is the happiest thing . Without children with their plays
and pranks, every house is empty..The children may be sons and daughters,
grandchildren or great grandchildren. In fact our affection for them increases
exponentially with advancing generation. To be honoured for the services
rendered for ones own country is the proudest achievement any human being
can aspire for. And if a man reaches a stage in life where he has to search for
food even abandoning his dignity, he is more dead than alive.

57 food for thought
अन्नदानात् समं नािस्त �वद्यादानं ततोऽ�

अन्नेन ��णका तृ��ः यावज्जीवं तु �वद्
annadānāt samaṁ nāsti vidyādānaṁ tato'dhikaṁ|
annena kṣaṇikā tṛptiḥ yāvajjīvaṁ tu vidyayā||
There is no gift as great as gift of food. But the gift of education is even greater.
The satisfaction derived by enjoying food is short lived. But education once
imparted properly remains beneficial so long as the recipient is alive.
The ultimate thing that keeps a living being alive is food. In fact the food is given
as a gift by nature, the ultraviolet rays from the sun, the heat, the carbon
dioxide chlorophyll and water, all being His own free creation. The stronger
living things either prey on the weaker ones or simply hoard the means of food
using brutal force. Hunger, the lack of food was the real creator of history full of
revolutions, battles and heroes.
To day starts the Holy month of Ramzan.. The message of Ramzan is a saga of
control of resources and mindset through regulating the intake of food. It is
also a month of gift of food. During the daytime our muslim brothers and sisters
fast, but they partake in the food during nights, and the hearty part of it is that
they all ensure no human being who has fasted during daytime goes hungry
during the night also.
Of course the continuous physical existence is achieved by eating and digesting

food. In fact all the living creatures somehow manage to get food at periodical
intervals and if food is absent for a reasonably long time, they cease to live. (At
this moment we have think of the mother...she supplies food for the foetus in
her womb and after the child is born ensures that it is fed and kept alive, until it
has learned enough skill to eke out its own food.. every mother does it even at
the cost of sacrificing their own lives in the process.)
But mere exiistnce and a vegetation is achieved by this food. But a meaningful
existence will be in place only if the food for the brain, that is, vidya (education)
is imparted. Here also every living being through some biological promptings
which one may call intelligence, instinct, or by any other name acquire some

habits which sustain them and ensure their safe livelihood. However, the
human beings go one step ahead and learn things much more than what is
required for an ordinary existence. The quintessence of knowledge which has
been evolved through generations and kept pure through perhaps repeated
process of evaporation and distillation lies with the guru...that knowledge when
imparted to the disciple through education makes the world what it is for us the
human beings. We consider the faculty to impart and receive education as the
mother intellect, and the teacher who is the medium of imparting the
knowledge as the embodiment of God himself.

58 He is the doctor
yes,
शर�रे जजर्र�भूते व्या�धग्रस्ते क
औषधम ् जा�वी तोयम ् वैद्यो नारयणो ह�
śarīre jarjarībhūte vyādhigraste kalebare

auṣadham jāhnavī toyam vaidyo nārayaṇo hariḥ.
(when the human body is afflicted with old age and
diseases, the only medicine is the holy waters of Ganga and
the solitary doctor in the Lord Narayana himself)
In fact one has to say it is not disease but death that has no
cure.. because it is a natural process like birth.. and it is only
a state of the jeeva for a pre ordained period decided by the
blessed lord. One need not worry about the cancer that
afflicts the body, there is another sort of cancer, may be we
call it arrogance, ill will to others, anger and so one
which afflicts the psyche and it neither kills nor allows us to
live in gods blessed state.
I forwarded a message on cancer I received only because it
is a prayer for our fellow human beings...I dont know for
myself whether there is real cure for cancer, but I have seen
people succumb to worry when they are aware of this
malady and the worry sometimes is more dangerous than
the disease itself.

I had an elderly friend who was the embodiment of

happiness, and he spread his optimism and goodwill
wherever he went. A large number of friends used to call
him ammavan (uncle). The man was not affluent but very
rich in love for others. Suddenly for some days he was
having sore throat and when it persisted, he went to a
speciality hospital and was diagnosed of throat cancer. The
man's mirth simply disappeared. He went into a shell. All
words of comfort were in vain. On my part, all I could do
was to hand over a picture of Guruvayurappan which I was
keeping with myself for a long time. When he took it I saw
a light on his eyes which was not of this world. Of course
the disease is cruel and the worry is still more cruel and
without much warning he passed away within a
fortnight. But the light I saw in his eyes when he saw the
picture of Guruvayurappan still lingers in my mind after
three decades. The lord is the vaidya because He can keep
company to our soul and lead it away peacefully when the
ordained day comes.
What are we before His divine will?
Namaskarams. Krishnaarpanam.

59 schedule for rage
उ�मे �णकोपो स्यात् मध्यमे घ�टकाद्

अधमे स्यात् अहोरात्रं पा�प�े मरणान्
uttame kṣaṇakopo syāt madhyame ghaṭikādvayaṁ|
adhame syāt ahorātraṁ pāpiṣṭhe maraṇāntakaṁ||
ഉത്തേമ ക്ഷണേകാേപാ സ�ാത് മധ�േമ ഘടിക
അധേമ സ�ാത് അേഹാരാ്രതം പാപിഷ്െട മരണാ
for people with excellent charater, the anger even though provoked,
will remain with them for a split second, for the people of average and
mundane character, the anger will linger for about 48 minutes (two ghatikaas),
for persons with inferior character, the anger may continue for a full day and
night, but for the wretched sinner, the anger will remain with him as long as he
lives.
The comparative time limits are only poetic liberty, but it is evident that a man
with an unbiased mind might get angry when provoked but can regain his calm
in a jiffy. But for the black mind the spark of anger once provoked will start
burning him and persist with him till the body reaches the graveyard.
I am not able to trace the source for this old piece of wisdom because sanskrit
language is too full with such anonymous quotes and anyone from Kalidasa to
Kanfusion can claim copyright for them

60 only one difference
आहार�नद्रा भयमैथुनं च सामान्यमेतद् पशु�भनर्र

धम� �ह तेषाम�धको �वशेषः धम��वह�नः पशु�भस्सIनः॥
āhāranidrā bhayamaithunaṁ ca sāmānyametad paśubhirnarāṇāṁ|
dharmo hi teṣāmadhiko viśeṣaḥ dharmovihīnaḥ paśubhissamanaḥ||
Eating food, going to sleep, fear of others and copulation are all common
factors for human beings and other animals. In addition to these the man is
capable of having the sense of righteousness (dharma) . If he is bereft of
dharma, then there is no difference between him and the animals
61 tribute to mother of muses 2
त्वया जु� ऋ�षभर्व�त दे�व त्वया ब्र�ागतश्रीर

त्वया जु�ि�त्रं �वन्दते वसु सा नो जुषस्व द्र�वणे
tvayā juṣṭa ṛṣirbhavati devi tvayā brahmāgataśrīruta tvayā|
tvayā juṣṭaścitraṁ vindate vasu sā no juṣasva draviṇena medhe||
महानारायणोप�नषत ् ४१------------२
mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat 41------------2
this is the second manthra praising the mother of muses.

Oh Mother, one who has the fortune of having a glimpse by your sacred eyes
becomes a seer, he becomes the knower of Brahma, blessed by you he comes
into possession of bounteous riches,,, Therefore, Mother Intellect, please be
kind on us.
This manthra again is a reinforcement of the staunch belief of the vedic man
that knowledge flows from the godhead and wealth and fame flows from such
knowledge. The loftiest intellectual of the period must have discovered such
manthras but he is humble enough and bereft of any arrogance... he

acknowledges the source of what he has very sincerely.. a full and true
disclosure.

62 tribute to the mother of muses
मेधा दे वी जुषमाणा न आगा�द्व�ाची भद्रा सुमनस्यI

त्वया जु�ा जुषमाणा दुरु�ान्बृहद्वदेम �वदथे सुवII
महानारयणोप�नषत ् ४१ १
medhā devī juṣamāṇā na āgādviśvācī bhadrā sumanasyamānā
tvayā juṣṭā juṣamāṇā duruktānbṛhadvadema vidathe suvīrāḥ
mahānārayaṇopaniṣat 41 1
േമധാ േദവി ജുഷമാണാ ന ആഗാദ് വിശ�ാചി ഭ്രദാ സുമനസ�മാ

ത�യാ ജുഷ്ടാ ജുഷ്ടമാണാ ദുരുക്താന്്രബുഹദ�േദമ വിദെ
:
മഹാനാരായേനാപനിഷത
May the all embracing goddess of intellect who is always showering benefits on
us, who is always pleased with us and who is delighted by us her children, be
with us. Oh Goddess of muse and supreme intellect, may we the silly humans
who spend our days recklessly in worthless talk till you visit us and kindle our
intellect, as a result of your affection and compassion to us which is manifested
by your visit to our mind, become enlightened and also capable of expressing
and sharing the Supreme Truth along with our heroic sons and disciples.
This is a prayer every guru makes to the goddess of intellect to kindle his
intellect so that he is weaned away from meaningless harangue and is visited
with Supreme Wisdom... He wants to share the wisdom with his disciples and
sons.
The most important aspect we have to notice is that the learned guru is well
aware that his wisdom is flowing from the sweet grace of the Goddess of
Knowledge and that he will be worthy of only empty speech if the Goddess is
not in his company.
The vedas (this mantra will be found in rgveda and atharvaveda also) have
recognized the goddess, a woman, as the embodiment of all knowledge, even
though we worship Krishna , Dakshinaamoorthi and Sankara as the preceptors
of the world. The personification of Mother Gayatri as a woman is another
tribute to their lofty thoughts. The woman embodies the knowledge and the
man disseminates the knowledge through the blessing of that great mother. The
idea that prakruti the woman and purusha (male) the doer compliment each

other to turn the wheel of universe is delightfully acknowledged by our

ancestors. No male chauvinism.
For the preceptor his own son and his disciple are on equal footing. He prays for
the acquisition of knowledge so that he can impart the same to his own sons
and his disciples. The gurus eagerness to attain brilliant disciples is also a
glorious feature of our ancient traditions. Vide taittareeyopanishad...आमायन्तु
ब्र�चा�रणः स्वा...
āmāyantu brahmacāriṇaḥ svāhāḥ .... etc.,
Finally one can notice with awe the complete lack of arrogance on the part
of the Guru... he simply attributes all that is great to the bounty of the Goddess
of Muse.
This manthra along with one more mantra following it is worshipfully chanted
like the Holy Gayatri by the devotees of Knowledge
[my learned friends must forgive me if I have skirted the terse interpretation of the greats like
Sayana because a manthra from vedas (the Mahanarayanopanishad is for all practical purposes a
part of Yajurveda..) if translated verbatim may carry little meaning to the non-pedantic readers of
our generation.. but the essence is not lost, I hope]

63mass and energy
Brahmajajnaanam prathamam purastaad..

the two of a large number of vyakhyanams of this I give below
the full mantra is
brahmajajnaanam prathamam purstad viseematha surucho vena aapah sa
buddhniya upama asya vishtaa satascha yonim asatascha vivah.
Vena, the noon sun who was born at the beginning of the creation as the first
effect of the Supreme Reality, Brahman, and who is of excellent brilliance
spreads over the whole world up to its boundary. He illuminates also the
heavenly bodies.. He remains manifoldly in his own limited forms which are like
himself. He also spreads over and permeates the causal substance out of which
the visible and invisible universe emerges// Mahanarayanopanishat
You see the sun is recognised as the source of all energy, and the quantum
manifestations of the energy as from the sun, the relativity of energy and mass,
the medium of ether, the sun giving light to other heavenly bodies, are all given
in this mantra..which is also appearing in taittariya samhita of Krishna
yajurvedam and atharva vedam also
Sayana interprets it differently.He takes this mantra as a glorification of

Paramaatma the ground of universe and the cause of the energising and
illuminating sun through which He functions (More in line with my view in the
para immediately above.
As a scientist the quantum mechanical and relativistic aspects should interest

you. What our culture envisaged millennia ago, when put to words by the
westernised stamps gained popularity. This was written thousands of years
before Einstein and Max Planck. The germans took away many valuable texts
from India and learned Sanskrit, it is said. How do you feel about it?

64 the supreme virtues and vices
लोभ�ेद् वद गुणेन �कं �पशुनता यद्यिस्त �कं पा

सत्यं चेत् तप्सा च �कं शु�चमनो यद्यिस्त तीत्थ�
सौजन्यं य�द चेत् बलेन म�हमा यद्यिस्त �कम् मण
स�द्वद्या य�द �कं धनैरपयशो यद्यिस्त�कम् म
lobhaśced vada guṇena kiṁ piśunatā yadyasti kiṁ pātakaiḥ
satyaṁ cet tapsā ca kiṁ śucimano yadyasti tīrtthena kiṁ|
saujanyaṁ yadi cet balena mahimā yadyasti kim maṇḍanaiḥ
sadvidyā yadi kiṁ dhanairapayaśo yadyasti kim mṛtyunā|
If one is greedy he is doomed even without other nasty traits in his character. If
one is a professional scandalmonger, why should he have any other sin to ruin
himself? If one is absolutely devoted to truth, other penances may not be very
significant for him. If one's mind is devoid of all evil thoughts, pilgrimmages
will have nothing to add to his glory. If one is having sterling character, brutal
physical strength need not come to his rescue. If ones standing in the society
and fame are very high, what is he to do with ordinary embellishments and
jewellery? If one has in depth knowledge wealth may be superfluous to
him. And for a man with selfrespect, if he is involved in a scandal or a
blemishful action, it is worse than death for him.
The poet in his mood of exaggeration has highlighted certain virtues and
vices, but it is true that especially when vices are concerned they come united
like a herd of wild elephants.. and vitues are seen in isolation.

65 read for yourself and dont send me curses.
पूर�षस्य च रोषस्य �हंसायाः तस्करस

आद्या�रा�ण संगृ� वेधा�क्रे पुरो
pūrīṣasya ca roṣasya hiṁsāyāḥ taskarasya ca
ādyākṣarāṇi saṁgṛhya vedhāścakre purohitaṁ
പൂരിഷസ� ച േരാഷസ� ഹിമ്സായ തസ്കരസ ച

ആദ�ാക്ഷരാണി സംഗൃഹ� േവധാ ചേ പുേരാഹിതം
how to trace the source....this sloka would be reverberating in the minds of all
who have had some experience with a priest for some pooja or pitru karma..and
may be the mindset of a priest transgresses the religious barriers also...A priest
is a priest whether he is a hindu, christian or muslim, parsee, or aadhivaasi or
buddhist.
The simple meaning of the sloka is that "taking the first word 'Pu' from
puurisha (stinking excreta) 'R(o)' from rosha( uncontrallable anger), 'hi' from
himsa (tendency to hurt others by all means possible) and 'tha' from thaskara (
the highwayman or looter or trained thief) the creator made the word and form
of purohita... the priest.
May be this is said in a lighter vein, but we cannot ignore our sufferings at the
hands of this kind of demigods. May be they take some sprinkling of water
which may be called a bath but in their run for sharing the spoils be it a
marriage or death, he has no time to clean himself(hence the aroma). He is
always angry because he is never satified with any amount of Dakshina or Tythe
....and for all other fellow humans he harbours only vilolence and given a
chance he will not shy away from beating out the guts out of you, and by
profession he is a wonderful bundle of all the thieves either born or to be
born...see how a man of this species give a list of all things under the sun for
even a small cermony( the list has more relevance to what the man is not
having in his house than to the ceremony at hand) and bundles away all unused
thing and carries them with elan in his bike or Car, according to his seniority as
a plunderer.
Apologies to the genuine sincere preceptors, but I feel sorry the majority of the
priests were so avariocious in every slice of time....they caused mishaps in vedic

and upanishadic episodes, there were rasputins, they presided over the
precipitation of Revolution in France...they brought out the best in seers Like
Adi shankara because they had the temerity to put hassles even in the path of
such a great man.. see one episode, the death of his mother.

66 anxiety the killer
�चता �चन्ता तयोमर्द्ध्ये �चन्तानाम गर

�चत दह�त �नज�वं �चन्ता प्राणयुतां वप
citā cintā tayormaddhye cintānāma garīyasī|
cita dahati nirjīvaṁ cintā prāṇayutāṁ vapuḥ||
सुभा�षतं
subhāṣitaṁ
ചിതാ ചിന്താ തേയാaെധ� ചിന്താനാമ ഗരീയ
ചിതാ ദഹതി നിര്ജ്ജീവം ചിന്താ ്രപാണയു:
When compared to the funeral pyre, nagging anxiety is a more potent means of
burning. A dead human body alone is burned to ashes at the funeral, but when
a living human being is tormented by sad and depressing thoughts, his living
body itself is getting burnt, perhaps in a slow but effective way.
When I came across this sloka of ancient wisdom, though very simple but
precise, I was awed at the insights our forefathers have gained in human
psychology millenia ago. The slogan of" healthy body can only exist with a
healthy mind" was dished out by modern pep writers and psychologists of
western breed only in the last century or at best by some in the earlier
century. But Indian thought always underlined the effect of anxiety in the
holistic health of a human being. We can see the thoughts reflected in may
ancient writings.. In Ramayana the thoughts of separation from Rama could be
seen as the cause of death of his father Dasaratha. The same thought is
reflected in Jayadeva's astapadi, when the bard sings about Radaha' plight at
the separation with Madhava... Saa virahe tava diinaa, madhava manasija
visikhabhayadiva bhavanaya twayi leena....that Radha is sick just because of the
thought of separation from you.. the pathos of Radha's separaation from
Krishna can be read in all its vividity in this legend of love everywhere. One can
also read about the excessive jubliliation of Radha and Hari when they are
united ultimately. The yoga aphorisms of Patanjali starts with the admonition
to chaannelise the activities of the mind... yogah chithavrittinirodhah.. because
the master knew well than anything worthwhile can be perfomed by this human

body only if it divested of anxious thoughts. It is an acknowledged fact that the

whole world is now unanimous in the view that the regulation of anxiety and
stress through the oriental prescriptions of yoga and meditation alone can
sustain the human race in a healthy shape.

67 justification for Incometax
हालहलो नैव �वषं �वषं रमा

जनाः परं व्यत्ययमत्र मन
�नपीय जाग�तर् सुखेन तं �शव
स्पृशिन्नमां मु��त �नद्रया ह
hālahalo naiva viṣaṁ viṣaṁ ramā
janāḥ paraṁ vyatyayamatra manyate|
nipīya jāgarti sukhena taṁ śivaḥ
spṛśannimāṁ muhyati nidrayā hariḥ||
सुभI�षतम ्
subhaṣitam
ഹാലാഹേലാ ൈനവ വിഷം വിഷം രമാ
ജനാ പരം വ�ത�യമ്രത മന�ാെ
നിപീയ ജാഗര്ത്തിമ സുേഖന തം :
സ്്രപുശന്നിമം മുഹ�തി നി്രദയ:
Among many things that came out of the milky ocean when it was churned by
the gods and demons, two remarkable products are the most
destructive poison Halahalam which was gobbled up by Bagavaan Siva so that
the universe would be saved. Subsequently the goddes of wealth Rama also
appeared. Lord Vishnu embraced her and married her. People talk hig of Rama
and fear Halahalam as a killer poison. But the fact is just the opposite. Rama
(wealth) is the real poison. One can see the evidence. Siva is always staying
awake and healthy in spite of the poison. But from the moment Vishnu touched
Rama, He is in deep sleep, oblivious of anything else.
Here the important message of the subhashitam is that when people come by
large wealth they simply forget everything else in the world and enter into a
state of stupour where they are blind to everything other than amassing
wealth. Even the most potent venom cannot change people to this extent.
Maybe that is the reason why we collect the incometax ... to take away the
excessive wealth and cure people of their sleepy habits.

we want all people to be fully awake.. What better shock treatment can be
there?

68 tough nut to crack
ना�ळकेरसमाकाराः दृश्यन्तेऽ�प �ह सज्

अन्ये बद�रकाकाराः ब�हरेव मनोहरा
nāḻikerasamākārāḥ dṛśyante'pi hi sajjanāḥ
anye badarikākārāḥ bahireva manoharāḥ
सुभI�षतशतकत्र
subhaṣitaśatakatrayaṁ
നാളിേകരസമാകാരാ; ദൃശ�േന്തപി ഹി സജ:

അേന� ബദരികാകാരാ: ബഹിേരവ മേനാഹരാ:
The genuinely noble persons are like the coconut fruits. They will look crude
outside, you have to tear off the external fibres and break the intervening hard
shell to reach at the nourishing sweet core and the elixir inside. The great ones
will never show off their innate virtues, but one has to get near them and
understand them and then the soft and benevolent heart will be
understood. On the contrary the hypocrites are like the Badari fruits ( we call
them ilanthippazham, ilanjippazham or lanthappazham in tamil and malayalam)
which look very beautiful on the skin but when the colurful skin is peeled off
only the hard unbreakable and useless seed will be found inside.
--
।श्रीकृष्णो र�
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सव� �नन्दन्तु गुरवोI
तदा�प परमानन्दो गो�वन्दो मम जीवII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my
life is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृ ष्णात् परं �कम�प तत्वं अहं न जा"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सु�खनो भवन्त
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

K v ananthanarayanan, IRS joint commissioner of incometax Trivandrum 09446508855
परु ाणा ते मशाना ते मैथन

ु ा ते च या मितः
सा मितःसवर्दा चेत ् यात ् को न मु येत ब धनात ्
chanakya neethii
puraanaanthey smasaanannthey maithunaanthey yatha

mathi.
saa mathih sarvatdah chet syat ko na muchyetha
bandhanaath
a human being feels highly elated and spiritually close to God at the
end of hearing a puranic discourse. After accompanying a dead friend
to the burial ground and sseing him off in a blue fume of smoke he
will intensely feel how unreal this life is. After having a session of
copulation with the mate he feel satiated to the extent that the
person will feel a sort of hatred for what he was doing. The master
chanakya points out that if this state of detachment remains with a
fellow all the time, who can prevent him from attaining eternal
release from the vicissitudes of this mortal life? The hysteria
exhibited by people during purana discourse and the sudden burnout
at the end is a quite familiar sight. when a person dies some friends
and family members may wish they had also died along with him..
Keats has expressed well about love's sad satiety. . But think how
these thought are so ephemeral?
Extracts from emails forwarded by me to a lot of my respected friends.

परदारा परद्र यं पिरवादं पर यच।

पिरहासं गुरोः थाने चाप यं च िववजर्येत ्
chanakya
paradhaaran paradhravyam parivadam parasya cha
parihasam guroh sthaane chapalyam cha vivarjayet
the following evil predilection of the mind should be rooted

out at any cost... desire for someone else's wife. scandalizing
others, throwing saracstic insul at others and exhibiting silly
and unbecoming character in the presence of the preceptor
and respectable persons.

अपे यते साधुजेन वैिदकीथशानशूल य न यूपसि क्रया
apekshyathy sadhujanena vaiddikee smasaana soolasya na

yoopa satrkriah
when a great yagna is initiated, aholy trunk\ of sacred tree is

ceremoniously brought into to the yagnasala and it is planted
with all devotion and poojas. However there is a large
wooden soola erected in a burial ground where some
condemned crimials are forcibly erected to death. Here
Kalidasa says the the sensible men do not perform the sacred
pooja to the soola in the burial ground though the same is
done ceremoniously to the yoopa in yajna sala. This
means two things which may look alike but because of their
locationand utility

4.
वलित चिलते धनो अिग्निवर्प्रकृतः प नगःफणां कु ते।।

प्रायः वं मिहमानं क्षोभा प्रितपद्यतेिह जनः।।
abijnana saakunthalam of Kalidasa
jwalathi chalithendhano agnir viprakritha pannagah phanam kuruthey

prayah swam mahimanam kshobhat pratipadhyathey hi janah
the fire flares up when the fuel is stoked up, the serpent spreads his wide hood in
an attacking mood when provoked. So it appears that strong people exhibit their
prowess only when they are forced into a frenzy of anger.
(the scene is sakunthalam is quite interestion. dushyantha rejects sakunthala in a
stupour caused by the curse of durvasas and when he gets back his memory he
lives like a tragic lovelorn person. He forget that there is the world to rule, the
dharma to be protected. Meanwhile some demons are attacking Indra the lord of
Gods and He requires Dushyantha in full valour to support him in the war. So Indra
sends his own charioteer Mathali to fetch the king. Mathali comes to the Palace
invisible and attachs the kings great friend vidhooshaka with hard blow and other
fearful acts. The king, who is normally inactive in his sorrow and lovepangs,
suddenly gets provoked and is ready to attach this unseen entity. Then the divine
charioteer appears is the open and explains. the reason for his torturing of the
vidhooshaka)hey get vastly different treatments.

अ न दाता भयत्राता िवद्यादाता तदै व च।

जिनता चोपनेता प चैते िपतरः मत
ृ ाः।।
chanakya neethi
annadhatha bhaya thraatha vidhya daatha tadaiiva cha

janithaa cha upanethaa cha pachaithey pitharah smrithah
apart from the natural father who sired us we have to honour

and respect the person who has constantly fed us, who has
always protected us from great fears in childhood, our
teacher, and the person who initiated us into the divine path
have also as equal to our father. (the master
chanakya stresses here the importance of father- like figures
in our lives,,,, the ruler, the teacher and the initiator)

.न कमर्णा न प्रजया धनेन यागेनैके अमत

ृ वमानशुः ।
na karmanaa na prajayaa dhanena thyagenaikey

amrutattwamanasu
not by action, nor by having progenies or immense wealth,

but only by complete renunciation can we reach eternity
(this is in honour of the great sannyasivarayas who simply

give up everything in this life and attain the jeevanmuktha
stage and still just grace this earth to bless all of us)

7
.आयष
ु ः क्षण एकोिप न ल यः वणर्कोिटिभः।
स चेि मरथर्कं नीतः का नु हािन ततोिधका।
chanakya neethi
aayusha kshanah ekopi na labhyah swarnakotibhih
sa ched nirarthakam neethah ka nu haanistathodhikaa
one cannot buy back even a millionth of a second lost in life

by spending ever gold worth crores. If such time is spent
without any useful purpose what loss can be greater

8.
रामं दशरथं िविद्ध मां िविद्ध जनका मजां
अयो यां अटवीं िविद्ध ग छ तात यथासुखम ्
raamam dasarathm vidhdhi maam vidhhi janakaatmajaam

ayodhyam ataveem vidhi gachcha thata yatha sukham
this is from valmiki ramayanam. the scene is where

lakshmana seeks permission of his mother sumitra for
accompanying his beloved elder brother rama to forest for a
life of recluse for 14 years. Any mother would have been
angry, remonstrated, cursed dasaratha for this situation as
she was in fact losing two sons at a stretcn because Rama
was even more beloved to her than her own son. But she was
wise. She knew wihout Lakshmanas company Rama cannot
survive. Sita,was a good mother for lakshmana. She says "
My darling boy, you always consider rama as dasaratha and
the daughter of Janaka as your own mother. You depart
with ease of heart thinking that the forest is ayodhya. There
is a not so hidden meaning in this sloka...the title of
Dasartha, deterous in running ten Chariots will suit more
appropriately to Rama the Vishnu, and Ma jaanki is none
other than the universal mother Lakshmi. Once they depart
from Ayodhya, the city will become the forest and wherever
the divine couple are present is heaven. So the mother is sure
of her sons welfare
Sacrifice is the keyword here. Rama is bound by a Royal
Dicturm.. but why should Lakshmana choose to go to forest,

a young married man leaving all worldly comforts? Why

should a mother allow this with happiness...we cannot
understand the nobility of human mind in its fullness even
when we see open hearts.
This sloka is considered to be the one greatest sloka out of all

the 24000 penned by Valmiki.

द्वारं द्वारं अटन ् िभक्षुः दीयते न तु याचतॆ।

अद वा मा शो मा भूः द ववा वं वा शी भव ।
dwaaram dwaaram atan bikshuh deeyathey na thu

yaachathey
adhattwa maadruso ma abhooh dathwa twam twaadrisee
bhava
the beggar who visits the doorsteps of everyone is in fact not

begging for alms .
He is giving the advice that you do not become one like me by
not giving anything to anybody , but be charitable and
continue to be like yourself (as you are now)
this is a rustic subhashitam but conveys a terse message

10
याव व तिमदं कलेवरगह

ृ ं याव च दरू े जरा
याव चेि द्रयशिक्तरप्रितहता याव क्षयोनायुषः।
आ म ेयिस तावदे विवदष
ु ा कायर्ः प्रय ो महान
प्रो ी े भवने च कूपखननं प्र युद्यमः की श ।।
barthruhari
yaavatswastahamidam kalevaragriham yaavatcha doorey
jaraa
yaavatchendriya sakthih apratihatha yavat kshayo naayushah
aathmasreyasi thavadeva vidhush karyah prayatnoh mahaan
prodhdheepthey bhavaney cha koopakhananam
pratyudhyamah keedrishah?
the enterprising and wise man should always do things for his
own overall benefits of the present and future as long as he is
in good health, as long as the old age and senility is not very
near, as long as the organs have the strength to act with
reasonable dexterity, and as long as there is no detriment to
his longevity. Can anybody call the action of a fellow starting
to dig a well while his house is already gutted by fire as a
prudent action?◌्

11
परोपकारथर्ं इदं शरीरम ्
paropakaaraarthamidham sareeram
we are blessed with this body for the sole purpose of being
help to others.
if the human race had imbibed this idea even to the slightest
degree in spite seeing Jesus and Ganhiji at work as humans
and the whole phenomenon of nature working for the good of
all the earth would have become a paradise long ago

12.
क्षमा बलमशक्ताननाम ् शक्तानां भष

ू णे क्षमा
kshamaa balam asakthaanaam sakthaanam

bhooshanam kshama
patience is the strength of the powerless men and it ts

an ornament to the powerful

13
.िवद्या िववादाय धनं मदाय शिक्तः परे षां पिरपीडनाय।
खल य साधोिवर्परीतमेत ज्ञानय दानाय च रक्षणाय।।
Bhavabhoothi
vidhyaa vivaadhaaya dhanam madaaya sakthih pareshaam

paripeedanaaya
khalasya saadhor vipareethamethat jnaanaay dhaanaya cha
rakshanaaya
the stubborn and evil-minded fellow applies his knowledge

in vexatious and destructive arguments (lawyers may take
note) uses his whole wealth to show off his pompous lifestyle
and demeaning others, and any power at his disposal to
harass anyone he could (government officials and police are
experts in this). The noble hearted persons find themselves
at a diametrically opposite point They use knowledge to
acquired further knowledge and disseminate it, their wealth
is used for the welfare of other needy fellow human beings
and the power they possess is applied in self defence or for
the protection of others.

14
एके स पु षाः पराथर्घटकाः वाथार्न ् पिर य य ये

सामा या तु पराथर्मुद्यमभत
ृ ः वाथार्िवरोधेन ये।
तेअमी मानवराक्षसाःपरिहतं वाथार्य िनघ्नि त ये
ये तु घ्नि त िनरथर्कं परिहतं ते के न जानीमहे ।।
barthruhari
yekey satpurushaah paraartha ghatakaah swaarthan

prithyajya ye
saamaanyaasthu paraarthamudhyamabhritah
swaarthaavirodhena yeh
the amee maanavaraakshasaah parahitham swaarthaaya
nighnanthi yeh
yeh tu ghnanthi nirarthakaam parahitham they key na
jaaneemahey
The genuinely noble human beings are those who help others
achieve their objects even when such action may have
adverse effect on the formers self interest.
The ordinary human beings would not mind helping others to
further their interests if the former's selfish interests are not

affected in any way.

The fellows who will not hesitate to annihilate the attempts of
others to achieve their own interests can be termed as
demons in human form.
But what definition one is to give for the wretched fellows
who destroy the causes of others for no palpable reason, just
for the heck of it?
the majority it seems belongs to the last variety and this

quotation from barthruhari is universally famous.

15
याविद्व ोपाजर्न शक्तः तावि नजपिरवारो रक्तः

प ात ् जीवित जजर्र दे हे वातार्ं को अिप न प ृ छित गेहे
the one and only SANKARA
yaavad vithopaarjana sakthah taavad nija parivaaro

rakthah
paschad jeevathi jarjara dehey vaartham kopi na
pruchchathi gehey
As long as one is capable of earning money, the family,

relatives and the servants are very affectionate to you. Once
the capacity to earn stops one lives in his decaying body,
may be at home if he had one, but the people at home will
not ever speak to him . (retirement blues... I wonder why
insurance companies are not quoting Sankara in their
advertisements? And this perhaps prompted one of my
bosses to remark inadvertently when told that his staff Mr X
was dead. " I shall grant one days casual leave for his
cremation but if he does not attend office tomorrow, he will
be in real trouble"

16
स येन धायर्ते प ृ वी स येन तपते रिवः।
स येन वायवो वाि त सवर्ं स ये प्रिति तम ्।।
chanakya neethi
satyena dhaaryathey prthevee satyena tapathey ravih
satyena vaayavo vaanthi sarvam sathyey prathisthitham
the earth is held aloft it its proper course by truth, the sun is
radiating heat through fission based on truth
the winds are moving in directions ordained by
truth, therefore everything is absolutely dependent of truth
(think of the Ritam, the sacred vedic word which is truth
and something more)

17
यथा चतुिभर्ः कनकं परी यते िनघषर्ण छे दनतापताडनैः।
तथा चतुिभर्ःपु षः परी यते ुतन
े शीलेन कुलेन कमर्णा।।
chanakya neethi
yadha chathrubhi kanakam pareekshyathey nigharshana

chechedhana tapa taadanaih
tadha chathurbhi purushah pareekshyathey shruthena,
sheelena kulena karmana
the quality of gold is tested to perfection by pulling

it to thin threads, breaking it, heating it and
beating it with a hammer. In the same way the
quality of a real man is evaluated after testing his
education, his character, his antecedents, and his
performance.(the farsightedness of Chanakya... he
must have drafted the performance appraisal
proforma for managers about two thousand five
hundred years ago.

18
िनगुण
र् ॆ विप स वेषु दयां कुवर्ि त साधवः।
न िह संहरते यो नां च द्र डाल वे मिन।।
chanakya neethi
nirguneshwapi sattweshu dhayaam kurvanthi saadhavah

na hi samharathey jyotsnaam chandraschandaala veshmani
Noble people exhibit immense mercy even on beings which

have nothing of value in them. The moon does not withdraw
its soothing rays when passing above the house of a lowborn
(here we have to take the meaning of lowborn as one without
any productive capacity and no discrimination on the basis
of caste is intended)

19
प्रथमे नािजर्ता िवद्या िद्वतीये नािजर्तं धनम ्।
ृ ीये नािजर्तं पु यं चतुथ िकं किर यित ।।
तत
chanakya neethi
prathamey naarjithaa vidhdhyaa dhwitheeyey naarjitham

dhanam
thritheeyey naarjitham punyam chathurthey kim
karishyathi
If one has not acquired proper education in the first phase of

his life (youth), adequate wealth in the second stage of his life
(the productive age), and earning of sufficient punyaas
through good deeds charity etc., in the third stage
( pre- geriatric stage when one is still in control of himself
and his resources) what is he going to do in the final stage
when death is staring at him?

20
सहसा िवदधीत न िक्रयां अिववेकः परमापदां पदम ् ।

वण
ृ ते िह िवम ृ यकािरणं गुणलु धाः वयमेव स पदः।।
kiratharjuneeyam of Bahravi
Sahasaa vidhadeetha na kriyam avivekah param aapadaam

padam
vrinathey hi vimrushya kaarinam gunalubhdhah swayameva
sampadah
One should never jump into action in a haste without proper

discrimination. Lack of forethought is the root cause of grave
dangers, The wealth and welfare are by nature very miserly
to visit a person, but they always throng towards the person
who always does things after thorough planning and analysis.
There is an interesting story about this sloka and many would

have already heard of it. Bharavi, one of the greatest authors
was languishing without a sponsor for his kavya and visited
the court of the local king and tried to present this sloka

before the royalty. The king had a cursory hearing of it as he

was in a hurry to depart on a hunting spree. The poet, like the
usual poor, lingered on. Something happened on that day. The
Royal couple had only one boy who had earlier in life been
lost to them perhaps in some intrigue. The boy, now a
beautiful and ebullient youth, showed himself at the
Palace. The queen knew no bounds for her happiness. She
started celebrating the gift of this son and after having him
bathed, fed, made him sleep in their own royal bed and was
watching the youth in affection and admiration while he slept.
The king returned after hunt at this juncture and what he saw
was shocking..His own wife, sitting in wait for an unknown
man in their own royal bed. His Kshatra blood boiled and he
drew out the sword to do its bounden duty..one male and
one female head were about to lose their connections from
their torso. somehow the sloka heard by the king in the
morning from the poor poet just peeped into his mind from
the recesses of memory. He stopped and tried to enquire
before plunging into action. Meanwhile the queen was
advancing him in a deliriously happy mood shouting in
inarticulate words that their own son whom they had thought
as lost for ever, has come back and was sleeping and he
should not disturb him. He heard it and the facts struck him
like a sledgehammer. The king was trying to slaughter his only
son, a gift from God and his own beloved queen in a fit of

reckless anger. The next thought was about the indigent poet
who had tried to sell the idea of thoughtful action to him in
the morning. He summoned him, honoured him and
commissioned the creation of a poem on the same
metre. And thus was born the classic, Kirataarjuneeyam.

21
मूकं करोित वाचालंवपङ्गुं लङ्घयते िगिरम ् ।

य कृपा तं अहं व दे परमान द माधवम ् ।।
mookam karothi vaachaalam pangum langhayathey girim

yat kripaa tham aham vandhey paramaananda maadhavam
His sweet grace makes the dumb one the most eloquent, He
enables the crippled to scale tallest mountains to that eternal
source of bliss, Madhava, do I surrender
only for once at least let me praise my real master

22
मख
ू यत्र न पू य ते धा यं यत्र सस
ु ि जतं।
द प यो कलहो नाि त तत्र ी वयमागता।।
moorkho yathra na poojyanthey dhaanyam yathra

susajjitham
dampathy kalaho naasthy tattra sree swayamaagathaa
chanakya neethi
where the arrogant and idiotic people are not

honoured, where food grains are well stored,
where there in absence of constant quarrel
between husband and wife, the goddess of
wealth Lakshmi resides there on her own.
remember the allergies of goddess of wealth--

-idiocy and arrogance in people, lack of proper
care for food grains, and constant bickering
amongst couples.

23
रे रे चातक सावधानमनससा िमत्र क्षणं ूयता-

म बोदा बहवो भवि त गगने सव अिप नैता शाः।
केिचत ् विृ िभराद्रर् यि त वसुधां गजर्ि त केिचत ् वथ
ृ ा
यं यं प यिस त य त यपुरतो मा ब्रूिह दीनं वचः।।
rey rey chathaka saavadhaanamanasaa mithtra, kshanam
srooryatham
ambodhaa bhahavao bhavanthi gaganey sarve apir
naaithaadrusaah
kechith vrishthibhirardrayanthi vasudhdaam garjanth kechi
vrudhaa
yam yam pasyasi tasya tasya purathio maa broohi deenam
vachah
bharthru hari
oh my dear friend chataka bird, please listen for a

moment to my words with careful
attention, there are many types of clouds
appearing in the sky and all are not alike. Some
clouds fill the earth with bountiful rains but some
just remain in their place making futile roars. So

please do not approach everyone you see to unravel

your tale of woe
The chathaka is a mythological bird and it is

believed that its throat is cut and hence can drink
water only direct through its upturned open
beaksthe raindrops that fall earthwards during rain.
So whenever it sights a cloud in the sky it starts
making a pitiable cry as if begging for water from
the cloud.
The poet advises the bird not to cry for drops of
water to every cloud. Clouds are many and are
dissimilar in character.
Some really pour as rain on the earth making it
fertile but some others just remain there in high
skies and make
roaring announcements and never coming to any
help.
The poet's advice is also directed to people who in

their misery try to approach every person of note
with their tales of woe in the hope of redressal of

their grievances. Some good people really respond

and do some help also. But others (like the
grievance redressal fora in government offices or
the loud mouthed politicians) just make roaring
promises which will later turn into damp squibs

24
य य नैसिगकी श भा त न सं कारमहर्ित
कःकलां शिशनो माि र् कौ तभ
ु ः केन र यते
yasya naisarghikee shobha tad na samskaram arhathi

kah kalaam saisno marshthi, kaustubhah kena rajyathey
an object which has inherent lustre (greatness) will not
require further embellishments to make it presentable
or marketable. nobody travels to moon to clean its
surface, nor anybody tries to polish the Kaustuba gem
adorning the bosom of Krishna.
I think the modern marketing pundits will not entirely

agree. Window dressing and packaging are part of their
promotion drives... they will better try to polish a
metallic piece to such perfection that it sells in the
market as lunar crescent and with a grinding stone and
a more grinding tongue they may market a pebble as the
original Kaustubham and also make people believe that
Krishna in his austerity drive has already sent his prime
gem for auction

25
को अितभारः समथार्नां िकं दरू ं यवसाियनाम ्
को िवदे थः सिवद्यानां कः परःप्रयवािदनाम ्
ko athibhaarah samarthaanaam kim dooram

vyavasaayinam
ko videshah savidhyaanaam, kah parah priyavaadhinaam
how can there be excessive burden of work for the really

efficient and clever (they will manage it to put it on the heads
of less efficient subordinates and threaten to give adverse
ACRS) what would distance count for businessmen (they
would simply migrate to the remotest corner of the world once
they swindle sufficient funds from others...not even the set of
most efficient astrologers, nor CBI or Scotland Yard and the
hawks of the IRS can ever spot them for their life afterwards)
for the really educated, there cannot be any foreign countries (
in practice smugglers and international thugs are the most
learned) and who can be an enemy to a man who has the gift
of the gab ( we all know chamchagiri is the best profession,
manthara, iago and a long queue of them with some of us at
the other end of the queue will prove this.)

26
सुखदःखौ समे कृ वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ
ततो यद्धाय यु य व नैवं पपमवा यिस
sukha dukhey samey kritwaa laabhaalaahau jayaa ajayau

thato yudhdhay yujyaswa na twam paapam avapsyasi
gita
without considering the consequences of the

war, whether it will be victory unto you or
otherwise, whether it will be comfortable to you
or not, whether it will bring profit to you or
loss, or whether it will end in your victory or
capitulation, you prepare for the war, because
it is your bounden duty, and no sin will visit
you for this proper action.
this is the essence of geetha, conveyed also in

Karamanyey.....
It takes a real character to advise this and a

still tougher character to follow it.. These are
the Krishna and Arjuna for you
Substitute the idea of war to any other

enterprise and there is the lifes science for you
even without Carnegie Covey Chopra and
many others.

27
र ैमह
र् ा धेः तत
ु ष
ु न
ु र् दे वाः न भेिजरे भीमिवषेण भीितम ्
सुधां िवना न प्रययुिवर्रामं न िनि ताथार्त ् िवरमि त धीराः
ratnair mahaabdhey tututshurna devaah na bhejirey

bheemavishena bheethim
sudhhaam vinaa na prayayaur viraamam na nischitharthat
viramanthi dheeraah
when we set our eyes on a target, there should be

no second thoughts and we should not be content
with the second best by products of our attemps.
In the history of churing the Oceans for amrutha or
the producer of eternal youth, this is evident. The
Devaas set out for the amrutha.. First, the
churning of the milk ocean brought out great,
invaluable gems..some of the minions took them
away but the devas were not satisfied. Then came
the calamity of the churning rope, the great snake
vasuki vomitting the killer poison halahala, (usually
second step in investigation) then the devas did not
run away in fear (they found a calm sage of a God

Lord Siva to drink all the poison...the poor guy was

very kind but had his wife not managed to fix the
poison on his throat itself and not allowed it to go
down he would have attained martyrdom, it is a
different story) . The devas stopped only when they
got the nectar ultimately (thank god, they were not
Incometaxmen, if it were so they would have
continued to churn up facts and more fiction and
they would have confiscated the gems, consumed the
poison without any ill effects --they were the
better candidates than siva for no poison ever kills
the source itself-- and seized the ambrosia and
with notices for additional demands dried up the
milky ocean and even put the owner of the ocean
lord krishna to civil prison.) The moral of the story
is that the really bold people do not stop until the
ultimate goal is reached

28
को दे शः कािन िमत्रािण कः कालः कौ ययागमौ
क ाहं का च मे शिक्तः इित िच यं मह ु ु मह
ुर् ु ः
ko desah kaani mitraani kah kaalah kau vyayaagamau
kah cha aham kaa cha me sakthih iti chinthyam
muhurmuhuh
one has to ask himself the following

questions very often (and answer to
himself)
in which country or area of earth i live?(
even people living in the remotest corners
of this beautiful land are caught by the
foreign spirit and sometimes behave as if
they are in Manhattan or buffalo)
who are my friends?(this is a vital
question, the best friend is likely to be the

one who may remove your loincloth and

bolt before you wink twice)
is the time appropriate? (timing sense is a
gift, one need not fatten the pocket of an
astrologer or soothsayer)
what are my sources of income and
expenditure? ( this is for one’s own
reference, necessarily not to tell the
income tax officer)
who in fact am I ?(most of us do not know
either in the physical sense or spiritual
context)
What is my strength ( even a puny pakru
may think he is mike tyson)(intellectually
also ..you just think of this kanfusion)

29
केयूरा न िवभष
ू यि त पु षं हारा न च द्रो वला
न नानं न िवलेपनं न कुसुमं नालङ्कृता मूधज
र् ा ।
वा येका समलङ्करोित पु षं या सं कृता धायर्ते
क्षीय ते खलु भूषणािन सततं वाग्भूषणंभष
ू णम ् ।।
keyoora na vibhooshayanthi purussham

haaraah na chandrojjwalaah
na snaanam na vilepanam na kusumama
naalankritha moordhajaa
vaanyekaa samalankarothi purusham ya
samskrithaa dhaaryathey
ksheeyanthey khalu bhooshanaani sathatam
vaagbooshanam booshanam
Bharthruhari
wearing fitting and gem studded bracelets,

ornamental chains shining like the moon itself
adorning the bosom, ceremonial bath, unguents,

decoration with rare and beautiful flowers or

ornamentation of the tuft with great efforts
---such artificial embellishments of a man will
not fetch any permanent glory, beauty or
glamour to a man. However if the only civilized
language which is known as refined
(Samskritham) adorns fills to the brim the
minds and thought and words of a man, he is
the one who is really decorated. The
artificial trinkets get decayed and dilapidated
with the passage of time, however the
ornament in the shape of good erudition always
remains with him
See the ornaments mentioned above may give

one the look of a tinsel hero in a puranic
film... but what more?

30
कुचेिलनं द तमलोपधािरणं
महाशनं िन ु रवाक्य भािषणम ्
सय
ू दये चा तमये च शाियनं
जहाित ल मीरिप चक्रधािरणम ्
kuchelinam daddha malopadhaarinam

mahaasanam nishtura vaakya
bhaashanam
sooryodhaye cha asthamayey cha
saayinam jahaathi lakshmee api
chakradhariam
chanakya neethi
The goddess of wealth (Lakshmi) takes

leave of a fellow who wears dirty clothes,
who does not keep oral hygiene, whose

pleasure is life is eating and eating more,

who specialisies in cruel talk, and who
adjusts his sleeping time to synchronise
with the rise and fall of the sun (dawn and
dusk), even if the fellow happens to be
her own husband, vishnu, the wielder of
discus.

31
वस तकाले संप्रा े काकः काकः िपकः िपकः।

vasantha kaaley samprapthey kakah kakah pikah pikak
വസന്തകാലേ സംപ്രാപ്തേ കാകഃ കാകഃ പികഃ പികഃ

when the spring arrives the crow is crow and the
cuckoo is cuckoo
till the arrival of spring the brids have not much to

sing and they are hardly heard... most of the sound
we hear till then will be the crawing of the crow.
the crow and the cuckoo are in their infancy strange
lookalikes and the mother cuckoo even commits the
deceit of laying her eggs in the nest of a mother
crow who hatches the baby cuckoo thinking it also
as her own offspring. But by the arrival of the
spring season the cuckoo baby gains enough strength
to fly and she soars in the skies to sing her
heavenly notes. The poor crow can only make its
usual crowing noises... Similarity in form can be
deceptive...at the proper time the quality shows.

32
अन यासेिवषं िवद्या अजीणभोजनं िवषं।

िवषं गो ी दिरद्र य भोजना ते जलं िवषम ् ।।
anaabhyaase visham vidhya ajeerney bhojanam visham
goshtee daridrasya bhjananthe jalam visham
chanakya neethi
for a person not properly trained mere education
can prove to be poison, for one suffering from
indigestion further consumption food can become
poisonous, for the poor fellow company of very rich
people can prove disastrous like poison, and drinking
of excessive water after a full meal also have the
disadvantageous effect of poison.
education without proper development of

working skills can kill, excessive food for one
suffering from indigestion cannot be

good, when a poor guy lands up in the gang

of rich and unruly men he will be suffering
humiliation and even physical assault, and
when we drink excessive quantities of water
after heavy food the digestive juices get
diluted and the food already consumed
cannot get absorbed in the body properly

33
लालयेत ् प चवषार्िण दशवषार्िण ताडयेत ्।

प्रा े तु षोडशे वष पुत्रं िमत्रवदाचरे त ्।।
lalayet panchvarshaani dasavarshaani thadayet

praapthey thu shodhasey varshey puthram
mithramivaacharet
chanakya neethi
A sensible parent should bring up his son with lots of

exhibition of affection till he attains the age of
five, from five to fifteen it should be a period of
strict discipline where the cane need not be spared,
but ones the son reaches sixteen years he should be
treated like a friend. (this should apply to girls also)

34
जलिब दिु नपातेन क्रमशः पूयत

र् े घटः।।
jalabindhu nipaathena kramasah pooryathey ghatah
the pot gets filled up through the trickle of little

water drops
this is a physical fact..but it is also a universal truth..Rome was

not built in a day.
education cannot be imparted in a huge lump.
character , experience and well earned wealth also
accumulate
through input in tiny and continuous quanta.

35
न पादपो मूलनशिक्तरं हः िशलो चये मू छर् ित मा त य।

na paadaponmoolana shakthi ramhah shilochchaye
moorchathi maaruthasya
the supreme arrogance of the wind uprooting a
tree will be shattered if he tries his prank with a
mountain
usually when there is a strong wind the trees of all

sized get uprooted and the wind gets arrogant, and
if he approaches a mountain and tries to uproot
it he will learn his lesson.
This principle will apply with equal force in respect

of many of the inflated gasbags, which are called
humans.

36
पादा यां न पश
ृ द
े िग्नं गु ं ब्रा णमेव च
नैव गां च कुमारीं च न च वद्ध
ृ ं िशशुं तथा
paadabhyan na sprused agnim gurum braahmanam eva cha

naiva gaam cha kumareem cha na
cha vridhdham shishum thadha
one should not touch (with disrespect or even

inadvertently) by ones legs the fire, the preceptor,
the learned person, the cow, the small girl, the
elderly person or the infant child'
it is considered a very bad show of resepect to

touch someting by feet, and see how the master has
listed the most respected and valued things in his
list!

37
िप्रयवाक्यप्रदानेन सव तु यि त ज तव।
त मा दे व वक्त यं वचने का दिरद्रता।.।
chanankya neethi
priya vaakya pradhaanena sarvey thushyanthi janthavah
tasmaath thadaiva vaktavyam vachaney kaa daridrathaa
All beings are extremely jubilant when they are

handed out praise, so do that always, why should
you be a miserly with words

38
गुणै रतां याित नो चैरासन संि थतः।

प्रासादिशखर थो अिप काकः िकं ग डायते ।।
gunairutharathaam yaathi na uchaair aasana samsthitah
praasaada sikharastopi kaakah kim gurdayathey?
chanakya neethi
one attains greatness in life by his own character

and conduct not by just sitting in a tall seat.
the crow does not become the eagle (garuda) just
because he manages to climb and sit atop
the tallest building in the city

39
धनधा यप्रयोगेषु िवद्यासंग्रहणेषु च
आहारे यवहारे च यक्तल जःसुखी भवेत ्
dhana dhaanya prayogeshu vidhya samgrahaneshu cha

aaharey vyavahaarey cha tyahktha lajaah sukhee bhaveth
chanakya neethi
If a person just throws to wind the feeling of

delicacy in earning and applying money and food
materials,, in acquiring education, in enjoying good food
and in expressing wise opinions he will always be very
comfortable and successful in life.
If money is to be earned and we hesitate, it is

trouble for us and we need not hesitate to spend
the money we earn on good causes. Similarly, we
have to watch the vagaries of weather and act
without hesitation at the correct time to get good
crops and we need not hesitate in distributing the
foodstuff we have collected to all. And in the case
of Education, we have to go anywhere or to
anybody and toil without rest if we have to
succeed..no hesitations there. All know the
disadvantages of being hesitant when called to
partake in a good lunch or dinner...others will eat
and we will remain watching, just letting the saliva
flow. And where proper words are to be spoken

and we fail to do so out of delicacy, our action will

make a dent in our well being.

40
न कि त ् क यिचि मत्रं न कि त ् क यिचिद्रपुः ।

यवहारे ण जाय ते िमत्रािण िरपव तथा।।
na kaschit kasyachit mithrama na kaschit kasyachit

ripuh
vyavahaarena jaayanthe mithraani ripavah thatha
chanakyaneethi
Basically no person is the friend of another, neither

he is the enemy. Friendship and enmity arise
between persons through mutual interaction.
by a single terse sloka the great philosopher economist has

simply propounded the basic principle on human
relationships. People can fall apart on account of conflict of
interest, real or imaginary, conflict of perception or
idiosyncratic preferences and prejudices..and because
of artificial barriers of caste, religion, nationality etc., But
all these happen only when people interact mutually.. If
somebody purchases enemies even without interaction, then
he is a doubly distilled idiot. No management, no treatment,
no advise can cure the idiot

41

ि पूतं यसे पादं व पत

ू ं जलं िपबेत ् ।
स यपूतां वदे वाचं मनःपूतं समायरे त ् ।।
dhrishti pootham nyaset paadham vasthrapootham jalam

pibheth
sathyapoothaam vadheth vaacham manah pootham
samaachareth
one should take each step forward after the path

ahead is properly evaluated, one should drink water
that is filtered through a nice cloth, one should
utter a word only after contemplating whether it is
pure truth and one should take any action only after
satisfying his own conscience.
Chanakya neethi
even today, we can see road signals to the same effect

regarding travel, and perhaps considering the hygiene of the
relevant era, the filtration of potable water was a
revolutionary idea, and the advice for discretion with word
and action are of eternal value.
42

शैले शैले न मािणक्यं मौिक्तकं न गजे गजे।

साधवो न िह सवर्त्र च दनं न वने वने।।
shailey shailey na maanickyam maukthikam na gajey gajey

saadhavo na hi sarvatra chandanam na vaney vaney
manikyam (ruby stone) is not found in all mountains,

pearls are not stored in the forehead of all
elphants, sandalwood does not grow in all forests
and likewise good people cannot be found in
abundance everywhere.
(it is found that certain great mountain ranges

contain very precious stones among their rocky
innards--the mastaka of great elephants contain
shining white pearls as in the case of
Kuvalayaapeeda the huge elephant which was
prodded by Kamsa to kill Krishna but the latter
easily pulled out the elephant's tusk to kill it and in
this process the pearls stored in the mastaka
started flowing down..even though the earth is
covered by large areas of forests the sandalwood

grows only in selected areas and likewise the

presence of really good people also..they are found
very rarely)
43

भद्रं कणर्िभः ुणुयामदे वाः भद्रं प येम अक्षिभयर्जत्राः।

ि थरै रङगैः तु ु वाँस तनूिभः यशेम दे विहतं यदायुः।।
bhadram karnebhih srunuyama devaah bhadram pashyeama

askshabhir yajatraah
sthiraih angaaih thushtuvaamsa tanoobhih vyasema devahitam
yadhaayuh
Oh Gods, we will only hear with our ears what is

good and safe an propitious for us, we shall only see
good things with our eyes you protectors of yajnas
and with our limbs which are firm and with a happy
and strong body we shall spend our lifetime which is
determined by you, devas.
this manthra is found in all the four vedas and some
upanishats and aranyakas also
44

दानं भोगो नाशि त ो गतयो भवि त िव य।

यो न ददाित न भुङ्क्ते त य तत
ृ ीया गितभर्वित।।
dhaanam bhogo naashah thisro gathayo bhavanthi viththasya

yoh na dhadhaathi na bhungthey thasya thritheeya gathir
bhavathi
the money earned have three outlets, first being given away
for noble causes as gifts, the second being its hearty
enjoyment, and the third' complete loss of it. The wealth of a
person who neither gives it nor enjoys it ultimately reaches
the third state. The money accumulated by a stingy person my
take leave of him. may be taken away by thieves, robbers etc,
or by the rulers.
Bharthruhari
45

ख वाटो िदवसे र य िकरणैः स तािपते म तके

ग छन ् दे शमनातपं द्रत
ु गित ताल य मूले गतः।
त त्रा य य महाफलेन पतता भग्नं सश दं िशरः
प्रायो ग छित यत्र दै वहतकः त त्रैव या यापदः।।
khalvato divaseswarasy kirranaih santhaapitho masthakey

gachchan desamanaatapam druthagathisthalasy mooley
gathah
tattraapyasya mahaphalena pathan bhagnam sa shabdham
sirah
prayo gachchathi yathra daivahatakah tathriava
yaanthyaapadhah
A bald headed man was walking in the sciorching sun

and being burned cruelly on the pate somehow
managed to reach a place away from hot sun and
took shelter under a palm tree. There also his
woes followed him, the ripe large palmfruit suddenly
fell on his bald pate with a cracking noise and broke
his head, Verily, wherever a man cursed by god
goes the dangers also follow him without fail.
neethi sathakam of Bharthruhari
46

िन द तु नीितिनपुणाः यिदवा तुव तु

ल मीः समािवशतु ग छतु वा यदे म ्।
अद्यैव वा मरणम तु यग
ु ा तरे वा
या यात ् परं प्रिवचलि त पदं न धीराः।।
nindhandhu neethinipunaah yadhi vaa stuavanthu

lakshmeeh samaavishathu gachchathu vas yadeshtam
adhyaiva vaa maranamstu yugaantharey vaa
nyayyath param pravichalanthi padam na dheeranh
let the pundits in law praise them or deride them,

let the goddess of wealth be with them or let the
fickle lady run away as per her whims, let the death
occur today itself or let life be long till the end of
cycle of time, the enlightened and bold men never
swerve even a micron from the path of
righteousness
For them righteous path is absolute in itself and not
related to chances and circumstances.
47

स प सु महतां िच ं भवेद ु पल कोमळम ्

आप सु च महाशैल िशला संधातककर्शम ्
when having a comfortable and hassle free life, the great men
have a heart as soft and a lotus (they are kind, considerated,
enjoy in fine arts and distribute their wealth for all great
purposes}
but when the danger strikes, the same heart becomes so hard
that even the pounding from the greatest and biggest
mountains will not break it ( it is not that they give up their
benevolent ways but the muster everything at their disposal
to brace themselve to meet the danges half ways in the
toughest way possible..not giving themselves up to
despondency.)
48

एको िह दोषो गण
ु सि नपाते िनम जती दोः िकरणेि ववाङ्कः
eko hi dosho gunasannipaathey nimajjatheendoh
kiraneshwivankah
Kumara sambhavam of kalidasa
Even a flaw in a thing which is endowed with too many

virtues,
gets absorbed in it as an ornament, like the crater on the
face of the moon.
(while describing the beauty of Himalaya,
Kalidasa becomes conscious of its ever present blanket of
ice,
even though the mountain is the minehead of
inuumerable gems. then he remarks like this.)
49

सवर् य गात्र य िशरः प्रधानम ्।
Among all the organs of the body, the

paramount one is the head
without head we lose our identity, when we lose our

heads we become idiots, we acheve whatever in this
life through our head, and without heads we are
mere mundams
50
न िप्रयं प्रवक्तुिम छि त मष
ृ ा िहतैिषणः।

A true well wisher will never tell you a lie in the place
of unpleasant truth
Bharavi

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K v ananthanarayanan irs, additional commissioner of incometax, trivandrum

यजेत ् धमर्ं दयाहीनम ् िवद्याहीनं गु ं यजेत ्।

ത്യജേത് ധര്മ്മം ദയാ ഹിനം വിദ്യാഹീനം ഗുരും ത്യജേത്

Laangoola chalanam adhah charanaavaghaatham

जा यं िधयो हरित िस जित वािच स यम ्

jaadyam dhiyo harathi sinchathi vaachi satyam

ജാഡ്യം ധിയോ ഹരതി സിഞ്ജതി വാചി സത്യം

താവദ്ഭയേഷു ഭേതവ്യം യാവദ്ഭയമനാഗതം

pathram naiva kareeravitapey dosho vasanthasya kim

പത്രം നൈവകരീരവിടപേ ദോഷോ വസന്തസ്യ കിം

Chanakya is emphasizing the power of fate. It is our belief that

paapaat nivarayathi yojayathey hithaya guhyam nigoohathi gunan prakateekarothi

പാപാത് നിവാരയതി യോജയതേ ഹിതായ ഗുഹ്യം നിഗൂഹതി

स यं माता िपता ज्ञानं धम भ्राता दया सखा ।

satyam maathaa pithaa jnanam dharmo bhrathaa dhaya sakhaa

സത്യം മാതാ പിതാ ജ്ഞാനം ധര്മ്മോ ഭ്രാതാദയാ സഖാ

वापीकूपतटाकानाम ् आरामसुरवे मनाम ्

If a learned person who is indifferent to or is indulging in without any hesitation in

अकामान ् कामयित यः कामयानान ् पिरिद्वषन ्

akāmān kāmayati yaḥ kāmayānān paridviṣan

അകാമാന് കാമയതി യഃ കാമയാനനാന് പരിദ്വിഷന്

One who befriends or desires for something which is not to be desired or

यजेत ् कुलाथ पु षम ् ग्राम याथ कुलम ् यजेत ्

If a son or a member of the family is so harmful to the interests of the family as a

िन यपु पा िन यफला तरवः क धिव तत

nityapuṣpā nityaphalā taravaḥ skandhavistṛtāḥ

This is the description of the reign of Rama in the aadikaavyam.

अन तपारं िकल श द-शा ं

anantapāraṁ kila śabda-śāstraṁ

The science of words (language, literature etc.,) is of unending magnitude and is

उद्योिगनं पु ष-िसंहम ् उपैित ल मीर्

udyoginaṁ puruṣa-siṁham upaiti lakṣmīr

ഉദ്യോഗിനം പുരുഷസിംഹം ഉപൈതി ലക്ഷ്മീര്

ऋत य दातारम ् अनु म य िनिधं िनधीनां चतुर वयानाम ्

ṛtasya dātāram anuttamasya nidhiṁ nidhīnāṁ caturanvayānām

Mahaabharatham Aaadiparvam (Sambhava parvam) chapter 71

ഋതസ്യ ദാതാരാം അനുത്തമസ്യ നിധിം നിധീനാം ചതുരന്വയാനാം

This is a statement by Kacha as told to his guru, Sukraacharya. Kacha has

ऋणकतार् िपता शत्रःु माता च यिभचािरणी

ṛṇakartā pitā śatruḥ mātā ca vyabhicāriṇī

ഋണകര്ത്താ പിതാ ശത്രുഃ മാതാ ച വ്യഭിചാരിണീ

द ु जर्नं स जनं कतुर्ं उपायो निह भत

अपानम ् शतधा धौतं न े ं इि द्रयं भवेत ्

durjjanaṁ sajjanaṁ kartuṁ upāyo nahi bhūtale

apānam śatadhā dhautaṁ na śreṣṭhaṁ indriyaṁ bhavet

ദൂര്ജ്ജനം സജ്ജനം കര്ത്തും ഉപായോ ന ഹി ഭൂതലേ

അപാനം ശതധാ ധൌതം നശ്രേഷ്ഠം ഇന്ദ്രിയം ഭവേത്

there is no method availabe in the whole of earth to convert an evil fellow to a

अनाहूत प्रिवशित अप ृ ो बहु भाषते

महाभारतम ् िवदरु नीित

anāhūta praviśati apṛṣṭo bahu bhāṣate

അനാഹൂത പ്രവിശതി അപൃഷ്ടോ ബഹുഭാഷതേ

He is indeed the most deplorable idiot among men

महाभारतम ् वनपवर्म ् यक्षप्र ख ड २९७

क्रोधो हषर् दपर् ी त भो मा यमािनता

यम ् अथार्न ् नापकषर्ि त स वै पि डत उ यते

िवदरु नीित महाभारतं उद्योग पवर्ं ख ड ३३

krodho harṣaśca darpaśca hrīstambho mānyamānitā

yam arthān nāpakarṣanti sa vai paṇḍita ucyate

vidura nīti mahābhārataṁ udyoga parvaṁ khaṇḍa 33

Vidura, the learned younger brother of Dhritarashtra is discussing the righteous

deterrent in the path of success is vanity.

दािक्ष यं वजने दया पिरजने शा यं सदा दज