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  • ghṛta-kumbha-samā nārī taptāṅgāra-samaḥ pumān |
    tasmād ghṛtaṁ ca vahniṁ ca naikatra sthāpayed budhaḥ ||
    (Unknown source)

    “A woman is like a pot of ghee, and a man like a burning coal. Therefore, the wise should not place ghee and fire together.”

    Read on →: ghṛta-kumbha-samā nārī

  • āśā hi paramaṁ duḥkhaṁ nairāśyaṁ paramaṁ sukham |
    yathā sañchidya kāntāśāṁ sukhaṁ suṣvāpa piṅgalā ||
    (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.8.44)

    “Hope [i.e., material desire] is the greatest unhappiness, and hopelessness [i.e., freedom from material desire] is the greatest happiness, as after completely cutting away any hope for a lover, Piṅgalā slept happily.”

    Read on →: āśā hi paramaṁ duḥkhaṁ

  • dharmārthaṁ yasya vittehā varaṁ tasya nirīhatā |
    prakṣālanād dhi paṅkasya dūrād asparśanaṁ varam ||
    (Mahābhārata: 3.2.49; cited in Hitopadeśa: 1.174)

    “For one who desires [alt., pursues] wealth for the sake of dharma, desirelessness [alt., non-pursuit] is better, just as remaining untouched by mud from afar is better than washing [it off after touching it].”

    Read on →: dharmārthaṁ yasya vittehā

  • icchopaśamanaṁ kartuṁ yadi kṛtsnaṁ na śakyate |
    svalpam apy anugantavyaṁ mārgastho nāvasīdati ||
    (Yoga Vāsiṣṭha of Vālmīki: 7.36.30)

    “If one is not able to calm one’s desire completely, then doing so should be pursued at least a little. One [who remains] situated on the path will not come to ruin [whereas those who gives up will never be successful].”

    Read on →: icchopaśamanaṁ kartuṁ

  • asaṅkalpāj jayet kāmaṁ krodhaṁ kāma-vivarjanāt |
    arthānarthekṣayā lobhaṁ bhayaṁ tattvāvamarśanāt ||
    ānvīkṣikyā śoka-mohau dambhaṁ mahad-upāsayā |
    yogāntarāyān maunena hiṁsāṁ kāmādy-anīhayā ||
    kṛpayā bhūtajaṁ duḥkhaṁ daivaṁ jahyāt samādhinā |
    ātmajaṁ yoga-vīryeṇa nidrāṁ sattva-niṣevayā ||
    rajas tamaś ca sattvena sattvaṁ copaśamena ca |
    etat sarvaṁ gurau bhaktyā puruṣo hy añjasā jayet ||
    (Śrīmad Bhāgavata: 7.15.22–25)

    “One can conquer desire (kāma) with negative resolve [e.g., resolutions such as ‘this is not for my enjoyment’ in regard to objects of desire], anger with rejection of desire [for violence], greed with vision of the detriment (anartha) [i.e., the meaninglessness, vice, etc.] within desired ends (arthas), fear with consideration of truth, lamentation and delusion with rational examination [i.e., discrimination between the self and non-self], pride with service to great persons, obstacles in yoga with silence, violence with indifference to desire and so forth. One can overcome suffering caused by other beings with compassion [i.e., actions performed for their benefit], suffering caused by destiny [i.e., foreboding] with meditation [on Bhagavān], suffering caused by the self [i.e., the body] with the strength of yoga [e.g., prāṇayāma, etc.], sleep with a sattvic diet, rajas [i.e., passion] and tamas [i.e., ignorance] with sattva [i.e., goodness], and sattva with composure [i.e., indifference towards even sattvic action]. A person can quickly conquer all of these [however] by means of bhakti to the guru.”

    Read on →: asaṅkalpāj jayet kāmaṁ

  • abhyāsaś chandasāṁ daṇḍo |
    (Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2386)

    “Practice is the stick [i.e., means of discipline] for fancy.”

    Read on →: abhyāsaś chandasāṁ daṇḍo |

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