maitryā cākhila-jantuṣu
maitryā cākhila-jantuṣu |
samatvena ca sarvātmā bhagavān samprasīdati ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.11.13)
“Bhagavān, the Ātmā of all, is very pleased by friendship (between peers) and equality towards all living beings.”
Friendship
nāsti vedāt paraṁ śāstraṁ nāsti mātuḥ paro guruḥ
nāsti vedāt paraṁ śāstraṁ nāsti mātuḥ paro guruḥ |
nāsti dānāt paraṁ mitram iha loke paratra ca ||
(Unknown Source)
“There is no greater śāstra than the Veda, no greater guru than one’s mother, and no greater giving than friendship in this world or the next.”
yayor eva samam vittam yayor eva samam śrutam
yayor eva samam vittam yayor eva samam śrutam |
tayor vivahaḥ sakhyaṁ ca na tu puṣṭa-vipuṣṭayoḥ ||
(Pañcatantra)
“Marriage and friendship are for those who are equal in wealth and equal in learning, and not for those between whom one is well-endowed and the other is not.”
mṛgā mṛgaiḥ saṅgam anuvrajanti
mṛgā mṛgaiḥ saṅgam anuvrajanti
gāvaś ca gobhis turagās turagaiḥ |
mūrkhāś ca mūrkhaiḥ sudhiyaḥ sudhībhiḥ
samāna-śīla-vyasaneṣu sakhyam ||
(Pañcatantra: 1.305)
“Deers roam with deers, cows with cows, horses with horses, fools with fools, and the intelligent with the intelligent. Friendship is between individuals of similar disposition and ambition.”
ikṣor agrāt kramaśaḥ parvaṇi parvaṇi yathā rasa-viśeṣaḥ
ikṣor agrāt kramaśaḥ parvaṇi parvaṇi yathā rasa-viśeṣaḥ |
tadvat sajjana-maitrī viparītānāṁ tu viparītā ||
(Pañcatantra: 2.38)
“As special taste is gradually produced in segment after segment of sugarcane from the tip onwards, so too it is in friendship with the virtuous [i.e., the sweetness gradually increases as the relationship develops]. It is the opposite [i.e., bitterness gradually arises], however, with the opposite [i.e., the unvirtuous].”
na kaścit kasyacin mitraṁ na kaścit kasyacid ripuḥ
na kaścit kasyacin mitraṁ na kaścit kasyacid ripuḥ |
vyavahāreṇa mitrāṇi jāyante ripavas tathā ||
(Hitopadeśa: 1.72)
“No one is [inherently] anyone’s friend, and no one is [inherently] anyone’s enemy. Friends and enemies are created by behavior.”
mat-prīty-utpādana-vyagra śrī-nārada suhṛt-tama
mat-prīty-utpādana-vyagra śrī-nārada suhṛt-tama |
hitam evākṛtātyantaṁ bhavān me rasikottama ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.124)
[Śrī Bhagavān:] “O Nārada, O you who are eager to bring me pleasure, [and are thus] my dearest friend! You have indeed benefitted me to the highest degree, O very best of rasikas!”
te santaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ nirupādhika-bāndhavāḥ
te santaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ nirupādhika-bāndhavāḥ |
ye nṛsiṁha bhavan nāma gāyanty uccair mudānvitāḥ ||
(Nārasiṁha Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 11.352)
“[Prahlāda Mahārāja:] O Nṛsiṁha, those who, filled with joy, loudly sing your name are the sincere friends of all living beings.”
apriyāṇy api pathyāni ye vadanti nṛṇām iha
apriyāṇy api pathyāni ye vadanti nṛṇām iha |
te eva suhṛdaḥ proktā anye syur nāma-dhārakāḥ ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2199)
“Only those who say to people here that which, although unpleasant, needs to be said are called friends. Others are only bearers of the name [i.e., they are only so-called friends].”
apṛṣṭo’pi hitaṁ brūyāt yasya necchet parābhavam
apṛṣṭo’pi hitaṁ brūyāt yasya necchet parābhavam |
eṣa eva satāṁ dharmo viparīta-mato’nyathā ||
(Hitopadeśa: 2.140)
“Even if unasked, say that which is beneficial [i.e., give good advice] to someone whose downfall you do not desire. This is certainly the dharma of the sādhus, and the opposite mentality is otherwise [i.e., not doing so is the way of the unwholesome].”