durbalasya balaṁ rājā bālānāṁ rodanaṁ balam |
balaṁ mūrkhasya maunitvaṁ caurāṇām anṛtam balam ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti)
“The strength of the weak is the king. The strength of children is crying. The strength of a fool is silence, and the strength of thieves is deceit.”
apragalbhasya yā vidyā kṛpaṇasya ca yad dhanam |
yac ca bāhu-balaṁ bhīror vyartham etat trayaṁ bhuvi ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2153)
“The knowledge of the timid, the wealth of the miserly, and the arm-strength of the cowardly—these three are useless in the world [because they are never applied and thus never fulfill their potential].”
vyarthayārthehayā vittaṁ pramattasya vayo balam |
kuśalā yena sidhyanti jaraṭhaḥ kiṁ nu sādhaye ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.23.25)
“Wealth, youth, and strength, by which the wise attain perfection—my bewildered self has lost these because of meaningless endeavors for wealth. Now, in old age, what can I attain?”
