paṭhakāḥ pāṭhakāś caiva ye cānye śāstra-cintakāḥ |
sarve vyasanino mūrkhā yaḥ kriyāvān sa paṇḍitaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.313.110)
“All the students, teachers, and others who consider śāstra but are addicted to vices are fools. One who engages in practice [of all that is taught in śāstra] is wise.”
paropadeśa-velāyāṁ śiṣṭāḥ sarve bhavanti vai |
vismarantīha śiṣṭatvaṁ svakārye samupasthite ||
(Mahābhārata)
“At the time of giving advice to others, everyone is certainly wise [alt., cultured, proper, etc., or so they think]. When their own duty [alt., tasks, responsibility, difficulty, etc.] arises [however] they then forget all their wisdom [alt., culturedness, propriety, etc.].”
ataś ca dharmibhiḥ pumbhir anīhārthaḥ praśasyate |
prakṣālanād dhi paṅkasya dūrād asparśanaṁ varam ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.2.47)
“Therefore, indifference towards wealth on the part of dharmic persons is praiseworthy. Remaining untouched by mud from afar is certainly better than washing [it off after touching it].”
anyān parivadan sādhur yathā hi paritapyate |
tathā parivadann anyāṁs tuṣṭo bhavati durjanaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 1.69.11; cited in Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 1792)
“As a sādhu is certainly pained by speaking ill of others, so the wicked become pleased by speaking ill of others.”
gurūṇāṁ caiva sarveṣāṁ mātā paramako guruḥ |
(Mahābhārata: Ādi-parva, 211.16)
[Yudhiṣṭhira to Kuntī:] “And of all gurus, the mother is certainly the foremost guru.”
kṛṣir bhū-vācakaḥ śabdo ṇaś ca nirvṛti-vācakaḥ |
tayor aikyaṁ paraṁ brahma kṛṣṇa ity abhidhīyate ||
(Mahābhārata: Udyoga-parva: 71.4; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.9.30 and Jīva Gosvāmī’s ṭīkā on Brahma-saṁhitā: 5.1)
“The word [i.e., root] kṛṣ is a signifier of existence, and [the suffix] ṇa is a signifier of bliss. The oneness of the two [i.e., of the referrents of kṛṣ and ṇa, that is, existence and bliss], Parabrahman, is thus referred to as Kṛṣṇa.”
pāpaṁ kurvan pāpakīrtiḥ pāpam evāśnute phalam |
puṇyaṁ kurvan puṇyakīrtiḥ puṇyam evāśnute phalam ||
pāpaṁ prajñāṁ nāśayati kriyamāṇaṁ punaḥ punaḥ |
naṣṭa-prajñaḥ pāpam eva nityam ārabhate naraḥ ||
puṇyaṁ prajñāṁ vardhayati kriyamāṇaṁ punaḥ punaḥ |
vṛddha-prajñaḥ puṇyam eva nityam ārabhate naraḥ ||
asūyako dandaśūko niṣṭhuro vairakṛn naraḥ |
sa kṛcchraṁ mahad āpnoto nacirāt pāpam ācaran ||
anasūyaḥ kṛta-prajñaḥ śobhanāny ācaran sadā |
akṛcchrāt sukham āpnoti sarvatra ca virājate ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.35.51−6)
“By committing sin, a sinful person certainly receives the results of sin. By practicing piety, a pious person certainly receives the results of piety. Sin committed again and again destroys one’s intellect, and a person whose intellect is destroyed begins to commit sin continuously. Piety practiced again and again enhances one’s intellect, and a person of enhanced intellect starts to practice piety continuously. A persons who is envious, mordacious, cruel, and inimical, by committing sins, soon undergoes great difficulty. One who is non-envious and endowed with intellect, by always performing auspicious acts, attains happiness without difficulty and shines everywhere.”
na manuṣye guṇaḥ kaścid anyo dhanavatām api |
anāturatvād bhadraṁ te mṛta-kalpā hi rogiṇaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.36.65; Vidura-nīti)
“There is no other quality in a human being, including even affluence, that is more blessed than being healthy [lit., non-diseased]. The sickly are as though already dead.”
prajñām evāgamayati yaḥ prājñebhyaḥ sa paṇḍitaḥ |
prājño hy avāpya dharmārthau śaknoti sukham edhitum ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.35.57)
“One who procures wisdom from the wise is a paṇḍita, and a wise person, by attaining dharma and artha, is able to increase his happiness.”
