anasūyā kṣamā śāntiḥ santoṣaḥ priya-vāditā |
kāma-krodha-parityāgaḥ śiṣṭācāra-nidarśanam ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.211.25; Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha)
“Non-enviousness, forgiveness, peacefulness, contentment, pleasing [alt., kind] speech, and abandonment of passion and anger are illustrations of cultured conduct (śiṣṭācāra).”
yathā kāṣṭhaṁ ca kāṣṭhaṁ ca sameyātāṁ mahodadhau |
sametya ca vyapeyātāṁ tadvad-bhūta-samāgamaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.28.36; Hitopadeśa: 4.75)
“As a piece of wood may meet another piece of wood atop a vast sea, and after meeting may also become separated—such is the conjunction of living beings.”
mahāprasāde govinde nāma-brahmaṇi vaiṣṇave |
svalpa-puṇya-vatāṁ rājan viśvāso naiva jāyate ||
(Attributed to Mahābhārata)
“O King, faith in mahāprasāda, Govinda, the name [i.e., Bhagavān‘s name], the Veda, and the Vaiṣṇava certainly does not arise in those possessed of little piety.”
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.”
