sarpaḥ krūraḥ khalaḥ krūraḥ sarpāt krūrataraḥ khalaḥ |
mantraoṣadhi-vaśaḥ sarpaḥ khalaḥ kena nivāryate ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti)
“A snake is cruel, and the wicked are cruel. The wicked [however] are even more cruel than a snake. A snake can be controlled by mantras and medicinal herbs, but how are the wicked subdued? [i.e., They cannot be subdued by anything].”
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.”
aviśrāmaṁ vahed bhāraṁ śītoṣṇaṁ ca na vindati |
sasantoṣas tathā nityaṁ trīṇi śikṣeta gardabhāt ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti)
“Carrying a load without rest, disregarding cold and heat, and being satisfied always—learn these three [virtues] from a donkey.”
anabhyāse viṣaṁ śāstram ajīrṇe bhojanaṁ viṣam |
daridrasya viṣaṁ goṣṭhī vṛddhasya taruṇī viṣam ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti: 4.15)
“Without regular practice, śāstra is poison [because it can lead to delusion]. When undigested, food is poison [because it causes disease]. For a poor person, congregating is poison [because one cannot properly host others], and for an elderly man, a young woman is poison [because he cannot fulfill all her needs].”
dūrasthe’pi na dūrastho yo yasya manasi sthitaḥ |
yo yasya hṛdaye nāsti samīpasthō’pi dūrataḥ ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-sāra)
“Even if situated far away, one who is present in one’s heart is not situated far away. One who is not present in one’s heart is far away [however] even if situated nearby.”
atidānād balir baddho naṣṭo mānāt suyodhanaḥ |
vinaṣṭo rāvaṇo laulyād ati sarvatra varjayet ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti)
“Bali was bound by excessive giving. Duryodhana was ruined by [excessive] pride. Rāvaṇa was ruined by [excessive] greediness. [Therefore,] Excess should be given up in all respects.”
abhyāsād dhāryate vidyā kulaṁ śīlena dhāryate |
guṇair mitrāṇi dhāryante akṣṇā krodhaś ca dhāryate ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2390)
“Knowledge is maintained by practice. A family is maintained by good conduct. Friends are maintained by good qualities. And anger is maintained by the eyes.”
āyuḥ karma ca vittaṁ ca vidyā nidhanam eva ca |
pañcaitāni hi sṛjyante garbhasthasyaiva dehinaḥ ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti: 4.1; cited in Hitopadeśa: 1.27)
“Lifespan, karma, wealth, learning, and death—these five are created for the bearer of the body [i.e.,the jīvātmā) while situated in the womb [i.e., these five are set out for a living being from the time of their birth].”
ātmāparādha-vṛkṣāṇāṁ phalāny etāni dehinām |
roga-śoka-parītāpa-bandhana-vyasanāni ca ||
(Hitopadeśa: Mitra-lābha, 41)
“These are the fruits of the trees of an embodied being’s own offenses: disease, grief, suffering, bondage, and vices [alt., adversities].”
