vidyā dadāti vinayaṁ vinayād yāti pātratām |
pātratvād dhanam āpnoti dhanād dharmaṁ tatas sukham ||
(Hitopadeśa: Maṅgalācaraṇam, 6)
“Knowledge gives one humility [alt., discipline]. Through humility one attains worthiness. Through worthiness one acquires wealth, and through wealth come dharma and thereafter happiness.”
dharmārthaṁ yasya vittehā varaṁ tasya nirīhatā |
prakṣālanād dhi paṅkasya dūrād asparśanaṁ varam ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.2.49; cited in Hitopadeśa: 1.174)
“For one who desires [alt., pursues] wealth for the sake of dharma, desirelessness [alt., non-pursuit] is better, just as remaining untouched by mud from afar is better than washing [it off after touching it].”
kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobho harṣo māno madas tathā |
ṣaḍ-vargam utsṛjed enaṁ tasmiṁs tyakte sukhī nṛpaḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 102)
“Give up the six enemies: lust, anger, greed, pleasure, egotism, and pride. O King, one who rejects them is happy in this world.”
śāstrāṇy adhītyāpi bhavanti mūrkhā
yas tu kriyāvān puruṣaḥ sa vidvān |
sucintitaṁ caiṣadham āturāṇāṁ
na nāma-mātreṇa karoty arogam ||
(Hitopadeśa: 1.164)
“Even after studying the śāstras, fools remain [fools], whereas a person who engages in practice [of the knowledge they have studied] becomes [truly] learned, just as a well-considered medicine for sick persons does not remove a disease with only its name [i.e., the medicine has to actually be taken properly, and so also knowledge has to actually be put into practice properly for it to be realized and one to attain the benefit such knowledge produces].”
yo’rtha-tattvam avijñāya krodhasyaiva vaśaṁ gataḥ |
sa tathā tapyate mūḍho brāhmaṇo nakulād yathā ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 102)
“Without ascertaining the facts of the matter, one who becomes captivated by anger later repents, like the brāhmaṇa on account of a mongoose.”
duḥkhito’pi cared dharmaṁ yatra kutrāśrame rataḥ |
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu na liṅgaṁ dharma-kāraṇam ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 91)
“Even in distress, one situated in any āśrama should adhere to dharma and be equal towards all living beings. [Mere] Markings are not causes of dharma.”
ajarāmaravat prājño vidyām arthaṁ ca sādhayet |
gṛhīta iva keśeṣu mṛtyunā dharmam ācaret ||
(Hitopadeśa: Prāstāvikā, 3)
“The wise should pursue knowledge and wealth as though they are unaging and immortal, but they adhere to dharma as if their hair has been grabbed by death.”
yatra vidvaj-jano nāsti ślāghyas tatrālpa-dhīr api |
nirasta-pādape deśe eraṇḍo’pi drumāyate ||
(Hitopadeśa: Mitra-lābha, 70; Subhāṣita-ratna-samuccaya)
“Where there is no wise person, even someone of little intelligence becomes venerable. In a land devoid of trees, even a castor-oil plant seems like [i.e., is considered to be] a tree.”
jalāntaś candra-capalaṁ jīvitaṁ khalu dehinām |
tathā-vidham iti jñātvā śaśvat-kalyāṇam ācaret ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 136)
“Knowing the life of embodied beings to be unsteady like the reflection of the moon upon water, endeavor for your eternal welfare.”
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].”
