yasya nāsti svayaṁ prajñā śāstraṁ tasya karoti kim |
locanābhyāṁ vihīnasya darpaṇaḥ kiṁ kariṣyati ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darpaṇa: 10.9)
“What does the śāstra do for he who himself has no discernment [alt., intelligence]? What can a mirror do for he who has no eyes?”
ambhojinī-vana-vihāra-vilāsam eva
haṁsasya hanti nitarāṁ kupito vidhātā |
na tv asya dugdha-jala-bheda-vidhau prasiddhāṁ
vaidagdhī-kīrtim apahartum asau samarthaḥ ||
(Nīti-śatakam: 18)
“Vidhātā [i.e., Brahmā, or, destiny], [even] when exceedingly angered,
may destroy a swan’s fun
of playing in a cluster of lotuses,
but he cannot destroy
the widely renowned fame
of its skill in separating milk from water.”
aneka-śāstraṁ bahu-veditavyam
alpaś ca kālo bahuvaś ca vighnāḥ |
yat sāra-bhūtaṁ tad upāsitavyaṁ
haṁso yathā kṣīram ivāmbhum adhyāt ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darpanam: 15.10)
“There are various texts and so many things to be known. Time is short, and obstacles are numerous. Therefore, the essence is to be appreciated, as a swan can extract milk for the midst of water.”
ananta-pāraṁ kila śabda-śāstraṁ
svalpaṁ tathāyur bahavaś ca vighnāḥ |
sāraṁ tato grāhyam apāsya phalgu
haṁsair yathā kṣīram ivāmbum adhyāt ||
(Pañcatantra: Kathā-mukham, 6)
“Endless indeed are words and texts. Life is short, and obstacles are numerous. Therefore, the essence is to be grasped and the insubstantial set aside, just as milk can be extracted from water by swans.”
kṛta-niścayino vandyās tuṅgimā nopabhujyate |
cātakaḥ ko varāko’yaṁ yasyendro vārivāhakaḥ ||
(Pañcatantra: 2.147)
“The resolute are worthy of respect. Such [status] is not enjoyed [just] by one who is tall [i.e., large in size]. Who is this low [i.e., short and apparently insignificant] cātaka for whom Indra is a water-porter?”
eka eva khago mānī cirañjīvatu cātakam |
mriyate vā pipāsārto yācate vā purandaram ||
(Pañcatantra)
“Long live the cātaka, the bird of unparalleled self-respect. When afflicted with thirst, it either dies or begs from Indra [but will never drink water from anywhere but a raincloud, that is, from anywhere beneath him on the ground].”
mantre tīrthe dvije deve daivajñe bheṣaje gurau |
yādṛśī bhāvanā yasya siddhir bhavati tādṛśī ||
(Skanda Purāṇga: 5.3.227.38–9; cited in Pañcatantra: 5.96)
“In regard to a mantra, tīrtha, brāhmaṇa, deva, astrologer, medicine, or guru—as is one’s attitude (bhāvanā), so is one’s attainment.”
na kāṣṭhe vidyate devo na śilāyāṁ kadācana |
bhāve hi vidyate devas tasmād bhāvaṁ samācaret ||
(Garuḍa Purāṇa: 2.38.13)
“Deva is never present in wood or in stone. Deva is present in bhāva. Therefore, cultivate bhāva.”
kāṣṭha-pāṣāṇa-dhātūnāṁ kṛtvā bhāvena sevanam |
śraddhayā ca tathā siddhis tasya viṣṇu-prasādataḥ ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darpaṇa: 8.12)
“If one serves that which is made of wood, stone, or metal [i.e., a deity] with bhāva and śraddhā, then siddhi [i.e., success in one’s worship] occurs by Viṣṇu’s grace.”
nāgni-hotraṁ vinā vedā na ca dānaṁ vinā kriyā |
na bhāvena vinā siddhis tasmād bhāvo hi kāraṇam ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darpaṇa: 8.10)
“There are no Vedas without Agni-hotra [i.e., the practice of Agni-hotra is described all throughout the Vedas], and there are no rites without charity [ie., Vedic sacrifices always include, and not considered successful without, giving charity]. [Similarly,] There is no attainment without bhāva. Therefore, bhāva is the means.”
