sarvasya hi parīkṣyante svabhāvā netare guṇāḥ |
atītya hi guṇān sarvān svabhāvo mūrdhni vartate ||
(Hitopadeśa: Mitra-lābha, 20)
“The natures (svabhāvas) of all are to be examined, and not, on the contrary, the qualities, since the nature (svabhāva) [of a person], surpassing all qualities, abides at the head [i.e., the svabhāva predominates in the thinking and behavior of person].”
varaṁ na rājyaṁ na kurāja-rājyaṁ
varaṁ na mitraṁ na kumitra-mitram |
varaṁ na śiṣyo na kuśiṣya-śiṣyo
varaṁ na dārā na kudāra-dāraḥ ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darpaṇa: 6.13)
“Better no kingdom than a kingdom with a bad king. Better no friend than a friend who is a bad friend. Better no disciple than a disciple who is a bad disciple. Better no wife than a wife who is a bad wife.”
vṛtty-arthaṁ bhojanaṁ yeṣāṁ santānārthaṁ ca maithunam |
vāk satya-vacanārthāya durgāṇy api taranti te ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 92)
“Those who eat for the sake of upkeep, engage in intercourse for the sake of children, and speak for the sake of truthful speech certainly overcome adversities.”
yādṛśaiḥ sevyate bhṛtyair yādṛśāṁś copasevate |
kadācin nātra sandehas tādṛg bhavati pūruṣaḥ ||
(Pañcatantra: 1.272)
“A person becomes like whom he serves and like servants by whom he is served. There is never any doubt in this regard.”
aneka-saṁśayocchedi parokṣārthasya darśakam |
sarvasya locanaṁ śāstraṁ yasya nāsty andha eva saḥ ||
(Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra, Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha, Hitopadeśa: 1.10)
“The remover of numerous doubts and revealer of the invisible, śāstra is the eye of everyone. One without it is certainly blind.”
śaile śaile na māṇikyaṁ mauktikaṁ na gaje gaje |
sādhavo na hi sarvatra candanaṁ na vane vane ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darśana: 2.9)
“A ruby is not on every mountain. A pearl is not on every elephant. Sādhus are not everywhere. Sandalwood is not in every forest.”
mṛga-tṛṣṇā-samaṁ vīkṣya saṁsāraṁ kṣaṇa-bhaṅguram |
sajjanaiḥ saṅgataṁ kuryād dharmāya ca sukhāya ca ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 138)
“Seeing the world of saṁsāra to be perishable in a moment like a mirage, associate with the sādhus for the sake of dharma and happiness.”
sad-bhāvena haren mitraṁ sambhrameṇa tu bāndhavān |
strī-bhṛtyau dāna-mānābhyāṁ dākṣiṇyenetarān janān ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 112)
“Win over a friend with sincerity, relatives with honor, a wife or a servant with gifts and recognition, and others with cordiality.”
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.”
apriyāṇy api kurvāṇo yaḥ priyaḥ priya eva saḥ |
dagdha-mandira-sāre’pi kasya vahnāv anādaraḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: 2.133; Mahāsubhāsīta-saṅgraha: 2198)
“Even after doing displeasing things, one who is dear certainly remains dear. Even after burning down one’s home and property, by whom is fire disrespected?”
