mṛgā mṛgaiḥ saṅgam anuvrajanti
gāvaś ca gobhis turagās turagaiḥ |
mūrkhāś ca mūrkhaiḥ sudhiyaḥ sudhībhiḥ
samāna-śīla-vyasaneṣu sakhyam ||
(Pañcatantra: 1.305)
“Deers roam with deers, cows with cows, horses with horses, fools with fools, and the intelligent with the intelligent. Friendship is between individuals of similar disposition and ambition.”
ikṣor agrāt kramaśaḥ parvaṇi parvaṇi yathā rasa-viśeṣaḥ |
tadvat sajjana-maitrī viparītānāṁ tu viparītā ||
(Pañcatantra: 2.38)
“As special taste is gradually produced in segment after segment of sugarcane from the tip onwards, so too it is in friendship with the virtuous [i.e., the sweetness gradually increases as the relationship develops]. It is the opposite [i.e., bitterness gradually arises], however, with the opposite [i.e., the unvirtuous].”
na kaścit kasyacin mitraṁ na kaścit kasyacid ripuḥ |
vyavahāreṇa mitrāṇi jāyante ripavas tathā ||
(Hitopadeśa: 1.72)
“No one is [inherently] anyone’s friend, and no one is [inherently] anyone’s enemy. Friends and enemies are created by behavior.”
apṛṣṭo’pi hitaṁ brūyāt yasya necchet parābhavam |
eṣa eva satāṁ dharmo viparīta-mato’nyathā ||
(Hitopadeśa: 2.140)
“Even if unasked, say that which is beneficial [i.e., give good advice] to someone whose downfall you do not desire. This is certainly the dharma of the sādhus, and the opposite mentality is otherwise [i.e., not doing so is the way of the unwholesome].”
kṣīreṇātmagatodakāya hi guṇā dattā purā te’khilā
kṣīrottāpam avekṣya tena payasā svātmā kṛśānau hutaḥ |
gantuṁ pāvakam unmanas tad abhavad dṛṣṭvā tu mitrāpadaṁ
yuktaṁ tena jalena śāmyati satāṁ maitrī punas tv īdṛśī ||
(Nīti-śatakam: 76)
“First, milk bestowed all its own well-known qualities on water [such as whiteness, tastefulness, etc., when it was mixed with water]. Observing the milk [in its midst] becoming greatly heated [i.e., seeing the milk and itself being heated on a stove], the water made itself an offering into the fire [i.e., the water sacrificed itself to protect the milk]. The milk became eager to enter the fire [along with its friend the water, as it neared boiling over] upon seeing the distress of his friend [i.e., the water], but became calm when combined with water again. Such is friendship with the virtuous.”
mitraṁ prīti-rasāyanaṁ nayanayor ānandanaṁ cetasaḥ
pātraṁ yat sukha-duḥkhayoḥ saha bhaven mitreṇa tad durlabham |
ye cānye suhṛdaḥ samṛddhi-samaye dravyābhilāṣākulās
te sarvatra milanti tattva-nikaṣa-grāvā tu teṣāṁ vipat ||
(Hitopadeśa: 1.224)
“A friend is a pleasing elixir for the eyes and a joy to the heart. A friend who is a sharer with us in happiness and distress is rare to find. Others who are well-wishes in times of prosperity and full of desire for wealth can be found everywhere. Adversity is the touchstone test of their nature.”
āture vyasane prāpte durbhikṣe śatru-saṅkaṭe |
rājā-dvāre śmaśāne ca yas tiṣṭhati sa bāndhavaḥ ||
(Cāṇākhya-nīti-darpaṇa: 1.12)
“One who stays [with you] in illness, in adversity, in famine, while surrounded by enemies, at the gate of the king, and at the crematorium, is a friend.”
utsave vyasane yuddhe durbhikṣe rāṣṭra-viplave |
rāja-dvāre śmaśāne ca yas tiṣṭhati sa bāndhavaḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: 4.67)
“One who stays [with you] in festivals, in adversity, in war, in famine, in revolutions of the state, at the gate of the king, and at the crematorium, is a friend.”
pāpān nivārayati yojayate hitāya
guhyam nigūhati guṇān prakaṭīkaroti |
āpad-gataṁ ca na jahāti dadāti kāle
san-mitra-lakṣaṇam idaṁ pravadanti santaḥ
(Nīta-śatakam of Bhatṛhari: 1.73)
“The wise say these are the characteristics of a true friend: he prevents one from sins, engages one in what is beneficial, conceals one’s secrets, affirms one’s qualities, does not abandon one in trouble, and gives one [whatever is required or desired] at the appropriate time.”
śokārāti-bhaya-trāṇaṁ prīti-viśrambha-bhājanam |
kena ratnam idaṁ sṛṣṭaṁ mitram ity akṣara-dvayam ||
(Hitopadeśa: 1.223)
“Who has created this gem composed of the two syllables “mi-tra” (“friend”)? A friend protects one from grief, enemies, and fear, and is a reservoir of affection and trust.”
