tyajed ekaṁ kulasyārthe grāmasyārthe kulaṁ tyajet |
grāmaṁ janapadasyārthe svātmārthe pṛthivīṁ tyajet ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darpaṇa: 3.10; Hitopadeśa: 1.143; Pañcatantra: 1.386)
“Give up an individual for the sake of a family. Give up a family for the sake of a village and a village for the sake of a nation. Give up [however] the earth for the sake of one’s self.”
re re cātaka sāvadhāna-manasā mitra kṣaṇaṁ śrūyatām
ambhodā bahavo vasanti gagane sarve’pi naitādṛśāḥ |
kecid vṛṣṭibhir ārdrayanti vasudhāṁ garjanti kecid vṛthā
yaṁ yaṁ paśyasi tasya tasya purato mā brūhi dīnaṁ vacaḥ ||
(Nīti-śatakam: 51)
“Oh! Oh! Cātaka! My friend, listen with an attentive mind for a moment. Certainly many clouds reside in the sky, although all of them are not like this [i.e., not all of them are supporters of cātakas, as the cātaka stated in the previous verse]. Some saturate the earth with their showers, and some [merely] rumble frivolously [and do not shower any rain at all]. [So,] Do not speak piteous words before every single one you see.”
tvam eva cātakādhāro’stīti keṣāṁ na gocaraḥ |
kim ambhoda-varāsmākaṁ kārpaṇyoktiṁ pratīkṣase ||
(Nīti-śatakam: 50)
“To whom is it not known that you alone are the support [“reservoir”] of the cātakas? So why, O dear cloud, do you wait for our expressions of deprivation [before showering rain upon us]?”
abhimāna-dhanaṁ yeṣāṁ ciraṁ jīvanti te narāḥ |
abhimāna-vihīnānāṁ kiṁ dhanena kim āyuṣā ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2306)
“People who have the wealth of self-respect live long. What can wealth and what can life do for those who have no self-respect?”
sa hi bhavati daridro yasya tṛṣṇā viśālā |
manasi ca parituṣṭe ko’rthavān ko daridraḥ ||
(Unknown Source)
“One whose desire is expansive is certainly poor. When one is fully satisfied in mind, who is rich and who is poor?”
kahahu bhagati patha kavana prayāsā |
joga na makha japa tapa upavāsā ||
sarala subhāva na mana kuṭilāī |
jathā lābha saṁtoṣa sadāī ||
mora dāsa kahāi kara nara āsā |
kara-i tau kahahu kahā bisvāsa ||
bahuta kaha-u̐ kā kathā baḍhai |
ehi ācarana basya maiṁ bhāi ||
(Rāma-carita-mānasa: 7.45.1–2)
[Rāma addressing an assembly at his court:] “Tell me, on the path of bhakti, what is the exertion [i.e., what is so troublesome]? There is no yoga, sacrifice (yajña), japa, austerity, or fasting. [Rather,] there is [just] sincere disposition, non-crookedness of mind, and always being satisfied with whatever is obtained. If someone says they are my servant but places their hope in men, then tell me, where is their faith [i.e., what faith do they really have in me]? I have said so much, and what is the use of prolonged discussion? [Simply] This conduct [i.e., the aforementioned conduct of being sincere, non-deceitful, satisfied, and fully faithful to me] captivates me, O brother!”
santoṣo vai svarga-tamaḥ santoṣaḥ paraṁ sukham |
tuṣṭer na kiñcit parataḥ sā samyak pratitiṣṭhati ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.21.2)
“Satisfaction is verily the highest Svarga. Satisfaction is the highest happiness. When that is fully established [in the mind], there is nothing more fulfilling.”
sadā santuṣṭa-manasaḥ sarvāḥ śivamayā diśaḥ |
śarkarā-kaṇṭakādibhyo yathopānat-padaḥ śivam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.15.17)
“All directions are auspicious for one who is always of satisfied mind, just as there is safety from rocks, thorns, and so on for one with shoes on one’s feet.”
daridro yas tv asantuṣṭaḥ |
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.19.44)
“One who is unsatisfied, however, is poor.”
tuṣṭir yathā-lābha-santoṣaḥ |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.25.2)
“Satiety is satisfaction with that which is attained of its own accord.”
