चाणक्य नीति नवां अध्याय – Chanakya Niti chapter 9.
मुक्तिमिच्छासि चेत्तात ! विषयान् विषवत्त्यज ।
क्षमाऽऽर्जवं दया शौचं सत्यं पीयूषवत्पिब ।।१।।
Meaning– My dear child, if you desire to be free from the cycle of birth and death, then abandon the objects of sense gratification as poison. Drink instead the nectar of forbearance, upright conduct, mercy, cleanliness and truth.
त एव विलयं यान्ति वल्मीकोदरसर्पवत् ।।२।।
विद्वान् धनी भूपतिदीर्घजीवी धातुः पुरा कोऽपि न बुध्दिदोऽभूत् ।।३।।
Meaning– Perhaps nobody has advised Lord Brahma, the creator, to impart perfume to gold; fruit to the sugarcane; flowers to the sandalwood tree; wealth to the learned; and long life to the king.
सर्वेन्द्रियाणां नयनं प्रधानं सर्वेषु गात्रेषु शिरः प्रधानम् ।।४।।
पुर्व न जल्पितमिदं न च सड्गमोऽस्ति ।
व्योम्नि स्थितं रविशाशग्रहणं प्रशस्तं
जानाति यो द्विजवरः सकथं न विद्वान् ।।५।।
भाण्डारी प्रतिहारी च सप्त सुप्तान् प्रबोधयेत् ।।६।।
१. विद्यार्थी
२. सेवक
३. पथिक
४. भूखा आदमी
५. डरा हुआ आदमी
६. खजाने का रक्षक
७. खजांची
Meaning– The student, the servant, the traveller, the hungry person, the frightened man, the treasury guard, and the steward: these seven ought to be awakened if they fall asleep.
परश्वानं च मूर्ख च सप्त सुप्तान्न बोधयेत् ।।७।।
१. साप
२. राजा
३. बाघ
४. डंख करने वाला कीड़ा
५. छोटा बच्चा
६. दुसरो का कुत्ता
७. मुर्ख
Meaning– The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought not to be awakened from sleep.
ते द्विजाः किं करिष्यन्ति निर्विषा इव पन्नगाः ।।८।।
Meaning– Of those who have studied the Vedas for material rewards, and those who accept foodstuffs offered by shudras, what potency have they? They are just like serpents without fangs.
निग्रहाऽनुग्रहोनास्ति स रुष्टः किं करिष्यति ।।९।।
Meaning– He who neither rouses fear by his anger, nor confers a favour when he is pleased can neither control nor protect. What can he do?
विषमस्तु न चाप्यस्तु घटाटोप भयंकरः ।।१०।।
Meaning– The serpent may, without being poisonous, raise high its hood, but the show of terror is enough to frighten people — whether he be venomous or not.
रात्रौ चौरप्रसंगेन कालो गच्छति धीमताम् ।।११।।
Meaning– Wise men spend their mornings in discussing gambling, the afternoon discussing the activities of women, and the night hearing about the activities of theft. (The first item above refers to the gambling of King Yuddhisthira, the great devotee of Krishna. The second item refers to the glorious deeds of mother Sita, the consort of Lord Ramachandra. The third item hints at the adorable childhood pastimes of Sri Krishna who stole butter from the elderly cowherd ladies of Gokula. Hence Chanakya Pandits advises wise persons to spend the morning absorbed in Mahabharata, the afternoon studying Ramayana, and the evening devotedly hearing the Srimad-Bhagvatam.)
स्वहस्तलिखितं शक्रस्यापि श्रियं हरेत् ।।
इक्षुदंडास्तिलाः शुद्राः कान्ता कांचनमोदिनी ।
चन्दनं दधि ताम्बूलं मर्दनं गुणवर्ध्दनम् ।।१२।।
Meaning– By preparing a garland for a Deity with one’s own hand; by grinding sandal paste for the Lord with one’s own hand; and by writing sacred texts with one’s own hand — one becomes blessed with opulence equal to that of Indra.
कुवस्त्रता शुभ्रतया विराजते ।।
कदन्नता चोष्णतया विराजते ।
कुरूपता शीलतया विराजते ।।१३।।
Meaning– Poverty is set off by fortitude; shabby garments by keeping them clean; bad food by warming it; and ugliness by good behaviour.
(चाणक्य नीति नवां अध्याय)