Chanakya Neethi - Chapter 5 - English

Agni is the worshipable person for the twice-born; the brahmana for the other castes; the husband for the wife; and the guest who comes for food at the midday meal for all.

yathā chaturbhiḥ kanakaṃ parīkṣyatē
nigharṣaṇachChēdanatāpatāḍanaiḥ ।
tathā chaturbhiḥ puruṣaḥ parīkṣyatē
tyāgēna śīlēna guṇēna karmaṇā ॥ 02 ॥

As gold is tested in four ways by rubbing, cutting, heating and beating - - so a man should be tested by these four things: his renunciation, his conduct, his qualities and his actions.

tāvadbhayēṣu bhētavyaṃ yāvadbhayamanāgatam ।
āgataṃ tu bhayaṃ vīkṣya prahartavyamaśaṅkayā ॥ 03 ॥

A thing may be dreaded as long as it has not overtaken you, but once it has come upon you, try to get rid of it without hesitation.

ēkōdarasamudbhūtā ēkanakṣatrajātakāḥ ।
na bhavanti samāḥ śīlē yathā badarakaṇṭakāḥ ॥ 04 ॥

Though persons be born from the same womb and under the same stars, they do not become alike in disposition as the thousand fruits of the badari tree.

niḥspṛhō nādhikārī syān nākāmō maṇḍanapriyaḥ ।
nāvidagdhaḥ priyaṃ brūyātspaṣṭavaktā na vañchakaḥ ॥ 05 ॥

He whose hands are clean does not like to hold an office; he who desires nothing cares not for bodily decorations; he who is only partially educated cannot speak agreeably; and he who speaks out plainly cannot be a deceiver.

mūrkhāṇāṃ paṇḍitā dvēṣyā adhanānāṃ mahādhanāḥ ।
parāṅganā kulastrīṇāṃ subhagānāṃ cha durbhagāḥ ॥ 06 ॥

The learned are envied by the foolish; rich men by the poor; chaste women by adulteresses; and beautiful ladies by ugly ones.

ālasyōpagatā vidyā parahastagataṃ dhanam ।
alpabījaṃ hataṃ kṣētraṃ hataṃ sainyamanāyakam ॥ 07 ॥

Indolent application ruins study; money is lost when entrusted to others; a farmer who sows his seed sparsely is ruined; and an army is lost for want of a commander.

abhyāsāddhāryatē vidyā kulaṃ śīlēna dhāryatē ।
guṇēna jñāyatē tvāryaḥ kōpō nētrēṇa gamyatē ॥ 08 ॥

Learning is retained through putting into practice; family prestige is maintained through good behaviour; a respectable person is recognised by his excellent qualities; and anger is seen in the eyes.

vittēna rakṣyatē dharmō vidyā yōgēna rakṣyatē ।
mṛdunā rakṣyatē bhūpaḥ satstriyā rakṣyatē gṛham ॥ 09 ॥

Religion is preserved by wealth; knowledge by diligent practice; a king by conciliatory words; and a home by a dutiful housewife.

anyathā vēdaśāstrāṇi jñānapāṇḍityamanyathā ।
anyathā tatpadaṃ śāntaṃ lōkāḥ kliśyanti chāhnyathā ॥ 10 ॥

Those who blaspheme Vedic wisdom, who ridicule the life style recommended in the satras, and who deride men of peaceful temperament, come to grief unnecessarily.

dāridryanāśanaṃ dānaṃ śīlaṃ durgatināśanam ।
ajñānanāśinī prajñā bhāvanā bhayanāśinī ॥ 11 ॥

Charity puts an end to poverty; righteous conduct to misery; discretion to ignorance; and scrutiny to fear.

nāsti kāmasamō vyādhirnāsti mōhasamō ripuḥ ।
nāsti kōpasamō vahnirnāsti jñānātparaṃ sukham ॥ 12 ॥

There is no disease (so destructive) as lust; no enemy like infatuation; no fire like wrath; and no happiness like spiritual knowledge.

janmamṛtyū hi yātyēkō bhunaktyēkaḥ śubhāśubham ।
narakēṣu patatyēka ēkō yāti parāṃ gatim ॥ 13 ॥

A man is born alone and dies alone; and he experiences the good and bad consequences of his karma alone; and he goes alone to hell or the Supreme abode.

tṛṇaṃ brahmavidaḥ svargastṛṇaṃ śūrasya jīvitam ।
jitāśasya tṛṇaṃ nārī niḥspṛhasya tṛṇaṃ jagat ॥ 14 ॥

Heaven is but a straw to him who knows spiritual life (Krsna consciousness); so is life to a valiant man; a woman to him who has subdued his senses; and the universe to him who is without attachment for the world.

vidyā mitraṃ pravāsē cha bhāryā mitraṃ gṛhēṣu cha ।
vyādhitasyauṣadhaṃ mitraṃ dharmō mitraṃ mṛtasya cha ॥ 15 ॥

Learning is a friend on the journey; a wife in the house; medicine in sickness; and righteous action is the only friend after death.

vṛthā vṛṣṭiḥ samudrēṣu vṛthā tṛptasya bhōjanam ।
vṛthā dānaṃ samarthasya vṛthā dīpō divāpi cha ॥ 16 ॥

Rain which falls upon the sea is useless; so is food for one who is satiated; in vain is a gift for one who is wealthy; and a burning lamp during the daytime is useless.

nāsti mēghasamaṃ tōyaṃ nāsti chātmasamaṃ balam ।
nāsti chakṣuḥsamaṃ tējō nāsti dhānyasamaṃ priyam ॥ 17 ॥

There is no water like rainwater; no strength like one's own; no light like that of the eyes; and no wealth more dear than food grain.

adhanā dhanamichChanti vāchaṃ chaiva chatuṣpadāḥ ।
mānavāḥ svargamichChanti mōkṣamichChanti dēvatāḥ ॥ 18 ॥

The poor wish for wealth; animals for the faculty of speech; men wish for heaven; and godly persons for liberation.

satyēna dhāryatē pṛthvī satyēna tapatē raviḥ ।
satyēna vāti vāyuścha sarvaṃ satyē pratiṣṭhitam ॥ 19 ॥

The earth is supported by the power of truth; it is the power of truth that makes the sun shine and the winds blow; indeed all things rest upon truth.

chalā lakṣmīśchalāḥ prāṇāśchalē jīvitamandirē ।
chalāchalē cha saṃsārē dharma ēkō hi niśchalaḥ ॥ 20 ॥

The wealth is unsteady and it is bound to leave at sometime, and so is the breath of this life. The duration of life is uncertain, and the place of habitation is uncertain; but in all this inconsistent world, the righteous action alone is immovable.

narāṇāṃ nāpitō dhūrtaḥ pakṣiṇāṃ chaiva vāyasaḥ ।
chatuṣpādaṃ śa‍ṛgālastu strīṇāṃ dhūrtā cha mālinī ॥ 21 ॥

Among men the barber is cunning; among birds, it is the crow; among beasts, it is the jackal; and among women, it is the flower girl.

janitā chōpanētā cha yastu vidyāṃ prayachChati ।
annadātā bhayatrātā pañchaitē pitaraḥ smṛtāḥ ॥ 22 ॥

These five are your fathers; he who gave you birth, girdled you with sacred thread, teaches you, provides you with food, and protects you from fearful situations.

rājapatnī gurōḥ patnī mitrapatnī tathaiva cha ।
patnīmātā svamātā cha pañchaitā mātaraḥ smṛtāḥ ॥ 23 ॥

These five should be considered as mothers; the king's wife, the preceptor's wife, the friend's wife, your wife's mother, and your own mother.

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