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चाणक्य नीति - नवमोऽध्यायः मुक्तिमिच्छसि चेत्तात विषयान्विषवत्त्यज । 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. परस्परस्य मर्माणि ये भाषंते नराधमाः । Those base men who speak of the secret faults of others destroy themselves like serpents who stray onto anthills. गंधः सुवर्णे फलमिक्षुदंडे 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. सर्वौषधीनाममृता प्रधाना Nectar (अमृत) is the best among medicines; eating good food is the best of all types of material happiness; the eye is the chief among all organs; and the head occupies the chief position among all parts of the body. दूतो न संचरति खे न चलेच्च वार्ता No messenger can travel about in the sky and no tidings come from there. The voice of its inhabitants as never heard, nor can any contact be established with them. Therefore the brahmana who predicts the eclipse of the sun and moon which occur in the sky must be considered as a विद्वान् (man of great learning). विद्यार्थी सेवकः पांथः क्षुधार्तो भयकातरः । 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. अहिं नृपं च शार्दूलं वृद्धं च बालकं तथा । 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. अर्धाधीताश्च यैर्वेदास्तथा शूद्रान्नभोजनाः । 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. यस्मिन्रुष्टे भयं नास्ति तुष्टे नैव धनागमः । 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? निर्विषेणापि सर्पेण कर्तव्या महती फणा । 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. प्रातर्द्यूतप्रसंगेन मध्याह्ने स्त्रीप्रसंगतः । 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 युधिष्ठिर, from महाभारत. The second item refers to the glorious deeds of mother सीता, from रामायण. The third item hints at the adorable childhood pastimes of श्री कृष्ण who stole butter, from श्रीमद्भागवतम्. Hence चाणक्य refers the deeds of wise men who spend the morning absorbed in महाभारत, the afternoon studying रामायण, and the evening devotedly hearing the श्रीमद्भागवतम्.) स्वहस्तग्रथिता माला स्वहस्तघृष्टचंदनम् । 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. इक्षुदंडास्तिलाः शूद्राः कांता हेम च मेदिनी । Sugarcanes, seseme seeds, women, gold, soil, sandalwood, yogurt and betal leaves increase in their essence when they are massaged through churning. दह्यमानाः सुतीव्रेण नीचाः परयशोऽग्निना Poverty is set off by fortitude; shabby garments by keeping them clean; bad food by warming it; and ugliness by good behaviour.
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