226
कालो वा कारणं राज्ञाम्प;ो राजा वा कालकारणम् इति ते संशयो मा भूत् राजा कालस्य कारणं
Whether circumstances causes King or King causes circumstances? There is no doubt that King causes circumstances. Though it talks about king, it is applicable to all of us. One can have doubt, if surrounding governs him, or he can govern his surroundings. Subhashitkar says that there is no doubt that your surrounding depends on you i.e. you create it.
227
आयुष: क्षण एकोपि सर्वरत्नैर्न लभ्यते |
नायते तद् वॄथा येन प्रामाद: सुमहानहो ||
Even if you surrender all the jewels that you possess, you will not get back a "single" second of the time that has passed away (in your life). When such is a case, those who are wasting the time - what a blunder they are committing!! But 'wasting' of time will mean different to different people! (The work/task which will mean 'proper' usage of time for one person may be the 'waste' for another!) So what exactly to do which will not really mean 'wasting' of time? Please Refer to suBAshita No. 25 on what way to spend the time.
228
योजनानां सहस्त्रं तु शनैर्गच्छेत् पिपीलिका |
आगच्छन् वैनतेयोपि पदमेकं न गच्छति ||
Even a tiny creature such as ant can move ahead miles together if it keeps on walking consistently. But if a Eagle doesn't decide to leave it's place then it can't move even an inch ahead!! suBAshitkAr wants to stress that only having the capability will not do. One should also have the "Will" to achieve the goal. And thus with a strong will an ant (With inferior capabilities) can keep on moving ahead, but the eagle (With much more superior capabilities) - without any efforts can't even dream to reach near it's goal! Notice suBAshita No. 37 which has similar meaning.
229
कन्या वरयते रुपं माता वित्तं पिता श्रुतम् बान्धवा: कुलमिच्छन्ति मिष्टान्ने इतरेजना:
Different people have different interests out of same act. Take for instance wedding. The bride expects a handsome husband (which is natural for that age), her mother expects a wealthy son in law (so that he will keep the daughter happy in life), her father is interested in a knowledgeable person (which is a good quality for him) where as her brothers are interested in a good family background (so that they have a relation with a noble family). And what about others? they are interested only in delicious food! (they are not bothered about what happens to the husband and wife and their families afterwards).
230
अर्था भवन्ति गच्छन्ति लभ्यते च पुन: पुन: पुन: कदापि नायाति गतं तु नवयौवनम्
Wealth can be earned, it can also be lost. (even after loss) it can be recovered again and again. But youth once gone, never returns.
231
आशा नाम मनुष्याणां काचिदाश्चर्यशॄङखला |
यया बद्धा: प्राधावन्ति मुज्ञग्त;ास्तिष्ठन्ति पङ्गुवत् ||
Desire ('Asha') is a strange (surprising) type of chain! The one who are tied by this chain run here and there (For seeking the objects of desire) and the one who are free from this chain stand calmly at one place without moving, like an disabled person!
232
शास्त्राण्यधीत्यापि भवन्ति मूर्खा यस्तु क्रियावान् पुरूष: स विद्वान् |
सुचिन्तितं चौषधमातुराणां न नाममात्रेण करोत्यरोगम् ||
Even after learning various sciences ('ShAstra') many remain fools ('murKha'). (They only have the theoretical knowledge of the subject) But the one who performs and acts ('kruti') is the real intelligent person. A doctor, with good intentions, only deciding on the correct medicine (for a particular illness) for a patient will not make that patient healthy. But when the doctor ensures that his/her prescriptions are properly followed by the patient, only then will the patient become free from illness.
233 वॄत्तं यत्नेन संरक्ष्येद् वित्तमेति च याति च |
अक्षीणो वित्तत: क्षीणो वॄत्ततस्तु हतो हत: ||
विदूरनीति
One should put efforts in building up good character; the wealth is not stable. One who doesn’t have wealth is not really powerless, (however) characterless person is a waste.
234
परस्य पीडया लब्धं धर्मस्योल्लंघनेन च आत्मावमानसंप्राप्तं न धनं तत् सुखाय वै महाभारत
The wealth, which is earned by troubling others, by disobeying the “Dharma” or even by swallowing (self) insult; does not bring happiness.
235
जानामि धर्मं न च मे प्रावॄज्ञिल्त;ा: |
जानाम्यधर्मं न च मे निवॄज्ञिल्त;ा: ||
This suBAshita is uttered by Duryodhana. Draupadi asks Duryodhana that what is the reason that inspite having many common things in between Kauravas and Pandavas - (Same family ('kula'), Same Guru Dronacharya, Same pitamaha Bhishmacharya) Kauravas always followed the path of 'adharma' and Pandavas always the path of 'Dharma'?
Duryodhana says, "It's not that I didn't knew what was 'Dharma' and what was 'adharma'. But inspite of knowing what is 'Dharma', I couldn't follow it (It didn't become my habit) and even though I knew what was 'adharma' I couldn't desist from not doing it".
This suBAshita ponits at a very delicate nature of the human mind. Many people know what is right and what is wrong. Still why is it that they still follow the wrong path?! So one has to develop the 'habit' ('pravrutti') of following the righteous path (and not to follow the bad way).
236
अकॄत्वा परसन्तापं अगत्वा खलसंसदं अनुत्सॄज्य सतांवर्तमा यदल्पमपि तद्बहु
Without hurting others; Without geting into association of bad Without losing association of good; However little (you progress in the Path of Dharma) That is sufficient. The non-dharmic means cannot justify dharmic "looking" ends. In short ; There is no Dharmic Justification for a "Robinhood" type of activity. (Though ends may be good; the means are not good.) Any intention of Dharmic activity should be absolute and complete from Means through the End.
237
परोपदेशे पांडित्यं सर्वेषां सुकरं नॄणाम् धर्मे स्वीयमनुष्ठानं कस्यचित् सुमहात्मन:
It is easy to advise others (about how to behave, what is good, what is bad etc.) showing one's smartness. (so you can find many people doing that) (But practicing that is very difficult so) Only great man can practice dharma. In other words, only great man can stick to behaviour, what he thinks, the ideal.
238
अमित्रो न विमोक्तव्य: कॄपणं व*णपि ब्राुवन् कॄपा न तस्मिन् कर्तव्या हन्यादेवापकारिणाम्
Never let your enemy free (if you catch him) even if he asks for (and you feel pity on him). Assuming he will harm you in future, kill him.
This Subhashit, no Indian should forget. Many times in our history our Hindu Kings have made this mistake of forgiving enemy. The most ancient example is of Raja Dahir, and the most recent is of Pakistan.
239
नेह चात्यन्तसंवास: कर्हिचित् केनचित् सह |
राजन् स्वेनापि देहेन किमु जायात्मजादिभि: ||
श्रीमद्भागवत
Your Majesty (Dhrutarashtra), no one ever has everlasting relationship with something else, (in this world). Not even with one’s own body, let alone wife and son.
240
इंद्रियाणि पराण्याहु: इंद्रियेभ्य: परं मन: |
मनसस्तु परा बुद्धि: यो बुद्धे: परतस्तु स: ||
गीता 342
The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence. [The meaning is taken from www.krsna.com]
Observe the ladder: The matter- Senses - The mind - Intelligence ('buddhi') - The Soul.
241
वहेदमित्रं स्कन्धेन यावत्कालविपर्यय: अथैवमागते काले भिन्द्याद् घटमिवाश्मनि
Carry your enemy on your shoulders if time is against you. But with first opportunity, destroy your enemy, as earthen vessel is broken on a rock. This subhashit tells us that an enemy is always an enemy. If you are not in position to fight with him, temporarily try to please him. But whenever you get a chance, finish him.
242
उष्ट्राणां च विवाहेषु गीतं गायन्ति गर्दभा: परस्परं प्रशंसन्ति अहो रुपमहो ध्वनि:
Donkeys are singing song in a weddings of camels. Both are praising each other, (donkeys say) how beautiful (camels are), (camels say) what a pleasant voice (of donkeys. i.e. donkeys are good singers). This is a typical scenario in a gathering of low calibre persons. None of them is of any excellence, but they praise each other, either because they don't know what is excellence, or because they want some mental satisfaction. Now whenever somebody praises you, remember this Subhashit ;-)
243
आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रातिष्ठं समुद्रमाप: प्राविशन्ति यद्वत् |
तद्वत् कामा यं प्राविशन्ति सर्वे स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ||
गीता 270
A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires--that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still--can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy every such desires.
244
मैत्री करूणा मुदितोपेक्षाणां |
सुख दु:ख पुण्यापुण्य विषयाणां |
भावनातश्चिज्ञल्त;ाप्रासादनम् |
पातञ्जल योग 133
Getting delighted and feeling friendly by seeing others joys, getting dejected by seeing others sorrows, feeling happiness and satisfied by seeing others good work ('punya karma') and feeling ignorant on the bad deeds of others (Not discussing and thinking only about the bad nature of the person), - such reactions should occur on our own mind.
A short suBAshita with great meaning, which can help any individual to become a better human being!
245
न प्रहॄष्यति सन्माने नापमाने च कुप्यति |
न क्रुद्ध: परूषं ब्रूयात् स वै साधूत्तम: स्मॄत: ||
मनुस्मॄति
(Those, who) do not get carried away by honour and do not become angry because of dishonour, do not use harsh words, even when angry, are known as great saints.
246
हर्षस्थान सहस्राणि भयस्थान शतानि च |
दिवसे दिवसे मूढं आविशन्ति न पंडितम् ||
For an un-intelligent ('muDha') person, there are hundreds of incidents/ reasons occuring daily to become happy for and thousands of others to become unhappy at. But intelligent person's ('pandit') mind will not get disturbed by such minor things.
247 एका केवलमर्थसाधनविधौ सेना शतेभ्योधिका |
नन्दोन्मूलन दॄष्टवीर्यमहिमा बुद्धिस्तु मा गान्मम ||
Background: Chanakya has uttered the above sentences. After Chanakya and Chandragupta established the 'Maurya' dynasty kingdom (defeating the Nand dynasty king), there were some difference of opinions between Chanakya and other ministers of the Kingdom.
Those who wanted to leave me have already left. Those who want to leave me may also do so without any hesitation. But for achieving my objective, that which has helped me and which is stronger than thousands of soldiers - that my intelligence ('buddhi') - let it not leave me!!
See the confidence of Chanakya in himself! Apart from being self-confident, this subhaashita also teaches us that whatever we loose in life it is nothing... But let us not loose good mind/intellect and other noble qualities in ourselves.
248
दीर्घा वै जाग्रतो रात्रि: दीर्घ श्रान्तस्य योजनम् |
दीर्घो बालानां संसार: सद्धर्मम् अविजानताम्ज्ञन्ब्स्प;ज्ञन्ब्स्प; ||
Night sounds very long to the one who is awake all through the night. Little distance appears to be stretched to the one who is already tired of walking. (Similarly) Life sounds long to the people who do not know sat-dharma.
249
देहीति वचनद्वारा देहस्था पञ्च देवता: |
तत्क्षणादेव लीयन्ते र्धीह्र्रीश्र्रीकान्र्तिकीर्तय: ||
The words 'give me' (begging), cause five virtues (good qualities) go away from you, immediately: intelligence, elegance, prosperity, glow and fame.
250
यद्यत् परवशं कर्मं तत् तद् यत्नेन वर्जयेत् यद्यदात्मवशं तु स्यात् तत् तत् सेवेत यत्नत:
Try to avoid any work for which you have to depend on others. Try to finish the work fast for which you can do independently It does not mean that people should not co operate and do things together.
It just gives a word of caution that if you are dependent on others for something,
there is a chance that it will never get done or will be delayed. This is something which we experience frequently.