114 - Bruhaspati's Instructions

Suta said: 

1. None is friend or enemy to any other person by nature. Friendship and enmity arise from special causes. 

2. The two syllables "Mitram" (Friend) signify solace in sorrow, freedom from fear and preservation of love and confidence. By whom has this jewel been created? 

3. If anyone says for once the two letters "Hari" he has everything made ready for his journey to salvation. 

4. Men cannot have as much confidence in mothers, wives, brothers or sons as in a friend of kindred nature. 

5. If you wish for a prolonged friendship, avoid the following three, gambling with him, monetary transactions with him and seeing his wife in his absence. 

6. One should not sit in the same seat with one's mother, sister and daughter in an isolated place. The powerful sense-organs can drag even an erudite man into the mire of lust). What of common men?

7. God of love compels persons to turn their attention to such spots as provide risks, death, and punishments and not to one's own? (i.e., People do not love their wives but run after other women risking even death). 

8. It is easier to gauge the velocity of the hailstorm at the time of the final dissolution, the speed of the racing horse. and the depth of the great ocean than the heart of the person who does not love. 

9. O Shaunaka, if there is no opportune moment, if there is no privacy and if there is no one to make overtures women shall preserve chastity. 

10. She serves one man but cherishes love for another. In the absence of man, a woman can very well be chaste. 

11. A mother moved by passion may commit some misdeeds. Though the sons may disapprove of the conduct yet they shall not worry much about them. 

12. The body of a courtesan is prized in the world; the body that is held at stake always with the neck torn by the hoofs of debauches and hence always agitated and anxious. Her sleep is dependent on others' convenience; she has to follow the wishes of others and without a show of sorrow she has to laugh and sport always. 

13. Fire, water, women, fools, serpents and Royal households--these are to be resorted to by others always, ye they take away one's life all of a sudden. 

14. What is there to wonder at, if a brahmin well versed in grammar becomes a great scholar? What is there to wonder at if a king well versed in polity and administration becomes a virtuous king? What is there to wonder at if a young woman endowed with beauty and charms errs from chastity? What is there to wonder at if a poor man begins to commit sins some times. 

15. Do not allow others to see your vulnerable points; but note others carefully like a tortoise that keeps all its limbs safe in its shell. 

16. Women may be confined to the nether worlds or may be imprisoned with high walls all round. Still if there is no moving glossy tuft of hair who can see them? [Using her long tresses, she will escape from these places]. 

17. One's own kinsman pursuing the same activities and knowing his vulnerable points is the fiercest foe. Even an enemy standing outside cannot injure so much. 

18. He is the real scholar who pleases children with sweets, the good people with humility, the women with wealth, the deities with penance, and people for their welfare. 

19. They are not wise who try to win over a friend by deception, to secure virtue through sins, to attain wealth by harassing others, to learn with pleasure, and to secure a lady's love through harshness. 

20. Even a pure action may be defiled and defective when the root is cut off. It is only the senseless man who will cut off a tree laden with fruits in order to secure the fruits. 

21. O brahmin, I do not believe that a man with necessary things can become a saint even if he tries. How can a woman drinking wine be chaste as well? 

22. One shall not place trust in a person not trustworthy, Even friends are not to be trusted. Sometime later if he is angry the friend may publicise his secrets. 

23. A general confidence in all living beings is Sattvika but the main characteristic of a saintly man is to keep his feelings a secret for ever. 

24. Whatever action is done it follows the door. Whatever may be your action, do not leave off your courage and intellect. 

25. An intelligent man shall avoid these six: Old women (for sexual purposes), fresh wine, dry meat, carrot, curd in the night and sleep during the day. 

26. To a poor man a party of guests is poison involving expenses); to an old man a woman in the prime of her youth is poison; an ill assimilated knowledge is poison; eating before digestion is poison. 

27. To a man of undaunted spirit honour is pleasing i overthrow of administration is pleasing to the vile; to a poor man a charitable gift is pleasing and a woman in the prime of her youth is pleasing to a young man. 

28. The six main reasons for sickness in men are: Excessive drinking of water; eating hard indigestible food stuffs, wastage of semen virile; holding up of faeces and urine (not evacuating them immediately); sleep during the day and keeping awake at night. 

29. Early morning rays of the sun, excessive indulgence in sexual intercourse, the smoke column rising from the cremation ground, warming of the palms, and the constant sight of the face of a woman in her menses--all these reduce the longevity of a man. 

30. The following six take away one's life immediately: dry meat, old women (if cohabited with), the early morning sun, very sour curd, sleeping and having sexual intercourse in the morning. 

31. These six things instil more vitality into the human organism: Fresh melted butter, grapes, cohabitation with a woman in the prime of her youth, a milk diet, hot water and the shade of a spreading tree. 

32. The water in a well, the shade of a banyan tree and the well-rounded breasts of a young woman--these three are warm in winter and cool in summer. 

33. The three instantaneously invigorating things are: a young woman, oil bath and a wholesome food. The three instantaneously debilitating things are: a hazardous journey, sexual intercourse and fever. 

34. Dry meat watered down with milk shall not be taken in the company of wife, friends or the king. If taken, an immediate separation from them is inevitable. 

35. Goddess of wealth forsakes a man habitually wearing dirty clothes, allowing dirt to accumulate on the teeth, eating too much, habitually speaking harsh words and sleeping at sunrise and sunset, even if he happens to be Vishnu. 

36. Cutting of grass frequently, writing on the ground with the toes, chafing of the feet, neglect of the cleaning of teeth, wearing dirty clothes, keeping the hair rough, sleeping at dawn and dusk, lying down naked, eating and laughing excessively, drumming on one's own limbs or on the seat-these may destroy the affluence of even Lord Vishnu. 

37. These six bring back one's wealth long lost: keeping the head cleaned and washed, keeping the feet spotlessly pure, keeping the company of excellent women, taking food in limited quantities, lying on the bed without stripping, and sexual intercourse excluding the festival nights. 

38. Ill luck and misfortune can be warded off by wearing a flower on the head and especially the white one. 

39. Ill luck frequently resides in the back shadow of a lamp, the shadow of the cot, the shadow of a seat and the water used by washermen. 

40. The rays of the early morning sun, the column of smoke rising from a funeral pyre, intercourse with an old woman, very sour curd and the dust from a broom should not be resorted to by those who wish for longevity. 

41. The dust of elephants, horses, chariots, grains and cows is auspicious. That from ass, camel, goat and sheep is inauspicious. 

42. The dust of cows, the dust of grains and the dust from the limbs of one's own son—these are very holy, they destroy even the great sins. 

43. The dust of a goat, the dust of an ass and the dust from a broom--these are unholy and conducive to great sin. 

44. The wind blowing from the winnowing basket, the water dripping from the nails, the water from the cloth and pot used for bathing, the dust from the broom and the water dripping from hair-all these destroy merits previously acquired. 

45. One shall never walk between two brahmins, a brahmin and fire, a husband and wife, two masters, two horses and two bulls. 

46. What wise man will have confidence in women, kings, fires, serpents, studies, the enemy, worldly enjoyment, etc.? 

47. Do not trust the incredulous; do not place too much of confidence even in the trust-worthy, there is a lurking danger in reposing trust; it may uproot one. 

48. He who remains complacent after making peace with the enemy has actually gone to sleep atop the tree, he will wake up after his fall.

49. One should never be too soft nor too cruel in action. The soft would be crushed with the soft and the ruthless with the ruthless. 

50. One should never be too straightforward nor too soft. Straight trees are cut in a forest and the crooked trees remain as they were. 

51. Meritorious persons bow down like the fruit-laden trees. Dry trees and fools would rather break than bend at all. 

52. Miseries come unsolicited; they go away as they come. Just as the cat pounces upon its prey, man seeking things shall pounce on happiness. 

53. Riches go before and after the noble but not so in the case of ignoble. You can do as you please. 

54. A counsel in six ears (discussed among three persons) is leaked out immediately; that in four ears is kept for some time but the one in two ears cannot be understood even by Brahma. 

55. Of what avail is the cow which neither yields the milk nor becomes pregnant? Of what purpose is a son who is neither virtuous nor scholarly. 

56. The whole family is lit up by a single good son endowed with learning, intelligence and valour like the sky with the moon. 

57. The whole forest is rendered fragrant by a single tree in full bloom like the family by a virtuous son. 

58. One good son alone is preferable to a hundred ones devoid of good qualities. The moon alone dispels darkness and not the stars in their thousands. 

59. The son should be fondled for five years and thrashed for the next ten years; when he reaches the sixteenth year he should be treated like a friend. 

60. You cannot find an enemy like a son-on being born the son takes away one's wife from one [when a son is born mother's attention is more to the son than to her husband]; while growing up he takes away wealth and if by chance he dies he takes away the life of the father too. 

61. In the world some men are like tigers with the mouth of a deer and some like deer with the mouth of a tiger. In order to know them fully distrust at every step is the only way.

62. There is only one fault in men of forbearance and patience. There is no second fault. People take him to be powerless. 

63. All enjoyments are transitory. If this alone is permitted (it would have been better) that the inclinations of the skilful be unaffected towards their friends. 

64. O Shaunaka! when the father passes away, the eldest brother takes his place. He should maintain everyone being a father unto them. 

65. He shall be impartial to his younger brothers and give them the same pleasures as they received from their father. 

66. The collection of a number of even insignificant things may be terrific in their effect. A number of blades of grass twisted into a rope may be strong enough to bind even an elephant. 

67. The man who robs someone though he uses the money to make a charitable gift goes to hell. The fruit of the meritorious deed goes to the original owner of wealth. 

68. Families are faced with fall by the destruction of temple property, looting of brahmins and showing them disrespect. 

69. Sages have prescribed expiatory rites for the slayer of a brahmin, a drinker of wine, a thief and a breaker of vows; but there is no atonement for an ungrateful wretch. 

70. Gods and manes do not accept oblations of the mean-minded fellow who keeps a woman of low caste as his concubine, who is a slave to his wife and who allows his wife to enjoy the company of a paramour in his own house. 

71. An ungrateful fellow, a person of ignoble qualities, a person who nurses a grouse for a long time and a man of crooked nature - these four are the real Chandalas and the fifth is one born as such. 

72. Even an insignificant enemy of evil intentions should not be neglected carelessly. Even a tiny spark of fire, if not put out immediately consumes the entire world. 

73. He who is quiet and tranquil in the boisterous age of blooming youth deserves the credit for being tranquil. Who does not become naturally quiet and tranquil when all his vital forces are spent out? 

74. O foremost among brahmins, riches, like the public thoroughfare are common to everyone. Do not be elated and haughty thinking "This is mine." 

75. The body that is dependent on the vital secretions is dependent on the mind too. If the mind is disarranged the vital secretions are destroyed. Hence, mind shall be preserved always. If the mind is in perfect order the vital secretions function properly.