115 - Bruhaspati's Nitisara

Suta Said: 

1. One should keep oneself far away from a false wife, a deceitful friend, a tyrannous king, a disobedient son, a defiled daughter and a turbulent territory. 

2. Alas, life in the Kali age is troublesome indeed. For, virtue has taken to renunciation, penance has started its long sojourn, truth is in exile in a foreign land, earth has become barren, people are fradulent; brahmins have become greedy, men are uxorious, women are fickle and wayward and base men are raised to high position. Blessed indeed are they who are dead. 

3. Blessed are they who do not witness the destruction of their family, ruin of their lands, the sexual dalliance of their wives with other men and the infamous indulgence of their sons in vice. 

4. None can be delighted with their vicious sons; how can one feel a thrilling rapture in the company of a disloyal wife? There is no question of confiding in a deceptive friend and no peaceful life is possible in a trouble-infested land. 

5. Food doled out by others, money robbed from others, defiling of another man's bed, sexual dalliance with another man's wife and a residence in another man's house will strip even Indra of his glory. 

6. Sin spreads from man to man slowly by conversation, mutual touch, frequent association, taking food together, sitting together, lying together, and travelling together. 

7. Women perish due to their beauty, penance due to fury, the way due to an undue length and pious brahmin by taking Shudra's food. 

8. By sitting together, sharing the same bed, taking food together, and jumbling up the row! sin is transmitted from man to man like water from pot to pot. 

9. There are many defects in fondling and many benefits in thrashing. Hence, a disciple and the son are to be thrashed, not fondled. 

10. A long way is old age to men; water is old age to mountains, abstention from sexual intercourse is old age to women and sunlight is old age to clothes. 

11. Base men desire strife, the middling desire reconciliation and the noble desire high honour. Verily, honour is prized by the great as the greatest asset. 

12. Honour is at the root of wealth; if honour is secured of what avail is wealth; if one has lost honour and dignity, of what avail is wealth or longevity? 

13. The base and the mean desire for riches; the middling desire for riches and honour and the excellent desire for honour. Verily, honour is an asset of the great. 

14. In the forest, the lions do not bend their ears (in supplication); even when they are hungry they do not look to a share. Men of noble birth never stoop to meanness, even when they are deprived of their wealth. 

15. The lion is neither anointed nor consecrated. The lordship of animals comes to it naturally as it has inherent valour. 

16. No great task can be achieved by any of these: -An erring merchant; a highly proud servant, an easy going mendicant, an impoverished debaucher, a Helan of a girl bitter in speech. 

17. Five incongruent things that we meet in the world are the poverty of the benevolent, the opulence of the miser, disobedience in a son, compulsion to serve a wicked man and death of persons engaged in helping others. 

18. There are five things which burn without fire: Separation from wife; insult from kins, balance of debt yet to be discharged, service to a low and base master and desertion of friends in poverty. 

19. Among the thousand worries that agitate the mind four are very severe--nay, they are the sharp edges of a sword: -Insult at the hands of a low born person, the starving wife, cold reception by the beloved, and harassment from brothers. 

20. The five uproot all miseries: -An obedient son, a remunerative knowledge, freedom from sickness, the companionship of the good and a loving wife surrendering herself. 

21. The deer, the elephant, the moth, the honeybee and the fish--these five are destroyed due to addiction to their five sense-organs.¹

1. Victim                              Sense-Organ                                  Object 

Dear                                      Ears                           Listens to sweet music and

                                                                                    gets caught by the hunter.

 Elephant                            Sense of touch                  It is caught through she-

                                                                                                elephants.

moth                                     Eyes  It is attracted by the colour

                                                                        of the flame and is burnt. Attracted

honeybee                            Nose  by the fragrance of lotus it

                                                                        gets caught within.

Fish                           Sense of taste                    It nibbles at the bait and gets 

caught.

Even one of the sense-organs is destructive, How is it possible that man who 11ses all the five will escape destruction?

22. Five types of brahmins, though as learned as Bruhaspati are never honoured: —the impatient, the harsh, the haughty, the ill-clad and the uninvited. 

23 These five are clearly defined and decided even when a child is born: --Its span of life, its activities in later life, its character, learning and the time of death. 

24. Help rendered to those who suffer when climbing a mountain, from imminent drowning in water, attack of cows and bulls, seizure by the wicked and a spiritual fall are very commendable. 

25. These five are never stable or long-standing: - the shadow of clouds, pleasant attitude of a wicked man; intimacy with another man's wife, youth and riches. 

26. Life is unstable in the world, youth and riches are unstable, sons and wives are unstable; but virtue, fame and renown are permanent. 

27. Even a life for a hundred years is too short. Half that period is taken up by nights. The remaining half is rendered fruitless by sickness, sorrow, old age and exertions. 

28. It is said that man's span of life is a hundred years. It is too short. Half of that period is spent as nights. Half of the remaining half is spent in infancy and childhood or grieving over the separation or death of kinsmen or in service rendered to the king. The remaining period is as fickle as the waves in water. Of what avail is the sense of prestige and dignity? 

29. Days and nights in the garb of old age traverse the earth. Death swallows the living beings like the serpent taking in air. 

30. If our activities while walking or standing, waking or sleeping are not for the service of fellow beings they are not different from beastial actions. 

31. What is the difference between a beast and a beast in human form with an intellect devoid of discrimination between what is wholesome and what is not; who enters into endless arguments with people in regard to the Vedic expositions, and who remains fully satisfied if he can fill his belly. 

32. He who has not earned spotless reputation for valour, austerity, charity, learning or acquisition of wealth is but an excrement of his mother. 

33. A good life even for a moment is considered a perfect life by those who know the same-if it is full of perfect knowledge, valour and fame and men are not disrespected. Even a crow lives a long life and partakes of oblations. 

34. Of what avail is that life devoid of wealth and honour? Of what use is that friend who hesitates whether he is to be friendly or not? O ye, adopt the rite of a lion, do not be grief-stricken. Even a crow lives a long life and partakes of oblations. 

35. If a man does not sympathise with and render help to himself, his preceptor, his servants, the poor public and his friends, of what purpose is his life? Even a crow lives for a long time partaking the oblations. 

36. Days come and go to a man devoid of virtue, wealth and love. Although he may breathe, his life is like that of the bellows of the blacksmith. 

37. Success is for him who has an independent means of substance and not for him who depends on others. Those who depend on others are no better than dead even though physically alive. 

38. Contemptible wretches fulfil their own wants; a mouse's handful is just enough to fill it; a contemptible wretch though dissatisfied will be contented with something small. 

39. These six are like bubbles: -the shadow of clouds, fire made with dry grass, service to the base, water on the sur face of the road, the love of a prostitute and the pleasant manners of the wicked. 

40. The world cannot be pleased by a person who creates a caravan with words. Life is rooted in honour; if honour is slighted how can one derive pleasure? 

41 A king is the support for the weak; crying constitutes the strength of the child; the strength of a fool lies in silence and that of a thief is falsehood. 

42. As a man proceeds ahead with his study of Shastras his intellect becomes sharper and perfect knowledge appeals to him. 

43. As a person goes ahead devoting his mind and attention to the welfare of others, everyone becomes attached to him and he becomes popular. 

44. A person perishes due to the three-greed, grave error and implicit confidence. Hence, these shall be avoided. 

45. Danger is to be dreaded as long as it does not befall. The moment it occurs fear shall be eschewed. 

46. Balance of debt undischarged, remnant of fire not put out and sickness partially cured increase steadily. Hence, these remnants shall be avoided. 

47. Repay good action by goodness and violence by violence. I do not find any fault, if a wicked man is met with wickedness. 

48. A friend who speaks sweet words in our presence and spoils our work behind our back should be avoided. Avoid an enemy using foul means. 

49. Even a good man perishes by his association with the wicked. Even a clear water is rendered muddy by its mixing up with dust. 

50. He whose wealth is dedicated to the brahmins enjoys well. Hence, a brahmin shall be honoured by all means. 

51. Food taken in, after brahmins have been fed, is the real food; he is intelligent who commits no sin; that is friendship which manifests itself behind our back; that is the real sacred rite which is performed without ostentation. 

52. That is no assembly where the aged are not present; they are not the aged who do not expound virtue; that is not virtue which is not backed by truth; that is no truth which is mixed with deception. 

53. The best among men is the brahmin; the best among luminaries is the sun; the best among the organs is the head and the best among the sacred rites is the truth. 

54. That is auspicious where mind is delighted; that is a real life which does not involve service and slavery; that is the real earning which is shared and enjoyed with one's own kith and kin and that is the real thunder which is made in the battle in the presence of the enemy. 

55. She is the real woman who has no vanity; He is really happy who has shunned vain desires; He is the real friend in whom confidence can be placed and he is the real man who has controlled his organs of sense. 

56. One should cast off honour and love where love is extinct; Only that is praiseworthy the core of which is held in esteem. 

57. No attempt should be made to trace the origin of rivers, Agnihotra worshippers and the family of Bharata. Such an attempt is bound to fail. 

58. Rivers end with the sea of salt-water; sexual intercourse ends with the treachery of the woman; back-biting ends with the news being made public and wealth comes to an end with misery 

59. The prosperity of a kingdom comes to an end with the curse of a brahmin; the spiritual power of a brahmin comes to an end with his sin; all decency in conduct of life comes to an end if residence is taken near cowsheds; the family is ruined if women rule. 

60. All hoarded things end in wastage, rising in power comes to an end in downfall; all contacts and intimacies come to an end in separation and disintegration; life comes to an end with death. 

61. If one wishes the return of the guest he shall not be followed very far at the time of farewell. He can be followed upto a pond or well or a tree with plenty of shade and colourful leaves. 

62. One shall not reside in a land where there is no leader or where there are many leaders or where the leadership is vested in a woman or in a child. 

63. The father protects her in childhood; the husband in youth and the son in old age. A woman is not to be allowed to stay independently. 

64. A barren woman shall be abandoned in the eighth year after marriage; a woman whose children die in infancy shall be abandoned in the ninth year; a woman who gives birth only to daughters shall be abandoned in the eleventh year; and a woman who speaks unpleasant words shall be abandoned immediately. 

65. Three persons beyond the pale of money stick to their lords. One who is not in want; one who is afraid of men; one who is afraid of servants. 

66. An intelligent man must keep aloof from these: --the exhausted horse, the elephant in its rut, cows in their first parturition, and frogs outside water. 

67. Those who are mad after money do not have friends or kinsmen; those who are lustful and lecherous know no fear or shame; those who are worried with anxious thoughts have no pleasure or sleep and those who are oppressed by hunger do not want even salt or warmth in the food. 

68. How can these have peaceful sleep? -the poor, the slave, the man fond of another man's wife and the wretch who wants to rob another man of his wealth. 

69. Blissfully sleeps the man who has no debts to repay and who is free from sickness. He who is not yet married, takes his fond leisurely. 

70. The height of a lotus is in proportion to the quantity of water in the pond; a servant becomes proud if his master is strong and influential. 

71. The sun and Varuna (water) befriend the lotus when it stands firm in its place; they make it fade and putrefy if it is uprooted. 

72. Those who had been friends of a man in high office become enemies when he steps down from the office. The sun delightfully causes the bloom of the lotus in water but when it is plucked and put on the ground the sun dries it up. 

73. 'Things in their proper places and persons in their respective offices are honoured. Away from their original places neither hair nor the nails, neither the teeth nor men shine or receive consideration. 

74. Manners and behaviour indicate parentage; manner of speech and accent indicates the native place; flutter up indicates affection and the physical build indicates the diet accustomed to. 

75. A downpour in the ocean is unnecessary; feeding an over-fed and satiated man is superfluous; a charity made over to an affluent man is unnecessary and the meritorious actions of a base man are futile. 

76. Even a person who is far off is as good as near if he has a place in the heart; if cast out of the heart a man close at hand is no better than one far off. 

77. Contortions in the face, low sunk husky voice, perspiration all over the body and a frightened appearance—these are the signs usually seen at the time of death and in regard to a man out to beg. 

78. The life of a worm in the person of the beggar or that of one blown by the wind over his head is better than the life of beggar himself.

79. The lord of the world Vishnu himself when he begged suffered dimunition of stature. Who is there superior to him who can be a suppliant and yet not suffer disrespect? 

80. The parents by whom children are not educated are no better than enemies. The uneducated can never shine in an assembly of the learned like cranes amidst swans. 

81. Learning gives beauty to the ugly; it is a well-protected asset; it makes man a saint; it makes him popular; it is revered of the revered; it dispels the sorrow of kinsmen; it is a deity; even kings honour it; a man devoid of learning is 110 better than a beast. 

82-83. Inside the house there are many things which can be taken away by others but not learning. Lord Vishnu expounded the essence of polity to Shaunaka, as well as all sacred rites. Lord Shiva heard this. Vyasa heard from Shiva and we heard it from Vyasa.