THE DONKEY- GARDABAH- ( गर्दभ: , खर:, रासभ: )

SUBHASHITHANI:144

अविश्रामं वहेद्भारं शीतोष्णं च न विन्दति ।

 ससन्तोषस्तथा नित्यं त्रीणि शिक्षेत गर्दभात् ॥ Chanakya Niti

Avishramam vahed bharam sheetoshnam cha na vindati  I

Sasantoshasstatha nityam tthreeni sikshet gardabhaat  II

 (He) carries loads without rest, is not deterred by the heat or cold, is always content; these three things should be learnt from the donkey.

बालसखित्वम् अकारणहास्यं स्त्रीषु विवादोऽसज्जनसेवा |
गार्दभयानम् असंस्कृतवाणी षट्सु नरो लघुतां उपयाति ||
Men attain disregard by doing these six actions – playing with boys, laughing without a reason, arguing with women, serving bad men, travelling in donkey and speaking uncultured words.
जरहि पतंग मोह बस भार बहहि खर बृन्द I
ते नहि सूर कहावहि समञी  देखु मति मंद II Ramcharitamaanasaa
“Ponder, o fool !, and see for yourself that due to infatuation  moths burn themselves in fire and donkeys carry loads , but they are not  termed as heroes “ ( Angada to Ravana ).

गर्दभेन ययौ शीघ्रं दक्षिणां दिशमास्थितः।
पुनरेव मया दृष्टो रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः।।5.27.25।Ramayana
पतितोऽ वाक्चिरा रा भूमौ गर्दभाद्भयमोहितः। Thrijata's dream explained to Sita

"I saw the demon king Ravana running behind the chariot driven by donkeys in the southerly direction. He was falling with his head bent down and deluded by the fear of the donkey.

शक्यो वारयितुं जलेन हुतभुक् छत्रेण सूर्यातपो

नागेन्द्रोनिशितांकुशेन समदो दण्डेन गौर्गर्दभः ।

व्याधिर्भेषजसंग्रहैश्च विविधैः मन्त्रप्रयोगैर्विषं

सर्वस्यौषधमस्ति शास्त्रविहितं मूर्खस्य नास्त्यौषधम् ॥ Niti Shatakam

Fire can be put out by water. An umbrella can be used as protection from the sun. The rutty elephant can be controlled with an ankush . A cow or donkey can be herded with a stick. A disease can be treated with medicines. Poison can be counteracted by chanting mantras. There is a remedy for everything prescribed in the shaastras. But there is no remedy for the fool.

एकेन अपि सुपुत्रेण  सिंही स्वपति निर्भयं .
सः एव दशभिः पुत्रैः भारं वहति गर्धभी. 
Eken api suputren simhee swapati nirbhayam.
Sah  eva dashabhih putraih bhaaram vahati gardhabhee.

A lioness sleeps without fear even though it has only a single cub, but even after having ten off-springs an ass has still to carry heavy loads on her back.

हरे : पदाहति श्लाघ्या न श्लाघ्यं खररोहणे I
स्पर्धाSपि  विदुषा युक्ता न युक्ता मूर्खमित्रता II
Haraih padaahati shlaaghyaa na shlaaghym khararohane.spardhaapi vidushaa yuktaa na yukata moorkhamitrataa. It is still praiseworthy to be kicked by a horse while mounting it rather than riding on a donkey. Similarly it is preferable to compete with a wise and learned person rather than having friendship with an idiot.
घटं भिन्द्यात् पटं छिन्द्यात् कुर्यात रासभरोहणं ।
येन केन प्रकरेण प्रसिद्धः पुरुषो भवेत् ॥
By breaking pots, tearing clothes, or riding on a donkey, a man or woman  tries to be famous by hook or crook. 

यथा खरश्चंदनभारवाही
    भारस्य वेत्ता न तु चंदनस्य ।
तथैव लोका बहुशास्त्रयुक्ताः
    धर्मेण हीनाः पशुभिः समानाः ॥

If a donkey is carrying a sack of sandalwood, it knows about the weight only - not about the greatness of sandalwood. Similarly, there are many people in this world who have studied many scriptures and never got a hang of its real meaning. If a person does not follow dharma even after so much study, is  as good as the donkey.
SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH