FRIENDS-(9)-सखा,

SUBHASHITHANI:261
Sudama, also known as Kuchela , was Lord Krishna's classmate and a very intimate friend. Lord Krishna was a King. Sudama was an impoverished poor Brahmin. This difference did not come in the way of their true friendship.Shri Krishna-Sudama is an immortal example of real, non-materialistic friendship; a friendship of such nature could never be found in any other literature in the entire world. The story of Sudhama is a part of Srimad Bhagavatham . We have a few wonderful verses from bhagavatham in this blog. 

ननु ब्रह्मन् भगवत: सखा साक्षाच्छ्रिय: पति: । ब्रह्मण्यश्च शरण्यश्च भगवान् सात्वतर्षभ: ॥

 [Sudāmā’s wife said:] O wise man, isn’t it true that the husband of the goddess of fortune is the personal friend of your exalted self? That greatest of Yādavas, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, is compassionate to brāhmaṇas and very willing to grant them His shelter.

ŚB 10.80.9

स एवं भार्यया विप्रो बहुश: प्रार्थितो मुहु: ।
अयं हि परमो लाभ उत्तम:श्लोकदर्शनम् ॥10.80.12
इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा गमनाय मतिं दधे ।
अप्यस्त्युपायनं किञ्चिद् गृहे कल्याणि दीयताम् ॥ 10.80.13

When his wife thus repeatedly implored him in various ways, Sudhama thought to himself, “To see Lord Kṛṣṇa is indeed the greatest achievement in life.” Thus he decided to go, but first he told her, “My good wife, if there is anything in the house I can bring as a gift, please give it to me.”

नन्वेतदुपनीतं मे परमप्रीणनं सखे ।
तर्पयन्त्यङ्ग मां विश्वमेते पृथुकतण्डुला: ॥ ŚB 10.81.9

nanv etad upanītaṁ me parama-prīṇanaṁ sakhe I
tarpayanty aṅga māṁ viśvam ete pṛthuka-taṇḍulāḥ II

“My friend, have You brought this for Me? It gives Me extreme pleasure. Indeed, these few grains of flat rice will satisfy not only Me but also the entire universe.”
( Sri Krishna to Sudhaama )

नन्वब्रुवाणो दिशते समक्षं याचिष्णवे भूर्यपि भूरिभोज: ।

पर्जन्यवत्तत् स्वयमीक्षमाणो  दाशार्हकाणामृषभ: सखा मे ॥ ŚB 10.81.34

nanv abruvāṇo diśate samakṣaṁ yāciṣṇave bhūry api bhūri-bhojaḥ
parjanya-vat tat svayam īkṣamāṇo dāśārhakāṇām ṛṣabhaḥ sakhā me

After all, my friend Kṛṣṇa, the most exalted of the Dāśārhas and the enjoyer of 

unlimited wealth, noticed that I secretly intended to beg from Him. Thus even though

 He said nothing about it when I stood before Him, He actually bestowed upon 

me the most abundant riches. In this way He acted just like a merciful rain cloud.

( Kuchela seeing a palace in place of his old house)

किञ्चित्करोत्युर्वपि यत् स्वदत्तं सुहृत्कृतं फल्ग्वपि भूरिकारी ।
मयोपनीतं पृथुकैकमुष्टिं प्रत्यग्रहीत् प्रीतियुतो महात्मा ॥ŚB 10.81.35

kiñcit karoty urv api yat sva-dattaṁ suhṛt-kṛtaṁ phalgv api bhūri-kārī
mayopaṇītaṁ pṛthukaika-muṣṭiṁ pratyagrahīt prīti-yuto mahatma

The Lord considers even His greatest benedictions to be insignificant, while He magnifies even a small service rendered to Him by His well-wishing devotee. Thus with pleasure the Supreme Soul accepted a single palmful of the flat rice I brought Him. ( Kuchela to himself)

तस्यैव मे सौहृदसख्यमैत्री दास्यं पुनर्जन्मनि जन्मनि स्यात् ।
महानुभावेन गुणालये विषज्जतस्तत्पुरुषप्रसङ्ग: ॥ ŚB 10.81.36

tasyaiva me sauhṛda-sakhya-maitrī- dāsyaṁ punar janmani janmani syāt
mahānubhāvena guṇālayena viṣajjatas tat-puruṣa-prasaṅgaḥ

The Lord is the supremely compassionate reservoir of all transcendental qualities. Life after life may I serve Him with love, friendship and sympathy, and may I cultivate such firm attachment for Him by the precious association of His devotees.( Kuchala's prayer )
The friendship between Sri Krishna and Sudhama is an exception to the rule. What is the general rule?-

यस्यार्थास्तस्य मित्राणि यस्यार्थास्तस्य बान्धवाः ।
यस्यार्थास्स पुमान् लोके यस्यार्थास्स हि जीवति 
Yasyaarthaas tasya mitraani yasyaarthaas tasya baandhavaah I
Yasyaarthaas sa pumaan loke yasyaarthaas sa hi jeevati II
One blessed with wealth-money-property-riches is surrounded by the relatives/friends, considered to be honourable-respectable-revered and enlightened-learned-prudent-intelligent. ( This subhashitha finds a place in Ramayana, Maha bharata, Pancha tantra, Hitopa desa, Chanakya niti.. )

त्यजन्ति मित्राणि धनैर्विहीनं  पुत्राश्च दाराश्च सहृज्जनाश्च ।
तमर्थवन्तं पुनराश्रयन्ति  अर्थो हि लोके मनुष्यस्य बन्धुः ॥
Friends, children, wife and all (so called) well wishers abandon a person with out money. They all come back to him once he becomes wealthy again.

यत्रोदकं तत्र वसन्ति हंसाः  तथैव शुष्कं परिवर्जयन्ति ।
न हंसतुल्येन नरेण भाव्यं  पुनस्त्यजन्ति पुनराश्रयन्ति ॥

One should not behave like the swan, who stays near water bodies only till they have water and desert them, as soon as these ponds becomes dry.  These migratory birds move from one place to another, with the change of season. Humans should not behave like them. 

पञ्चत्वानु गमिष्यन्ति यत्र यत्र गमिष्यसि I

मित्राण्यमित्रा मध्यस्था उपजीव्योपजीविनः  IIPanchatvaanu gamishyanti yatra yatra gamishyasi IMitraanyamitraa madhyasthaa upajeevyopajeevinah IIWhere ever one goes, a human being will always be accompanied by these five: Friend,adversary, mediator, one on whom he depends, an a dependent.

दूरस्थोSपि न दूरस्थो यो यस्य मनसि स्थित:।

यो यस्य हृदये नास्ति समीपस्थोSपि दूरत:॥14-9॥Chanakya Niti

One who is close to the heart, is extremely close, even he is at a distance from us and the one who is disliked is far away even if he is stationed nearby. 

सोऽर्थो यो हस्ते तन्मित्रं यन्निरंतरं व्यसने ।
तद्रूपं यत्र गुणाः तद्विज्ञानं यत्र धर्मः ॥

sa artho yo haste tat mitram yat nirantaram vyasane ।
tat rUpam yatra guNAH tat vijnAnam yatra dharmaH ॥

It is called wealth only when it is in your hands (liquid cash). He is a friend who stands by you always when you are in trouble. Beauty is complete only when there are good qualities in the person. It is knowledge only when it makes you follow the moral code of life (Dharma).

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

FRIENDS-(8)-MITRAH-मित्र:,स्नेह,

SUBHASHITHANI:260

मैत्रीं भजत अखिलहृज्जेत्रीम्

आत्मवदेव परानपि पश्यत ।

maitrīṃ bhajata akhilahṛjjetrīm

ātmavadeva parānapi paśyata | Kanchi Mahaswami

Cultivate Friendship and Humanity, which will conquer the Hearts of Everyone.

 Look upon others as similar to yourself.






प्राणैरपि हिता वृत्तिरद्रोहो व्याजवर्जनम् |

आत्मनीव प्रियाधानमेतन्मैत्रीमहाव्रतम् ||

prāṇair_api hitā vṛittir_adroho vyāja-varjanam |

ātamanīva priyādhānam_étan_maitrī-mahā-vratam || (IAST)

The great vow of friendship - always help (even at cost of life), never harm others , avoid excuses, treat everyone like self.

 भार्यया समं मित्रं न च धर्मो दयासमः ।

न स्वातन्त्र्यसमं सौख्यं गार्हस्थ्यान्नाश्रमो वरः ॥ पद्मपुराण
na bhāryayā samaṃ mitraṃ na ca dharmo dayāsamaḥ ।
na svātantryasamaṃ saukhyaṃ gārhasthyānnāśramo varaḥ ॥

There is no better friend than a wife. No dharma better than compassion. Nothing better than being free. No state of life is better than being a house-holder ( Gruhasthaa ).

चत्वारि  ते  तात  गृहे  वसन्तु
श्रियाभिजुष्टस्य  गृहस्थधर्मे  |
वृद्धो ज्ञातिरवसन्नः  कुलीनः
सखा दरिद्रो  भगिनी चानपत्या  ||- विदुर नीति

Chatvaari te taat gruhe vasantu Shriyaabhijushasya  gruhasthadharme.
Vruddho  gyaatiravasannah  kuleenah Sakhaa daridro  bhagini chaanapatyaa.

It is the duty of a prosperous householder that he should support these four types of persons:  (i)  an aged close relative  (ii)  a noble distressed person 

 (iii) a poor friend and (iv)  his childless sister.

विद्या मित्रं प्रवासेषु भार्या मित्रं गृहेषु च ।
व्याधितस्यौषधं मित्रं धर्मो मित्रं मृतस्य च ॥ - महाभारत

Knowledge is the companion of a person on journey; wife is the companion at home;

Medicine is the friend of the sick; merits earned by moral conduct are the friend of the dead.

अपराद्धांस्तु सुस्निग्धान् स्नेहोक्त्या मानदानत:।
साधयेद् भेददण्डाभ्यां यथायोगेन चापरान्॥
Offended friends should be reconciled by honouring and gifts and kind words; others should be won over by the proper employment of the policy of alienation or bribery or gift. 
दर्शने स्पर्शणे वापि श्रवणे भाषणेऽपि वा ।

यत्र द्रवत्यन्तरङ्गं स स्नेह इति कथ्यते ॥
It is called friendship, when seeing someone, or touching them, or hearing them, or talking to them, touches your heart. Otherwise it is just an acquaintance...

लक्ष्मीर्वसति जिह्वाग्रे जिह्वाग्रे मित्रबान्धवाः ।
जिह्वाग्रे बन्धनं प्राप्तं जिह्वाग्रे मरणं ध्रुवम् ॥

lakṣmīrvasati jihvāgre jihvāgre mitrabāndhavāḥ ।
jihvāgre bandhanaṃ prāptaṃ jihvāgre maraṇaṃ dhruvam ॥

Lakṣmī resides at the tip of the tongue; at the tip of the tongue are friends and kin;

the tip of the tongue can cause imprisonment; and certainly, the tip of the tongue 

can bring death!

कुलीनैः सह संपर्कः पण्डितैः सह मित्रताम् ।
ज्ञातिभिश्च समं मेलं कुर्वाणो न विनश्यति ॥
kulInaiH saha saMparkaH paNDitaiH saha mitratAm ।
jnAtibhiH cha samam melam kurvANo na vinashyati ॥
He shall not be ever destroyed who has acquaintance with people of powerful families, friendship with scholars and networks among knowledgeable people.

दुष्टा भार्या शठं मित्रं भृत्यश्चोत्तरदायकः ।

ससर्पे च गृहे वासो मृत्युरेव न संशयः ॥

Death is certain (soon) for a person whose wife is wicked, whose friends cheat and whose servants talk back to him. He is in same level of danger as sleeping in a house which has snakes in it. 

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

FRIENDS-(7)-SLOKAS FROM RAMAYANA

SUBHASHITHANI:259

At Lanka Ravana holds consultations with the ogres on the means of victory in the contingency of a war with the monkeys. Ravana said: 'The city of Lanka has been assailed and penetrated into and Sita found out by Hanuman,a mere monkey.The wise declare victory as dependent on wise counsel'. Ravana's address and advice from Vibhishana contains some of the most beautiful subhashithas on nature of friendship. A few of them are presented in this blog. 

त्रिविधाः पुरुषा लोके उत्तम अधम मध्यमाः I
तेषाम् तु समवेतानाम् गुणदोषम् वदामि अहम्II6.6.6

Thrividhaah purushaa loke uttama adhama madhyamaah I

Tesham tu samavetaanaam gunadosham vadaami aham II

"There are three types of men in the world, namely the foremost the mediocre

and the lowest. I am telling their inherent merits and defects."- ( Ravana to ogres )

 Yuddha kanda

( Trouble with Ravana  was not that he didn't ask for advice from others ,but that he refused to accept advice that was not palatable to him )
मन्त्रिभिर् हित सम्युक्तैः समर्थैर् मन्त्र निर्णये || 6.6.7

मित्रैर् वा अपि समान अर्थैर् बान्धवैर् अपि वा हितैः |
सहितो मन्त्रयित्वा यः कर्म आरम्भान् प्रवर्तयेत् || 6.6.8
दैवे च कुरुते यत्नम् तम् आहुः पुरुष उत्तमम् |
The wise call him as the foremost among men, whose counsel is actually endowed
 with the following three characteristics, and who prosecutes his undertakings after deliberating with his friends who are capable of deciding a point at issue or with
relations having common interests or even with his superiors and exerts himself depending on providence. ( Ravana to rakshasas )

वसेत् सह सपत्नेन क्रुद्धेन आशी विषेण च | 6.16.2
न तु मित्र प्रवादेन सम्वस्च्चत्रुणा सह || ( Ravana to Vibhishana )

"One can stay together with an enemy or even with a furious snake, but one cannot stay together with an adversary yet avowing himself as a friend"

यथा पुष्करपत्रेषु पतितास्तोयबिन्दवः |
न श्लेषमभिगच्चन्ति तथानार्येषु सौहृदम् ||6.16.11

"As drops of water fallen on lotus leaves do not get clung to those leaves, so also a friendship does not cling to ignoble ones."

यथा शरदि मेघानाम् सिञ्चातामपि गर्जताम् |
न भवत्यमुबसम्क्लेदस्तथानार्येषु सौहृदम् ||6.16.12

"As rainy clouds in autumn, even though thundering, cannot get the earth saturated with water, so also friendship does not have tenderness of heart in mean people."

यथा मधुकरस्तर्षाद्रासम् विन्दन्न तिष्ठति |
तथा त्वमपि तत्रैव तथानार्येषु सौहृदम् ||6.16.13

"As a honey bee, even though getting nectar from a flower, does not stick on to that flower due to its eager desire for more, you also belong to that category as friendship does not stick on to ignoble people."

यथा पूर्वम् गजः स्नात्वा गृह्य हस्तेन वै रजः |
दूषयत्यात्मनो देहम् तथानार्येषु सौहृदम् ||6.16.15

"How an elephant abuses its body by helping itself with dust after taking bath earlier with its trunk, friendship gets an abuse in wicked persons in the same manner."

निवार्यमाणस्य मया हित एषिणा | न रोचते ते वचनम् निशा चर |
परीत काला हि गत आयुषो नरा | हितम् न गृह्णन्ति सुहृद्भिर् ईरितम् ||6.16.27

"O, Ravana the ranger of the night! My words are not relishing to you, who are being restrained by me duly desiring your welfare. Persons whose duration of life is to end, 

do not accept the salutary words spoken by their well wishers"-

 ( Vibhishana to Ravana )

मित्र भावेन सम्प्राप्तम् न त्यजेयम् कथंचन | ६-१८-३
दोषो यदि अपि तस्य स्यात् सताम् एतद् अगर्हितम् ||Ramayana -6.18.3

"By any means, I do not desert anyone who arrives with a friendly appearance, even if he has a defect. His acceptance is irreproachable in the eyes of good men"-

(Rama to Sugreeva)

मित्रमौपयिकम् कर्तुम् रामः स्थानम् परीप्सता || ५-२१-१९

वधम् चानिच्छता घोरं त्वयासौ पुरुषर्षभः | Sundara kandam-5.21.19

It is better that this Rama, best among men, is made to be a friend by you , 

if you want to live and not be slain in battle. (Sita to Ravaana )

विदितः स हि धर्मज्ञः शरणागतवत्सलः ||5.21.20

तेन मैत्री भवतु ते यदि जीवितुमिच्चसि |Sundara kandam ( Sita to Ravana )

Rama the righteous one is indeed known as one who loves those who seek protection.  If you desire to live let there be friendship between you and Rama."

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH