VIRTUOUS CONDUCT-VRUTTAM-: वृत्तम्

SUBHASHITHANI:270

जरा रुपं हरति धैर्यमाशा मृत्युः प्राणान् धर्मचर्यामसूया।

कामो ह्रियं वृत्तमनार्यसेवा क्रोधः श्रियं सर्वमेवाभिमानः ॥

Jaraa roopam harati dhairyamaasha

mrutyuh praanaan dharma charyaamasooyaa I

Kaamo hriyam vruttam anaaryasevaa

krodhah shriyam sarvamevaabhimaanah II

Old age destroys beauty; desire patience; death takes away life; envy the practice of righteousness; lust takes off shame; association with the wicked destroys good conduct; anger destroys prosperity; and pride everything.
( अभिमान- Pride, arrogance )- Vidura Niti

VIDURA ADVISING DHRUTARASHTRA

वृतं यत्नेन संरक्षेद् वित्तमेति च याति च।

अक्षीणो वित्ततः क्षीणो वृत्ततस्तु हतो हतः।।Vidura niti

Vruttam yatnena samrakshed vittameti cha yaati cha I

Aksheeno vittatah ksheeno vruttatastu hato hatah II

We should protect our good character (and not our wealth) by making special efforts, because wealth comes and goes, increases and decreases. However, if character is lost the person concerned is as good as a dead person.

सत्येन रक्ष्यते धर्मो विद्या योगेन रक्ष्यते ।

 मृजया रक्ष्यते रुपं कुलं वृत्तेन रक्ष्यते ॥ Vidura niti

Satyena rakshyate dharmo vidhyaa yogena rakshyate I

Mrujayaa rakshyate roopam kulam vruttena rakshyate II

Virtue is kept up by truthfulness, learning is preserved by constant practice, beauty by ablution and lineage by virtuous conduct.

( मृजया- cleansing by rubbing; वृत्तं-morality )

न कुलं वृत्तहीनस्य प्रमाणमिति में मतिः ।

अन्तेष्वपि हि जातानां वृतमेव विशिष्यते ॥ Vidura niti

Na kulam vrutta heenasya pramaanamiti me matih I

Anteshvapi hi jaataanaam vruttameva vishishyate II

Mere lineage is no cause of respect for one who is lacking in morality. Morality alone is worthy of consideration or respect for one, even if he be of the lowest birth.

तृणोल्कया ज्ञायते ज्ञानरूपं  वृत्तेन भद्रो व्यवहारेण साधु: ।

शूरो भयेष्वर्थकृच्छ्रेषु धीर:  कृच्छ्रेष्वावत्सु सुहृदश्चारयश्च ॥

The gold is identified by burning in fire, nobility is known by one’s action, a virtuous man is known by his conduct . A hero is known in danger, the valiant in difficulty, and friends and foes in dire calamities .

नाक्रोशी स्यात्रावमानी परस्य मित्रद्रोही नोत निचोपसेवी।

न चाभिमानी न च हीनवृत्तों रुक्षां वाचं रुषतीं वर्जयीत॥

Don’t abuse or insult another, never be a traitor to your friends , nor be a dependent on the mean; neither be arrogant nor take to ignoble conduct. Avoid words hurting and harsh.

( हीनवृत्तों-man of ignoble conduct )

प्राप्नोति वै वित्तमसद्बलेन

नित्योत्त्थानात् प्रज्ञया पौरुषेण।

न त्वेव सम्यग् लभते प्रशंसां

न वृत्तमाप्नोति महाकुलानाम् ॥Vidura niti

Prapnoti vai vittamasadbalena, nityotta thanaat pragyayaa paurushena I

Na tveva samyag labhate prashamsaam, Na vruttamaapnoti mahaakulaanaam II

It is possible for one to earn wealth by improper use of might, or by perseverance, or by intelligence, or by manliness ; but that will not help him to fetch a good name or the character of those born in a  noble family.

येषां न वृत्तं वयथते न यॊनिर; वृत्तप्रसादेन चरन्ति धर्मम I
     ये कीर्तिम इच्छन्ति कुले विशिष्टां; तयक्तानृतास तानि महाकुलानि II

  yeṣāṃ na vṛttaṃ vyathate na yonir; vṛttaprasādena caranti dharmam
     ye kīrtim icchanti kule viśiṣṭāṃ; tyaktānṛtās tāni mahākulāni

Those are noble families where in those born do not swerve from virtuous conduct, 

and they behave in such a way their ancestors are not pained; they practice virtue 

with a pleasant face, wish for high fame for the family, and shun every form of falsehood.

(  न वयथते-are not pained ; यॊनिर-ancestors )

आरोग्यमानृण्यमविप्रवासः

सद्भिर्मनुष्यैस्सह संप्रयोगः।

स्वप्रत्यया वृत्तिरभीतवासः

षट् जीवलोकस्य सुखानि राजन् ॥

Aarogyamaanrinyamavipravaasah

Sadbhirmanushyaissaha samprayogah

Swapratyayaa vrittirabheetavaasah

Shat jeevalokasya sukhaani raajan

Good health, not to be in debt, not being forced to live in an alien land, company of good people, earning a livelihood by one’s own skill or knowledge and living without fear – these six things make one’s life happy and joyful.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH