PANCHA TANTRA-MITRA BHEDAA-28

 SUBHASHITHANI:349

निर्विषेणापि सर्पेण कर्तव्या महती फणा ।
विषं भवतु वा माभूत्फणाटोपो भयङ्करः ॥१.२२५॥

Nirvishenaapi Sarpaeana Kartavayaa Mahati Phanaa
Vishmastu Na Chaapyastu Khataatopo Bhayankarahh. 225

Although there is no venom in the bite of a non-venomous snake, still it possesses the great power of expanding its hood and creating a hissing sound, which is very frightening, and it is its duty to use it in self-defense.

गवामर्थे ब्राह्मणार्थे स्वाम्यर्थे स्वीकृतेऽथवा ।
स्थानार्थे यस्त्यजेत्प्राणांस्तस्य लोकाः सनातनाः ॥१.२२६॥

gavām arthe brāhmaṇārthe svāmy-arthe svīkṛte’thavā |
sthānārthe yas tyajet prāṇāṃs tasya lokāḥ sanātanāḥ || 226 ||

One who gives up his life for the sake of nature, or a learned man, or his master, or a woman, or his country, attains liberation.

चन्द्रे मण्डल-संस्थे विगृह्यते राहुणा दिनाधीशः ।
शरणागतेन सार्धं विपद् अपि तेजस्विना श्लाघ्या ॥ २२७ ॥

candre maṇḍala-saṃsthe vigṛhyate rāhuṇā dinādhīśaḥ |
śaraṇāgatena sārdhaṃ vipad api tejasvinā ślāghyā || 227 ||

When the moon takes the shelter of the sun (during new moon), the sun fights with Rahu to protect it. Likewise, fighting to protect those who take refuge in you is always praiseworthy.

The story of the crow and the black serpent (काकीकृष्णसर्पकथा )

उपायेन हि यच् छक्यं न तच् छक्यं पराक्रमैः ।
काकी कनक-सूत्रेण कृष्ण-सर्पम् अघातयत् ॥ २२८ ॥

upāyena hi yac chakyaṃ na tac chakyaṃ parākramaiḥ |
kākī kanaka-sūtreṇa kṛṣṇa-sarpam aghātayat || 228 ||

What is possible through stratagem, cannot be done by valour. It is through trickery that the crow used the golden chain to destroy the serpent.

यस्य क्षेत्रं नदी-तीरे भार्या च पर-सङ्गता ।
स-सर्पे च गृहे वासः कथं स्यात् तस्य निर्वृतिः ॥ २२९ ॥

yasya kṣetraṃ nadī-tīre bhāryā ca para-saṅgatā |
sa-sarpe ca gṛhe vāsaḥ kathaṃ syāt tasya nirvṛtiḥ || 229 ||

A man, whose fields lie on the banks of a river, whose wife desires another man, and whose house has a snake living in it…how can such a man ever be happy?

உடம்பாடு இலாதவர் வாழ்க்கை குடங்கருள்
பாம்போடு உடனுறைந் தற்று.-Thirukkural 890

Domestic life with those who don't agree,
Is dwelling in a shed with snake for company.

सर्प-युक्ते गृहे वासो मृत्युर् एव न संशयः ।
यद् ग्रामान्ते वसेत् सर्पस् तस्य स्यात् प्राण-संशयः ॥ २३० ॥

sarpa-yukte gṛhe vāso mṛtyur eva na saṃśayaḥ |
yad grāmānte vaset sarpas tasya syāt prāṇa-saṃśayaḥ || 230 ||

Living in a house with a serpent means sure death. Even if the serpent lives near a village, everyone’s lives are always in danger.

नूनं स लुब्धो नोपायम् अन्तरेण वध्यः स्यात् ।
उपायेन जयो यादृग् रिपोस् तादृङ् न हेतिभिः ।
उपाय-ज्ञो ऽल्प-कायो ऽपि न शूरैः परिभूयते ॥ २३१ ॥

nūnaṃ sa lubdho nopāyam antareṇa vadhyaḥ syāt |
upāyena jayo yādṛg ripos tādṛṅ na hetibhiḥ |
upāya-jño 'lpa-kāyo 'pi na śūraiḥ paribhūyate || 231 ||

Victory over an enemy by using stratagem is much easier to attain, than by using weapons and force, A weaker man, if he can execute a clever strategy, cannot be defeated by even the bravest warriors.

भक्षयित्वा बहून् मत्स्यान् उत्तमाधम-मध्यमान् ।
अतिलौल्याद् बकः कश्चिन् मृतः कर्कटक-ग्रहात् ॥ २३२ ॥

bhakṣayitvā bahūn matsyān uttamādhama-madhyamān |
atilaulyād bakaḥ kaścin mṛtaḥ karkaṭaka-grahāt || 232 ||

A crane perished through excess of greediness ,that ate fish of all sizes, by being seized  by  a crab.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBYAM NAMAH

PANCHA TANTRA-MITRA BHEDAA-27

 SUBHASHITHANI:348
The story of the weaver who impersonated Vishnu

औषधार्थ-सुमन्त्राणां बुद्धेश् चैव महात्मनाम् ।
असाध्यं नास्ति लोकेऽत्र यद् ब्रह्माण्डस्य मध्यगम् ॥ २१९ ॥

auṣadhārtha-sumantrāṇāṃ buddheś caiva mahātmanām |
asādhyaṃ nāsti loke’tra yad brahmāṇḍasya madhyagam || 219 ||

There is nothing impossible in this world, nothing that cannot be achieved through medicine, wealth, mantras, and the intelligence of great men.

One day there was a great festival, when a weaver and his carpenter friend went out in to public places. They happened to get a glimpse of a princess at the window of a palace. The weaver , ravished by her beauty , started thinking nothing but her.

मत्तेभकुम्भपरिणाहिनि कुङ्कुमार्द्रे
तस्याः पयोधरयुगे रतिखेदखिन्नः ।
वक्षो निधाय भुजपञ्जरमध्यवर्ती
स्वप्स्ये कदा क्षणमवाप्य तदीयसङ्गम् ॥१.२२०॥

mattebha-kumbha-pariṇāhini kuṅkumārdre

 tasyāḥ payodhara-yuge rati-kheda-khinnaḥ |
vakṣo nidhāya bhuja-pañjara-madhya-vartī

svapsye kadā kṣaṇam avāpya tadīya-saṅgam || 220 ||

Her bosom, like an elephant’s brow

Swells, saffron-scented, How,ah,how

May I thereon my bosom lay,

When weary love is tired of play,

So, fettered in her arms, to keep

A vigil waking half, half sleep? – Translation A.W.Ryder

रागी बिम्बाधरोऽसौ स्तनकलशयुगं यौवनारूढगर्वं
नीचा नाभिः प्रकृत्या कुटिलकमलकं स्वल्पकं चापि मध्यम् ।
कुर्वत्वेतानि नाम प्रसभमिह मनश्चिन्तितान्याशु खेदं
न्मांतस्याः कपोलौ दहत इति मुहुः स्वच्छकौ तन्न युक्तम् ॥१.२२१॥

rāgī bimbādharo 'sau stana-kalaśa-yugaṃ yauvanārūḍha-garvaṃ
nīcā nābhiḥ prakṛtyā kuṭilakam alakaṃ svalpakaṃ cāpi madhyam |
kurvatv etāni nāma prasabham iha manaś cintitāny āśu khedaṃ
yan māṃ tasyāḥ kapolau dahata iti muhuḥ svacchakau tan na yuktam || 221 ||

That these-her bosom’s youthful pride,
Her curling hair, her sinuous side,
Her blood-red lip, her waist so small-
Should hurt me, is not strange at all:
But her cheeks so clear, so bright,
Should torture me, is far from right.- Translation by A.W.Ryder

पुत्रीति जाता महतीह चिन्ता
कस्मै प्रदेयेति महान् वितर्कः ।
दत्त्वा सुखं प्राप्स्यति वा न वेति
कन्यापितृत्वं खलु नाम कष्टम् ॥१.२२२॥

putri iti jAtA mahati iha chintA
    kasyai pradeya iti mahAn vitarkaH ।
datva sukham prApsyati vA na vA iti
    kanyA pitRutvam khalu nAma kaShTam ॥222

If a daughter is born it is a cause of great worry. First you have to worry about whom she should be married to. Its a great debate. After getting married, you get worried if she is happy or not. It is really difficult being a father of a daughter.

नद्यश्च नार्यश्च सदृक्प्रभावास्
तुल्यानि कूलानि कुलानि तासाम् ।
तोयैश्च दोषैश्च निपातयन्ति
नद्यो हि कूलानि कुलानि नार्यः ॥१.२२३॥

nadyaś ca nāryaś ca sadṛk-prabhāvās tulyāni kūlāni kulāni tāsām |
toyaiś ca doṣaiś ca nipātayanti nadyo hi kūlāni kulāni nāryaḥ || 223 ||

The river and a woman have similar nature, the river is guided by the banks ,the woman by her family traditions. The river banks are breached by the force of water  and family traditions are breached by woman's misconduct.

जननीमनो हरति जातवती

परिवर्धते सह शुचा सुहृदाम् ।
परसात्कृतापि कुरुते मलिनं
दुरितक्रमा दुहितरो विपदः ॥१.२२४॥

jananī-mano harati jātavatī

 parivardhate saha śucā suhṛdām |
para-sātkṛtāpi kurute malinaṃ

durita-kramā duhitaro vipadaḥ || 224 ||

When born she afflicts the mind of her mother; and as she grows up the anxiety of the relatives also grows. When given in marriage to another she is likely to make mistakes; it is difficult to separate daughters from causing worry to parents.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

PANCHA TANTRA-MITRA BHEDAA-26

 SUBHASHITHANI:347

भिन्नस्वरमुखवर्णः शङ्कितदृष्टिः समुत्पतिततेजाः ।
भवति हि पापं कृत्वा स्वकर्मसन्त्रासितः पुरुषः ॥१.२१०॥

bhinna-svara-mukha-varṇaḥ śaṅkita-dṛṣṭiḥ samutpatita-tejāḥ |
bhavati hi pāpaṃ kṛtvā sva-karma-santrāsitaḥ puruṣaḥ || 210 ||

A man who is alarmed at his own act on having perpetrated an evil deed becomes one whose tone is altered, face changes colour, looks suspicious, and whose lustre is gone.

आयाति स्खलितैः पादैर्मुखवैवर्ण्यसंयुतः ।
ललाटस्वेदभाग्भूरिगद्गदं भाषते वचः ॥१.२११॥

āyāti skhalitaiḥ pādair mukha-vaivarṇya-saṃyutaḥ |
lalāṭa-sveda-bhāg bhūri-gadgadaṃ bhāṣate vacaḥ || 211 ||

He walks in with faltering steps, with the colour fled from his face and his brow covered with perspiration and speaks incoherently.

अधोदृष्टिर्वदेत्कृत्वा पापं प्राप्तः सभां नरः ।
तस्माद्यत्नात्परिज्ञेयाश्चिह्नैरेतैर्विचक्षणैः ॥१.२१२॥

adho-dṛṣṭir vadet kṛtvā pāpaṃ prāptaḥ sabhāṃ naraḥ |
tasmād yatnāt parijñeyāś cihnair etair vicakṣaṇaiḥ || 212 ||

If, in a court, a man speaks with his eyes fixed to the ground, and refuses to make eye contact, then he is surely guilty of the crime.

प्रसन्न-वदनो दृष्टः स्पष्ट-वाक्यः सरोष-दृक् ।
सभायां वक्ति सामर्षं सावष्टम्भो नरः शुचिः ॥ २१३ ॥

prasanna-vadano dṛṣṭaḥ spaṣṭa-vākyaḥ saroṣa-dṛk |
sabhāyāṃ vakti sāmarṣaṃ sāvaṣṭambho naraḥ śuciḥ || 213 ||

If, in a court, a man is happy, maintains a smile, speaks clearly, makes eye contact, and seems stable in mind and word, then he is surely innocent of the crime.

On the above basis the judge decided that the barber was the culprit and gave him severe punishment. Devasharman at this stage , interfered and told the judge the truth and the barber was released. 

Damanaka felt the king is not going for hunting and providing the animals with food , decided on a plan to separate the friends.

एकं हन्यान् न वा हन्याद् इषुः क्षिप्तो धनुष्मता ।
प्राज्ञेन तु मतिः क्षिप्ता हन्याद् गर्भ-गतान् अपि ॥ २१५ ॥

ekaṃ hanyān na vā hanyād iṣuḥ kṣipto dhanuṣmatā |
prājñena tu matiḥ kṣiptā hanyād garbha-gatān api || 215 ||

An arrow released from the bow of an archer may kill one person at best, and may even miss it’s target. But an intelligent move by an expert strategist can not only destroy a king, but can also destroy his whole country.

त्याज्यं न धैर्यं विधुरेऽपि दैवे

धैर्यात् कदाचित् स्थित्म् आप्नुयात् सः ।
याते समुद्रेऽपि हि पोत-भङ्गे

सांयात्रिको वाञ्छति कर्म एव ॥ २१६ ॥

tyājyaṃ na dhairyaṃ vidhure’pi daive

 dhairyāt kadācit sthitm āpnuyāt saḥ |
yāte samudre’pi hi pota-bhaṅge

 sāṃyātriko vāñchati karma eva || 216 ||

Man should not lose courage in dire circumstances, and even when fate seems to go against him, because, it is only through courage that man stands a chance to overcome an adverse situation. A seafarer tries his best to reach land, even when his ship breaks down in the middle of the vast ocean.

उद्योगिनं सततम् अत्र समेति लक्ष्मीर्

 दैवं हि दैवम् इति कापुरुषा वदन्ति ।
दैवं निहत्य कुरु पौरुषम् आत्म-शक्त्या

यत्ने कृते यदि न सिध्यति को ऽत्र दोषः ॥ २१७ ॥

udyoginaṃ satatam atra sameti lakṣmīr

 daivaṃ hi daivam iti kāpuruṣā vadanti |
daivaṃ nihatya kuru pauruṣam ātma-śaktyā

 yatne kṛte yadi na sidhyati ko ‘tra doṣaḥ || 217 ||

Prosperity favours only the brave. You will only get what is in your fate – so say the cowardly. That is why man should not depend on fate, he should work by the strength of his own willpower. If you do your best, but still do not get the result, it is not your fault, and you are not to blame.

सुप्रयुक्तस्य दम्भस्य ब्रह्माप्य् अन्तं न गच्छति ।
कौलिको विष्णु-रूपेण राज-कन्यां निषेवते ॥ २१८ ॥

suprayuktasya dambhasya brahmāpy antaṃ na gacchati |
kauliko viṣṇu-rūpeṇa rāja-kanyāṃ niṣevate || 218 ||

The secret of a well-thought-of conspiracy is not even known to the Gods. It is due to his well-hatched plan that the weaver enjoyed the company of the princess, in the form of Vishnu.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH