PANCHA TANTRA-MITRA BHEDAA-38

 SUBHASHITHANI:365

“Oh Damanaka! It is true – a king never has true friends. Living in a forest is better, begging is better, facing difficulties in life is better – than trying to make a living by serving. “- Sanjeevaka ( The bull )

भक्तानामुपकारिणां परहितव्यापारयुक्तात्मनां
सेवासंव्यवहारतत्त्वविदुषां द्रोहच्युतानामपि ।
व्यापत्तिः स्खलितान्तरेषु नियता सिद्धिर्भवेद्वा न वा
तस्मादम्बुपतेरिवावनिपतेः सेवा सदा शङ्किनी ॥१.३०७॥

bhaktānām upakāriṇāṃ para-hita-vyāpāra-yuktātmanāṃ
sevā-saṃvyavahāra-tattva-viduṣāṃ droha-cyutānām api |
vyāpattiḥ skhalitāntareṣu niyatā siddhir bhaved vā na vā
tasmād ambupater ivāvani-pateḥ sevā sadā śaṅkinī || 307 ||

Of Servants who are devoted to their master and his good, interested always in helping others, who know the principles of faithful service and who are far from being disloyal, destruction is certain when they commit mistakes; as to rewards for their hard work they may or may not get it; therefore, service of the lord of the earth, as of the lord of waters is always attended with uncertainty.

भावस्निग्धैरुपकृतमपि द्वेष्यतां याति लोके
साक्षादन्यैरपकृतमपि प्रीतये चोपयाति ।
दुर्ग्राह्यत्वान्नृपतिमनसां नैकभावाश्रयाणां
सेवाधर्मः परमगहनो योगिनामप्यगम्यः ॥१.३०८॥

bhāva-snigdhair upakṛtam api dveṣyatāṃ yāti loke
sākṣād anyair apakṛtam api prītaye copayāti |
durgrāhyatvān nṛpati-manasāṃ naika-bhāvāśrayāṇāṃ
sevā-dharmaḥ parama-gahano yoginām apy agamyaḥ || 308 ||

In this world even a service by some is looked upon with displeasure, while direct injury done by others, is appreciated. Due to the vagaries of the minds of kings, it is extremely difficult to understand the duties of a servant and it is beyond the comprehension of even wise sages.

We have very similar sentiment expressed in Bhartruhari's Niti satakam:

मौनान्मूकः प्रवचनपटुश्चाटुलो जल्पको वा
धृष्टः पार्श्वे भवति च वसन्दूरतोप्यप्रगल्भः ।
क्षान्त्या भीरुर्यदि न सहते प्रायशो नाभिजातः
सेवाधर्मः परमगहनो योगिनामप्यगम्यः ।। 58 ।।

maunAnmUkaH pravacanapaTuScATulO jalpakO vA
dhRshTaH pArSvE bhavati ca vasandUratOpyapragalbhaH |
kshAntyA bhIruryadi na sahatE prAyaSO nAbhijAtaH
sEvAdharmaH paramagahanO yOginAmapyagamyaH || 58 ||Niti satakam

The norms of serving are complex, incomprehensible even to sages. If silent the servant is labelled dumb, if quick to reply, flippant and loquacious. If he stays close, he is called audacious, and if he maintains a distance, he is shy. If he is tolerant, then he is timid, and if he is unable to bear indignities, then he is ill-bred.

प्रभोः प्रसादमन्यस्य न सहन्तीह सेवकाः ।
सपत्न्य इव सङ्क्रुद्धाः सपत्न्याः सुकृतैरपि ॥१.३०९॥
prabhoḥ prasādam anyasya na sahantīha sevakāḥ |
sapatnya iva saṅkruddhāḥ sapatnyāḥ sukṛtair api || 309 ||
Servants do not like their master showing favours to others, just like co-wives do not bear the favours shown by their husbands to their fellow wife although very charming.

गुणवत्तरपात्रेण छाद्यन्ते गुणिनां गुणाः ।
रात्रौ दीपशिखाकान्तिर्न भानावुदिते सति ॥१.३१०॥
guṇavattara-pātreṇa chādyante guṇināṃ guṇāḥ |
rātrau dīpa-śikhā-kāntir na bhānāv udite sati || 310 ||
The merits of great people are eclipsed by one possessed of superior merits; the flame of a lamp sheds its light at night but not after the sun has risen.

बहवः पण्डिताः क्षुद्राः सर्वे मायोपजीविनः ।
कुर्युः कृत्यमकृत्यं वा उष्ट्रे काकादयो यथा ॥१.३११॥

bahavaḥ paṇḍitāḥ kṣudrāḥ sarve māyopajīvinaḥ |
kuryuḥ kṛtyam akṛtyaṃ vā uṣṭre kākādayo yathā || 311 ||

When those who scheme, who are mean, and who cheat, all get together, they are capable of anything, however proper or improper it may be. Much like the crow and the others who cheated the camel.

गृहं शत्रुमपि प्राप्तं विश्वस्तमकुतोभयम् ।
यो हन्यात्तस्य पापं स्याच्छतब्राह्मणघातजम् ॥१.३१२॥
Gruham shatrumapi praaptam vishvastamakutobhayam I
Yo hanyaattasya paapam syaachchata brahmanagaatajam II312
He, who kills even an enemy coming to his house, confident of safety, will be guilty of sin arising from the murder of a hundred brahmanas.

न गोप्रदानं न महीप्रदानं
न चान्नदानं हि तथा प्रधानम् ।
 यथा वदन्तीह बुधाः प्रधानं
सर्वप्रदानेष्वभयप्रदानम् ॥१.३१३॥

Na gopradaanam na maheepradaanam
 na cha annadaanam hi tatha pradaanam I
Yatha vadanteeha budhaah pradaanam
sarvapradhaneshvabhaya pradaanam II1.313

Not the giving away of cows, not the giving away of land, not even the giving of food is such an important thing, since, they (wise) say here, the truly great gift among all gifts is the gift of assurance of protection.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH