PANCHA TANTRA-MITRA BHEDAA-46

 SUBHASHITHANI:380
Damanaka concluded, And that is why I said:
“If one starts a fight, without knowing the strength of his enemy, he will surely be defeated. like the mighty ocean was insulted by a small Tittibha bird."

THE STORY OF THE OCEAN AND THE BIRD:

(The ocean took away the eggs of titibha birds and refused to return it to them. The titibha bird complained to bird king Garuda to help. Garuda in turn spoke to Sri Vishnu, who threatened the ocean that he will dry up the ocean if they don't return the eggs. This is how the little bird brought the mighty ocean to its knees )

यो न वेत्ति गुणान् यस्य न तं सेवेत पण्डितः ।
न हि तस्मात् फलं किञ्चित् सुकृष्टाद् ऊषराद् इव ॥ ३८१ ॥
yo na vetti guṇān yasya na taṃ seveta paṇḍitaḥ |
na hi tasmāt phalaṃ kiñcit sukṛṣṭād ūṣarād iva || 381 ||
A scholar should not serve a person who does not recognise his virtues, ploughing a barren land is futile.

भक्तं शक्तं कुलीनं च न भृत्यम् अवमानयेत् ।
पुत्रवल् लालयेन् नित्यं य इच्छेच् छ्रियम् आत्मनः ॥ ३८२ ॥
bhaktaṃ śaktaṃ kulīnaṃ ca na bhṛtyam avamānayet |
putraval lālayen nityaṃ ya icchec chriyam ātmanaḥ || 382 ||
A servant who is loyal and efficient should never be insulted; Instead he should be treated like one’s own son, if he desires peace and prosperity.

राजा तुष्टो ऽपि भृत्यानाम् अर्थ-मात्रं प्रयच्छति ।
ते तु सम्मानितास् तस्य प्राणैर् अप्य् उपकुर्वते ॥ ३८३ ॥
rājā tuṣṭo 'pi bhṛtyānām artha-mātraṃ prayacchati |
te tu sammānitās tasya prāṇair apy upakurvate || 383 ||
A king, if pleased, rewards his servants with only money. But servants who are treated with respect, are willing to even risk their lives for the king.

येन स्याल् लघुता वाथ पीडा चित्ते प्रभोः क्वचित् ।
प्राण-त्यागेऽपि तत् कर्म न कुर्यात् कुल-सेवकः ॥ ३८४ ॥

yena syāl laghutā vātha pīḍā citte prabhoḥ kvacit |
prāṇa-tyāge'pi tat karma na kuryāt kula-sevakaḥ || 384 |

A dedicated servant should not, at any time, do that which would be derogatory to the dignity of his master , even though he has to lose his life.

भृत्यापराधजो दण्डः स्वामिनो जायते यतः ।
तेन लज्जापि तस्योत्था न भृत्यस्य तथा पुनः ॥ ३८५ ॥

bhṛtyāparādhajo daṇḍaḥ svāmino jāyate yataḥ |
tena lajjāpi tasyotthā na bhṛtyasya tathā punaḥ || 385 ||

Since the punishment meted out to a servant for his fault is considered punishment awarded to his master, the shame too, arising therefrom should be considered as his. 

त्यजेद् एकं कुलस्यार्थे ग्रामस्यार्थे कुलं त्यजेत् ।
ग्रामं जनपदस्यार्थे स्वात्मार्थे पृथिवीं त्यजेत् ॥ ३८६ ॥

tyajed ekaṃ kulasyārthe grāmasyārthe kulaṃ tyajet |
grāmaṃ janapadasyārthe svātmārthe pṛthivīṃ tyajet || 386 ||

One should renounce a person for the sake of the whole family; one should renounce a family for the sake of the village; one should renounce a village for the sake of the country; and one should renounce the earth for the sake of the Self.

आपद्-अर्थे धनं रक्षेद् दारान् रक्षेद् धनैर् अपि ।
आत्मानं सततं रक्षेद् दारैर् अपि धनैर् अपि ॥ ३८७ ॥

āpad-arthe dhanaṃ rakṣed dārān rakṣed dhanair api |
ātmānaṃ satataṃ rakṣed dārair api dhanair api || 387 ||

One should save his money against hard times, save his wife at the sacrifice of his riches, but invariably one should save his soul even at the sacrifice of his wife and riches.

अपि पुत्र-कलत्रैर् वा प्राणान् रक्षेत पण्डितः ।
विद्यमानैर् यतस् तैः स्यात् सर्वं भूयो ऽपि देहिनाम् ॥ ३८८ ॥

api putra-kalatrair vā prāṇān rakṣeta paṇḍitaḥ |
vidyamānair yatas taiḥ syāt sarvaṃ bhūyo 'pi dehinām || 388 ||

A wise man should save his life even at the cost of his son and wife; Once  life is preserved one can bring forth  a family again.

येन केनाप्य् उपायेन शुभेनाप्य् अशुभेन वा ।
उद्धरेद् दीनम् आत्मानं समर्थो धर्मम् आचरेत् ॥ ३८९ ॥

yena kenāpy upāyena śubhenāpy aśubhena vā |
uddhared dīnam ātmānaṃ samartho dharmam ācaret || 389 ||

One should raise oneself from a low state by any means, foul or fair; and when one is in a prosperous condition one should practice virtue ( To wipe off past sins)

यो मायां कुरुते मूढः प्राण-त्यागे धनादिषु ।
तस्य प्राणाः प्रणश्यन्ति तैर् नष्टैर् नष्टम् एव तत् ॥ ३९० ॥
yo māyāṃ kurute mūḍhaḥ prāṇa-tyāge dhanādiṣu |
tasya prāṇāḥ praṇaśyanti tair naṣṭair naṣṭam eva tat || 390 ||
That fool who uses artifices to preserve his wealth even when his life is in danger, loses his life; life being gone wealth is also lost to him.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH