PANCHA TANTRA-MITRA BHEDAA-49

 SUBHASHITHANI:383

Karataka admonishes Damanaka for plotting to separate two good friends with the selfish intent to become a counselor. He is further elaborating on the need to know about 'what strategy to be used when?'.

सामादि-दण्ड-पर्यन्तो नयः प्रोक्तः स्वयम्भुवा ।
तेषां दण्डस् तु पापीयांस् तं पश्चाद् विनियोजयेत् ॥ ४०८ ॥

sāmādi-daṇḍa-paryanto nayaḥ proktaḥ svayambhuvā |
teṣāṃ daṇḍas tu pāpīyāṃs taṃ paścād viniyojayet || 408 ||

It has been laid down by men of discernment that strategy should begin with Saaman or peace and only as a last resort war. Of these resorting to arms is extremely detestable and should be employed only when all others fail.

साम्नैव यत्र सिद्धिर् न तत्र दण्डो बुधेन विनियोज्यः ।
पित्तं यदि शर्करया शाम्यति को ऽर्थः पटोलेन ॥ ४०९ ॥
sāmnaiva yatra siddhir na tatra daṇḍo budhena viniyojyaḥ |
pittaṃ yadi śarkarayā śāmyati ko 'rthaḥ paṭolena || 409 ||
Where one can diffuse a tense situation through reconciliation, violence should not be resorted to at all, so say the wise. If bile can be subdued by eating sugar, why would you have bitter medicine? ( patola - snake-gourd )

आदौ साम प्रयोक्तव्यं पुरुषेण विजानता ।
साम-साध्यानि कार्याणि विक्रियां यान्ति न क्वचित् ॥ ४१० ॥

ādau sāma prayoktavyaṃ puruṣeṇa vijānatā |
sāma-sādhyāni kāryāṇi vikriyāṃ yānti na kvacit || 410 ||

Discerning men bids the statesman to try saaman( conciliation) first; for affairs accomplished through conciliation do not lead to adverse results.

न चन्द्रेण न चाउषध्या न सूर्येण न वह्निना ।
साम्नैव विलयं याति विद्वेष-प्रभवं तमः ॥ ४११ ॥

na candreṇa na cāuṣadhyā na sūryeṇa na vahninā |
sāmnaiva vilayaṃ yāti vidveṣa-prabhavaṃ tamaḥ || 411 ||

The darkness (in the form of difficulties) arising from an enemy entirely disappears only by means of saaman( peace); neither  by the moon, nor flashing gem, nor the sun, nor fiery spark.

मन्त्रिणां भिन्न-सन्धाने भिषजां सांनिपातिके ।
कर्मणि व्यज्यते प्रज्ञा सुस्थे को वा न पण्डितः ॥ ४१२ ॥

mantriṇāṃ bhinna-sandhāne bhiṣajāṃ sāṃnipātike |
karmaṇi vyajyate prajñā susthe ko vā na paṇḍitaḥ || 412 ||

The intelligence of the doctor is known only when he treats a patient in critical stage, intelligence of a minister is known when a well organised scheme fails. When everything is alright who does not act wisely?

घातयितुम् एव नीचः पर-कार्यं वेत्ति न प्रसाधयितुम् ।
पातयितुम् एव शक्तिर् नाखोरुद्धर्तुम् अन्न-पिटकम् ॥ ४१३ ॥
ghātayitum eva nīcaḥ para-kāryaṃ vetti na prasādhayitum |
pātayitum eva śaktir nākhoruddhartum anna-piṭakam || 413 ||
A crooked and mean person only knows how to cause ruin; he cannot resolve anything. A rat is strong enough to make the rice-pot fall down; not to keep it back straight.

नराधिपा नीच-जनानुवर्तिनो बुधोपदिष्टेन पथा न यान्ति ये ।
विशन्त्य् अतो दुर्गम-मार्ग-निर्गमं समस्त-सम्बाधम् अनर्थ-पञ्जरम् ॥ ४१४ ॥

narādhipā nīca-janānuvartino

budhopadiṣṭena pathā na yānti ye |
viśanty ato durgama-mārga-nirgamaṃ

samasta-sambādham anartha-pañjaram || 414 |

Those kings who following the counsel of mean persons, don’t follow the path shown by wise men, enter there by, as it were, a cage of calamities, surrounded by all kinds of troubles, an escape route from which is difficult to be found.

गुणालयो ऽप्य् असन् मन्त्री नृपतिर् नाधिगम्यते ।
प्रसन्न-स्वादु-सलिलो दुष्ट-ग्राह्यो यथा ह्रदः ॥ ४१५ ॥
guṇālayo 'py asan mantrī nṛpatir nādhigamyate |
prasanna-svādu-salilo duṣṭa-grāhyo yathā hradaḥ || 415 ||
Even if the king is the most virtuous person, if he is advised by a wicked minister, he is avoided by all, much like a lake filled with pure and tasty water is avoided if a crocodile stays in it.

चित्रास्वाद-कथैर् भृत्यैर् अनायासित-कार्मुकैः ।
ये रमन्ते नृपास् तेषां रमन्ते रिपवः श्रिया ॥ ४१६ ॥

citrāsvāda-kathair bhṛtyair anāyāsita-kārmukaiḥ |
ye ramante nṛpās teṣāṃ ramante ripavaḥ śriyā || 416 ||

The enemies enjoy the wealth of those kings who delight in the company of servants who talk of different flavours but never seen anything like war.

 SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH