HITOPADESHA-2- हितोपदेशः - Good Counsels

 SUBHASHITHANI:502

विद्या शस्त्रं च शास्त्रं च द्वे विद्ये प्रतिपत्तये ।
आद्या हास्यय वृद्धत्वे द्वितीयाद्रियते सदा ॥ ७ ॥

vidyā śastraṃ ca śāstraṃ ca dve vidye pratipattaye |
ādyā hāsyaya vṛddhatve dvitīyādriyate sadā || 0-7 ||

Knowledge of arms and shastras leads to glory; but the former exposes one to ridicule in old age, while the latter is ever respected.

यन् नवे भाजने लग्नः संस्कारो नान्यथा भवेत् ।
कथा-च्छलेन बालानां नीतिस् तद् इह कथ्यते ॥ ८ ॥

yan nave bhājane lagnaḥ saṃskāro nānyathā bhavet |
kathā-cchalena bālānāṃ nītis tad iha kathyate ||0-8 ||

Just as the impression made upon a wet clay pot remains unchanged afterwards, in the same way in this work ‘art of human conduct’ is taught to the young under the guise of stories.

मित्र-लाभः सुहृद्-भेदो विग्रहः सन्धिर् एव च ।
पञ्च-तन्त्रात् तथान्यस्माद् ग्रन्थाद् आकृष्य लिख्यते ॥ ९ ॥

mitra-lābhaḥ suhṛd-bhedo vigrahaḥ sandhir eva ca |
pañca-tantrāt tathānyasmād granthād ākṛṣya likhyate || 0-9 ||

This work with four parts- ‘The acquisition of friends’, ‘The separation of friends’, ‘Making war’, and ‘conducting peace’ are written based on extracts from Pancha tantra and other works.

अनेक-संशयोच्छेदि परोक्षार्थस्य दर्शकम् ।
सर्वस्य लोचनं शास्त्रं यस्य नास्त्य् अन्ध एव सः ॥ १० ॥

aneka-saṃśayocchedi parokṣārthasya darśakam |
sarvasya locanaṃ śāstraṃ yasya nāsty andha eva saḥ || 0-10 ||

It dispels many doubts, foresees what is not obvious;
Science is the eye of everyone, one who hasn't got it, is like a blind.

यौवनं धन-सम्पत्तिः प्रभुत्वम् अविवेकिता ।
एकैकम् अप्य् अनर्थाय किम् उ यत्र चतुष्टयम् ॥ ११ ॥
yauvanaṃ dhana-sampattiḥ prabhutvam avivekitā |
ekaikam apy anarthāya kim u yatra catuṣṭayam || 0-11 ||
Youth, wealth, power, thoughtlessness - each can cause havoc. What can be said when all four converge?!

को ऽर्थः पुत्रेण जातेन यो न विद्वान् न धार्मिकः ।
काणेन चक्षुषा किं वा चक्षुः पीडैव केवलम् ॥ १२ ॥

ko 'rthaḥ putreṇa jātena yo na vidvān na dhārmikaḥ |
kāṇena cakṣuṣā kiṃ vā cakṣuḥ pīḍaiva kevalam || 0-12 ||

What is the good of having a son who is neither learned nor pious; for what is the use of an eye that is blind? It only causes ocular pain.

अजात-मृत-मूर्खाणां वरम् आद्यौ न चान्तिमः ।
सकृद् दुःख-कराव् आद्याव् अन्तिमस् तु पदे पदे ॥ १३ ॥

ajāta-mṛta-mūrkhāṇāṃ varam ādyau na cāntimaḥ |
sakṛd duḥkha-karāv ādyāv antimas tu pade pade || 0-13 ||

Of sons, not born, (born and) dead, and foolish, the first two are to be preferred and not the last: for the first two causes pain but once; the last at every step.

वरं गर्भ-स्रावो वरम् अपि च नैवाभिगमनं

वरं जातः प्रेतो वरम् अपि च कन्यावजनिता ।
वरं बन्ध्या भार्या वरम् अपि च गर्भेषु वसतिर्

न वाविद्वान् रूप-द्रविण-गुण-युक्तो ऽपि तनयः ॥ १४ ॥

varaṃ garbha-srāvo varam api ca naivābhigamanaṃ

 varaṃ jātaḥ preto varam api ca kanyāvajanitā |
varaṃ bandhyā bhāryā varam api ca garbheṣu vasatir

na vāvidvān rūpa-draviṇa-guṇa-yukto 'pi tanayaḥ || 0-14 ||

Better is an abortion, better if there is no union of parents, better is the child is still born, it is better even a

 daughter is born, better if the wife be barren, it is better the child never leaves the womb, but never should a son be there who is not learned, though he may have other possessions like beauty and wealth.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH