HITOPADESHA-6- हितोपदेशः - Good Counsels

 SUBHASHITHANI:506

Impact of association with the good and the bad.

पुस्तकेषु च नाधीतं नाधीतं गुरु-सन्निधौ ।
न शोभते सम्भा-मध्ये जार-गर्भ इव स्त्रियाः ॥ ३९ ॥
pustakeṣu ca nādhītaṃ nādhītaṃ guru-sannidhau |
na śobhate sambhā-madhye jāra-garbha iva striyāḥ || 0-39 ||
One who has not learnt from study of ( scriptural) books or studied under the guidance of a guru will not shine in an elite gathering like a woman pregnant due to illicit relationship in a gathering of people of high moral values.  (सम्भा- Sambhaa- symbiosis)

काचः काञ्चन-संसर्गाद् धत्ते मारकतीर् द्युतीः ।
तथा सत्-सन्निधानेन मूर्खो याति प्रवीणताम् ॥ ४० ॥
kācaḥ kāñcana-saṃsargād dhatte mārakatīr dyutīḥ |
tathā sat-sannidhānena mūrkho yāti pravīṇatām || 0-40 ||
Even a piece of glass, in association with gold, possesses the lustre of  emerald; similarly a fool attains proficiency by being in company of the noble.

हीयते हि मतिस् तात हीनैः सह समागमात् ।
समैश् च समताम् एति विशिष्टैश् च विशिष्टताम् ॥ ४१ ॥
hīyate hi matis tāta hīnaiḥ saha samāgamāt |
samaiś ca samatām eti viśiṣṭaiś ca viśiṣṭatām || 0-41 ||
The intellect is blunted by the association of inferiors; it remains same with equals, and increases with the association of superiors.

नाद्रव्ये निहिता काचित् क्रिया फलवती भवेत् ।
न व्यापार-शतेनापि शुकवत् पाठ्यते बकः ॥ ४२ ॥
nādravye nihitā kācit kriyā phalavatī bhavet |
na vyāpāra-śatenāpi śukavat pāṭhyate bakaḥ || 0-42 ||
Efforts put on useless things or bad pupil will not bear fruits. Hundreds of methods to teach a heron to speak like a parrot will be a futile exercise.

अस्मिंस् तु निर्गुणं गोत्रे नापत्यम् उपजायते ।
आकरे पद्य-रागानां जन्म काच-मणेः कुतः ॥ ४३ ॥
asmiṃs tu nirguṇaṃ gotre nāpatyam upajāyate |
ākare padya-rāgānāṃ janma kāca-maṇeḥ kutaḥ || 0-43 ||
In this royal family a child without merits cannot be born; how can a piece of glass be produced in a mine of rubies.

कीटो ऽपि सुमनः-सङ्गाद् आरोहति सतां शिरः ।
अश्मापि याति देवत्वं महद्भिः सुप्रतिष्ठितः ॥ ४४ ॥
kīṭo 'pi sumanaḥ-saṅgād ārohati satāṃ śiraḥ |
aśmāpi yāti devatvaṃ mahadbhiḥ supratiṣṭhitaḥ || 0-44 ||
Even an insect in the company of a flower is able to climb to the heads of noble men; as also a stone sanctified by priests attains divinity and is worshipped as gods in temples.

यथोदय-गिरेर् द्रव्यं सन्निकर्षेण दीप्यते ।
तथा सत्-सन्निधानेन हीन-वर्णो ऽपि दीप्यते ॥ ४५ ॥
yathodaya-girer dravyaṃ sannikarṣeṇa dīpyate |
tathā sat-sannidhānena hīna-varṇo 'pi dīpyate || 0-45 ||
Even as objects appear bright while climbing a mountain by the near presence of the sun, so a person of mediocre capabilities shines by being in the company of wise men.

गुणा गुणज्ञेषु गुणा भवन्ति
ते निर्गुणं प्राप्य भवन्ति दोषाः ।
आस्वाद्य-तोयाः प्रवहन्ति नद्यः
समुद्रम् आसाद्य भवन्त्य् उपेयाः ॥ ४६ ॥
guṇā guṇajñeṣu guṇā bhavanti
te nirguṇaṃ prāpya bhavanti doṣāḥ |
āsvādya-toyāḥ pravahanti nadyaḥ
 samudram āsādya bhavanty upeyāḥ || 0-46 ||

With virtuous persons, virtues remain virtues. On reaching a non-virtuous person, they become faults. (Just like) a river flowing with sweet water, becomes salty on reaching ocean.

 
 SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH