MITRALABHA-3-GAINING OF FRIENDS

 SUBHASHITHANI:509

दातव्यम् इति यद् दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणि ।
देशे काले च पात्रे च तद् दानं सात्त्विकं विदुः ॥ १६ ॥

dātavyam iti yad dānaṃ dīyate'nupakāriṇi |
deśe kāle ca pātre ca tad dānaṃ sāttvikaṃ viduḥ ||1.16 ||

Charity given to a worthy person simply because it is right to give, without consideration of anything in return, at the proper time and in the proper place, is stated to be in the mode of goodness (satva). 

न धर्म-शास्त्रं पठतीति कारणं

न चापि वेदाध्ययनं दुरात्मनः ।
स्वभाव एवात्र तथातिरिच्यते

यथा प्रकृत्या मधुरं गवां पयः ॥ १७ ॥

na dharma-śāstraṃ paṭhatīti kāraṇaṃ

na cāpi vedādhyayanaṃ durātmanaḥ |
svabhāva evātra tathātiricyate

 yathā prakṛtyā madhuraṃ gavāṃ payaḥ || 1.17 ||

Reading of the dharma sastras, vedas etc does not help a rogue to change. He will stay true to his innate nature.  Just like it is natural for cow's milk to be sweet, it is natural for them to be wicked.

நுண்ணிய நூல்பல கற்பினும் மற்றுந்தன்
உண்மை யறிவே மிகும் Thirukkural-373

Although a man may study the most polished treatises, the knowledge which fate has decreed to him will still prevail.

अवशेन्द्रिय-चित्तानां हस्ति-स्नानम् इव क्रिया ।
दुर्भगाभरण-प्रायो ज्ञानं भारः क्रियां विना ॥ १८ ॥

avaśendriya-cittānāṃ hasti-snānam iva kriyā |
durbhagābharaṇa-prāyo jñānaṃ bhāraḥ kriyāṃ vinā || 1.18 ||

The work done by a person whose senses and the mind are out of his control are waste as like a bath of an elephant. Knowledge without action is worthless., like ornaments on an ugly woman. 

नदीनां शस्त्र-पाणीनां नखिनां शृङ्गिणां तथा ।
विश्वासो नैव कर्तव्यः स्त्रीषु राज-कुलेषु च ॥ १९ ॥

nadīnāṃ śastra-pāṇīnāṃ nakhināṃ śṛṅgiṇāṃ tathā |
viśvāso naiva kartavyaḥ strīṣu rāja-kuleṣu ca ||1.19 ||

One should always be cautious in dealing with the following: rivers, armed person, animals having sharp claws and horns, as also women and royal families .

सर्वस्य हि परीक्ष्यन्ते स्वभावा नेतरे गुणाः ।
अतीत्य हि गुणान् सर्वान् स्वभावो मूर्ध्नि वर्तते ॥ २० ॥

sarvasya hi parīkṣyante svabhāvā netare guṇāḥ |
atītya hi guṇān sarvān svabhāvo mūrdhni vartate || 1.20 ||

Everybody has to be tested on his innate character than their acquired behaviour. In case of a crisis it is the innate character that stands out in the open without any masks of acquired behaviour.

स हि गगन-विहारी कल्मष-ध्वंस-कारी

दश-शत-कर-धारी ज्योतिषां मध्य-चारी ।
विधुर् अपि विधि-योगाद् ग्रस्यते राहुणासौ

 लिखितम् अपि ललाटे प्रोज्झितं कः समर्थः ॥ २१ ॥

sa hi gagana-vihārī kalmaṣa-dhvaṃsa-kārī

daśa-śata-kara-dhārī jyotiṣāṃ madhya-cārī |
vidhur api vidhi-yogād grasyate rāhuṇāsau

likhitam api lalāṭe projjhitaṃ kaḥ samarthaḥ || 1.21 ||

That one who sports in the sky, destroyer of darkness, having thousands of rays, marching in the midst of stars, - even he ,the moon, is eclipsed by Rahu, by the decree of fate; who can efface what is written on the forehead by fate?

THE STORY OF PIGEONS AND HUNTER

सुजीर्णम् अन्नं सुविचक्षणः सुतः

सुशासिता स्त्री नृपतिः सुसेवितः ।
सुचिन्त्य चोक्तं सुविचार्य यत् कृतं

सुदीर्घ-कालेऽपि न याति विक्रियाम् ॥ २२ ॥

sujīrṇam annaṃ suvicakṣaṇaḥ sutaḥ

suśāsitā strī nṛpatiḥ susevitaḥ |
sucintya coktaṃ suvicārya yat kṛtaṃ

sudīrgha-kāle'pi na yāti vikriyām || 1.22 ||

The following are of great value and their value does not erode over time: well digested food, well brought up son, well cultured woman, well served king, well thought speech, well deliberated action.

वृद्धस्य वचनं ग्राह्यम् आपत्-काले ह्य् उपस्थिते ।
सर्वत्रैवं विचारे च भोजनेऽपि प्रवर्तताम् ॥ २३ ॥

vṛddhasya vacanaṃ grāhyam āpat-kāle hy upasthite |
sarvatraivaṃ vicāre ca bhojane'pi pravartatām || 1.23 ||

The advice of the aged should be followed only when facing difficulty or calamity; if we have to take their advice in every matter we can hardly proceed to take our food.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH