Shukra on Forbearance; Devayani on Wounding Words

Verse 1 (1.73.1)

यः परेषां नरो नित्यमतिवादांस्तितिक्षते । देवयानि विजानीहि तेन सर्वमिदं जितम् ॥

yaḥ pareṣāṃ naro nityamativādāṃstitikṣate | devayāni vijānīhi tena sarvamidaṃ jitam

"Know this, Devayani: the man who always bears the harsh words of others has conquered this whole world.

Verse 2 (1.73.2)

यः समुत्पतितं क्रोधं निगृह्णाति हयं यथा । स यन्तेत्युच्यते सद्भिर्न यो रश्मिषु लम्बते ॥

yaḥ samutpatitaṃ krodhaṃ nigṛhṇāti hayaṃ yathā | sa yantetyucyate sadbhirna yo raśmiṣu lambate

"He who holds back anger as it rises, as one reins in a horse, is called a true charioteer by the good — not he who merely hangs on to the reins.

Note on the text: Corrected इयं → हयं (misprint in Wikisource; इ for ह, as in the critical edition's hayaṃ, 'a horse').

Verse 3 (1.73.3)

यः समुत्पतितं क्रोधमक्रोधेन निरस्यति । देवयानि विजानीहि तेन सर्वमिदं जितम् ॥

yaḥ samutpatitaṃ krodhamakrodhena nirasyati | devayāni vijānīhi tena sarvamidaṃ jitam

"He who drives out rising anger by freedom from anger — know this, Devayani — has conquered this whole world.

Verse 4 (1.73.4)

यः समुत्पतितं क्रोधं क्षमयेह निरस्यति । यथोरगस्त्वचं जीर्णां स वै पुरुष उच्यते ॥

yaḥ samutpatitaṃ krodhaṃ kṣamayeha nirasyati | yathoragastvacaṃ jīrṇāṃ sa vai puruṣa ucyate

"He who here casts off rising anger through forbearance, as a snake sheds its worn-out skin, is called a true man.

Verse 5 (1.73.5)

यः संधारयते मन्युं योऽतिवादांस्तितिक्षते । यश्च तप्तो न तपति दृढं सोऽर्थस्य भाजनम् ॥

yaḥ saṃdhārayate manyuṃ yo'tivādāṃstitikṣate | yaśca tapto na tapati dṛḍhaṃ so'rthasya bhājanam

"He who holds his wrath in check, who bears abuse, and who, when made to suffer, does not make others suffer — he is surely fit for every good.

Verse 6 (1.73.6)

यो यजेदपरिश्रान्तो मासिमासि शतं समाः । न क्रुद्ध्येद्यश्च सर्वस्य तयोरक्रोधनोऽधिकः ॥

yo yajedapariśrānto māsimāsi śataṃ samāḥ | na kruddhyedyaśca sarvasya tayorakrodhano'dhikaḥ

"Of one who sacrifices tirelessly every month for a hundred years, and one who is never angry with anyone, it is the one free of anger who is greater.

Verse 7 (1.73.7)

तस्मादक्रोधनः श्रेष्ठः कामक्रोधौ विगर्हितौ । क्रुद्धस्य निष्फलान्येव दानयज्ञतपांसि च ॥

tasmādakrodhanaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ kāmakrodhau vigarhitau | kruddhasya niṣphalānyeva dānayajñatapāṃsi ca

"Therefore the man without anger is the best; desire and anger are condemned. For an angry man, gifts, sacrifices and austerities are all in vain.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Removed a backtick at the start of the verse.

Verse 8 (1.73.8)

तस्मादक्रोधने यज्ञतपोदानफलं महत् । भवेदसंशयं भद्रे नेतरस्मिन्कदाचन ॥

tasmādakrodhane yajñatapodānaphalaṃ mahat | bhavedasaṃśayaṃ bhadre netarasminkadācana

"So it is in the man without anger that sacrifice, austerity and giving bear great fruit — without doubt, good lady — and never in the other.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 9 (1.73.9)

न यतिर्न तपस्वी च न यज्वा न च धर्मभाक् । क्रोधस्य यो वशं गच्छेत्तस्य लोकद्वयं न च ॥

na yatirna tapasvī ca na yajvā na ca dharmabhāk | krodhasya yo vaśaṃ gacchettasya lokadvayaṃ na ca

"Neither ascetic nor man of penance, neither sacrificer nor follower of dharma is he who falls under the sway of anger; he has neither this world nor the next.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 10 (1.73.10)

पुत्रो भृत्यः सुहृद्भ्राता भार्या धर्मश्च सत्यता । तस्यैतान्यपयास्यन्ति क्रोधशीलस्य निश्चितम् ॥

putro bhṛtyaḥ suhṛdbhrātā bhāryā dharmaśca satyatā | tasyaitānyapayāsyanti krodhaśīlasya niścitam

"Son, servant, friend, brother, wife, dharma and truthfulness — all these surely desert the man whose nature is anger.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 11 (1.73.11)

यत्कुमाराः कुमार्यश्च वैरं कुर्युरचेतसः । न तत्प्राज्ञोऽनुकुर्वीत न विदुस्ते बलाबलम् ॥

yatkumārāḥ kumāryaśca vairaṃ kuryuracetasaḥ | na tatprājño'nukurvīta na viduste balābalam

"When boys and girls, thoughtless as they are, quarrel with one another, a wise person should not follow their example; they do not know strength from weakness."

Verse 12 (1.73.12)

वेदाहं तात बालाऽपि धर्माणां यदिहान्तरम् । अक्रोधे चातिवादे च वेद चापि बलाबलम् ॥

vedāhaṃ tāta bālā'pi dharmāṇāṃ yadihāntaram | akrodhe cātivāde ca veda cāpi balābalam

"Child though I am, father, I know the difference between one duty and another; I know too where strength and weakness lie in forbearance and in abuse.

Verse 13 (1.73.13)

स्ववृत्तिमननुष्ठाय धर्ममुत्सृज्य तत्त्वतः । शिष्यस्याशिष्यवृत्तेस्तु न क्षन्तव्यं बुभूषता ॥

svavṛttimananuṣṭhāya dharmamutsṛjya tattvataḥ | śiṣyasyāśiṣyavṛttestu na kṣantavyaṃ bubhūṣatā

"One who wishes to prosper should not forgive a disciple who, not following his proper conduct and casting off dharma in truth, behaves as no disciple should.

Note on the text: Removed wiki marks (a backtick, a quote mark and a doubled danda) around the first line. The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the second line = 1.74.9a.

Verse 14 (1.73.14)

प्रेष्यः शिष्यः स्ववृत्तिं हि विसृज्य विफलं गतः । तस्मात्संकीर्णवृत्तेषु वासो मम न रोचते ॥

preṣyaḥ śiṣyaḥ svavṛttiṃ hi visṛjya viphalaṃ gataḥ | tasmātsaṃkīrṇavṛtteṣu vāso mama na rocate

"A servant or a disciple who forsakes his proper conduct has gone astray to no purpose. Therefore I do not wish to live among those whose conduct is corrupt.

Note on the text: Removed wiki marks (a backtick, a quote mark and a doubled danda) around the first line. The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the second line = 1.74.9c.

Verse 15 (1.73.15)

पुमांसो ये हि निन्दन्ति वृत्तेनाभिजनेन च । न तेषु निवसेत्प्राज्ञः श्रेयोऽर्थी पापबुद्धिषु ॥

pumāṃso ye hi nindanti vṛttenābhijanena ca | na teṣu nivasetprājñaḥ śreyo'rthī pāpabuddhiṣu

"A wise man who seeks his own good should not live among evil-minded men who disparage one's conduct and birth.

Verse 16 (1.73.16)

ये त्वेनमभिजानन्ति वृत्तेनाभिजनेन वा । तेषु साधुषु वस्तव्यं स वासः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते ॥

ye tvenamabhijānanti vṛttenābhijanena vā | teṣu sādhuṣu vastavyaṃ sa vāsaḥ śreṣṭha ucyate

"But among the good who recognise one's conduct and birth — there one should live; that is called the best of dwellings.

Verse 17 (1.73.17)

सुयन्त्रितपरा नित्यं विहीनाश्च धनैर्वराः । दुर्वृत्ताः पापकर्माणश्चण्डाला धनिनोपि च ॥

suyantritaparā nityaṃ vihīnāśca dhanairvarāḥ | durvṛttāḥ pāpakarmāṇaścaṇḍālā dhaninopi ca

"Those who are always intent on self-restraint are worthy, even if they lack wealth; the ill-behaved and the doers of evil are outcastes, even if they are rich.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Removed a backtick at the start of the verse.

Verse 18 (1.73.18)

नैव जात्या हि चण्डालाः स्वकर्मविहितैर्विना । धनाभिजनविद्यासु सक्ताश्चण्डालधर्मिणः ॥

naiva jātyā hi caṇḍālāḥ svakarmavihitairvinā | dhanābhijanavidyāsu saktāścaṇḍāladharmiṇaḥ

"No one is an outcaste by birth alone, apart from his own deeds; those who cling in pride to wealth, lineage and learning have the nature of outcastes.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 19 (1.73.19)

अकारणाश्च द्वेष्यन्ति परिवादं वदन्ति ते । साधोस्तत्र न वासोस्ति पापिभिः पापतां व्रजेत् ॥

akāraṇāśca dveṣyanti parivādaṃ vadanti te | sādhostatra na vāsosti pāpibhiḥ pāpatāṃ vrajet

"They hate without cause and speak slander. A good man should not live among them; in the company of sinners he would become a sinner.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 20 (1.73.20)

सुकृते दुष्कृते वापि यत्र सज्जति यो नरः । ध्रुवं रतिर्भवेत्तस्य तस्माद्द्वेषं न रोचयेत् ॥

sukṛte duṣkṛte vāpi yatra sajjati yo naraḥ | dhruvaṃ ratirbhavettasya tasmāddveṣaṃ na rocayet

"Whatever a man gives himself to, good deeds or bad, in that he surely comes to delight; therefore one should not take pleasure in hatred.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Removed wiki marks (a doubled danda and a quote mark) at the end of the verse.

Verse 21 (1.73.21)

वाग्दुरुक्तं महाघोरं दुहितुर्वृषपर्वणः । मम मथ्नाति हृदयमग्निकाम इवारणिम् ॥

vāgduruktaṃ mahāghoraṃ duhiturvṛṣaparvaṇaḥ | mama mathnāti hṛdayamagnikāma ivāraṇim

"The dreadful, evil words spoken by Vrishaparva's daughter churn my heart, as a man who wants fire churns the fire-stick.

Note on the text: The first line = 1.74.12a; the second line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 22 (1.73.22)

न ह्यतो दुष्करतरं मन्ये लोकेष्वपि त्रिषु । यः सपत्नश्रियं दीप्तां हीनश्रीः पर्युपासते ॥

na hyato duṣkarataraṃ manye lokeṣvapi triṣu | yaḥ sapatnaśriyaṃ dīptāṃ hīnaśrīḥ paryupāsate

"I think there is nothing harder in all three worlds than this: that one who has lost his fortune should have to wait upon a rival in her shining prosperity.

Note on the text: Lines correspond to 1.74.12c and 1.74.12e of the critical edition (Wikisource divides the verses differently).

Verse 23 (1.73.23)

मरणं शोभनं तस्य इति विद्वज्जना विदुः । अवमानमवाप्नोति शनैर्नीचसमागमात् ॥

maraṇaṃ śobhanaṃ tasya iti vidvajjanā viduḥ | avamānamavāpnoti śanairnīcasamāgamāt

"For such a one death is better — so the learned know. One meets with dishonour little by little through keeping company with the base.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Removed a backtick before the second line.

Verse 24 (1.73.24)

अतिवादा वक्त्रतो निःसरन्ति । यैराहतः शोचति रात्र्यहानि । परस्य वै मर्मसु ते पतन्ति । तस्माद्धीरो नैव मुच्येत्परेषु ॥

ativādā vaktrato niḥsaranti | yairāhataḥ śocati rātryahāni | parasya vai marmasu te patanti | tasmāddhīro naiva mucyetpareṣu

"Abusive words fly from the mouth; struck by them, a man grieves night and day. They fall upon the very vitals of another; therefore the steadfast should never loose them upon others.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 25 (1.73.25)

निरोहेदायुधैश्छिन्नं संरोहेद्दग्धमग्निना । वाक्क्षतं च न संरोहेदाशरीरं शरीरिणाम् ॥

nirohedāyudhaiśchinnaṃ saṃroheddagdhamagninā | vākkṣataṃ ca na saṃrohedāśarīraṃ śarīriṇām

"What is cut by weapons may heal, and what is burned by fire may heal; but the wound that words inflict does not heal as long as the body lasts.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Corrected दग्धमाग्निना → दग्धमग्निना (misprint in Wikisource; अग्निना, 'by fire', is required).

Verse 26 (1.73.26)

संरोहति शरैर्विद्धं वनं परशुना हतम् । वाचा दुरुक्तं बीभत्सं न संरोहेत वाक्क्षतम् ॥

saṃrohati śarairviddhaṃ vanaṃ paraśunā hatam | vācā duruktaṃ bībhatsaṃ na saṃroheta vākkṣatam

"A wound pierced by arrows heals, and a forest felled by the axe grows back; but the hideous wound of words, of evil speech, does not heal."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). Corrected संरोहित → संरोहति (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign) and नवं → वनं (misprint in Wikisource; transposed aksharas — 'a forest felled by the axe', as in the critical edition's apparatus, vanaṃ paraśunā hatam). Removed a stray quote mark at the end.