This article contains the Sanskrit Subhāṣita collected and translated by me. I developed an interest in learning Sanskrit when I was in 7th standard and since then I have tried to collect several Subhāṣita-s. These verses that are a treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom; have been taken from different sources which are also mentioned for the reference of sincere seekers.
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लक्ष्मीः स्थिरा नित्यमरोगता च ।
भक्तिः शिवे धर्मपरा च बुद्धिः ।
एतत्तु लभ्यं बहुपूर्वपुण्यैः ॥
[A wife who is compatible, children who are obedient, wealth that is stable, constant good health, devotion to Lord Śiva, and an intellect inclined toward righteousness — These are obtained only through great merit accumulated from previous lives.]
{Sajjanapaddhatiḥ}
वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छे दंष्ट्रायां भुजगस्य च ।
शीर्षे विषं मक्षिकायाः दुर्जनस्य मुखे विषम् ॥
[The scorpion's poison is in its tail, the serpent's in its fangs, the fly's poison is in its head, but the wicked person's poison is in their mouth.]
{Durjanapaddhatiḥ}
मानुषं दुर्लभं जन्म बहुपुण्येन लभ्यते ।
साधनीयं हितं तत्र येन सद्गतिमाप्नुयात् ॥
[Human birth is rare and difficult to obtain, achieved through great merit. One should accomplish that which is beneficial there, by which one may attain salvation.]
{Nītipaddhatiḥ}
ब्रह्मा येन कुलालवन्नियमितो ब्रह्माण्डभाण्डोदरे
विष्णुर्येन दशावतारगहने क्षिप्तो महासङ्कटे।
रुद्रोयेन कपालपाणिपुटके भिक्षाटनं कारितः
सूर्यो भ्राम्यति नित्यमेव गगने तस्मै नमः कर्मणे॥
[Reverence to the Karma that drives Brahmā to labor as a potter in the depths of the cosmos, Visnu to endure the immense suffering of ten incarnations, Rudra to seek alms holding a skull in his hand, and Sūrya to journey across the sky each day.]
{Bṛhaspati Nīti}
न देवो विद्यते काष्ठे न पाषाणे न मृण्मये।
भावे हि विद्यते देवस्तस्माद्भावो हि कारणम्॥
[Isvara doesn't reside in piece of wood, stone or clay. Isvara resides in our 'notion' and hence, it is the real instrument for devotion.]
{Cānakya Nīti}
कामधेनुगुणा विद्या ह्यकाले फलदायिनी ।
प्रवासे मातृसदृशी विद्या गुप्तं धनं स्मृतम् ॥
[Learning is like Kāmadhenu. It, like her, yields in all seasons. Like a mother, it protects you on your journey, therefore learning is a hidden treasure.]
{Cānakya Nīti}
गुणदोषो बुधी गृह्णन्निंदुच्चेलाविवेश्वरः ।
शिरसा श्लाघते पूर्व परं कंठे नियच्छति ॥
[The wise man deals with virtues and faults as Shiva (dealt with) the moon and the poison; He (thoughtfully) holds the former on His head and keeps the latter in His throat.]
{Unknown}
वाणी रसवती यस्य यस्य श्रमवती क्रिया।
लक्ष्मी : दानवती यस्य सफलं तस्य जीवितं।।
[The person whose speech is sweet, whose work is full of efforts and whose wealth is used for charity, indeed his life is successful!]
{Unknown}
विद्या विवादाय धनं मदाय खलस्य शक्तिः परपीडनाय।
साधोऽस्तु सर्वं विपरीतमेतद् ज्ञानाय दानाय च रक्षणाय।।
[Education of a wicked man is for arguments, wealth for pleasures and power to trouble others while a wise man uses it for spreading knowledge, charity and protecting the weak.]
{Unknown}
यथा ह्येकेन चक्रेण रथस्य न गतिर्भवेत्।
तद्वत्पुरुषकारेण विना दैवं न सिध्यति।।
[The chariot cannot move with just a single wheel. Similarly without the efforts of the human, destiny alone will not bear any fruits.]
{Vasiṣṭha Saṃhitā}
दुर्जनस्य च सर्पस्य वरं सर्यो न दुर्जनः ।
सर्पा दशति कालेन दुर्जनं तु पर्दे पदे ॥
[Of a snake and a rascal, the snake is better because it bites when destined to, but a rascal at every step. Thus, choose your company wisely.]
नरत्वं दुर्लभं लोके विद्यास्तत्र सुदुर्लभा ।
शीलं च दुर्लभं तत्र विनयस्तत्र सुदुर्लभः ॥
[To be born as a human is difficult, in that attaining education (knowledge) is more difficult. To gain a good character is more difficult than gaining education. Out of all these having simplicity/humbleness is most difficult.]
परोपकारशून्यस्य धिक मनुष्यस्य जीवितम् ।
जीवन्तु पशवो येषां चर्माष्युपकरिष्यति ॥
[Life without doing favours is worthless. Great are those animals, after whose death even their skin is useful.]
सत्यस्य वचनं श्रेयः सत्यादपि हितं वदेत्।
यद् भूतहितम् अत्यन्तम् एतत् सत्यं मतं मम ॥
[Though speaking truth is essential, it should be spoken which can cause benefit of everyone. According to me, the thing which causes benefit of others, is only the truth.]
परवाच्येषु निपुणः सर्वो भवति सर्वदा ।
आत्मवाच्यं न जानीते जानन्नपि च मुह्यति ।।
[Every human finds faults in others and is good at doing it. However, he cannot find his own faults or after knowing he neglects it.]
चन्दनं शीतलं लोके, चन्दनादपि चन्द्रमा ।
चन्द्रचन्दनयोर्मध्ये शीतला साधुसंगतिः ॥
[Sandalwood is considered the coolest coating in the world, but it is said that the muon gives more coolness than that, but apart from all this, the company of saints is what gives more coolness and peace.]
आयुषः क्षण एकोऽपि सर्वरत्नैर्न लभ्यते ।
नीयते स वृथा येन प्रमादः सुमहानहो ॥
[A moment of life cannot be gained by giving away all the gems, so it is a great mistake to destroy it in vain.]
विदेशेषु धनं विद्या व्यसनेषु धनं मतिः ।
परलोके धनं धर्मः शीलं सर्वत्र वै धनम् ॥
[In foreign lands knowledge is the wealth, in addictions it is brain, for one wishing Paraloka, Dharma is the wealth but a good character is wealth at every place.]
वेषं न विश्वसेत् प्राज्ञः वेषो दोषाय जायते ।
रावणो भिसुरूपेण जहार जनकात्मजाम् ॥
[A wise man doesn't trust external appearences as they might be deceptive. It was under the guise of a Sādhu that Rāvana abducted Sitā.]
मित्रेण कलह कृत्वा न कदापि सुखी जनः ।
इति ज्ञात्वा प्रयासेन तदेव परिवर्जयेत् ॥
[A person can never be happy after fighting with a friend. Knowing this, one should diligently avoid it.]
आत्मानं रथिनं विद्धि शरीरं रथमेव तु ।
बुध्दिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च ॥
[Know the body as the chariot and the soul as the owner of the chariot. Know wisdom for the charioteer and the mind for the reins only.]
आकार सर्वदोषाणां गुणग्रसनराक्षसः ।
कन्दो व्यसनवल्लीनां, लोभः सर्वार्थबाधकः ॥
[Greed is a home of all defects, the gobbling demon of all good qualities and a creeper of all bad habits and the destroyer of all good deeds.]
न मुक्ताभिः न माणिक्येः न वस्त्रे न परिच्छदैः।
अलङ्कियेत् शिलेन केवलेन हि मानवः ॥
[A person is not adorned by pearls, beads or clothes but only by modest/good character.]
दाता दरिद्रः कृपणो धनाढ्यः पापी चिरायुस्मुकृती गतायुः।
राजाकुलीनस्सुकुलेन सेव्यः कलौ युगे षड्गुणमाश्रयंति॥
[In the Kali Yuga men will suffer these six changes: the generous man will be poor; the miser will be rich; the sinner will be long-lived; the good man will be short-lived; the king will be ignoble; and he will be served by a noble man.]
यदा किञ्चिज्ज्ञोऽहं द्विप इव मदान्धः समभवं
तदा सर्वज्ञोऽस्मीत्यभवदवलिप्तं मम मनः।
यदा किञ्चित्किञ्चिद् बुधजनसकाशादवगतं
तदा मूर्खोऽस्मीति ज्वर इव मदो मे व्यपगतः ॥
[I was blinded by pride like an elephant (during rut) when I had little knowledge. My mind was proud with the thought that I am an omniscient. As and when I realized bit by bit in the association of wise men, my pride waned like a fever, as I came to know that I was a fool.]
{Nītiśatakam}
जिव्हाग्रे वर्तते लक्ष्मीर्जिव्हाग्रे मित्रचबांधवाः ।
जिव्हाग्रे बंधनप्राप्तिर्जिव्हाग्रे मरणं ध्रुवं ॥
[Fortune, friendships, familial bonds, confinement, and mortality all rest at the tip of the tongue.]
दुर्जनं प्रथमं वन्दे सज्जनं तदनन्तरम् ।
मुखप्रक्षालनात् पूर्वं गुदप्रक्षालनं यथा ॥
[First bow to the wicked person, and only afterwards to the virtuous one; just as one washes the anus first, and only then washes the face!]
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