Bhartruhari Sataka Trisati - Neeti Satakam - Gujarati

ભર્તૃહરિ is celebrated for the શતક-ત્રિશતિ - three collections of roughly a hundred verses each: નીતિ શતકમ્, શૃંગાર શતકમ્, and વૈરાગ્ય શતકમ્. These are among the most quoted સુભાષિતાનિ in Sanskrit literature because each શ્લોક is compact, memorable, and rooted in lived observation.

Among them, નીતિ શતકમ્ is a handbook of નીતિ: wise conduct, discernment, and ethical practicality. It does not speak in abstract ideals alone; it speaks to how people actually behave - how learning can swell into ego, how power attracts flattery, how money reshapes relationships, and how speech can either heal or burn. That realism makes it easy to recognize yourself, and therefore to correct yourself.

The work is timeless because the inner forces it describes are timeless: મત્સર (envy), સ્મય (pride), અબોધ (confusion), તૃષ્ણા (craving), and વિવેક (discernment) operate the same in every age. Whether the arena is a royal court or a modern office, whether gossip travels by rumor or by group-chat, the same patterns repeat - and so the same remedies remain relevant.

Many verses have become everyday proverbs. People quote phrases like વાગ્ભૂષણં ભૂષણં (speech as the true ornament), વિદ્યા નામ નરસ્ય રૂપં અધિકં (knowledge as a person's greater beauty), મૂર્ખસ્ય નાસ્ત્યૌષધિં (no medicine for the fool who refuses correction), and પ્રારભ્યતે ન ખલુ વિઘ્નભયેન (great work begins by moving past fear of obstacles). The imagery is vivid and the meter is musical, so the lines stay in memory and come up naturally when life presents the same situations again.

દિક્કાલાદ્યનવચ્છિન્નાનંતચિન્માત્રમૂર્તયે ।
સ્વાનુભૂત્યેકમાનાય નમઃ શાંતાય તેજસે ॥ 1.1 ॥

છંદઃ (અનુષ્ટુભ્): This is in અનુષ્ટુભ્ (શ્લોક) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 8 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ (32 total; commonly written/recited as two 16-syllable half-verses separated by `।`); પથ્યા cadence often ends as pAda 1/3 = `x x x x L G x G`, pAda 2/4 = `x x x x L G L G`; a common યતિ (pause) is after the 4th or 5th syllable in each પાદ (separate from the natural pauses at `।` and `॥`). લક્ષણ શ્લોક: શ્લોકે ષષ્ઠં ગુરુ જ્ઞેયં સર્વત્ર લઘુપંચમમ્ । દ્વિચતુષ્પાદયોઃ હ્રસ્વં સપ્તમં દીર્ઘમન્યયોઃ ॥ - this mnemonic says the 6th syllable is ગુરુ and the 5th is લઘુ in all પાદાઃ; the 7th is લઘુ in pAda 2/4 and ગુરુ in pAda 1/3.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
દિક્ - direction; space
કાલ - time
આદિ - "and so on"; etc.
અનવચ્છિન્ન - unbroken; uninterrupted
અનંત - infinite
ચિન્માત્ર - pure consciousness alone
મૂર્તયે - unto the embodiment/form
સ્વાનુભૂતિ - one's own direct experience
એક - one; single
માન - measure; standard
નમઃ - salutations
શાંતાય - unto the peaceful one
તેજસે - unto the radiant splendor

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Salutations to the serene radiance - the embodiment of infinite pure consciousness, unbounded by space and time, and realized directly as the single standard through one's own experience.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
Before offering worldly counsel, ભર્તૃહરિ bows to શાંતિ and સ્વાનુભૂતિ: calm awareness verified by direct experience, not by the noise of opinion. He invokes ચિન્માત્ર (pure consciousness) rather than a particular દેવતા because નીતિ is meant to be universal and non-sectarian - the foundation needed is inner illumination, whichever form of worship one follows. This is similar in spirit to the ગાયત્રી મંત્ર, which turns toward the light of સવિતૃ (the illumining Sun principle) and prays for awakening of understanding - ધિયો યો નઃ પ્રચોદયાત્. The Upanishadic vision also points to this formless basis with statements like સત્યં જ્ઞાનં અનંતં બ્રહ્મ and પ્રજ્ઞાનં બ્રહ્મ; and આદિ શંકરાચાર્ય repeatedly turns the seeker inward, for example in નિર્વાણ ષટ્કમ્: ચિદાનંદરૂપઃ શિવોઽહં શિવોઽહં. In modern life, this looks like anchoring yourself in clarity before action: pausing before replying to a heated message, checking facts before forwarding a claim, or sleeping on a big purchase - so choices come from steady તેજસ્ (inner light) rather than agitation.

બોદ્ધારો મત્સરગ્રસ્તાઃ પ્રભવઃ સ્મયદૂષિતાઃ ।
અબોધોપહતાઃ ચાન્યે જીર્ણમંગે સુભાષિતમ્ ॥ 1.2 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
બોદ્ધારઃ - the learned (shown in sandhi as બોદ્ધારો)
મત્સર - jealousy/envy
ગ્રસ્તાઃ - seized by; afflicted (forming મત્સર-ગ્રસ્તાઃ)
પ્રભવઃ - the influential; the powerful
સ્મય - pride
દૂષિતાઃ - tainted/defiled (forming સ્મય-દૂષિતાઃ)
અબોધ - ignorance
ઉપહતાઃ - struck/overpowered (forming અબોધ-ઉપહતાઃ)
ચ - and (forming ચાન્યે = ચ + અન્યે)
અન્યે - others
જીર્ણં - becomes worn out; gets wasted (in verse as જીર્ણમંગે = જીર્ણં + અંગે)
અંગે - "O dear!" / alas (exclamation)
સુભાષિતં - good counsel; wise saying

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The learned are often consumed by envy, the powerful are tainted by pride, and others are struck by ignorance; alas, wise counsel gets worn out and goes to waste.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is a practical warning about communication: even a true સુભાષિત may not land when the listener is dominated by મત્સર, સ્મય, or અબોધ. The ભગવદ્ ગીતા values learning done with શ્રદ્ધા (trustful openness) and without અસૂયા (fault-finding envy), because only such a mind can receive instruction without twisting it. In daily life you may see this when a colleague rejects feedback because it threatens their status, when leadership dismisses a good idea out of ego, or when family advice is ignored simply because it came from the "wrong" person; the takeaway is to choose the right moment and medium, speak with kindness, and when the mind is not receptive, step back and focus on your own conduct instead of trying to win an argument.

અજ્ઞઃ સુખં આરાધ્યઃ
સુખતરં આરાધ્યતે વિશેષજ્ઞઃ ।
જ્ઞાનલવદુર્વિદગ્ધં
બ્રહ્માપિ તં નરં ન રંજયતિ ॥ 1.3 ॥

છંદઃ (આર્યા): This is in આર્યા Chandas/Meter: a માત્રા-છંદઃ where લઘુ = 1 માત્રા and ગુરુ = 2 માત્રાઃ; માત્રા counts per પાદ are 12 / 18 / 12 / 15; one common rule says odd-numbered માત્રા-ગણાઃ are not જ-ગણઃ (લઘુ-ગુરુ-લઘુ), and the 6th ગણઃ is જ-ગણઃ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
અજ્ઞઃ - an ignorant person; one without knowledge
સુખં - easily; pleasantly
આરાધ્યઃ - can be pleased; can be won over
સુખતરં - even more easily
આરાધ્યતે - is pleased/propitiated
વિશેષજ્ઞઃ - a true expert; one who knows the essence
જ્ઞાનલવ - a drop of knowledge; a little learning
દુર્વિદગ્ધં - over-confident due to half-knowledge (literally, badly "cooked"/digested)
બ્રહ્મા - Brahma, the creator (sandhi in verse: બ્રહ્માપિ = બ્રહ્મા + અપિ)
અપિ - even
તં - that
નરં - person; man
ન - not
રંજયતિ - pleases; satisfies; delights

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The ignorant are easy to please, the truly discerning are even easier to please; but a person made arrogant by a mere drop of knowledge cannot be satisfied even by Brahma.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ is not praising ignorance; he is pointing out that humility makes a person accessible. A beginner who admits "I do not know" can learn, and a genuine expert has no need to protect an ego - but the half-learned દુર્વિદગ્ધઃ turns every exchange into self-defense, so nothing satisfies them. In daily life this shows up when someone reads a few posts and then argues with every specialist, refuses review because it feels like insult, or treats feedback as an attack on identity; the antidote is વિનય (humility) and જિજ્ઞાસા (honest inquiry): ask, test, and learn. In the અદ્વૈત spirit, knowledge that has truly ripened reduces અહંકાર (ego) rather than inflating it; when your self-worth is not tied to "being right", you can accept correction quickly and keep growing.

પ્રસહ્ય મણિં ઉદ્ધરેન્મકરવક્ત્રદંષ્ટ્રાંતરાત્
સમુદ્રં અપિ સંતરેત્પ્રચલદૂર્મિમાલાકુલમ્ ।
ભુજંગં અપિ કોપિતં શિરસિ પુષ્પવદ્ધારયેત્
ન તુ પ્રતિનિવિષ્ટમૂઋખજનચિત્તં આરાધયેથ્ ॥ 1.4 ॥

છંદઃ (પૃથ્વી): This is in પૃથ્વી (સમ-વૃત્ત) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 17 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `LGLLLGLG LLLGLGGLG`; યતિ (pause) is after the 8th syllable in each પાદ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પ્રસહ્ય - forcibly; boldly; with daring
મણિં - a jewel; gem
ઉદ્ધરેત્ - could extract/pull out (sandhi in verse: ઉદ્ધરેન્ = ઉદ્ધરેત્ + મકર...)
મકર - crocodile; fierce water-creature
વક્ત્ર - mouth
દંષ્ટ્રા - teeth/tusks
અંતર - between; inside (as in દંષ્ટ્રાંતરાત્)
સમુદ્રં - ocean
અપિ - even
સંતરેત્ - could cross/ford
પ્રચલ - moving; restless; turbulent
ઊર્મી - wave
માલા - garland; series
આકુલં - agitated; full of (as in ઊર્મિમાલાકુલં)
ભુજંગં - serpent
કોપિતં - enraged
શિરસિ - on the head
પુષ્પવત્ - like a flower (sandhi in verse: પુષ્પવદ્)
ધારયેત્ - could bear/carry/support (as in પુષ્પવદ્ધારયેત્)
ન - not
તુ - but
પ્રતિનિવિષ્ટ - firmly fixed; stubbornly lodged
મૂર્ખ - foolish (verse has મૂઋખ્)
જન - person/people
ચિત્તં - mind
આરાધયેત્ - should try to please/conciliate (verse has આરાધયેથ્)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
One may forcibly snatch a jewel from between the teeth of a crocodile, cross an ocean churned by waves, and even carry an enraged serpent on the head as if it were a flower; but one should not try to conciliate the mind of a stubborn fool.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The key word is પ્રતિનિવિષ્ટ: this is not about a person who is simply uninformed, but about a mind that has decided it will not budge. ભર્તૃહરિ is teaching વિવેક (discernment) in where we invest our persuasion: courage can face danger, but stubbornness cannot be reasoned with. In daily life this looks like not feeding online trolls, not trying to "win" with someone who twists every fact, and not exhausting yourself trying to get approval from a person who withholds it by habit; instead, speak once with clarity and kindness, then place a boundary and move on. A related principle is echoed in the ભગવદ્ ગીતા: ન બુદ્ધિભેદં જનયેત્ અજ્ઞાનાં - do not agitate an unready mind; lead by example and choose a time when receptivity exists.

લભેત સિકતાસુ તૈલં અપિ યત્નતઃ પીડયન્
પિબેચ્ચ મૃગતૃષ્ણિકાસુ સલિલં પિપાસાર્દિતઃ ।
ક્વચિદપિ પર્યટન્શશવિષાણં આસાદયેત્
ન તુ પ્રતિનિવિષ્ટમૂર્ખચિત્તં આરાધયેથ્ ॥ 1.5 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
લભેત - could obtain
સિકતાસુ - in sand (in grains of sand)
તૈલં - oil
અપિ - even
યત્નતઃ - with great effort
પીડયન્ - pressing/squeezing
પિબેત્ - could drink (sandhi in verse: પિબેચ્ચ = પિબેત્ + ચ)
ચ - and
મૃગ - deer
તૃષ્ણિકા - mirage (as in મૃગતૃષ્ણિકાસુ)
સલિલં - water
પિપાસા - thirst
અર્દિતઃ - afflicted/tormented (as in પિપાસાર્દિતઃ)
ક્વચિત્ - somewhere (sandhi in verse: ક્વચિદપિ = ક્વચિત્ + અપિ)
પર્યટન્ - while wandering; roaming about
શશ - hare
વિષાણં - horn (as in શશવિષાણં, "a hare's horn" - an impossibility)
આસાદયેત્ - could reach/find/attain
ન - not
તુ - but
પ્રતિનિવિષ્ટ - stubbornly fixed
મૂર્ખ - foolish
ચિત્તં - mind
આરાધયેત્ - should try to please/conciliate (verse has આરાધયેથ્)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
With great effort one might squeeze oil out of sand, drink water from a mirage when parched with thirst, or even find a hare's horn somewhere while wandering; but one should not try to conciliate the mind of a stubborn fool.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
Here ભર્તૃહરિ piles up near-impossible tasks - squeezing oil from sand, drinking water from a મૃગતૃષ્ણિકા (a mirage: the illusion of water seen in heat), and finding a hare's horn - to say that pleasing a stubborn fool's mind belongs to the same category. The point is not pessimism; it is વિવેક (discernment): do not pour your best effort into what cannot yield. In daily life this can mean not trying to "convert" someone who has already decided to misunderstand, not repeatedly justifying yourself to a chronically unfair critic, and not arguing with a person who enjoys conflict; communicate once with clarity, then disengage and keep your peace. The Upanishadic contrast of પ્રેયસ્ (the immediately tempting) and શ્રેયસ્ (the truly beneficial) is a helpful lens here: choose actions that actually improve life, not those that endlessly drain you like chasing a mirage.

વ્યાલં બાલમૃણાલતંતુભિરસૌ રોદ્ધું સમુજ્જૃંભતે
છેત્તું વજ્રમણિં શિરીષકુસુમપ્રાંતેન સન્નહ્યતિ ।
માધુર્યં મધુબિંદુના રચયિતું ક્ષારામુધેરીહતે
નેતું વાંછંતિ યઃ ખલાન્પથિ સતાં સૂક્તૈઃ સુધાસ્યંદિભિઃ ॥ 1.6 ॥

છંદઃ (શાર્દૂલવિક્રીડિતમ્): This is in શાર્દૂલવિક્રીડિતમ્ (સમ-વૃત્ત) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 19 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `GGGLLGL GLLLG GGLGGLG`; યતિ (pause) is after the 7th and 12th syllables in each પાદ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
વ્યાલં - a serpent
બાલ - tender; soft
મૃણલ - lotus-stalk
તંતુભિઃ - with fibres/threads
અસૌ - that person; he
રોદ્ધું - to restrain/stop
સમુજ્જૃંભતે - strives; tries hard; rises up to do
છેત્તું - to cut
વજ્રમણિં - a diamond (a "vajra-gem")
શિરીશ - the Sirisha tree
કુસુમ - flower
પ્રાંતેન - with the tip/end
સન્નહ્યતિ - prepares/equips himself
માધુર્યં - sweetness
મધુ - honey
બિંદુના - with a drop
રચયિતું - to create/produce
ક્ષાર - salt; saline
અંબુધિઃ - ocean
ઈહતે - strives/attempts
નેતું - to lead
વાંછતિ - wishes (the verse shows વાંછંતિ, a common sandhi/variant form)
ખલાન્ - the wicked; the malicious
પથિ - on the path
સતાં - of the good; of the noble
સૂક્તૈઃ - with wise sayings; good counsel
સુધા - nectar
સ્યંદિભિઃ - dripping/flowing
સુધાસ્યંદિભિઃ - with nectar-dripping (sweet) words

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
He tries to restrain a serpent with tender lotus fibres, to cut a diamond with the tip of a Sirisha flower, and to make an ocean of salt sweet with a drop of honey; likewise, the one who wishes to lead the wicked onto the path of the good using nectar-sweet counsel is attempting the impossible.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is not cynicism; it is a warning against mistaking words for transformation. Some habits are reinforced by pleasure, identity, and environment - so "nectar words" alone do not reform a person who is committed to being ખલા (malicious). In daily life, this can mean not trying to negotiate with someone who lies as a strategy, not believing you can "fix" an abusive pattern with better arguments, and not repeatedly explaining to a person who enjoys misunderstanding; instead, protect yourself, change the boundary or the system, and seek સત્સંગ (uplifting company) where good counsel can actually take root. When you do choose to advise, do it for the receptive - because even a drop of honey works only where there is not an ocean of salt.

સ્વાયત્તં એકાંતગુણં વિધાત્રા
વિનિર્મિતં છાદનં અજ્ઞતાયાઃ ।
વિશેષતઃ સર્વવિદાં સમાજે
વિભૂષણં મૌનં અપંડિતાનામ્ ॥ 1.7 ॥

છંદઃ (ઉપજાતિ): This is in ઉપજાતિ Chandas/Meter: a mixture of ઇંદ્રવજ્રા/ઉપેંદ્રવજ્રા with 4 પાદાઃ, 11 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ patterns are ઇંદ્રવજ્રા = `GGLGGLLGLGG` and ઉપેંદ્રવજ્રા = `LGLGGLLGLGG` (a verse may mix these across પાદાઃ).

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સ્વાયત્તં - under one's own control
એકાંત - exclusive; only; single-sided
ગુણં - quality/attribute
વિધાત્રા - by the Creator; by Fate
વિનિર્મિતં - made/constructed
છાદનં - a covering; concealment
અજ્ઞતાયાઃ - of ignorance
વિશેષતઃ - especially; in particular
સર્વવિદાં - of the all-knowing; of the truly learned
સમાજે - in the assembly/company
વિભૂષણં - ornament/adornment
મૌનં - silence
અપંડિતાનાં - of the unlearned

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Silence, fully under one's control and of a single quality, is fashioned by the Creator as a covering for ignorance; therefore, in the assembly of the truly learned, silence is the ornament of the unlearned.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
મૌન is presented here as a practical "cover": if you speak carelessly in the company of experts, your gaps become obvious; if you stay quiet, you can listen and learn. In daily life, this is a reminder to avoid bluffing in meetings, to ask a clean question instead of performing certainty, and to pause before posting a confident opinion on something you have not verified. અદ્વૈત also recognizes a higher, luminous form of silence - આદિ શંકરાચાર્ય praises દક્ષિણામૂર્તિ as teaching through મૌનવ્યાખ્હ્યા - but the verse is pointing to an earlier step: use silence to stop needless noise, and then use that quiet to actually gain જ્ઞાન (clear knowledge).

યદા કિંચિજ્જ્ઞોઽહં દ્વિપ ઇવ મદાંધઃ સમભવં
તદા સર્વજ્ઞોઽસ્મીત્યભવદવલિપ્તં મમ મનઃ
યદા કિંચિત્કિંચિદ્બુધજનસકાશાદવગતં
તદા મૂર્ખોઽસ્મીતિ જ્વર ઇવ મદો મે વ્યપગતઃ ॥ 1.8 ॥

છંદઃ (શિખ્હરિની): This is in શિખ્હરિની (સમ-વૃત્ત) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 17 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `LGGGGG LLLLL GGLLLG`; યતિ (pause) is after the 6th and 11th syllables in each પાદ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
યદા - when
કિંચિત્ - a little; something
જ્ઞઃ - a knower; knowledgeable (sandhi in verse: જ્ઞોઽહં = જ્ઞઃ + અહમ્)
અહમ્ - I
દ્વિપઃ - elephant
ઇવ - like
મદ - intoxication; pride
અંધઃ - blind (as in મદાંધઃ)
સમભવં - I became
તદા - then
સર્વજ્ઞઃ - all-knowing (sandhi in verse: સર્વજ્ઞોઽસ્મીતિ)
અસ્મિ - I am
ઇતિ - thus
અભવત્ - became
અવલિપ્તં - arrogant; conceited
મમ - my
મનઃ - mind
બુધ - wise
જન - people
સકાશાત્ - from the presence of; from near
અવગતં - learned/understood
મૂર્ખઃ - fool (sandhi in verse: મૂર્ખોઽસ્મીતિ = મૂર્ખઃ + અસ્મિ + ઇતિ)
જ્વરઃ - fever
ઇવ - like
મદઃ - pride
મે - my
વ્યપગતઃ - departed; went away

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
When I knew a little, I became like an elephant blinded by pride, thinking "I am a knower"; then my mind became arrogant, thinking "I am omniscient". But when I learned something, little by little, from the wise, my pride left like a fever, and I thought, "I am a fool".

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is a precise portrait of the learning-curve: early knowledge can intoxicate, while deeper knowledge sobers. The image of મદ as a જ્વર is practical - pride is a heat that clouds perception, and real learning cools it down. In daily life, you can use this as a self-check: when you feel the urge to speak with absolute certainty, ask whether you are in the "little knowledge" stage; actively seek a mentor, read primary sources, and invite critique. In અદ્વૈત, the purpose of જ્ઞાન (knowledge) is to dissolve અવિદ્યા (ignorance) and its products like અહંકાર (ego); when the ego relaxes, the mind becomes teachable, and even correction feels like relief, not injury.

કૃમિકુલચિત્તં લાલાક્લિન્નં વિગંધિજુગુપ્સિતં
નિરુપમરસં પ્રીત્યા ખાદન્નરાસ્થિ નિરામિષમ્ ।
સુરપતિં અપિ શ્વા પાર્શ્વસ્થં વિલોક્ય ન શંકતે
ન હિ ગણયતિ ક્ષુદ્રો જંતુઃ પરિગ્રહફલ્ગુતામ્ ॥ 1.9 ॥

છંદઃ (હરિણી): This is in હરિણી (સમ-વૃત્ત) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 17 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `LLLLLG GGGG LGLLGLG`; યતિ (pause) is after the 6th and 10th syllables in each પાદ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
કૃમિ - worm; maggot
કુલ - group; swarm
ચિત્તં - mind
લાલા - saliva
ક્લિન્નં - drenched/wet
વિગંધિ - foul-smelling
જુગુપ્સિતં - disgusting; repulsive
નિરુપમ - incomparable
રસં - taste/essence (as in નિરુપમરસં)
પ્રીત્યા - with delight
ખાદન્ - eating/gnawing
નર - human
અસ્થિ - bone (as in નરાસ્થિ)
નિરામિષં - without flesh/meat
સુરપતિં - Indra, lord of the gods (sandhi in verse: સુરપતિં અપિ)
શ્વા - dog
પાર્શ્વસ્થં - standing nearby/at the side
વિલોક્ય - seeing
ન શંકતે - is not afraid/suspicious
ન હિ - for indeed not
ગણયતિ - counts; considers; values
ક્ષુદ્રઃ - petty; base
જંતુઃ - creature
પરિગ્રહ - possession; grasping; what one clings to
ફલ્ગુતાં - triviality; worthlessness; insignificance

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The mind of worms finds delicious what is saliva-soaked, foul-smelling, and repulsive, happily gnawing a fleshless human bone; and a dog, standing by it, is not afraid even on seeing Indra nearby - for a petty creature does not reckon the worthlessness of what it clings to as its possession.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is less about insulting creatures and more about exposing the psychology of taste and attachment: we call something "delicious" or "valuable" largely because we are habituated to it. When standards are low, even a miserable "possession" feels like a kingdom, and it can make a person strangely fearless and arrogant. In daily life this is visible in addictions, in clinging to cheap validation, or in guarding a small position of power while missing bigger responsibilities; the remedy is to raise the inner standard through સત્સંગ (uplifting company), clean habits, and better goals, so the mind learns to prefer what is truly nourishing over what is merely familiar.

શિરઃ શાર્વં સ્વર્ગાત્પશુપતિશિરસ્તઃ ક્ષિતિધરં
મહીધ્રાદુત્તુંગાદવનિં અવનેશ્ચાપિ જલધિમ્ ।
અધોઽધો ગંગેયં પદં ઉપગતા સ્તોકમ્
અથવાવિવેકભ્રષ્ટાનાં ભવતિ વિનિપાતઃ શતમુખઃ ॥ 1.10 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
શિરઃ - head
શાર્વં - of શર્વ (Siva); belonging to Siva
સ્વર્ગાત્ - from heaven
પશુપતિ - lord of beings (Siva)
શિરઃ - head (as in પશુપતિશિરસ્તઃ, "from the head of પશુપતિ")
ક્ષિતિધરં - mountain (literally, earth-bearer)
મહીધ્ર - mountain
ઉત્તુંગ - lofty; very high
અવનિં - earth
અવનેઃ - from the earth (sandhi in verse: અવનેશ્ચાપિ = અવનેઃ + ચ + અપિ)
ચ - and
અપિ - also
જલધિં - ocean
અધોઽધો - lower and lower; downwards, again and again
ગંગેયં - this ગંગા
પદં - position; step
ઉપગતા - has reached; has gone to
સ્તોકમ્ - little by little; step by step
અથ વા - or else
વિવેક - discernment; discrimination
ભ્રષ્ટાનાં - of those who have fallen away from/lost (as in વિવેકભ્રષ્ટાનાં)
ભવતિ - happens; becomes
વિનિપાતઃ - downfall; fall
શતમુખઃ - "hundred-faced" - manyfold; in many ways

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
From heaven, the head of Siva came down to the mountain from the head of પશુપતિ; from the lofty mountain it came down to the earth, and from the earth also to the ocean. Thus even this ગંગા, descending step by step, has come lower and lower; likewise, for those who have lost discernment, downfall becomes manyfold.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
વિવેક is the guardrail of life: once it breaks, the fall accelerates. The verse teaches the "cascade" pattern - first a small slip, then repeated descent અધોઽધો, and then a શતમુખઃ (many-pronged) crash. In daily life this is how integrity erodes: one small lie to save face becomes a habit, one indulgence becomes dependence, one compromised principle becomes a new normal. અદ્વૈત places વિવેક first for a reason (the discrimination of નિત્ય (the lasting) and અનિત્ય (the changing)): when you renew that clarity daily, decisions stop being reactive, and your life does not slide step by step into avoidable suffering.

શક્યો વારયિતું જલેન હુતભુક્ચ્છત્રેણ સૂર્યાતપો
નાગેંદ્રો નિશિતાંકુશેન સમદો દંડેન ગોગર્દભૌ ।
વ્યાધિર્ભેષજસંગ્રહૈશ્ચ વિવિધૈર્મંત્રપ્રયોગૈર્વિષં
સર્વસ્યૌષધં અસ્તિ શાસ્ત્રવિહિતં મૂર્ખસ્ય નાસ્ત્યૌષધિમ્ ॥ 1.11 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
શક્યઃ - is possible; can be done (in verse as શક્યો)
વારયિતું - to restrain; to prevent; to ward off
જલેન - by water (instrumental of જલ)
હુતભુક્ - fire (literally, "eater of oblations"; in verse as હુતભુક્)
છત્રેણ - by an umbrella (in verse as ચ્છત્રેણ)
સૂર્યાતપઃ - the heat/glare of the sun (in verse as સૂર્યાતપો)
નાગેંદ્રઃ - a mighty elephant; "lord of elephants" (also can mean "king of snakes"; context here is elephant-control; in verse as નાગેંદ્રો)
નિશિત - sharp; pointed
અંકુશેન - with a goad (instrumental of અંકુશ)
સમદઃ - intoxicated; in rut (as in an elephant; in verse as સમદો)
દંડેન - with a stick/staff
ગૌઃ - cow (in dual compound ગોગર્દભૌ)
ગર્દભઃ - donkey (in dual compound ગોગર્દભૌ)
વ્યાધિઃ - disease
ભેષજ - medicine
સંગ્રહૈઃ - with collections/compounds/assemblages (in verse as સંગ્રહૈશ્ચ = સંગ્રહૈઃ + ચ)
વિવિધૈઃ - by various; by many kinds of
મંત્ર - mantra; sacred formula
પ્રયોગૈઃ - by applications/uses/practices (instrumental plural of પ્રયોગ)
વિષમ્ - poison
સર્વસ્ય - for everything; of everything
ઔષધમ્ - remedy; medicine
અસ્તિ - exists; is
શાસ્ત્ર - scripture; authoritative teaching
વિહિતમ્ - prescribed; laid down
મૂર્ખસ્ય - of a fool
ન અસ્તિ - there is not (in sandhi: નાસ્ત્યૌષધિં = ન અસ્તિ + ઔષધિં)
ઔષધિમ્ - a remedy (accusative; in verse as ઔષધિં)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Water can restrain fire, an umbrella can ward off the sun's heat, a sharp goad can control a rutting elephant, and a stick can manage a cow or a donkey; disease has remedies in medicines, and poison has remedies in mantra-practices. For everything there is a remedy prescribed by શાસ્ત્ર - but for a fool there is no medicine.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ stacks up "problem -> remedy" pairs to make one point: tools work only when the person using them is willing to be corrected. A મૂર્ક here is not simply someone who does not know; it is a mind closed by stubbornness and ego, where even the right ઉપદેશ (instruction) cannot enter. In daily life you see this when someone refuses feedback, repeats the same avoidable mistake, and then blames the world - whether at work (ignoring reviews), in health (rejecting basic habits), or in relationships (never listening). અદ્વૈત also begins with fitness: શ્રવણ (listening), મનન (reasoning), and નિદિધ્યાસન (deep contemplation) can remove અજ્ઞાન (ignorance) only when there is વિનય (humility) and મુમુક્ષુત્વ (desire to be free); without that openness, even the best medicine remains unopened.

સાહિત્યસંગીતકલાવિહીનઃ
સાક્ષાત્પશુઃ પુચ્છવિષાણહીનઃ ।
તૃણં ન ખાદન્નપિ જીવમાનસ્
તદ્ભાગધેયં પરમં પશૂનામ્ ॥ 1.12 ॥

છંદઃ (ઉપજાતિ): This is in ઉપજાતિ Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 11 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; this meter commonly mixes ઇંદ્રવજ્રા (`GGLGGLLGLGG`) and ઉપેંદ્રવજ્રા (`LGLGGLLGLGG`) patterns across the પાદાઃ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સાહિત્ય - literature; poetry
સંગીત - music
કલા - art; fine skill; aesthetic accomplishment
વિહીનઃ - devoid of; lacking
સાક્ષાત્ - directly; plainly; truly
પશુઃ - an animal; a beast
પુચ્ચ - tail
વિષાણ - horn
હીનઃ - without (forming પુચ્ચ-વિષાણ-હીનઃ)
તૃણં - grass; straw
ન - not
ખાદન્ - eating (in verse as ખાદન્નપિ = ખાદન્ + અપિ)
અપિ - even; even though
જીવમાનઃ - living; staying alive
તત્ - that; his condition (as in તદ્ભાગધેયં)
ભાગધેયમ્ - share; lot; destiny; "portion"
પરમં - highest; greatest
પશૂનાં - of animals

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
One who lacks literature, music, and the arts is plainly a beast - only without tail and horns. Though he does not even eat grass, he still lives; that is, indeed, a great "good fortune" for the animals.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse uses sharp humor to define what makes a human life human: refinement of mind. કલા is not "decoration"; it trains attention, empathy, and sensitivity to nuance - qualities that keep power and intelligence from turning crude. In modern life, a person can be technically skilled yet socially destructive: they speak harshly, cannot listen, and treat relationships like transactions. Regular contact with good books, music, and thoughtful discourse softens the inner edge and widens perspective; it is like adding "human interface" to raw capability. Even a simple habit - reading a few pages daily, learning a song with patience, or engaging in meaningful conversation rather than endless scrolling - can slowly replace animal-like reactivity with સંસ્કાર (refining impressions).

યેષાં ન વિદ્યા ન તપો ન દાનં
જ્ઞાનં ન શીલં ન ગુણો ન ધર્મઃ ।
તે મર્ત્યલોકે ભુવિ ભારભૂતા
મનુષ્યરૂપેણ મૃગાશ્ચરંતિ ॥ 1.13 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
યેષાં - of whom; for those who
ન - not
વિદ્યા - learning; education
તપઃ - disciplined effort; austerity
દાનં - giving; charity
જ્ઞાનં - knowledge; wisdom
શીલં - character; good conduct
ગુણઃ - virtue; good quality (in verse as ગુણો)
ધર્મઃ - righteousness; duty; ethical order
તે - they
મર્ત્યલોકે - in the world of mortals
ભુવિ - on earth
ભારભૂતાઃ - having become a burden; burdensome
મનુષ્ય - human
રૂપેણ - in the form of
મૃગાઃ - animals; beasts (in verse as મૃગાશ્)
ચરંતિ - roam; move about

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Those who have neither learning, nor disciplined effort, nor charity; neither wisdom, nor good conduct, nor virtue, nor ધર્મ - they are a burden on earth, wandering like beasts in the outward form of human beings.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ lists seven supports of a meaningful life: learn (વિદ્યા), train yourself (તપસ્), share (દાન), seek understanding (જ્ઞાન), live decently (શીલ), develop virtues (ગુણ), and stand by ધર્મ. When none of these are present, a person may look human but lives by instinct alone - consuming, competing, and reacting. Modern examples are easy: using intelligence only for manipulation, chasing pleasures while neglecting responsibilities, or never giving back to family and society. આદિ શંકરાચાર્ય often reminds that human birth is precious because it allows inquiry and self-mastery; in ભજ ગોવિંદમ્ he calls it દુર્લભં માનુષં જન્મ (hard to attain). The verse is a wake-up call: add even one of these pillars sincerely, and the "burden" starts becoming a blessing to those around you.

વરં પર્વતદુર્ગેષુ
ભ્રાંતં વનચરૈઃ સહ
ન મૂર્ખજનસંપર્કઃ
સુરેંદ્રભવનેષ્વપિ ॥ 1.14 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
વરં - better; preferable
પર્વત - mountain
દુર્ગેષુ - in fortresses/strongholds (locative plural of દુર્ગ)
ભ્રાંતં - wandering; roaming
વનચરૈઃ - with forest-dwellers; those who move in the woods
સહ - along with
ન - not
મૂર્ખ - foolish
જન - people
સંપર્કઃ - contact; association; company
સુરેંદ્ર - Indra, lord of the gods
ભવનેષુ - in palaces/abodes (locative plural of ભવન)
અપિ - even

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Better to wander with forest-dwellers in mountain strongholds than to have the company of foolish people - even in the palaces of Indra.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is not romanticizing hardship; it is ranking influences. A rough place with honest, simple people can still grow you, while a glamorous place with foolish or toxic company can steadily corrupt your judgment. In modern life this is the choice between status and sanity: taking a job for a flashy brand but living in constant politics, or choosing a quieter role with a healthier team; attending gatherings that pull you into gossip, or spending time with people who speak truth and encourage growth. આદિ શંકરાચાર્ય captures the same principle in ભજ ગોવિંદમ્: સત્સંગત્વે નિસ્સંગત્વં - by good company arises non-attachment; by non-attachment, clarity. If you protect your associations, many other problems solve themselves downstream.

શાસ્ત્રોપસ્કૃતશબ્દસુંદરગિરઃ શિષ્યપ્રદેયાગમા
વિખ્યાતાઃ કવયો વસંતિ વિષયે યસ્ય પ્રભોર્નિર્ધનાઃ ।
તજ્જાડ્યં વસુધાદિપસ્ય કવયસ્ત્વર્થં વિનાપીશ્વરાઃ
કુત્સ્યાઃ સ્યુઃ કુપરીક્ષકા હિ મણયો યૈરર્ઘતઃ પાતિતાઃ ॥ 1.15 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
શાસ્ત્ર - scripture; learned tradition
ઉપસ્કૃત - adorned; refined; polished
શબ્દ - word; speech
સુંદર - beautiful
ગિરઃ - speech/utterances (plural; forming શાસ્ત્રોપસ્કૃતશબ્દસુંદરગિરઃ)
શિષ્ય - disciple/student
પ્રદેય - fit to be given; worthy to be taught
આગમાઃ - authoritative teachings; learned texts (plural)
વિખ્યાતાઃ - renowned; well-known
કવયઃ - poets
વસંતિ - live
વિષયે - in the realm/kingdom (locative of વિષય)
યસ્ય - whose
પ્રભોઃ - of the lord/ruler (genitive of પ્રભુ)
નિર્ધનાઃ - poor; without wealth
તત્ - that
જાડ્યં - dullness; folly; stupidity
વસુધાદિપસ્ય - of the lord of the earth; king
કવયઃ - poets
તુ - but; indeed
અર્થમ્ - wealth; money
વિના - without
અપિ - even
ઈશ્વરાઃ - powerful; eminent; "lords" (in verse as પીશ્વરાઃ)
કુત્સ્યાઃ - despised; looked down upon
સ્યુઃ - might become; would be
કુપરીક્ષકાઃ - bad examiners/appraisers
હિ - for
મણયઃ - gems; jewels
યૈઃ - by whom (instrumental plural)
અર્ઘતઃ - from their worth/price (ablative of અર્ઘ)
પાતિતાઃ - made to fall; lowered; devalued

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Renowned poets, whose speech is beautiful and refined by શાસ્ત્ર and whose teachings are worthy to be passed to disciples, live in a certain ruler's domain - yet remain poor. That is the folly of that king: even a poet is great even without money, but gems become despised when bad appraisers devalue them.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is a verse on leadership and valuation. When a ruler (or any institution) keeps true talent undernourished, the shame is not on the talent but on the judge who failed to recognize worth. કુપરીક્ષક means a "bad appraiser" - someone who cannot see quality and therefore sets a low price; the verse warns that such blindness makes jewels look cheap in the marketplace. In modern life, this appears when organizations underpay their best teachers, engineers, artists, or caregivers while rewarding loud mediocrity; eventually the culture becomes hollow, and excellence either leaves or stops creating. The practical takeaway is two-sided: if you lead, learn to recognize and support real merit; if you are skilled, choose patrons and environments that can actually value you rather than begging approval from કુપરીક્ષકાઃ.

હર્તુર્યાતિ ન ગોચરં કિં અપિ શં પુષ્ણાતિ યત્સર્વદાઽપ્ય્
અર્થિભ્યઃ પ્રતિપાદ્યમાનં અનિશં પ્રાપ્નોતિ વૃદ્ધિં પરામ્ ।
કલ્પાંતેષ્વપિ ન પ્રયાતિ નિધનં વિદ્યાખ્યં અંતર્ધનં
યેષાં તાન્પ્રતિ માનં ઉજ્ઝત નૃપાઃ કસ્તૈઃ સહ સ્પર્ધતે ॥ 1.16 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
હર્તુઃ - of a thief/robber (genitive of હર્તૃ; in verse as હર્તુર્)
યાતિ - goes; comes
ન - not
ગોચરં - into the range/scope; as an object of reach
કિં અપિ - some; any (emphatic: "at all")
શં - welfare; auspicious good; well-being
પુષ્ણાતિ - nourishes; increases
યત્ - which
સર્વદા - always
અપિ - even (forming સર્વદાઽપ્ય્ = સર્વદા + અપિ)
અર્થિભ્યઃ - to seekers/supplicants (dative plural of અર્થિન્)
પ્રતિપાદ્યમાનં - being given; being bestowed
અનિશં - continually; without break
પ્રાપ્નોતિ - attains; reaches
વૃદ્ધિં - growth; increase
પરાં - supreme; great
કલ્પાંતેષુ - even at the ends of world-cycles (કલ્પ)
અપિ - even
ન - not
પ્રયાતિ - goes to; reaches
નિધનં - destruction; death; perishing
વિદ્યા - knowledge; learning
આખ્યમ્ - named; called
અંતર્ધનં - hidden treasure; inner wealth
યેષાં - for those who have (this treasure)
તાન્ - toward them
પ્રતિ - toward
માનં - respect; honor
ઉજ્ઝત - offer; render (imperative; in verse as ઉજ્ઝત)
નૃપાઃ - O kings; rulers
કઃ - who
તૈઃ - with them
સહ - along with; against
સ્પર્ધતે - competes; contends

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
That hidden treasure called knowledge does not come into a thief's reach at all; it always nourishes well-being, and when it is continually given to seekers it grows all the more. It does not perish even at the ends of world-cycles. O kings, show respect to those who possess it - who can compete with them?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
Material wealth is zero-sum and fragile; વિદ્યા is the opposite. The verse highlights three qualities: it cannot be stolen (હર્તુઃ ન ગોચરઃ), it increases by sharing (પ્રતિપાદ્યમાનં ... વૃદ્ધિં પ્રાપ્નોતિ), and it survives disruptions (કલ્પાંતે even metaphorically "the end of a world"). In modern terms, skills, understanding, and good judgment are assets that layoffs, market shifts, and even relocation cannot fully take away - and teaching others often makes you clearer, not poorer. The અદ્વૈત tradition values this highest: જ્ઞાન is what removes અજ્ઞાન, and the "wealth" it gives is inner freedom; that is why teachers are honored not for possessions but for what they awaken in the student.

અધિગતપરમાર્થાન્પંડિતાન્માવમંસ્થાસ્
તૃણં ઇવ લઘુ લક્ષ્મીર્નૈવ તાન્સંરુણદ્ધિ ।
અભિનવમદલેખાશ્યામગંડસ્થલાનાં
ન ભવતિ બિસતંતુર્વારણં વારણાનામ્ ॥ 1.17 ॥

છંદઃ (માલિની): This is in માલિની (સમ-વૃત્ત) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 15 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `LLLLLLGG GLGGLGG`; યતિ (pause) is after the 8th syllable in each પાદ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
અધિગત - attained; realized
પરમ - highest; supreme
અર્થઃ - meaning; truth; purpose
પંડિતાન્ - the learned; wise people (accusative plural of પંડિત)
મા - do not
અવમંસ્થાઃ - despise; look down upon
તૃણં - straw; grass
ઇવ - like; as if
લઘુ - light; small; paltry
લક્ષ્મીઃ - wealth; prosperity (in verse as લક્ષ્મીર્)
ન એવ - not at all
તાન્ - them
સંરુણદ્ધિ - binds; confines; restrains
અભિનવ - fresh; new
મદ - rut; intoxication (as of an elephant)
લેખા - streak/line (as in the dark streaks on cheeks in rut)
શ્યામ - dark; blackish
ગંડ - cheek/temple (of an elephant)
સ્થલાનાં - of those whose places/regions (forming શ્યામગંડસ્થલાનાં)
ન ભવતિ - does not become; is not
બિસ - lotus-fiber; water-lily stalk
તંતુઃ - thread; fiber
વારણમ્ - a restraint; a barrier; a cord (also reads as "elephant"; here used as "bond")
વારણાનાં - of elephants

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Do not look down upon the wise who have realized the highest truth; paltry wealth cannot bind them any more than a straw can. A lotus-fiber thread does not become a restraint for elephants whose temples are dark with fresh rut.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse warns against judging people by their bank balance. લઘુ લક્ષ્મીઃ (small wealth) can tempt or trap those who measure themselves by possessions, but it cannot hold a person who has tasted પરમાર્થ (highest meaning). The elephant image is vivid: મદ is the powerful energy of a mature elephant in rut; against that strength, a lotus thread is absurd. In modern life, this means: do not assume that someone is insignificant because they live simply, refuse a bribe, or won't flatter for promotion. Some people operate from principles and inner freedom, so "small incentives" do not move them; if you want to work with such people, appeal to purpose and truth, not to glitter. In the અદ્વૈત spirit, once the mind sees the limitations of external gain, it naturally loosens પરિગ્રહ (grasping), and dignity becomes independent of possessions.

અંભોજિનીવનવિહારવિલાસં એવ
હંસસ્ય હંતિ નિતરાં કુપિતો વિધાતા ।
ન ત્વસ્ય દુગ્ધજલભેદવિધૌ પ્રસિદ્ધાં
વૈદગ્ધીકીર્તિં અપહર્તું અસૌ સમર્થઃ ॥ 1.18 ॥

છંદઃ (વસંતતિલકા): This is in વસંતતિલકા (સમ-વૃત્ત) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 14 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `GGLGLLLGLLGLGG`. No obligatory યતિ (pause) is defined for this meter; pauses follow sense and natural દંડ breaks.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
અંભોજિની - lotus pond; water with lotuses
વન - grove; forest (forming અંભોજિનીવનમ્)
વિહાર - roaming; sport; play
વિલાસમ્ - enjoyment; graceful play
એવ - indeed; alone (emphatic)
હંસસ્ય - of the swan
હંતિ - destroys; kills; takes away
નિતરાં - completely; thoroughly
કુપિતઃ - enraged; angry
વિધાતા - the creator; fate; dispenser of results
ન તુ - but not
તસ્ય - of it/of him (the swan)
દુગ્ધ - milk
જલ - water
ભેદવિધિઃ - the method/skill of separating (forming દુગ્ધ-જલ-ભેદ-વિધિ)
પ્રસિદ્ધાં - famous; well-known
વૈદગ્ધી - skill; cleverness; refined ability
કીર્તિં - fame; reputation
અપહર્તું - to take away; to remove
અસૌ - that (creator/fate)
સમર્થઃ - capable

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
An angry fate may entirely destroy the swan's joyous roaming in lotus-groves, but it cannot take away the swan's celebrated skill of separating milk from water.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The swan's famed discrimination - દુગ્ધ-જલ-ભેદ (the ability to separate milk from water) - is a symbol for વિવેક (discernment): the power to pick what is essential from what is mixed. Circumstances can destroy external "playgrounds" (a job, a position, a comfortable setting), but they cannot touch a cultivated inner faculty. In modern life, this is why building real competence and clarity matters more than building a fragile image: even if projects fail or roles change, your skill in thinking, communicating, and deciding remains. અદ્વૈત often uses the હંસ as the emblem of the discriminating seeker (પરમહંસ): when વિવેક is alive, you can keep choosing the real over the superficial even while life rearranges the outer scenery.

કેયૂરાણિ ન ભૂષયંતિ પુરુષં હારા ન ચંદ્રોજ્જ્વલા
ન સ્નાનં ન વિલેપનં ન કુસુમં નાલંકૃતા મૂર્ધજાઃ ।
વાણ્યેકા સમલંકરોતિ પુરુષં યા સંસ્કૃતા ધાર્યતે
ક્ષીયંતે ખલુ ભૂષણાનિ સતતં વાગ્ભૂષણં ભૂષણમ્ ॥ 1.19 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
કેયૂરાણિ - armlets
ન - not
ભૂષયંતિ - adorn; beautify
પુરુષં - a person
હારાઃ - necklaces/garlands
ન - not
ચંદ્ર - moon
ઉજ્જ્વલાઃ - bright; shining (forming ચંદ્રોજ્જ્વલા = ચંદ્ર + ઉજ્જ્વલાઃ)
ન - not
સ્નાનં - bath
ન - not
વિલેપનં - anointing; applying fragrance/ointment
ન - not
કુસુમં - flower
ન - not
અલંકૃતાઃ - decorated; adorned
મૂર્ધજાઃ - hair (literally, "born on the head")
વાણી - speech
એકા - alone
સમલંકરોતિ - completely adorns; truly decorates
યા - which
સંસ્કૃતા - refined; well-formed; cultured
ધાર્યતે - is carried; is maintained
ક્ષીયંતે - wear out; diminish; perish
ખલુ - indeed
ભૂષણાનિ - ornaments
સતતં - always; constantly
વાક્ - speech
ભૂષણં - ornament (forming વાગ્ભૂષણં)
ભૂષણં - the (true) ornament

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Armlets do not truly adorn a person, nor bright necklaces, nor the moon's splendor; not bathing, not perfumes, not flowers, and not decorated hair. Speech alone, when refined and well-kept, truly adorns a person. Ornaments constantly wear out; the ornament of speech is the real ornament.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is one of the most widely quoted સુભાષિતાનિ from ભર્તૃહરિ's નીતિ શતકમ્. External polish is temporary; speech shapes your reputation every day. સંસ્કૃતા વાણી means speech that is accurate, courteous, timely, and not needlessly hurtful - the kind of language that makes people feel safe with you. In modern life, you can see how quickly one careless message, a sarcastic tweet, or a harsh public remark can undo years of work; conversely, steady respectful communication builds trust across teams and families. The verse is also practical: unlike jewelry, speech improves with practice - read well, listen well, and speak with હિતં (benefit) and મધુરમ્ (sweetness) together. When words carry both truth and kindness, they become the most durable "ornament" you can wear.

વિદ્યા નામ નરસ્ય રૂપં અધિકં પ્રચ્છન્નગુપ્તં ધનં
વિદ્યા ભોગકરી યશઃસુખકરી વિદ્યા ગુરૂણાં ગુરુઃ ।
વિદ્યા બંધુજનો વિદેશગમને વિદ્યા પરા દેવતા
વિદ્યા રાજસુ પૂજ્યતે ન તુ ધનં વિદ્યાવિહીનઃ પશુઃ ॥ 1.20 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
વિદ્યા - knowledge; learning
નામ - indeed; truly; "by name" (emphatic)
નરસ્ય - of a person
રૂપં - form; beauty; splendor
અધિકં - superior; greater
પ્રચ્છન્ન - hidden; covered
ગુપ્તમ્ - protected; safe (forming પ્રચ્છન્નગુપ્તં)
ધનં - wealth; treasure
ભોગકરી - maker of enjoyment; giver of comforts
યશઃ - fame; good name
સુખ - happiness
કરી - maker of; giver of (forming યશઃસુખકરી)
ગુરૂણાં - of teachers
ગુરુઃ - teacher; the teacher
બંધુજનઃ - kinsman; friend; supportive companion
વિદેશ - foreign land
ગમને - in going/travel (locative; "when travelling")
પરા - supreme; highest
દેવતા - divinity; guiding deity
રાજસુ - among kings/rulers; in royal courts
પૂજ્યતે - is honored; is worshipped/respected
ન તુ - but not
ધનં - wealth
વિદ્યા - knowledge
વિહીનઃ - devoid of
પશુઃ - animal; beast

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Knowledge is truly a person's greater beauty and a hidden, well-protected wealth. Knowledge brings enjoyment, brings fame and happiness; knowledge is the teacher of teachers. Knowledge is a friend when travelling in foreign lands; knowledge is the highest divinity. In the courts of kings it is knowledge that is honored, not mere money; one without knowledge is a beast.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse is a compact manifesto on why learning is never a waste. પ્રચ્છન્નગુપ્તં ધનં points to inner wealth: what you know and can do cannot be taken away as easily as possessions. બંધુજનઃ is a "supportive relative/friend": when you travel or change environments, your competence and understanding accompany you and help you rebuild. In modern life, this is visible in how a person with real skills can restart after setbacks, adapt to new technology, and earn trust quickly - while someone with only external symbols (title, clothes, money) can feel lost when context changes. And for those who seek deeper freedom, અદ્વૈત sees વિદ્યા in its highest sense as બ્રહ્મજ્ઞાન (knowledge of the Self): the "supreme divinity" because it reveals what is already present as your own સ્વરૂપ (true nature).

ક્ષાંતિશ્ચેત્કવચેન કિં કિં અરિભિઃ ક્રોધોઽસ્તિ ચેદ્દેહિનાં
જ્ઞાતિશ્ચેદનલેન કિં યદિ સુહૃદ્દિવ્યૌષધં કિં ફલમ્ ।
કિં સર્પૈર્યદિ દુર્જનાઃ કિં ઉ ધનૈર્વિદ્યાઽનવદ્યા યદિ
વ્રીડા ચેત્કિં ઉ ભૂષણૈઃ સુકવિતા યદ્યસ્તિ રાજ્યેન કિમ્ ॥ 1.21 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ક્ષાંતિઃ - forbearance; patience
ચેત્ - if
કવચેન - by armor; with protective gear (instrumental of કવચ)
કિમ્ - what (use)?
અરિભિઃ - by/with enemies (instrumental plural of અરિ)
ક્રોધઃ - anger
અસ્તિ - exists; is (in verse as ઽસ્તિ)
દેહિનામ્ - of embodied beings; of people
જ્ઞાતિઃ - knowledge; understanding (in verse as જ્ઞાતિશ્ચેત્ = જ્ઞાતિઃ + ચેત્)
અનલેન - by fire (અનલ)
યદિ - if
સુહૃત્ - a good friend
દિવ્ય - divine; extraordinary
ઔષધમ્ - medicine; remedy (forming દિવ્યૌષધમ્)
કિમ્ - what (use)?
ફલમ્ - benefit; fruit
કિમ્ - what (use)?
સર્પૈઃ - with snakes (instrumental plural of સર્પ)
યદિ - if
દુર્જનાઃ - wicked people; the malicious
કિં ઉ - what indeed?
ધનૈઃ - with wealth (instrumental plural of ધન)
વિદ્યા - knowledge; learning
અનવદ્યા - blameless; flawless; free of fault
યદિ - if
વ્રીડા - modesty; a sense of propriety; "good shame"
ચેત્ - if
કિં ઉ - what indeed?
ભૂષણૈઃ - with ornaments (instrumental plural of ભૂષણ)
સુકવિતા - good poetry; poetic excellence
યદિ - if
અસ્તિ - exists; is
રાજ્યેન - with a kingdom; with sovereignty
કિમ્ - what (use)?

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
If one has patience, what need is there for armor? If people have anger, what need is there for enemies? If one has knowledge, what need is there for fire? If one has a true friend, what benefit is there in "divine medicines"? If there are wicked people, what need is there for snakes? If there is flawless learning, what need is there for wealth? If there is modesty, what need is there for ornaments? If there is poetic excellence, what need is there for a kingdom?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a reminder that inner qualities outclass external supports. ક્ષાંતિ (forbearance) is real armor because it prevents rash retaliation; ક્રોધ (anger) is a self-made enemy that damages you even without opponents. જ્ઞાતિ (understanding) is "fire" in the sense that it burns confusion and lights the way; and a good સુહૃત્ (friend) is medicine because they heal your blind spots with honest care. In modern life, you can buy gadgets, titles, and insurance, but if you lack patience and clarity you will still create unnecessary fires at work and at home; and if you have modesty and skill, you do not need constant external decoration to be respected. The practical application is to invest first in the inner "capital" - calm, learning, friendships, and character - because these protect you in contexts where money and status cannot.

દાક્ષિણ્યં સ્વજને દયા પરિજને શાઠ્યં સદા દુર્જને
પ્રીતિઃ સાધુજને નયો નૃપજને વિદ્વજ્જને ચાર્જવમ્ ।
શૌર્યં શત્રુજને ક્ષમા ગુરુજને કાંતાજને ધૃષ્ટતા
યે ચૈવં પુરુષાઃ કલાસુ કુશલાસ્તેષ્વેવ લોકસ્થિતિઃ ॥ 1.22 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
દાક્ષિણ્યં - kindness; generosity; tact
સ્વજને - toward one's own people/relatives (locative of સ્વજન)
દયા - compassion; mercy
પરિજને - toward dependents/attendants/household (locative of પરિજન)
શાઠ્યં - strategic caution/guile; dealing with deceit by guardedness
સદા - always
દુર્જને - toward the wicked (locative of દુર્જન)
પ્રીતિઃ - affection; warm friendliness
સાધુજને - toward the good (locative of સાધુજન)
નયઃ - policy; political wisdom; tactful conduct
નૃપજને - toward kings/rulers/officials (locative of નૃપજન)
વિદ્વજ્જને - toward the learned (locative of વિદ્વજ્જન)
ચાર્જવં - straightforwardness; honesty
શૌર્યં - valor; courageous strength
શત્રુજને - toward enemies (locative of શત્રુજન)
ક્ષમા - forgiveness; forbearance
ગુરુજને - toward elders/teachers (locative of ગુરુજન)
કાંતાજને - toward one's beloved (locative of કાંતાજન)
ધૃષ્ટતા - boldness; confident frankness; playful daring
યે - those who
ચ - and
એવં - thus; in this manner
પુરુષાઃ - people
કલાસુ - in these arts/skills (locative plural of કલા)
કુશલાઃ - skilled; competent
તેષુ - in them
એવ - indeed
લોકસ્થિતિઃ - the stability/order of the world

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Kindness toward your own, compassion toward dependents, guarded strategy toward the wicked; affection toward the good, diplomacy toward rulers, straightforwardness toward the learned; valor toward enemies, forgiveness toward elders, and confident boldness toward one's beloved - those who are skilled in such arts are the ones in whom the world's order stands.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is a lesson in contextual intelligence: the same behavior is not wise in every relationship. Compassion without boundaries can become enabling; blunt honesty with the malicious can become self-harm; and the lack of diplomacy with power can become avoidable trouble. ભર્તૃહરિ is not endorsing dishonesty as a lifestyle; he is saying that with a દુર્જન (wicked person) you must protect yourself through caution and strategy, while with the વિદ્વત્ (learned) you should be transparent and direct. In modern life, this is the art of adjusting your "settings": warmth at home, professionalism at work, clear boundaries with manipulators, courage when defending what is right, and patience with elders. People who can do this without losing their core values become stabilizers in families, teams, and communities.

જાડ્યં ધિયો હરતિ સિંચતિ વાચિ સત્યં
માનોન્નતિં દિશતિ પાપં અપાકરોતિ ।
ચેતઃ પ્રસાદયતિ દિક્ષુ તનોતિ કીર્તિં
સત્સંગતિઃ કથય કિં ન કરોતિ પુંસામ્ ॥ 1.23 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
જાડ્યં - dullness; stupidity; inertia
ધિયઃ - of the intellect (ધિ)
હરતિ - removes
સિંચતિ - sprinkles; infuses
વાચિ - in speech
સત્યં - truth
માન - honor; self-respect
ઉન્નતિમ્ - upliftment; elevation
દિશતિ - grants; points to; bestows
પાપં - sin; wrongdoing
અપાકરોતિ - removes; drives away
ચેતઃ - mind; heart
પ્રસાદયતિ - makes clear/serene; pleases
દિક્ષુ - in all directions
તનોતિ - spreads; extends
કીર્તિં - fame; good reputation
સત્સંગતિઃ - good company; association with the good
કથય - tell (imperative: "tell me")
કિમ્ - what
ન - not
કરોતિ - does
પુંસાં - for people

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Good company removes dullness from the intellect, infuses truth into speech, grants uplifted honor, removes wrongdoing, pleases and clears the mind, and spreads fame in every direction. Tell me - what does સત્સંગતિ not do for people?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
If you want to change a habit or raise a standard, change your environment. સત્સંગતિ is not only about "holy people"; it is any consistent contact that pulls you upward - mentors, friends who live by values, books that challenge you, and communities where truth is normal. In modern life this is why a focused team can transform your work ethic, why a supportive friend group can help you quit an addiction, and why a culture of integrity makes honesty easier. આદિ શંકરાચાર્ય states the causal chain succinctly: સત્સંગત્વે નિસ્સંગત્વં - by good company arises non-attachment; by that, clarity deepens. The verse is practical advice: choose your "inputs" carefully, because they quietly edit your character.

જયંતિ તે સુકૃતિનો
રસસિદ્ધાઃ કવીશ્વરાઃ ।
નાસ્તિ યેષાં યશઃકાયે
જરામરણજં ભયમ્ ॥ 1.24 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
જયંતિ - are victorious; triumph
તે - those
સુકૃતિનાઃ - of good deeds; meritorious; fortunate
રસ - aesthetic essence; poetic sentiment
સિદ્ધાઃ - perfected; accomplished
કવીશ્વરાઃ - lordly poets; great poets
ન અસ્તિ - there is not (in verse as નાસ્તિ)
યેષાં - of whom
યશઃ - fame; good name
કાયે - in the body (locative of કાય), forming યશઃ-કાયે ("in the body of fame")
જરા - old age
મરણ - death
જમ્ - born from; produced by (forming જરામરણજં)
ભયં - fear

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Victorious are those meritorious poet-lords who have mastered રસ; in the "body" of their fame there is no fear born of old age and death.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse points to a human way of "defeating" time: create something that outlives you. યશઃ (good fame) here is not shallow popularity; it is the durable remembrance that comes from real contribution. In modern life, this can be writing that helps people, teaching that changes a student's trajectory, building something useful, or living with integrity so your family inherits strength rather than trauma. Physical જરા (ageing) and મરણ (death) are inevitable, but the fear around them softens when you live in a way that leaves meaningful traces. The practical application is simple: invest time in work that has value beyond instant applause, and your life naturally gains a larger horizon.

સૂનુઃ સચ્ચરિતઃ સતી પ્રિયતમા સ્વામી પ્રસાદોન્મુખઃ
સ્નિગ્ધં મિત્રં અવંચકઃ પરિજનો નિઃક્લેશલેશં મનઃ ।
આકારો રુચિરઃ સ્થિરશ્ચ વિભવો વિદ્યાવદાતં મુખં
તુષ્ટે વિષ્ટપકષ્ટહારિણિ હરૌ સંપ્રાપ્યતે દેહિના ॥ 1.25 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સૂનુઃ - son
સત્ - good; noble
ચરિતઃ - conduct; character (forming સચ્ચરિતઃ)
સતી - a virtuous/chaste woman
પ્રિયતમા - most beloved; dear wife
સ્વામી - master; husband; lord
પ્રસાદ - grace; favor; goodwill
ઉન્મુખઃ - turned toward; favorable (forming પ્રસાદોન્મુખઃ = પ્રસાદ + ઉન્મુખઃ)
સ્નિગ્ધં - affectionate; warm
મિત્રં - friend
અવંચકઃ - non-deceiving; honest
પરિજનઃ - one's household/attendants
નિઃ - without
ક્લેશ - trouble; affliction
લેશમ્ - trace; even a little bit
મનઃ - mind
આકારઃ - form; appearance
રુચિરઃ - pleasing; beautiful
સ્થિરઃ - steady; stable
ચ - and
વિભવઃ - prosperity; resources; wealth
વિદ્યા - knowledge; learning
અવદાતમ્ - bright; pure; splendid
મુખં - face; mouth
તુષ્ટે - when pleased (locative absolute sense)
વિષ્ટપ - heaven; the celestial world
કષ્ટ - hardship; suffering
હારિણિ - in the remover/taker-away (locative; forming વિષ્ટપકષ્ટહારિણિ)
હરૌ - in હરિ (Vishnu)
સંપ્રાપ્યતે - is obtained; is attained
દેહિના - by the embodied person

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
When હરિ - the remover of hardships - is pleased, an embodied person obtains: a virtuous son, a chaste beloved wife, a gracious master, an affectionate friend, an honest household, a mind without even a trace of distress, a pleasing form, steady prosperity, and a face brightened by learning.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse lists "life's basics" in an ideal order: family harmony, trustworthy relationships, inner peace, health and appearance, stable resources, and learning. It frames these as the fruit of aligning with હરિ - meaning, in a broad sense, aligning with what sustains and uplifts. In modern terms, devotion and values work as a compass: when your actions are anchored in ધર્મ (right order), you naturally make choices that protect mind, relationships, and reputation. Even in અદ્વૈત, ઈશ્વર-ભક્તિ (devotion to the Lord) is valued as a purifier of the mind; a calmer, cleaner mind makes better choices, and those choices ripple outward as the blessings described here.

પ્રાણાઘાતાન્નિવૃત્તિઃ પરધનહરણે સંયમઃ સત્યવાક્યં
કાલે શક્ત્યા પ્રદાનં યુવતિજનકથામૂકભાવઃ પરેષામ્ ।
તૃષ્ણાસ્રોતો વિભંગો ગુરુષુ ચ વિનયઃ સર્વભૂતાનુકંપા
સામાન્યઃ સર્વશાસ્ત્રેષ્વનુપહતવિધિઃ શ્રેયસાં એષ પંથાઃ ॥ 1.26 ॥

છંદઃ (સ્રગ્ધરા): This is in સ્રગ્ધરા (સમ-વૃત્ત) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 21 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `GGGGLGG LLLLLLG GLGGLGG`; યતિ (pause) is after the 7th and 14th syllables in each પાદ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પ્રાણ - living being; life-breath; life
આઘાત - striking; injury; violence
નિવૃત્તિઃ - refraining; turning away (forming પ્રાણાઘાતાત્-નિવૃત્તિઃ - refraining from harming life)
પર - another's
ધન - wealth
હરણે - in taking/stealing (locative; "in the act of taking"; forming પરધન-હરણે)
સંયમઃ - restraint; self-control
સત્ય - truth
વાક્યમ્ - speech; statement (forming સત્યવાક્યં)
કાલે - at the right time
શક્ત્યા - according to one's ability/capacity
પ્રદાનં - giving; charity
યુવતિ - young woman
જન - person/people (forming યુવતિજન)
કથા - talk; discussion
મૂક - mute
ભાવઃ - state/attitude; becoming
પરેષાં - regarding others; "of others" (i.e., about others' women)
તૃષ્ણા - craving; thirst
સ્રોતઃ - stream; current
વિભંગઃ - breaking; cutting off (forming તૃષ્ણાસ્રોતો-વિભંગો)
ગુરુષુ - toward teachers/elders (locative of ગુરુ)
ચ - and
વિનયઃ - humility; respectful conduct
સર્વ - all
ભૂત - beings
અનુકંપા - compassion (forming સર્વભૂતાનુકંપા)
સામાન્યઃ - common; universal
સર્વશાસ્ત્રેષુ - in all scriptures/teachings (locative plural)
અનુપહત - unbroken; not violated
વિધિઃ - rule; ordinance
શ્રેયસાં - of welfare; of what is truly good
એષઃ - this
પંથાઃ - path

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Refraining from harming life, self-restraint in taking another's wealth, truthful speech, giving at the right time according to one's capacity, being "mute" when it comes to speaking about others' women; cutting off the stream of craving, humility toward teachers, and compassion toward all beings - this is a universal, unbroken rule found across all શાસ્ત્ર. This is the path to true well-being.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse is a concise ethics charter, and it is strikingly pan-traditional: the same themes appear as યમ/નિયમ in યોગ, as ધર્મ in સ્મૃતિ, and as preparation for clarity in વેદાંત. The key phrases are practical: પ્રાણાઘાત (violence) and પરધન-હરણ (stealing) are obvious harms; સત્યવાક્ય (truthful speech) keeps life from collapsing into mistrust; and તૃષ્ણાસ્રોતઃ (the stream of craving) is the inner engine behind many wrong actions. The line about being મૂક (mute) regarding others' women is a call to stop objectifying talk and gossip - in modern life, that means respecting boundaries, not consuming or spreading degrading content, and keeping speech clean. અદ્વૈત treats such disciplines as સાધન (preparation): without વિનય (humility) and અનુકંપા (compassion), higher inquiry stays theoretical; with them, the mind becomes steady enough for real understanding.

પ્રારભ્યતે ન ખલુ વિઘ્નભયેન નીચૈઃ
પ્રારભ્ય વિઘ્નવિહતા વિરમંતિ મધ્યાઃ ।
વિઘ્નૈઃ પુનઃ પુનરપિ પ્રતિહન્યમાનાઃ
પ્રારબ્ધં ઉત્તમજના ન પરિત્યજંતિ ॥ 1.27 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પ્રારભ્યતે - is begun; is undertaken
ન - not
ખલુ - indeed
વિઘ્ન - obstacle; hindrance
ભયેન - due to fear (instrumental of ભય)
નીચૈઃ - by the low; by the base-minded
પ્રારભ્ય - having begun
વિઘ્ન - obstacle
વિહતાઃ - struck down; obstructed
વિરમંતિ - stop; desist
મધ્યાઃ - the middling; average people
વિઘ્નૈઃ - by obstacles
પુનઃ પુનર્ - again and again
અપિ - even
પ્રતિહન્યમાનાઃ - being repeatedly struck/hindered
પ્રારબ્ધં - what has been started/undertaken
ઉત્તમજનાઃ - the best people; excellent persons
ન - not
પરિત્યજંતિ - abandon; give up

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Out of fear of obstacles, the low-minded do not even begin. Having begun, the average stop when obstacles strike. But the best people, though obstructed again and again, do not abandon what they have undertaken.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse is a simple model of perseverance: fear stops you at the gate, discouragement stops you mid-way, but commitment carries you through repetition. In modern life, this is the difference between "ideas" and execution: many never start because they imagine every possible failure; some start a course, a fitness plan, or a project but quit after the first setback; and a few keep adjusting and continuing until the thing is done. The practical tool here is to expect વિઘ્ન (obstacles) as part of the path, not as proof you chose the wrong path. Even in spiritual practice, અદ્વૈત emphasizes steady અભ્યાસ (practice): repeated return to the essential is what turns insight into stability.

અસંતો નાભ્યર્થ્યાઃ સુહૃદપિ ન યાચ્યઃ કૃશધનઃ
પ્રિયા ન્યાય્યા વૃત્તિર્મલિનં અસુભંગેઽપ્યસુકરમ્ ।
વિપદ્યુચ્ચૈઃ સ્થેયં પદં અનુવિધેયં ચ મહતાં
સતાં કેનોદ્દિષ્ટં વિષમં અસિધારાવ્રતં ઇદમ્ ॥ 1.28 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
અસંતાઃ - the wicked; bad people (in verse as અસંતો)
ન - not
અભ્યર્થ્યાઃ - to be begged from; to be entreated (in verse as નાભ્યર્થ્યાઃ = ન + અભ્યર્થ્યાઃ)
સુહૃત્ - a friend
અપિ - even
ન - not
યાચ્યઃ - should be begged/asked for help
કૃશ - lean; small
ધનઃ - wealth; means (forming કૃશધનઃ - one with little wealth)
પ્રિયા - dear; desirable
ન્યાય્યા - righteous; proper; just
વૃત્તિઃ - livelihood; conduct
મલિનમ્ - stained; tainted
અશુભંગે - in misfortune; in an adverse situation (in verse as અસુભંગે)
અપિ - even (forming અશુભંગેઽપ્ય્ = અશુભંગે + અપિ)
અસુકરમ્ - difficult
વિપદિ - in adversity; in calamity (in verse as વિપદ્ય્)
ઉચ્ચૈઃ - high; elevated
સ્થેયં - should be stood/maintained; should remain
પદં - position; station
અનુવિધેયં - should be followed/imitated
ચ - and
મહતાં - of the great
સતાં - for the good; of good people
કેન - by whom?
ઉદ્દિષ્ટમ્ - prescribed; pointed out; enjoined
વિષમં - difficult; uneven; hard
અસિધારા - sword-edge; razor-edge
વ્રતમ્ - vow; disciplined path
ઇદં - this

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The good should not beg from the wicked; even a friend should not be asked when they are poor. A righteous livelihood is dear, yet keeping it unstained is difficult even in adverse times. In calamity one must remain elevated, and one should follow the path of the great. Who has prescribed for the good this difficult "razor's-edge vow"?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
અસિધારાવ્રત is an unforgettable image: a life of integrity feels like walking on a sword-edge because the easy shortcuts are always available. The verse is not saying "never accept help"; it is saying: do not compromise yourself by seeking favors from the wicked, and do not burden a friend who lacks means. It also points out the real test: when times are tight (અશુભંગ) and when crisis hits (વિપદ્), keeping livelihood clean and standards high becomes hardest. In modern life this shows up as refusing corruption even when you "need it", not manipulating relationships for money, and not lowering your ethics to match a bad environment. અદ્વૈત values this steadiness as વૈરાગ્ય (dispassion) and સમાધાન (collectedness): without these, the mind is too compromised to see truth clearly.

ક્ષુત્ક્ષામોઽપિ જરાકૃશોઽપિ શિથિલપ્રાણોઽપિ કષ્ટાં દશામ્
આપન્નોઽપિ વિપન્નદીધિતિરિતિ પ્રાણેષુ નશ્યત્સ્વપિ ।
મત્તેભેંદ્રવિભિન્નકુંભપિશિતગ્રાસૈકબદ્ધસ્પૃહઃ
કિં જીર્ણં તૃણં અત્તિ માનમહતાં અગ્રેસરઃ કેસરી ॥ 1.29 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ક્ષુત્ - hunger
ક્ષામઃ - emaciated; weakened (forming ક્ષુત્ક્ષામઃ)
અપિ - even
જરા - old age
કૃશઃ - thin; wasted (forming જરાકૃશઃ)
અપિ - even
શિથિલ - slackened; loosened
પ્રાણઃ - life-breath; vitality (forming શિથિલપ્રાણઃ)
અપિ - even
કષ્ટાં - grievous; difficult
દશામ્ - condition/state
આપન્નઃ - fallen into; reached
અપિ - even
વિપન્ન - ruined; impaired
દીધિતિઃ - splendor; radiance
ઇતિ - thus (in the sense "even if...")
પ્રાણેષુ - when the life-breaths are
નશ્યત્સુ - perishing; failing (locative absolute; in verse as નશ્યત્સ્વપિ)
અપિ - even
મત્ત - intoxicated; in rut
ઇભ - elephant
ઇંદ્ર - lord/king (forming મત્તેભેંદ્ર - king of rutting elephants)
વિભિન્ન - split; broken; pierced
કુંભ - temple/forehead of an elephant
પિશિત - flesh
ગ્રાસ - mouthful
એક - only; single
બદ્ધ - fixed; bound
સ્પૃહા - desire; longing (forming ગ્રાસૈકબદ્ધસ્પૃહઃ)
કિમ્ - why; what (need)?
જીર્ણં - stale; old
તૃણં - grass
અત્તિ - eats
માન - honor; self-respect
મહતાં - of the great
અગ્રેસરઃ - leader; foremost
કેસરી - lion

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Even when weakened by hunger, emaciated by age, with breath grown slack, fallen into a hard state, and with radiance diminished - even when life itself is fading - the lion, leader among the noble, longs only for a single mouthful of flesh from the temples of a rutting elephant. Why would he eat stale grass?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The lion here stands for a person of high standards. The verse is not glorifying aggression; it is showing that greatness does not train itself to be satisfied with scraps. Even in hardship, the માન (self-respect) of the great keeps them from degrading choices. In modern life, this is the difference between taking a short-term unethical gain and holding out for clean work; between doing low-quality work "to get it done" and maintaining craftsmanship; between seeking cheap attention and building real competence. The caution is also implied: if you feed your mind stale "grass" long enough, it forgets what it is capable of; so keep aiming for goals worthy of your nature.

સ્વલ્પસ્નાયુવસાવશેષમલિનં નિર્માંસં અપ્યસ્થિ ગોઃ
શ્વા લબ્ધ્વા પરિતોષં એતિ ન તુ તત્તસ્ય ક્ષુધાશાંતયે ।
સિંહો જંબુકં અંકં આગતં અપિ ત્યક્ત્વા નિહંતિ દ્વિપં
સર્વઃ કૃચ્છ્રગતોઽપિ વાંછંતિ જનઃ સત્ત્વાનુરૂપં ફલમ્ ॥ 1.30 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સ્વલ્પ - little; small
સ્નાયુ - tendon; sinew
વસા - fat
અવશેશ - residue; remnant
મલિનમ્ - dirty; stained (forming સ્વલ્પસ્નાયુવસાવશેષમલિનં)
નિર્માંસં - without flesh
અપિ - even
અસ્થિ - bone
ગોઃ - of a cow
શ્વા - dog
લબ્ધ્વા - having obtained
પરિતોષં - satisfaction; contentment
એતિ - attains; reaches
ન તુ - but not
તત્ - that (bone)
તસ્ય - its
ક્ષુધા - hunger
શાંતયે - for the pacification/quelling (dative of શાંતિ)
સિંહઃ - lion
જંબુકં - jackal
અંકં - lap
આગતં - come to; arrived
અપિ - even
ત્યક્ત્વા - having left; abandoning
નિહંતિ - strikes down; kills
દ્વિપં - elephant
સર્વઃ - every; everyone
કૃચ્છ્ર - hardship; distress
ગતઃ - gone into; fallen into (forming કૃચ્છ્રગતઃ)
અપિ - even
વાંછંતિ - desire; seek
જનઃ - people
સત્ત્વ - nature; inner quality/temperament
અનુરૂપમ્ - according to; in keeping with
ફલમ્ - fruit; result

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
A dog, having obtained even a cow's bone that is fleshless and dirty with a little remnant of sinew and fat, feels satisfied - though it does not truly quell its hunger. A lion, even if a jackal has come into its lap, leaves it and strikes an elephant. Everyone, even when fallen into hardship, seeks results according to their nature.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse contrasts two kinds of aspiration. Some minds are trained to be satisfied with "bones" - small, low-quality gains that create the illusion of progress but do not really nourish. Other minds, like the lion, stay oriented to worthy goals even when easier options present themselves. In modern life this is the difference between chasing quick distractions versus building something substantial: taking a tiny shortcut that keeps you stuck, versus doing the harder work that actually changes your situation. The key word is સત્ત્વ (inner nature/quality): whatever you repeatedly consume - media, habits, friendships - slowly reshapes your સત્ત્વ, and then your desires follow. If you want lion-like outcomes, feed the mind with lion-like inputs.

લાંગૂલચાલનં અધશ્ચરણાવપાતં
ભૂમૌ નિપત્ય વદનોદરદર્શનં ચ ।
શ્વા પિંડદસ્ય કુરુતે ગજપુંગવસ્તુ
ધીરં વિલોકયતિ ચાટુશતૈશ્ચ ભુંક્તે ॥ 1.31 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
લાંગૂલ - tail
ચાલનમ્ - wagging; moving (forming લાંગૂલચાલનં)
અધઃ - downwards
ચરણ - feet/legs
અવપાતમ્ - lowering; dropping; prostrating (forming અધશ્ચરણાવપાતં)
ભૂમૌ - on the ground
નિપત્ય - having fallen
વદન - face; mouth
ઉદર - belly
દર્શનમ્ - showing; displaying
ચ - and
શ્વા - dog
પિંડ - lump; morsel (as in alms/food)
દઃ - giving (forming પિંડદ - "giver of a morsel")
તસ્ય - for/to him; of him (in verse as પિંડદસ્ય - "for the morsel-giver")
કુરુતે - does; performs
ગજ - elephant
પુંગવઃ - chief/bull; excellent one ("elephant-bull" as a metaphor for a great person; in verse as ગજપુંગવસ્તુ = ગજપુંગવઃ + તુ)
તુ - but
ધીરં - steady; bold; composed
વિલોકયતિ - looks; gazes
ચાટુ - flattery; coaxing praise
શતૈઃ - by hundreds (instrumental plural of શત)
ચ - and
ભુંક્તે - eats; enjoys; partakes

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
For a morsel-giver a dog performs tail-wagging, lowering of the legs, falling to the ground, and showing its face and belly; but an "elephant-bull" (a great person) stares steadily and then partakes through hundreds of flatteries.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is satire on dependence and flattery. The dog begs visibly through body language; the "great man" begs more subtly through ચાટુ (flattering speech) - but the motive is the same: food and favor. In modern life this appears as sycophancy in workplaces and politics: exaggerated praise to get access, opportunities, or protection. ભર્તૃહરિ is nudging us toward self-respect: earn what you can by skill, ask plainly when you must, and avoid turning your dignity into a performance. A good test is simple - if you would feel ashamed reading your own words aloud tomorrow, you are probably selling yourself too cheaply today.

પરિવર્તિનિ સંસારે
મૃતઃ કો વા ન જાયતે ।
સ જાતો યેન જાતેન
યાતિ વંશઃ સમુન્નતિમ્ ॥ 1.32 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પરિવર્તિનિ - in the ever-turning; in the changing (locative)
સંસારે - in worldly life; in the cycle of birth and death
મૃતઃ - having died; dead
કઃ - who
વા - indeed; or
ન - not
જાયતે - is born
સઃ - he
જાતઃ - born
યેન - by whom
જાતેન - by whose birth (instrumental of જાત)
યાતિ - goes; attains
વંશઃ - family line; lineage
સમુન્નતિં - upliftment; rise; prosperity

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
In this ever-turning સંસાર, who is there that is not born again after death? Truly born is that person by whose birth the lineage rises to greater upliftment.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ distinguishes biological birth from meaningful birth. Everyone is "born" in the ordinary sense, but a life becomes significant when it raises the standard of the family - through character, responsibility, and contribution. In modern life, this can mean breaking harmful cycles (addiction, anger, debt), becoming the first to educate yourself, caring for parents with steadiness, or creating a culture of honesty and kindness at home. The verse is also a gentle reminder that legacy is not only about wealth; it is about સંસ્કાર (refining impressions) passed to the next generation. When your presence makes your family more mature and more compassionate, the lineage has truly "risen".

કુસુમસ્તવકસ્યેવ
દ્વયી વૃત્તિર્મનસ્વિનઃ ।
મૂર્ધ્નિ વા સર્વલોકસ્ય
શીર્યતે વન એવ વા ॥ 1.33 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
કુસુમ - flower
સ્તવકઃ - cluster; bunch
ઇવ - like
દ્વયી - twofold; having two ways
વૃત્તિઃ - conduct; course; mode of being
મનસ્વિનઃ - of the high-minded; of the spirited person (મનસ્વિન્)
મૂર્ધ્નિ - on the head (locative of મૂર્ધન્)
વા - either; or
સર્વલોકસ્ય - of the whole world
શીર્યતે - withers; decays; falls apart
વને - in the forest
એવ - indeed; only
વા - or

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Like a bunch of flowers, the course of a high-minded person is twofold: either they are placed on the head of the world, or they wither away in the forest.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse points to a pattern in exceptional lives: they often do not settle for "average." A મનસ્વિન્ (high-minded person) either rises to visible influence where many recognize their worth, or they withdraw to solitude and remain uncelebrated - like flowers that either become a garland on someone's head or wither unseen in the woods. In modern life, this can look like an innovator who either finds the right platform and scales impact, or chooses a quiet path of integrity without playing status games. The practical takeaway is not to chase fame, but to choose your environment wisely: a good setting can "place you on the head" by giving your talents the right soil; a poor setting can make the same talent fade unnoticed.

સંત્યન્યેઽપિ બૃહસ્પતિપ્રભૃતયઃ સંભાવિતાઃ પંચષાસ્
તાન્પ્રત્યેષ વિશેષવિક્રમરુચી રાહુર્ન વૈરાયતે ।
દ્વાવેવ ગ્રસતે દિવાકરનિશાપ્રાણેશ્વરૌ ભાસ્કરૌ
ભ્રાતઃ પર્વણિ પશ્ય દાનવપતિઃ શીર્ષાવશેષાકૃતિઃ ॥ 1.34 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સંતિ - there are
અન્યે - others
અપિ - also (in verse as અન્યેઽપિ)
બૃહસ્પતિ - BRIhaspati (Jupiter; the teacher of the gods)
પ્રભૃતયઃ - beginning with; such as; and the rest
સંભાવિતાઃ - honored; esteemed
પંચ - five
ષટ્ - six (forming પંચષાસ્)
તાન્ - them
પ્રતિ - toward
એશઃ - this
વિશેષ - special; extraordinary
વિક્રમ - prowess; power
રુચિઃ - inclination; taste (forming વિશેષવિક્રમરુચી)
રાહુઃ - Rahu
ન - not
વૈરાયતે - bears enmity; is hostile
દ્વૌ - two
એવ - only
ગ્રસતે - swallows
દિવાકર - maker of day; the sun
નિશા - night
પ્રાણેશ્વરૌ - the lords of life (dvandva used here for sun and moon; in verse as નિશાપ્રાણેશ્વરૌ)
ભાસ્કરૌ - the two luminaries (dual of ભાસ્કર)
ભ્રાતઃ - O brother!
પર્વણિ - on the eclipse day; at the (eclipse) occasion
પશ્ય - see!
દાનવપતિઃ - lord of the demons
શીર્ષ - head
અવશેષ - remaining; only remainder
આકૃતિઃ - form; shape (forming શીર્ષાવશેષાકૃતિઃ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
There are other honored ones too - five or six such as BRIhaspati - but this Rahu, with a special appetite for prowess, does not show hostility toward them. He swallows only the two luminaries, the sun and the moon, the lords of day and night. Brother, look on the eclipse day: the demon-chief is a form that is nothing but a head.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse has two layers. First, it explains a mythic fact: રાહુ is a "head-only" being, seen at પર્વ (eclipse), and he targets the sun and moon. Second, it points to a social reality: jealousy and rivalry often go toward the brightest. Average achievements do not attract intense opposition, but excellence does - it becomes a visible target. In modern life, if you do important work, expect scrutiny, criticism, and sometimes unfair attacks; do not take that as proof you are wrong, but as proof you are visible. The practical response is to keep your work and conduct clean so that even when "Rahu" bites, only the shadow falls, not your integrity.

વહતિ ભુવનશ્રેણિં શેષઃ ફણાફલકસ્થિતાં
કમઠપતિના મધ્યેપૃષ્ઠં સદા સ ચ ધાર્યતે ।
તં અપિ કુરુતે ક્રોડાધીનં પયોધિરનાદરાદ્
અહહ મહતાં નિઃસીમાનશ્ચરિત્રવિભૂતયઃ ॥ 1.35 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
વહતિ - carries; bears
ભુવન - worlds; the cosmos
શ્રેણિમ્ - a series/row (forming ભુવનશ્રેણિં)
શેષઃ - શેષ (the cosmic serpent)
ફણા - hood (of a serpent)
ફલક - plate; surface (forming ફણાફલક)
સ્થિતામ્ - placed; resting (i.e., "resting on the hood-plates")
કમઠ - tortoise
પતિ - lord (forming કમઠપતિ - કૂર્મ)
મધ્યે - in the middle
પૃષ્ઠમ્ - back (in verse as મધ્યેપૃષ્ઠં = મધ્યે + પૃષ્ઠમ્)
સદા - always
સઃ - he
ચ - and
ધાર્યતે - is supported; is borne
તં - him (the tortoise)
અપિ - even
કુરુતે - makes
ક્રોડ - lap; bosom
અધીનમ્ - dependent; subject to (forming ક્રોડાધીનં)
પયોધિઃ - ocean
અનાદરાત્ - out of indifference; without effort; as if casually
અહહ - alas! (exclamation of wonder)
મહતાં - of the great
નિઃસીમાનાઃ - limitless; boundless (in verse as નિઃસીમાનશ્)
ચરિત્ર - deeds; exploits; conduct
વિભૂતયઃ - glories; manifestations; powers

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
શેષ bears the series of worlds resting on the plates of his hoods; and he is always supported on his back by the lord of tortoises. Even that tortoise the ocean, as if casually, makes dependent on its lap. Alas - boundless are the wondrous powers of the great.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The imagery is cosmic, but the lesson is practical: even the mighty are held within a chain of support. શેષ supports worlds, yet is supported; the tortoise supports, yet is "held" by the ocean. In modern life, we forget this interdependence and start believing we are self-made; but your strength depends on unseen foundations - family effort, teachers, infrastructure, team members, and even nature itself. The verse gently dissolves arrogance: greatness does not mean "I need nobody"; it means you carry your responsibility well while acknowledging the supports that carry you. That awareness naturally produces વિનય (humility) and gratitude, which are also forms of strength.

વરં પક્ષચ્છેદઃ સમદમઘવન્મુક્તકુલિશપ્રહારૈર્
ઉદ્ગચ્છદ્બહુલદહનોદ્ગારગુરુભિઃ ।
તુષારાદ્રેઃ સૂનોરહહ પિતરિ ક્લેશવિવશે
ન ચાસૌ સંપાતઃ પયસિ પયસાં પત્યુરુચિતઃ ॥ 1.36 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
વરં - better; preferable
પક્ષ - wing
ચ્છેદઃ - cutting; severing (forming પક્ષચ્છેદઃ)
સમદ - proud; intoxicated; swollen with power
મઘવન્ - Indra (in verse as મઘવન્)
મુક્ત - released; hurled
કુલિશ - thunderbolt
પ્રહારૈઃ - with strikes/blows (forming મઘવન્મુક્તકુલિશપ્રહારૈઃ)
ઉદ્ગચ્છત્ - rising up; flashing forth
બહુલ - abundant; intense
દહન - fire
ઉદ્ગાર - outburst; emission
ગુરુભિઃ - heavy; powerful; intense (forming ઉદ્ગચ્છદ્બહુલદહનોદ્ગારગુરુભિઃ)
તુષારાદ્રેઃ - of the snowy mountain (Himalaya)
સૂનોઃ - of the son (genitive of સૂનુ)
અહહ - alas! (exclamation)
પિતરિ - when the father (locative of પિતૃ)
ક્લેશ - distress; suffering
વિવશે - overwhelmed; powerless (forming ક્લેશવિવશે)
ન - not
ચ - and
અસૌ - that
સંપાતઃ - plunge; leap; fall
પયસિ - into water; into the ocean (locative of પયઃ)
પયસાં - of waters
પત્યુઃ - of the lord (forming પયસાં પત્યુઃ - "lord of waters", the ocean)
ઉચિતઃ - proper; fitting

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Better the cutting off of wings by the thunderbolt-strikes hurled by proud Indra, fierce with blazing fire - for the son of the snowy mountain, alas, when his father was overwhelmed by distress. That plunge into the ocean was not fitting for the lord of waters.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse praises courage and responsibility over escape. પક્ષચ્છેદ (wing-cutting) is painful, but it is an open encounter; સંપાત (a plunge into hiding/refuge) can look like survival, yet it may also be a flight from duty when elders or foundations are in crisis. In modern life, this appears when someone abandons a hard situation - family responsibility, a failing project, or a commitment - not because it is impossible, but because it is uncomfortable. The verse suggests a higher standard: face the storm honestly, accept loss if needed, but do not save your comfort at the cost of abandoning what you owe. That steadiness is also a form of ધૈર્ય (courage), without which neither worldly success nor inner growth becomes stable.

સિંહઃ શિશુરપિ નિપતતિ
મદમલિનકપોલભિત્તિષુ ગજેષુ ।
પ્રકૃતિરિયં સત્ત્વવતાં
ન ખલુ વયસ્તેજસો હેતુઃ ॥ 1.37 ॥

છંદઃ (આર્યા): This is in આર્યા Chandas/Meter: a માત્રા-ચંદસ્ counted by માત્રાઃ (1 for લઘુ, 2 for ગુરુ) rather than a fixed syllable count; the usual scheme is 12+18 માત્રાઃ in the first half (30 total) and 12+15 માત્રાઃ in the second half (27 total), often written as four lines; a natural યતિ (pause) occurs at the 12-માત્રા split within each half.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સિંહઃ - lion
શિશુઃ - child; cub
અપિ - even
નિપતતિ - leaps upon; pounces
મદ - rut; intoxication (as of an elephant)
મલિન - stained; dirty
કપોલ - cheek/temple (of an elephant)
બિત્તિષુ - on the walls/sides/surfaces (forming કપોલભિત્તિષુ - "on the broad cheek-sides")
ગજેષુ - on elephants (locative plural of ગજ)
પ્રકૃતિઃ - nature; innate disposition
ઇયમ્ - this
સત્ત્વવતાં - of those who have સત્ત્વ (inner strength; courage; steadiness)
ન ખલુ - not indeed
વયઃ - age
તેજસહ્ - of vigor; of brilliance; of valor
હેતુઃ - cause

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Even a lion, though still a cub, pounces on elephants whose cheek-sides are stained with rut. Such is the nature of the courageous; age is not the true cause of valor.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse breaks a common assumption: that strength is primarily a function of age. તેજસ્ (vigor/valor) arises from inner સત્ત્વ (steadiness and courage), which can appear early when the mind is clear and focused. In modern life, you see this in young people who take responsibility quickly - a student who speaks truth in a difficult room, a young engineer who tackles a hard problem without hiding, or a new leader who refuses unethical shortcuts. The verse is also a reminder to elders: do not dismiss someone just because they are new or young; look for their પ્રકૃતિ (nature) and train it well. When courage is guided by wisdom, it becomes a lifelong asset.

જાતિર્યાતુ રસાતલં ગુણગણૈસ્તત્રાપ્યધો ગમ્યતાં
શીલં શૈલતટાત્પતત્વભિજનઃ સંદહ્યતાં વહ્નિના ।
શૌર્યે વૈરિણિ વજ્રં આશુ નિપતત્વર્થોઽસ્તુ નઃ કેવલં
યેનૈકેન વિના ગુણસ્તૃણલવપ્રાયાઃ સમસ્તા ઇમે ॥ 1.38 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
જાતિઃ - birth; lineage; caste
યાતુ - let it go
રસાતલં - to the netherworld
ગુણ - virtues; qualities
ગણૈઃ - with groups/multitudes (forming ગુણગણૈઃ)
તત્ર - there
અપિ - also (forming તત્રાપ્ય્ = તત્ર + અપિ)
અધઃ - downward; below
ગમ્યતાં - let it be gone; let it proceed
શીલં - character; good conduct
શૈલ - mountain
તટાત્ - from a cliff/precipice
પતત્વ - falling; after falling (as in શૈલતટાત્પતત્વ...)
ભ્હિજનઃ - breaking; shattering (as in ...પતત્વભિજનઃ)
સંદહ્યતાં - let it be burned
વહ્નિના - by fire
શૌર્યે - in valor; in heroism
વૈરિણિ - on the enemy
વજ્રં - thunderbolt
આશુ - quickly
નિપતત્ - falling (imperative sense: "let it fall")
અર્થઃ - wealth; money; means
અસ્તુ - let it be
નઃ - for us; ours
કેવલં - only
યેન - by which
એન - this (forming યેનૈકેન = યેન + એકેન)
એકેન - by the one (instrumental singular of એક)
વિના - without
ગુણાઃ - qualities/virtues
તૃણ - grass; straw
લવ - a small piece/fragment (forming તૃણલવ)
પ્રાયાઃ - almost like; comparable to (forming તૃણલવપ્રાયાઃ)
સમસ્તાઃ - all
ઇમે - these

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Let birth and lineage go to the netherworld; let all virtues go even lower there; let character fall from a mountain cliff, shatter, and be burned by fire; let a thunderbolt quickly strike the enemy in the matter of valor - let our one and only aim be wealth, because without that one thing all these "qualities" are as good as a blade of grass.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is intentionally shocking and is best read as biting social commentary. It exposes a harsh truth: when society worships અર્થ (wealth) above everything, then જાતિ, ગુણ, and શીલ are treated as worthless unless backed by money. In modern life, this appears when a person's respect changes overnight after a promotion or job loss, or when ethics are praised in speech but ignored in hiring and rewards. The verse does not have to be your value system; it is a mirror. The mature response is to acknowledge that money affects practical power, while refusing to let it become your only measure: build competence and financial stability, but keep શીલ (character) as the foundation so that success does not cost your soul.

ધનં અર્જય કાકુત્સ્થ
ધનમૂલં ઇદં જગત્ ।
અંતરં નાભિજાનામિ
નિર્ધનસ્ય મૃતસ્ય ચ ॥ 1.39 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ધનં - wealth; means
અર્જય - earn; acquire
કાકુત્સ્થ - descendant of Kakutstha; (address to) Rama
ધનમૂલં - having wealth as the root; based on wealth
ઇદં - this
જગત્ - world
અંતરં - difference; distinction
ન - not
અભિજાનામિ - I know; I recognize (in verse as નાભિજાનામિ = ન + અભિજાનામિ)
નિર્ધનસ્ય - of the poor; of one without wealth
મૃતસ્ય - of the dead
ચ - and

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Earn wealth, O કાકુત્સ્થ; this world is rooted in wealth. I see no difference between one who is poor and one who is dead.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse states an uncomfortable worldly reality: without resources, a person is often treated as invisible. ભર્તૃહરિ is not asking you to worship money; he is warning you not to ignore the practical role of અર્થ (means). In modern life, financial stability buys time, health choices, education, and the ability to serve others without desperation; lacking it can trap a person in constant crisis where even good intentions cannot act. The balanced takeaway is: earn ethically, budget wisely, and avoid avoidable dependence - and at the same time, remember that human worth is not money. When you can hold both truths, you protect yourself from poverty without becoming a slave of greed.

તાનીંદ્રિયાણ્યવિકલાનિ તદેવ નામ
સા બુદ્ધિરપ્રતિહતા વચનં તદેવ ।
અર્થોષ્મણા વિરહિતઃ પુરુષઃ ક્ષણેન
સોઽપ્યન્ય એવ ભવતીતિ વિચિત્રં એતથ્ ॥ 1.40 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
તાનિ - those; the same
ઇંદ્રિયાણિ - senses; faculties
અવિકલાનિ - unimpaired; intact
તત્ - that; the same
એવ - indeed; only
નામ - name
સા - that; the same
બુદ્ધિઃ - intelligence; understanding
અપ્રતિહતા - unobstructed; not struck down
વચનં - speech; words
તત્ - that; the same
એવ - indeed
અર્થ - wealth; means
ઉષ્મણા - warmth; heat (instrumental of ઉષ્મન્; forming અર્થોષ્મણા)
વિરહિતઃ - devoid of; separated from
પુરુષઃ - person
ક્ષણેન - in a moment
સઃ - he
અપિ - even (forming સોઽપ્ય્ = સઃ + અપિ)
અન્યઃ - another; different
એવ - indeed
ભવતિ - becomes
ઇતિ - thus
વિચિત્રં - strange; astonishing
એતત્ - this

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The senses are the same and unimpaired; the name is the same; the intelligence is the same and unobstructed; the speech is the same. Yet, in a moment, a person deprived of the "warmth" of wealth becomes as if another - how strange this is!

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse observes how quickly social perception changes with financial status. Nothing essential about the person has changed - ઇંદ્રિયા (faculties), બુદ્ધિ (intellect), and વચન (speech) remain - but without અર્થ the person is treated as "other." In modern life, you see this after a job loss or business failure: the same individual is suddenly ignored, dismissed, or avoided. The verse is a reminder in two directions: first, build resilience so your life is not at the mercy of one external factor; second, do not become the crowd that worships money. અદ્વૈત goes even deeper: behind all changing roles is the same આત્મા - when you remember that, you can respect a person for their being, not for their bank balance.

યસ્યાસ્તિ વિત્તં સ નરઃ કુલીનઃ
સ પંડિતઃ સ શ્રુતવાન્ગુણજ્ઞઃ ।
સ એવ વક્તા સ ચ દર્શનીયઃ
સર્વે ગુણાઃ કાંચનં આશ્રયંતિ ॥ 1.41 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
યસ્ય - whose
અસ્તિ - exists; is
વિત્તં - wealth; property; means
સઃ - that
નરઃ - man; person
કુલીનઃ - of good family; noble-born (as judged by society)
સઃ - he
પંડિતઃ - learned; wise
સઃ - he
શ્રુતવાન્ - learned; well-heard (one who has studied)
ગુણ - qualities; virtues
જ્ઞઃ - knower (forming ગુણજ્ઞઃ)
સઃ - he
એવ - indeed
વક્તા - speaker; (good) orator
સઃ - he
ચ - and
દર્શનીયઃ - worthy of being seen; attractive; respectable
સર્વે - all
ગુણાઃ - qualities; virtues
કાંચનં - gold; wealth
આશ્રયંતિ - take refuge in; depend upon; reside in

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
He who has wealth is considered noble; he is considered learned and wise; he is considered educated and a knower of virtues; he alone is considered an orator and even worthy of regard. All "qualities", it seems, take refuge in gold.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse continues the theme of how society warps its judgments around money. It does not say that wealth truly creates ગુણ (virtue); it says that people often attribute every virtue to the wealthy, even when nothing else has changed. In modern life you can notice this bias in how quickly someone is called "brilliant" after success, and how quickly the same person is dismissed after failure. The practical takeaway is twofold: build financial stability so you are not unnecessarily vulnerable, and also train yourself not to confuse wealth with worth. Respect competence and character directly, not the shine of કાંચનં.

દૌર્મંત્ર્યાન્નૃપતિર્વિનશ્યતિ યતિઃ સંગાત્સુતો લાલનાત્
વિપ્રોઽનધ્યયનાત્કુલં કુતનયાચ્છીલં ખલોપાસનાત્ ।
હ્રીર્મદ્યાદનવેક્ષણાદપિ કૃષિઃ સ્નેહઃ પ્રવાસાશ્રયાન્
મૈત્રી ચાપ્રણયાત્સમૃદ્ધિરનયાત્ત્યાગપ્રમાદાદ્ધનમ્ ॥ 1.42 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
દુર્ - bad; harmful
મંત્ર્યાત્ - from counsel/advice (ablative of મંત્ર in the sense of "counsel"; forming દૌર્મંત્ર્યાત્)
નૃપતિઃ - king; ruler
વિનશ્યતિ - perishes; is ruined
યતિઃ - ascetic; one who restrains
સંગાત્ - from association/company (સંગ)
સુતઃ - son
લાલનાત્ - from pampering; indulgent fondling
વિપ્રઃ - Brahmin (as a representative of a student of શાસ્ત્ર)
અનધ્યયનાત્ - from not studying (ablative of અન્-અધ્યયન)
કુલં - family; lineage
કુતનયાત્ - from a bad son (કુ + તનય)
શીલં - character; conduct
ખલોપાસનાત્ - from serving/associating with the wicked (ખલ + ઉપાસન)
હ્રીઃ - modesty; sense of propriety
મદ્યાત્ - from liquor/intoxication (મદ્ય)
અનવેક્ષણાત્ - from lack of supervision; from neglect
અપિ - even
કૃષિઃ - agriculture; cultivation
સ્નેહઃ - affection; love
પ્રવાસ - living away; separation; travel
આશ્રયાત્ - from taking refuge in; from dwelling in (forming પ્રવાસાશ્રયાત્)
મૈત્રી - friendship
ચ - and
અપ્રણયાત્ - from lack of warmth/affection (પ્રણય)
સમૃદ્ધિઃ - prosperity; flourishing
અનયાત્ - from bad policy; from mismanagement (અ-નય)
ત્યાગ - giving; charity
પ્રમાદાત્ - from careless excess/neglect; from heedlessness
ધનં - wealth

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
A king is ruined by bad counsel; an ascetic by wrong company; a son by pampering. A Brahmin by not studying; a family by a bad son; character by serving the wicked. Modesty by liquor; even agriculture by neglect; affection by living away. Friendship by lack of warmth; prosperity by bad governance; and wealth by careless giving.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is a diagnostic verse: it pairs a role with the most common cause of its downfall. The pattern is simple - greatness is not usually destroyed by one dramatic event, but by a small, repeated weakness: a leader who listens to poor advisors, a seeker who keeps the wrong company, a child raised without boundaries, a student who stops learning, a family that tolerates a destructive member, or a person who normalizes ખલોપાસન (serving/appeasing the wicked). In modern life, the "anavEkShaNa" example is striking: even a good system fails without maintenance. The verse encourages preventive discipline: choose counsel carefully, set boundaries early, keep learning, supervise what you own, and protect relationships with presence and warmth. Many avoidable collapses are simply the result of ignoring these basics.

દાનં ભોગો નાશસ્તિસ્રો
ગતયો ભવંતિ વિત્તસ્ય ।
યો ન દદાતિ ન ભુંક્તે
તસ્ય તૃતીયા ગતિર્ભવતિ ॥ 1.43 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
દાનં - giving; charity
ભોગઃ - enjoyment; use
નાશઃ - loss; destruction
તિસ્રઃ - three
ગતયઃ - courses; fates; outcomes
ભવંતિ - become; are
વિત્તસ્ય - of wealth
યઃ - he who
ન - not
દદાતિ - gives
ન - not
ભુંક્તે - enjoys; uses
તસ્ય - for him; of him
તૃતીયા - the third
ગતિઃ - fate; outcome
ભવતિ - becomes

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Wealth has three possible outcomes: giving, enjoyment, and destruction. For the one who neither gives nor enjoys, the third fate - loss - inevitably becomes his.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is practical economics wrapped as ethics. If you have resources, you can either share them (દાન), use them wisely (ભોગ as "appropriate enjoyment"), or lose them (નાશ) through time, neglect, inflation, disputes, or sudden events. Hoarding without purpose is not safety; it is simply postponing the third outcome. In modern life, this encourages intentionality: budget for giving, budget for necessary and uplifting enjoyment, and invest rather than letting money rot. From a spiritual angle, દાન reduces લોભ (greed) and loosens attachment, which supports inner freedom; but even on a purely worldly level, it is wiser to direct wealth than to be dragged by its decay.

મણિઃ શાણોલ્લીઢઃ સમરવિજયી હેતિદલિતો
મદક્ષીણો નાગઃ શરદિ સરિતઃ શ્યાનપુલિનાઃ ।
કલાશેષશ્ચંદ્રઃ સુરતમૃદિતા બાલવનિતા
તન્નિમ્ના શોભંતે ગલિતવિભવાશ્ચાર્થિષુ નરાઃ ॥ 1.44 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
મણિઃ - gem; jewel
શાણા - whetstone; polishing stone
ઉલ્લીઢઃ - rubbed; polished; scraped (forming શાણોલ્લીઢઃ = શાણા + ઉલ્લીઢઃ)
સમર - battle
વિજયી - victorious (forming સમરવિજયી)
હેતિ - weapon
દલિતઃ - split; crushed; wounded (forming હેતિદલિતો)
મદ - rut; intoxication (of an elephant)
ક્ષીણઃ - diminished; dried up; exhausted (forming મદક્ષીણો)
નાગઃ - elephant
શરદિ - in autumn (શરદ્)
સરિતઃ - rivers
શ્યાન - dried/settled; calm; with exposed banks (in verse as શ્યાનપુલિનાઃ)
પુલિનાઃ - sandbanks/shores
કલા - digit; phase (as of the moon)
શેષઃ - remaining; remainder (forming કલાશેષશ્ચંદ્રઃ)
ચંદ્રઃ - moon
સુરત - lovemaking; intimacy
મૃદિતા - softened; made tender; moved to tears
બાલ - young
વનિતા - woman (forming સુરતમૃદિતા બાલવનિતા)
તત્ - that; in that state
નિમ્નાઃ - lowered; humbled; diminished
શોભંતે - shine; are beautiful
ગલિત - fallen away; slipped off; lost
વિભવાઃ - wealth; power (forming ગલિતવિભવાઃ)
ચ - and; also
અર્થિષુ - among supplicants; in the state of seeking/begging (અર્થિન્)
નરાઃ - people; men

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
A gem shines when polished on a whetstone; a warrior shines even when wounded after victory in battle; an elephant shines when the rut has dried up; rivers shine in autumn with exposed sandbanks; the moon shines when only a sliver of its phase remains; and a young woman shines when softened after intimacy. Likewise, people whose wealth has slipped away also shine when they become humble seekers.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The common thread is "beauty after reduction." Polishing removes roughness; battle and loss remove complacency; autumn reveals the shape of the river; the waning moon reveals delicacy; and tenderness after intimacy reveals softness. ભર્તૃહરિ applies this to people: when વિભવ (wealth/power) falls away, the swagger often dissolves and a more human humility appears - and that can be genuinely attractive. In modern life, setbacks sometimes make a person easier to relate to: they listen more, speak less harshly, and value relationships over status. The higher application is to choose that humility without needing the fall: let "polishing" happen through self-reflection and good company, not only through loss.

પરિક્ષીણઃ કશ્ચિત્સ્પૃહયતિ યવાનાં પ્રસૃતયે
સ પશ્ચાત્સંપૂર્ણઃ કલયતિ ધરિત્રીં તૃણસમામ્ ।
અતશ્ચાનૈકાંત્યાદ્ગુરુલઘુતયાઽર્થેષુ ધનિનામ્
અવસ્થા વસ્તૂનિ પ્રથયતિ ચ સંકોચયતિ ચ ॥ 1.45 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પરિક્ષીણઃ - completely exhausted; impoverished; reduced
કશ્ચિત્ - someone
સ્પૃહયતિ - longs for; desires
યવાનાં - of barley
પ્રસૃતયે - for a handful (a measure: "prasRuti")
સઃ - he
પશ્ચાત્ - later
સંપૂર્ણઃ - full; satisfied; complete
કલયતિ - considers; regards
ધરિત્રીં - the earth
તૃણસમાં - as equal to grass; as mere straw
અતઃ - therefore
ચ - and
અનૈકાંત્યાત્ - from non-absoluteness; from the lack of a fixed one-sided measure (ન + એકાંત)
ગુરુ - heavy; great
લઘુતયા - by lightness/smallness; by being "great or small" (forming ગુરુલઘુતયા)
અર્થેષુ - in objects/wealth; in "things" (અર્થ here as means/possessions)
ધનિનામ્ - of the wealthy
અવસ્થા - condition; state
વસ્તૂનિ - things; objects
પ્રથયતિ - expands; magnifies; makes appear large
ચ - and
સંકોચયતિ - contracts; diminishes; makes appear small
ચ - and

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Someone utterly impoverished longs for a mere handful of barley; later, once full and satisfied, he regards even the whole earth as no more than straw. Therefore, because there is no fixed measure in these matters, the condition of the wealthy makes things appear great or small - it expands them and it also shrinks them.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is about relativity of perception. Hunger makes a handful of barley look like treasure; satiety makes even the world look small. અનૈકાંત્ય means "no single fixed standpoint": value changes with state of mind and circumstance. In modern life this is why people experience lifestyle inflation - yesterday's luxury becomes today's baseline - and why desires keep shifting rather than ending. The practical application is to watch the moving target: before chasing "more", ask whether the craving is about real need or about inner emptiness. When you cultivate contentment and clarity, you stop letting circumstances decide what feels "big" or "small", and you choose deliberately.

રાજંદુધુક્ષસિ યદિ ક્ષિતિધેનું એતાં
તેનાદ્ય વત્સં ઇવ લોકં અમું પુષાણ
તસ્મિંશ્ચ સમ્યગનિશં પરિપોષ્યમાણે
નાનાફલૈઃ ફલતિ કલ્પલતેવ ભૂમિઃ ॥ 1.46 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
રાજન્ - O king!
દુહુક્ષસિ - you wish to milk (desiderative/intent sense from દુહ્)
યદિ - if
ક્ષિતિ - earth
ધેનુમ્ - cow (accusative of ધેનુ), forming ક્ષિતિધેનું ("earth-cow")
એતાં - this
તેન - therefore; by that
અદ્ય - today; now
વત્સં - calf
ઇવ - like
લોકં - the people; the world
અમું - this
પુષાણ - nourish! (imperative of પુષ્)
તસ્મિન્ - in that; when that (in verse as તસ્મિંશ્ચ = તસ્મિન્ + ચ)
ચ - and
સમ્યક્ - properly; well
અનિશં - continually; without break
પરિપોષ્યમાણે - being well-nourished; being properly cared for
નાના - many kinds
ફલૈઃ - with fruits/results (instrumental plural of ફલ)
ફલતિ - bears fruit; yields
કલ્પલતા - wish-fulfilling creeper
ઇવ - like
ભૂમિઃ - earth

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
O king, if you wish to milk this earth-cow, then nourish this people-world as you would a calf. When it is properly and continually cared for, the earth yields many fruits like a wish-fulfilling creeper.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is a classic teaching on leadership: you cannot extract sustainably without first investing. The metaphor is simple: if the ruler wants revenue and prosperity, the "calf" - the people - must be nourished through protection, fairness, and opportunity. In modern life, the same principle applies to managers and institutions: you cannot demand output while starving the inputs (time, training, psychological safety, and decent compensation). When people are cared for, they naturally create value; the system becomes a કલ્પલતા (wish-fulfilling creeper) not by magic, but by good conditions. The verse is a reminder that real prosperity is grown, not squeezed.

સત્યાનૃતા ચ પરુષા પ્રિયવાદિની ચ
હિંસ્રા દયાલુરપિ ચાર્થપરા વદાન્યા ।
નિત્યવ્યયા પ્રચુરનિત્યધનાગમા ચ
વારાંગનેવ નૃપનીતિરનેકરૂપા ॥ 1.47 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સત્ય - true
અનૃતા - untrue; false (forming સત્યાનૃતા - both truth and falsehood)
ચ - and
પરુષા - harsh; rough
પ્રિય - pleasing; dear
વાદિની - speaking (feminine; forming પ્રિયવાદિની - sweet-speaking)
ચ - and
હિંસ્રા - violent; causing harm
દયાલુઃ - compassionate; kind
અપિ - also
ચ - and
અર્થ - wealth; interest; advantage
પરા - devoted to; centered on (forming ચાર્થપરા)
વદાન્યા - generous; giving
નિત્ય - constant; always
વ્યયા - spending; expenditure (forming નિત્યવ્યયા)
પ્રચુર - abundant; much
અનિત્ય - uncertain; not steady
ધન - wealth
આગમા - income; arrival/coming-in (forming પ્રચુરનિત્યધનાગમા)
ચ - and
વારાંગના - courtesan; prostitute
એવ - like; just as
નૃપ - king
નીતિઃ - policy; conduct; statecraft (forming નૃપનીતિઃ)
અનેકરૂપા - of many forms; multifaceted

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The policy of kings is many-formed like a courtesan: it can be truthful and false, harsh and sweet-speaking; violent and yet compassionate; greedy for gain and yet generous; always spending, and yet receiving uncertain income.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a realistic description of political life: statecraft often shifts masks depending on need. By comparing it to a વારાંગના (courtesan), ભર્તૃહરિ implies skillful performance, but also moral ambiguity. In modern life, this helps you avoid naivety: institutions may speak sweetly while protecting interests, and may be kind in one situation and harsh in another. The practical application is to judge by consistent actions, not by temporary words; and if you hold leadership, to remember that flexibility need not mean deceit. Strong governance can be firm without cruelty and strategic without abandoning ધર્મ.

આજ્ઞા કીર્તિઃ પાલનં બ્રાહ્મણાનાં
દાનં ભોગો મિત્રસંરક્ષણં ચ
યેષાં એતે ષડ્ગુણા ન પ્રવૃત્તાઃ
કોઽર્થસ્તેષાં પાર્થિવોપાશ્રયેણ ॥ 1.48 ॥

છંદઃ (શાલિની): This is in શાલિની (ત્રિષ્ટુભ્ class) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 11 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `GGGG GLG GLGG`; યતિ (pause) is after the 4th syllable (and some traditions also observe an additional pause after the 7th).

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
આજ્ઞા - command; authority; the power to give orders
કીર્તિઃ - fame; good reputation
પાલનં - protection; care
બ્રાહ્મણાનાં - of બ્રાહ્મણs (learned and principled people; guardians of શાસ્ત્ર)
દાનં - giving; generosity
ભોગઃ - enjoyment; rightful use of resources
મિત્ર - friend; ally
સંરક્ષણમ્ - protection; safeguarding (forming મિત્રસંરક્ષણં)
ચ - and
યેષાં - for whom; of those in whom
એતે - these
ષડ્ - six
ગુણાઃ - qualities
ન - not
પ્રવૃત્તાઃ - active; practiced; functioning
કઃ - what
અર્થઃ - use; purpose; benefit (in verse as કોઽર્થઃ = કઃ + અર્થઃ)
તેષાં - of/for them
પાર્થિવ - kingly; royal
ઉપાશ્રયેણ - by resorting to; by taking refuge in (forming પાર્થિવોપાશ્રયેણ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Authority, reputation, protection of the learned, generosity, rightful enjoyment, and safeguarding of friends - if these six qualities are not present, what use is kingship (or dependence on such kingship) at all?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse defines leadership in responsibilities rather than in privilege. આજ્ઞા is meaningful only when it creates order; કીર્તિ comes from trust; protecting the learned means protecting values and long-term wisdom; દાન keeps society circulating; ભોગ reminds that resources are meant to be used, not merely hoarded; and મિત્રસંરક્ષણ is loyalty to allies and commitments. In modern life, these map well to good management: clear decisions, credibility, protecting expertise, fair rewards, healthy use of budgets, and standing by your people. Without these, authority becomes empty power, and people eventually stop trusting it.

યદ્ધાત્રા નિજભાલપટ્ટલિખિતં સ્તોકં મહદ્વા ધનં
તત્પ્રાપ્નોતિ મરુસ્થલેઽપિ નિતરાં મેરૌ તતો નાધિકમ્ ।
તદ્ધીરો ભવ વિત્તવત્સુ કૃપણાં વૃત્તિં વૃથા સા કૃથાઃ
કૂપે પશ્ય પયોનિધાવપિ ઘટો ગૃહ્ણાતિ તુલ્યં જલમ્ ॥ 1.49 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
યત્ - what; whatever
ધાત્રા - by the creator; by fate/dispensation (ધાતૃ)
નિજ - one's own
ભાલપટ્ટ - the "forehead-surface" (as a place where fate is said to be written)
લિખિતમ્ - written
સ્તોકમ્ - little
મહત્ - great; much
વા - or
ધનં - wealth
તત્ - that
પ્રાપ્નોતિ - attains; obtains
મરુસ્થલે - even in a desert (locative of મરુસ્થલ)
અપિ - even (forming મરુસ્થલેઽપિ)
નિતરાં - surely; completely
મેરૌ - on Meru (locative of મેરુ)
તતઃ - than that
ન - not
અધિકં - more
તત્ - therefore
ધીરઃ - steady; patient; composed
ભવ - be (imperative)
વિત્તવત્સુ - in matters of wealth; regarding wealth
કૃપણાં - miserly; stingy (accusative feminine of કૃપણ)
વૃત્તિં - conduct; habit
વૃથા - in vain; uselessly
સા - that
કૃથાઃ - you have done (2nd person; in verse as કૃથાઃ)
કૂપે - in a well
પશ્ય - see!
પયોનિધૌ - in the ocean (literally, "treasury of waters")
અપિ - even
ગતઃ - pot; bucket
ગૃહ્ણાતિ - takes; draws
તુલ્યં - equal; the same
જલં - water

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Whatever little or much wealth the dispenser of fate has written on one's own forehead, one obtains it - even in a desert; and even on Meru one does not get more than that. Therefore, be steady about wealth and do not adopt a miserly way of life in vain. Look: whether in a well or even in the ocean, a pot draws only the same measure of water.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse combines fate and restraint. It is saying: within whatever "quota" life brings, excessive anxiety and stinginess do not actually expand the bucket. The pot-and-ocean image is excellent: you can stand before a vast opportunity, but you still draw only what your capacity and preparedness allow. In modern life, this can be read as a warning against both greed and paralysis: work and plan, but do not let fear turn you into a કૃપણ (miser) who cannot enjoy, share, or trust. A calm, generous mind uses resources intelligently; a tight, panicked mind hoards and still feels poor. The verse points toward ધૈર્ય (steadiness) and proportion.

ત્વં એવ ચાતકાધારોઽ
સીતિ કેષાં ન ગોચરઃ ।
કિં અંભોદવરાસ્માકં
કાર્પણ્યોક્તં પ્રતીક્ષસે ॥ 1.50 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ત્વં - you
એવ - alone; indeed
ચાતક - the ચાતક bird (poetically known for waiting only for rain from clouds)
આધારઃ - support; refuge (in verse as આધારોઽ)
અસિ - you are (sandhi in verse: આધારોઽ સીતિ = આધારઃ + અસિ + ઇતિ)
ઇતિ - thus; this (statement)
કેષાં - of whom? / for whom?
ન - not
ગોચરઃ - within reach; within awareness
કિમ્ - why?
અંભોદ - cloud
વર - best; excellent (forming અંભોદવર)
અસ્માકમ્ - of us (in verse as અંભોદવરાસ્માકં = અંભોદવર + અસ્માકમ્)
કાર્પણ્ય - wretchedness; helplessness; petty begging
ઉક્તમ્ - spoken words; utterance (forming કાર્પણ્યોક્તં)
પ્રતીક્ષસે - do you wait for? do you expect?

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
You alone are the refuge of the ચાતક - who does not know this? Then, O best of clouds, why do you wait for our wretched pleading words?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The ચાતક is a symbol of single-pointed dependence: it is said to drink only raindrops from the cloud, not water from the ground. That exclusive trust is both its beauty and its vulnerability. In modern life, the verse can be read in two directions. For the seeker, it suggests focus: if you decide what truly sustains you (values, truth, inner steadiness), do not keep bargaining with lesser sources. For the giver or leader (the "cloud"), it is a reminder not to wait for people to beg: nourish proactively, especially when you already know the need. When help has to be extracted through કાર્પણ્ય (humiliating pleading), something in the relationship is already unhealthy.

રે રે ચાતક સાવધાનમનસા મિત્ર ક્ષણં શ્રૂયતામ્
અંભોદા બહવો વસંતિ ગગને સર્વેઽપિ નૈતાદૃશાઃ ।
કેચિદ્વૃષ્ટિભિરાર્દ્રયંતિ વસુધાં ગર્જંતિ કેચિદ્વૃથા
યં યં પશ્યસિ તસ્ય તસ્ય પુરતો મા બ્રૂહિ દીનં વચઃ ॥ 1.51 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
રે રે - hey! hey! (calling out)
ચાતક - the ચાતક bird
સાવધાન - attentive; alert
મનસા - with the mind (instrumental)
મિત્ર - O friend!
ક્ષણં - for a moment
શ્રૂયતામ્ - let it be heard; please listen (imperative)
અંભોદાઃ - clouds
બહવઃ - many
વસંતિ - dwell; are present
ગગને - in the sky
સર્વે - all
અપિ - even/also (sandhi in verse: સર્વેઽપિ = સર્વે + અપિ)
ન - not
એતાદૃશાઃ - of this kind; like this
કેચિત્ - some
વૃષ્ટિભિઃ - with rain (instrumental plural of વૃષ્ટિ)
આર્દ્રયંતિ - moisten; make wet
વસુધાં - the earth
ગર્જંતિ - roar; thunder
વૃથા - in vain; uselessly
યં યં - whichever; whatever (repeated for emphasis)
પશ્યસિ - you see
તસ્ય તસ્ય - of that one, of that one (repeated for emphasis)
પુરતઃ - in front of; before
મા - do not
બ્રૂહિ - speak; say (imperative)
દીનં - pitiable; lowly
વચઃ - words; speech

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
O ચાતક, listen for a moment with an attentive mind, my friend. There are many clouds in the sky, but not all are like this one. Some truly wet the earth with rain; some merely thunder in vain. So, whichever one you see, do not utter pitiable words before each and every one.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse teaches discernment in seeking help. The ચાતક is famous in poetry for its single-pointed hope in clouds, but ભર્તૃહરિ adds realism: not every cloud gives rain - some only make noise. In daily life, this is the difference between people who deliver and people who perform: a mentor who actually makes time vs. one who only offers slogans; a leader who acts vs. one who only announces; a friend who shows up vs. one who only sympathizes. The practical takeaway is not cynicism, but વિવેક (discernment): choose where you place your vulnerability, do not beg indiscriminately, and do not train your own tongue into દીનતા (self-diminishing speech) in front of those who cannot or will not help.

અકરુણત્વં અકારણવિગ્રહઃ
પરધને પરયોષિતિ ચ સ્પૃહા ।
સુજનબંધુજનેષ્વસહિષ્ણુતા
પ્રકૃતિસિદ્ધં ઇદં હિ દુરાત્મનામ્ ॥ 1.52 ॥

છંદઃ (દ્રુતવિલંબિતમ્): This is in દ્રુતવિલંબિતમ્ Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 12 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `LLLGLLGLLGLG`. No obligatory યતિ (pause) is defined for this meter; pauses follow sense and natural દંડ breaks.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
અકરુણત્વં - lack of compassion; cruelty
અકારણ - without cause; causeless
વિગ્રહઃ - quarrel; hostility (forming અકારણ-વિગ્રહઃ)
પર - others'
ધને - in wealth (locative; "in others' wealth")
પર - others'
યોષિતિ - in a woman (locative; "in another's wife"; યોષિત્ = woman)
ચ - and
સ્પૃહા - longing; covetous desire
સુજન - good people; the noble
બંધુ - kin; relatives
જનેષુ - toward people (locative plural of જન)
અસહિષ્ણુતા - intolerance; inability to bear
પ્રકૃતિ - nature; innate disposition
સિદ્ધમ્ - established; inherent; already-formed
ઇદં - this
હિ - indeed
દુરાત્મનાં - of the evil-minded; of the wicked (genitive plural of દુરાત્મન્)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Cruelty, causeless quarrel, coveting others' wealth and others' women, and intolerance toward good people and even relatives - these are, indeed, innate traits of the wicked.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse is a checklist for character. ભર્તૃહરિ points out that some behaviors are not occasional mistakes but stable patterns: a lack of empathy, conflict without reason, hunger for what belongs to others, and irritation toward the very people who are good or close. In modern life, this helps you set boundaries early: do not excuse repeated cruelty as "honesty", do not normalize constant drama as "just their style", and do not ignore a person's comfort with exploiting others. The practical application is to evaluate people by recurring tendencies, not by isolated charm; and to protect your time, trust, and relationships from those whose પ્રકૃતિ repeatedly moves toward harm.

દુર્જનઃ પરિહર્તવ્યો
વિદ્યયાઽલકૃતોઽપિ સન્ ।
મણિના ભૂષિતઃ સર્પઃ
કિં અસૌ ન ભયંકરઃ ॥ 1.53 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
દુર્જનઃ - a wicked person
પરિહર્તવ્યઃ - should be avoided; should be kept away
વિદ્યયા - by knowledge; by learning (instrumental of વિદ્યા)
અલંકૃતઃ - adorned; decorated (sandhi in verse: વિદ્યયાઽલકૃતોઽપિ = વિદ્યયા + અલંકૃતઃ + અપિ)
અપિ - even
સન્ - even being; though being
મણિના - with a jewel/gem (instrumental)
ભૂષિતઃ - adorned
સર્પઃ - snake
કિમ્ - what? / is it not?
અસૌ - that one; he
ન - not
ભયંકરઃ - frightening; dangerous

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
A wicked person should be avoided even if adorned with learning; is not a snake, even when decorated with a jewel, still dangerous?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse distinguishes "skill" from "goodness." Knowledge can sharpen the capacity to argue, persuade, and strategize - but if the person is દુર્જન (wicked), that sharpness becomes more dangerous, not less. In daily life, you may meet a brilliant colleague who undermines others, a charismatic leader who manipulates, or a well-read person who uses words to wound; the "jewel" of talent does not remove the poison of character. The practical takeaway is to prioritize trustworthiness and empathy over mere intelligence when choosing friends, partners, and leaders - and to keep distance from a "decorated snake" even when it shines.

જાડ્યં હ્રીમતિ ગણ્યતે વ્રતરુચૌ દંભઃ શુચૌ કૈતવં
શૂરે નિર્ઘૃણતા મુનૌ વિમતિતા દૈન્યં પ્રિયાલાપિનિ ।
તેજસ્વિન્યવલિપ્તતા મુખરતા વક્તર્યશક્તિઃ સ્થિરે
તત્કો નામ ગુણો ભવેત્સ ગુણિનાં યો દુર્જનૈર્નાંકિતઃ ॥ 1.54 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
જાડ્યં - dullness; stupidity
હ્રીમતિ - in a modest/shy person (locative of હ્રીમત્)
ગણ્યતે - is counted; is considered
વ્રત - vow; disciplined observance
રુચૌ - in one who delights in vows/discipline (locative of વ્રતરુચિ)
દંભઃ - hypocrisy; pretence
શુચૌ - in a pure person (locative of શુચિ)
કૈતવં - deceit; trickery
શૂરે - in a hero/valiant person (locative of શૂર)
નિર્ઘૃણતા - ruthlessness; lack of pity
મુનૌ - in a sage (locative of મુનિ)
વિમતિતા - wrong thinking; perversity; folly
દૈન્યં - meanness; low-mindedness
પ્રિય - pleasing; dear
આલાપિનિ - in one who speaks pleasantly (locative feminine of પ્રિયાલાપિન્)
તેજસ્વિનિ - in a radiant/powerful person (locative of તેજસ્વિન્)
અવલિપ્તતા - arrogance; conceit
મુખરતા - talkativeness; loquacity
વક્તરિ - in a speaker; in one who speaks (locative of વક્તૃ)
અશક્તિઃ - inability; incapacity (forming વક્તર્યશક્તિઃ = વક્તરિ + અશક્તિઃ)
સ્થિરે - in a steady person (locative of સ્થિર)
તત્ - then; therefore
કઃ - what? who?
નામ - indeed; really (emphatic)
ગુણઃ - virtue; quality
ભવેત્ - could be; would be
સઃ - that
ગુણિનાં - of the virtuous; of good people
યઃ - which
દુર્જનૈઃ - by wicked people (instrumental plural)
ન - not
અંકિતઃ - marked/tainted; labeled (as in નાંકિતઃ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
In a modest person, dullness is counted; in one devoted to vows, hypocrisy; in a pure person, deceit; in a hero, ruthlessness; in a sage, perversity; in one who speaks pleasantly, meanness. In a radiant person, arrogance; in a speaker, talkativeness; in a steady person, inability to speak. Then what virtue of the virtuous is there that is not labeled by the wicked?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse describes the "lens" of a cynical mind. A દુર્જન can twist any virtue into a fault: modesty becomes stupidity, discipline becomes pretence, purity becomes deception, courage becomes cruelty, and steadiness becomes silence. In modern life, this appears as chronic negativity - the person who cannot appreciate anything without adding a sneer, who interprets boundaries as "attitude," and humility as "lack of confidence." The practical takeaway is twofold: first, do not base your self-image on such judgments; second, be careful not to become that person yourself. A mind trained in મત્સર (envy) will always find a way to diminish others; a mind trained in વિવેક (discernment) learns to see the virtue without naive idealization.

લોભશ્ચેદગુણેન કિં પિશુનતા યદ્યસ્તિ કિં પાતકૈઃ
સત્યં ચેત્તપસા ચ કિં શુચિ મનો યદ્યસ્તિ તીર્થેન કિમ્ ।
સૌજન્યં યદિ કિં ગુણૈઃ સુમહિમા યદ્યસ્તિ કિં મંડનૈઃ
સદ્વિદ્યા યદિ કિં ધનૈરપયશો યદ્યસ્તિ કિં મૃત્યુના ॥ 1.55 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
લોભઃ - greed
ચેત્ - if (sandhi in verse as ચેદ્)
અગુણેન - with lack of virtue; by bad qualities (instrumental of અગુણ)
કિમ્ - what (use)? / what then?
પિશુનતા - slander; malicious speech; backbiting
યદિ - if
અસ્તિ - exists; is present
કિમ્ - what (need)?
પાતકૈઃ - with sins (instrumental plural of પાતક)
સત્યં - truthfulness
ચેત્ - if
તપસા - by austerity; by disciplined effort (instrumental)
ચ - and
કિમ્ - what (need)?
શુચિ - pure
મનઃ - mind
યદિ - if
અસ્તિ - exists
તીર્થેન - by pilgrimage/holy place (instrumental of તીર્થ)
કિમ્ - what (need)?
સૌજન્યં - good nature; kindness; nobility
યદિ - if
કિમ્ - what (need)?
ગુણૈઃ - with qualities (instrumental plural)
સુ - very; great
મહિમા - greatness; glory (forming સુમહિમા)
યદિ - if
અસ્તિ - exists
કિમ્ - what (need)?
મંડનૈઃ - with ornaments/adornments (instrumental plural of મંડન)
સત્ - true; good
વિદ્યા - knowledge (forming સદ્વિદ્યા)
યદિ - if
કિમ્ - what (need)?
ધનૈઃ - with wealth (instrumental plural)
અપયશઃ - bad fame; dishonor
યદિ - if
અસ્તિ - exists
કિમ્ - what (need)?
મૃત્યુના - by death (instrumental of મૃત્યુ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
If greed is present, what use are virtues? If slander is present, what need of more sins? If there is truthfulness, what need of austerities? If the mind is pure, what need of pilgrimage? If there is nobility, what need of other qualities? If there is great inherent glory, what need of ornaments? If there is true knowledge, what need of wealth? And if there is dishonor, what need of death?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse contrasts essentials with accessories. Inner corruption like લોભ (greed) cancels the value of outward "virtues"; and inner clarity like સત્યં (truthfulness) and શુચિ મનઃ (a pure mind) makes many external badges unnecessary. In daily life, this is a reminder to optimize for root causes: fix the habit that is poisoning the system, not the decoration around it. If a workplace culture rewards backbiting (પિશુનતા), training programs won't save it; if a person has honesty and goodwill (સૌજન્ય), they do not need constant image-management to be respected. The practical application is to invest in the "inside" first - character, clarity, and right intention - because those quietly make many outer supports redundant.

શશી દિવસધૂસરો ગલિતયૌવના કામિની
સરો વિગતવારિજં મુખં અનક્ષરં સ્વાકૃતેઃ ।
પ્રભુર્ધનપરાયણઃ સતતદુર્ગતઃ સજ્જનો
નૃપાંગણગતઃ ખલો મનસિ સપ્ત શલ્યાનિ મે ॥ 1.56 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
શશી - the moon
દિવસ - daytime
ધૂસરઃ - pale; dust-colored (forming દિવસધૂસરઃ)
ગલિત - fallen away; lost
યૌવના - youth (forming ગલિતયૌવના - one whose youth has gone)
કામિની - a beloved woman; a woman of charm
સરઃ - lake
વિગત - gone; devoid of
વારિજમ્ - lotus (literally, "born of water"; forming વિગતવારિજં)
મુખં - face
અનક્ષરં - without letters; illiterate (literally "without અક્ષર")
સ્વાકૃતેઃ - by one's own making/deeds ("because of one's own doing")
પ્રભુઃ - master; lord
ધન - wealth
પરાયણઃ - wholly devoted to (forming ધનપરાયણઃ)
સતતં - always
દુર્ગતઃ - in misfortune; in distress
સજ્જનઃ - a good person
નૃપ - king
અંગણ - courtyard; assembly; circle (forming નૃપાંગણ)
ગતઃ - gone to; residing in
ખ્હલઃ - wicked person
મનસિ - in the mind
સપ્ત - seven
શલ્યાનિ - thorns; spears; painful pricks
મે - for me; in me

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
A moon that looks pale in daytime, a beloved whose youth has faded, a lake with no lotuses, a face made illiterate by its own doing, a master devoted only to wealth, a good person always in misfortune, and a wicked person seated in the king's circle - these are seven thorns in my mind.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is a verse of "painful sights" - things that feel wrong to the heart because they are reversals of what should be. Some are natural (the moon fades in day), but others reveal avoidable decline: a face becoming અનક્ષર (unlettered) by one's own choices, the powerful worshiping wealth alone, and the ખ્હલ thriving in courts while the સજ્જન struggles. In modern life, this is the discomfort you feel when incentives are misaligned: when unethical people are rewarded, when learning is neglected, or when relationships are reduced to transactions. The practical application is to correct the "system" you can control: keep learning so you do not become "letterless" by neglect, choose leaders and teams that reward integrity, and do not be shocked that the world sometimes misplaces its honors - instead, quietly build a life where goodness and competence still have a home.

ન કશ્ચિચ્ચંડકોપાનામ્
આત્મીયો નામ ભૂભુજામ્ ।
હોતારં અપિ જુહ્વાનં
સ્પૃષ્ટો વહતિ પાવકઃ ॥ 1.57 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ન - not
કશ્ચિત્ - anyone
ચંડ - fierce; violent
કોપાનામ્ - of those of anger; of the wrathful (genitive plural; forming ચંડકોપાનામ્)
આત્મીયઃ - one's own; belonging to oneself
નામ - named; truly (emphatic)
ભૂભુજાં - of kings (genitive plural of ભૂભુજ્)
હોતારં - the priest; the sacrificer (accusative of હોતૃ)
અપિ - even
જુહ્વાનં - offering; performing oblations
સ્પૃષ્ટઃ - touched
વહતિ - carries away; burns; consumes
પાવકઃ - fire

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
For kings given to fierce anger, no one is truly "their own." Even the priest who offers oblations - when touched, fire carries him away (burns him).

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a warning about unstable power. When a ruler is ruled by ચંડ કોપ (violent anger), relationships become unsafe - even loyal service does not guarantee protection. Fire is the metaphor: it accepts offerings, yet it burns the hand that touches it. In modern life, this applies to any volatile authority: a manager who explodes unpredictably, a patron who humiliates people, or a relationship where anger dominates. The practical takeaway is to reduce exposure: keep communication factual, avoid needless proximity, document work, and do not rely on "closeness" as security. Where anger is the operating system, even the well-intentioned get scorched.

મૌનોમૂકઃ પ્રવચનપટુર્બાટુલો જલ્પકો વા
ધૃષ્ટઃ પાર્શ્વે વસતિ ચ સદા દૂરતશ્ચાપ્રગલ્ભઃ ।
ક્ષાંત્યા ભીરુર્યદિ ન સહતે પ્રાયશો નાભિજાતઃ
સેવાધર્મઃ પરમગહનો યોગિનાં અપ્યગમ્યઃ ॥ 1.58 ॥

છંદઃ (મંદાક્રાંતા): This is in મંદાક્રાંતા (સમ-વૃત્ત) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 17 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `GGGG LLLLLG GLGGLGG`; યતિ (pause) is after the 4th and 10th syllables in each પાદ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
મૌનઃ - silent (in verse as મૌનો)
મૂકઃ - dumb; unable to speak (forming મૌનોમૂકઃ - "silent and dumb")
પ્રવચન - speech; discourse
પટુઃ - skilled; adept (forming પ્રવચનપટુઃ)
બાટુલઃ - mad; foolish; nonsensical
જલ્પકઃ - a chatterer
વા - or
ધૃષ્ટઃ - bold; impudent
પાર્શ્વે - at the side; near
વસતિ - stays; resides
ચ - and
સદા - always
દૂરતઃ - from far away
ચ - and (sandhi in verse: દૂરતશ્ચા = દૂરતઃ + ચ)
અપ્રગલ્ભઃ - timid; not bold
ક્ષાંત્યા - by patience/forbearance (instrumental of ક્ષાંતિ)
ભીરુઃ - timid; fearful
યદિ - if
ન - not
સહતે - endures; bears
પ્રાયશઃ - for the most part
ન - not
અભિજાતઃ - well-born; noble
સેવા - service
ધર્મઃ - duty; way of life
પરમ - extremely
ગહનઃ - hard to fathom; difficult
યોગિનાં - of yogis (genitive plural)
અપિ - even
અગમ્યઃ - not easily reachable/understood; difficult to master

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
In service one becomes silent and dumb, or skilled in speech, or a fool, or a chatterer; one stays near with boldness, or stays far with constant timidity. If one endures with patience, one is called fearful; if one does not endure, one is called not well-born. The "duty" of service is extremely hard to navigate - even for yogis it is difficult to master.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ is describing the psychological contortions of serving volatile power. Whatever posture you adopt gets misread: silence is taken as incompetence, clarity as insolence, patience as cowardice, refusal to endure as "bad breeding." In modern life, this is the experience of working under a toxic boss or inside a political environment where signals matter more than truth. The practical takeaway is: do not romanticize such settings. If you must serve, serve with clear limits, document decisions, and protect your mind; and if you can choose, prefer environments where speech, competence, and integrity are not punished. In the મંદાક્રાંતા rhythm (famous from મેઘદૂત), the verse itself feels like a long, weary march - matching the fatigue of navigating such service.

ઉદ્ભાસિતાખિલખલસ્ય વિશૃંખલસ્ય
પ્રાગ્જાતવિસ્તૃતનિજાધમકર્મવૃત્તેઃ ।
દૈવાદવાપ્તવિભવસ્ય ગુણદ્વિષોઽસ્ય
નીચસ્ય ગોચરગતૈઃ સુખં આપ્યતે ॥ 1.59 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ઉદ્ભાસિત - made manifest; displayed openly
અખિલ - all; entire
ખલસ્ય - of the wicked person (genitive of ખલ)
વિશૃંખલસ્ય - unbridled; without restraint (genitive of વિશૃંખ્હલ)
પ્રાક્ - earlier; previously
જાત - born; arisen
વિસ્તૃત - spread; expanded
નિજ - one's own
અધમ - base; low
કર્મ - actions
વૃત્તેઃ - by conduct/habit (instrumental; in verse as કર્મવૃત્તેઃ)
દૈવાત્ - by fate; by destiny
અવાપ્ત - obtained
વિભવસ્ય - of wealth/power (genitive of વિભવ)
ગુણ - virtue; quality
દ્વિષઃ - of the hater (genitive of દ્વિષ્; forming ગુણદ્વિષઃ)
અસ્ય - of this one (sandhi in verse: દ્વિષોઽસ્ય = દ્વિષઃ + અસ્ય)
નીચસ્ય - of the low person
ગોચર - range; sphere; domain
ગતૈઃ - by going/moving (instrumental plural of ગત)
સુખં - happiness; ease
આપ્યતે - is obtained; is attained

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
For the low person - whose wickedness is openly displayed and unrestrained, whose earlier base deeds and habits have already spread far, who has obtained wealth by fate, and who hates virtue - happiness is attained only by moving within the spheres that suit him.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a study in "misplaced success." A person can gain વિભવ (wealth/power) by chance and still remain inwardly crude - and then they seek comfort only among circles that do not challenge that crudeness. In modern life, this is why bad incentives corrode cultures: when a team rewards shortcuts, the ગુણદ્વિષ્ (hater of virtue) feels at home and the conscientious feel alien. The takeaway is not despair but realism: if you want to grow, choose circles that raise your standards; and if you hold responsibility, do not elevate the openly unrestrained. Otherwise, the environment will slowly reshape itself to fit the lowest preferences.

આરંભગુર્વી ક્ષયિણી ક્રમેણ
લઘ્વી પુરા વૃદ્ધિમતી ચ પશ્ચાત્ ।
દિનસ્ય પૂર્વાર્ધપરાર્ધભિન્ના
છાયેવ મૈત્રી ખલસજ્જનાનામ્ ॥ 1.60 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
આરંભ - beginning
ગુર્વી - heavy; intense
ક્ષયિણી - diminishing; waning
ક્રમેણ - gradually; in due course
લઘ્વી - light; slight
પુરા - earlier; at first
વૃદ્ધિમતી - increasing; growing
ચ - and
પશ્ચાત્ - later
દિનસ્ય - of the day
પૂર્વાર્ધ - first half
પરાર્ધ - second half
ભિન્ના - distinguished; separated; differing
છાયા - shadow
એવ - just like
મૈત્રી - friendship
ખ્હલ - wicked people
સજ્જનાનાં - of good people (genitive plural of સજ્જન)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Friendship, like a day's shadow which differs between the first and second halves, is heavy at the beginning and gradually diminishes (with the wicked), but is light at first and grows later (with the good).

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse distinguishes fast friendship from deep friendship. With a ખ્હલ, warmth often arrives quickly (because it is transactional) and fades when the transaction changes; with a સજ્જન, closeness may begin slowly (because it is cautious and principled) and grows as trust is earned. In modern life, this is a helpful filter: do not mistake intense early attention for loyalty, and do not dismiss steady, gradual bonds as lack of care. The practical application is to build relationships like long-term assets: consistent presence, reliability, and honesty over time. Like the shadow's changing length, friendship has seasons - but its direction tells you whether it is rooted in convenience or character.

મૃગમીનસજ્જનાનાં તૃણજલસંતોષવિહિતવૃત્તીનામ્ ।
લુબ્ધકધીવરપિશુના નિષ્કારણવૈરિણો જગતિ ॥ 1.61 ॥

છંદઃ (આર્યા): This is in આર્યા Chandas/Meter: a માત્રા-ચંદસ્ counted by માત્રાઃ (1 for લઘુ, 2 for ગુરુ) rather than a fixed syllable count; the usual scheme is 12+18 માત્રાઃ in the first half (30 total) and 12+15 માત્રાઃ in the second half (27 total), often written as two or four lines; a natural યતિ (pause) occurs at the 12-માત્રા split within each half.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
મૃગ - deer
મીન - fish
સજ્જનાનામ્ - of good people (genitive plural of સજ્જન)
તૃણ - grass
જલ - water
સંતોશ - contentment; satisfaction
વિહિત - ordained; arranged; established
વૃત્તીનામ્ - of those whose conduct/livelihood is (thus) (genitive plural of વૃત્તિ)
લુબ્ધક - hunter
ધીવર - fisherman
પિશુના - slanderer; malicious informer (instrumental; in verse as પિશુના)
નિષ્કારણ - without cause; without reason
વૈરિણઃ - enemies (nominative plural of વૈરિન્)
જગતિ - in the world

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
In this world, deer, fish, and good people - whose way of life is contentment with grass and water - have enemies without any cause: the hunter, the fisherman, and the slanderer.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse points out a hard social fact: gentleness and simplicity can attract predators. The deer does not provoke the hunter; the fish does not provoke the fisherman; and the સજ્જન often does not provoke the પિશુન (slanderer) - yet harm still comes. In modern life, this appears as exploiters targeting the polite, gossipers targeting the sincere, and manipulators targeting the trusting. The practical takeaway is to pair goodness with prudence: keep your values, but also keep boundaries, verify before trusting, and do not underestimate the damage of પિશુનતા (backbiting) in teams and families.

વાંછા સજ્જનસંગમે પરગુણે પ્રીતિર્ગુરૌ નમ્રતા
વિદ્યાયાં વ્યસનં સ્વયોષિતિ રતિર્લોકાપવાદાદ્ભયમ્ ।
ભક્તિઃ શૂલિનિ શક્તિરાત્મદમને સંસર્ગમુક્તિઃ ખલે
યેષ્વેતે નિવસંતિ નિર્મલગુણાસ્તેભ્યો નરેભ્યો નમઃ ॥ 1.62 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
વાંછા - desire; longing
સજ્જન - good people
સંગમે - in association/company (locative of સંગમ)
પર - others'
ગુણે - in virtue/quality (locative of ગુણ)
પ્રીતિઃ - affection; delight
ગુરૌ - toward the teacher (locative of ગુરુ)
નમ્રતા - humility
વિદ્યાયાં - in learning/knowledge (locative of વિદ્યા)
વ્યસનં - intense attachment; "addiction"; single-minded pursuit
સ્વ - one's own
યોષિતિ - in one's wife (locative of યોષિત્)
રતિઃ - love; affection; delight
લોક - people; the world
અપવાદાત્ - from blame; from scandal (ablative of અપવાદ)
ભયં - fear
ભક્તિઃ - devotion
શૂલિનિ - in શૂલિન્ (Siva, the trident-bearer; locative)
શક્તિઃ - strength; capacity; ability
આત્મ - self
દમને - in restraint/taming (locative of દમન; forming આત્મદમને)
સંસર્ગ - association; bad company
મુક્તિઃ - freedom; release
ખલે - in કલિ (the age of Kali; locative)
યેષુ - in whom (locative plural)
એતે - these
નિવસંતિ - dwell; reside
નિર્મલ - pure; spotless
ગુણાઃ - qualities; virtues
તેભ્યઃ - to those (dative plural)
નરેભ્યઃ - to men/people (dative plural of નર)
નમઃ - salutations

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Salutations to those people in whom these pure qualities dwell: longing for the company of the good, love for others' virtues, humility toward the teacher, passion for learning, love for one's own wife, fear of public blame, devotion to Siva, strength in self-restraint, and freedom from bad association in this age of કલિ.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse sketches a complete ethical "ecosystem." It begins with choosing good company (સજ્જન-સંગ), then teaches a healthy attitude: celebrate others' virtues (પર-ગુણ-પ્રીતિ) instead of competing with them; remain teachable through ગુરુ-નમ્રતા (humility); and keep growing through વિદ્યા-વ્યસન (love of learning). It also grounds spirituality in self-mastery: devotion to શૂલિન્ (Siva) paired with આત્મદમન (self-restraint). In modern life, this reads like a practical checklist: curate your feeds and friends, admire competence rather than envy it, keep mentors close, guard your marriage/commitments, and avoid circles where gossip and "apavAda" thrive. When these habits are stable, your life becomes quieter, cleaner, and more reliable to others.

વિપદિ ધૈર્યં અથાભ્યુદયે ક્ષમા
સદસિ વાક્પટુતા યુધિ વિક્રમઃ ।
યશસિ ચાભિરુચિર્વ્યસનં શ્રુતૌ
પ્રકૃતિસિદ્ધં ઇદં હિ મહાત્મનામ્ ॥ 1.63 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
વિપદિ - in calamity; in adversity (locative of વિપદ્)
ધૈર્યં - courage; steadiness; fortitude
અથ - and then; and also (sandhi in verse: અથાભ્યુદયે = અથ + અભ્યુદયે)
અભ્યુદયે - in rise/success; in prosperity (locative of અભ્યુદય)
ક્ષમા - forgiveness; forbearance
સદસિ - in an assembly; in a court; in public company (locative of સદસ્)
વાક્પટુતા - skill in speech; eloquence
યુધિ - in battle; in conflict (locative of યુધ્)
વિક્રમઃ - valor; heroic effort
યશસિ - in fame; in good reputation (locative of યશસ્)
ચ - and (sandhi in verse: ચાભિરુચિઃ = ચ + અભિરુચિઃ)
અભિરુચિઃ - liking; taste; inclination (sandhi in verse: અભિરુચિર્વ્યસનં = અભિરુચિઃ + વ્યસનં)
વ્યસનં - strong attachment; intense pursuit (often used as "addiction" or "habit")
શ્રુતૌ - in hearing; in learning/scripture (locative of શ્રુતિ / શ્રુત)
પ્રકૃતિ - nature; disposition
સિદ્ધં - accomplished; established; inborn
ઇદં - this
હિ - indeed
મહાત્મનાં - of great-souled / great-minded people (genitive plural of મહાત્મન્)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
This is indeed the natural disposition of the great: courage in adversity, forgiveness in prosperity, eloquence in public assembly, valor in conflict, a taste for good reputation, and a deep pursuit of learning.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a compact map of context-sensitive virtues: the same inner strength shows up as ધૈર્ય (fortitude) when life is hard and as ક્ષમા (forgiveness) when you are in a position to "punish". વાક્પટુતા is not merely fluency; it is speaking in a way that is true, timely, and constructive in a group setting; and વિક્રમ is courage applied to real resistance. In modern life, you can use this as a self-checklist: in a setback, do not collapse; in success, do not become vindictive; in meetings, speak clearly without humiliating others; in conflict, do what is right even if it is uncomfortable; and treat reputation as "earned trust" rather than vanity. When શ્રુતિ and learning become a વ્યસન (a steady, almost addictive pursuit), your decisions stop being driven by mood and start being guided by a deeper, more stable understanding.

પ્રદાનં પ્રચ્છન્નં ગૃહં ઉપગતે સંભ્રમવિધિઃ
પ્રિયં કૃત્વા મૌનં સદસિ કથનં ચાપ્યુપકૃતેઃ ।
અનુત્સેકો લક્ષ્મ્યાં અનભિભવગંધાઃ પરકથાઃ
સતાં કેનોદ્દિષ્ટં વિષમં અસિધારાવ્રતં ઇદમ્ ॥ 1.64 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પ્રદાનં - giving; donation
પ્રચ્છન્નં - concealed; done privately
ગૃહં - house; home
ઉપગતે - when (someone) has arrived/entered (locative absolute/locative of ઉપગત)
સંભ્રમ - eagerness; respectful haste; warmth
વિધિઃ - proper method/etiquette (as in સંભ્રમવિધિઃ)
પ્રિયં - a kind act; a favor; something pleasing
કૃત્વા - having done
મૌનં - silence; not advertising it
સદસિ - in public assembly/court
કથનં - speaking; recounting
ચ - and
અપિ - even (sandhi in verse: ચાપ્યુપકૃતેઃ = ચ + અપિ + ઉપકૃતેઃ)
ઉપકૃતેઃ - of help/favor done (genitive of ઉપકૃતિ); i.e., speaking of the help received (rather than boasting of help given)
અનુત્સેકઃ - absence of arrogance; not being intoxicated by pride
લક્ષ્મ્યાં - in wealth/prosperity (locative of લક્ષ્મી)
અનભિભવ - not having the sense/taint of defeat; not feeling "outdone" (as in અનભિભવગંધાઃ)
ગંધાઃ - smell; trace; undertone
પરકથાઃ - talk about others; discussion of others
સતાં - of good people (genitive plural of સત્)
કેન - by whom?
ઉદ્દિષ્ટં - prescribed; pointed out (sandhi in verse: કેનોદ્દિષ્ટં = કેન + ઉદ્દિષ્ટં)
વિષમં - difficult; uneven; hard to walk
અસિધારા - the edge of a sword/razor
વ્રતં - vow; discipline
ઇદં - this

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Who prescribed this hard "razor's-edge" discipline for the good: give in secret, welcome a guest into your home with eager courtesy, keep silent after doing a favor, speak in public about the help you have received, remain unarrogant in prosperity, and speak about others without the undertone of envy or rivalry?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse explains why true નીતિ feels demanding: it pushes against the ego's favorite habits - publicity, scorekeeping, and comparison. The good person is asked to do દાન (giving) without display, અતિથિ-સત્કાર (hospitality) without calculation, and gratitude without turning it into self-advertisement. Even more subtle is અનભિભવગંધાઃ પરકથાઃ: when you speak of others, remove the "smell" of feeling diminished - do not praise with hidden bitterness or criticize to soothe your insecurity. In modern life, this looks like doing help without virtue-signaling, crediting mentors publicly, staying humble when you get a raise, and refusing to participate in gossip that is really envy in disguise. That is why ભર્તૃહરિ calls it અસિધારાવ્રત - it requires constant inner honesty.

કરે શ્લાઘ્યસ્ત્યાગઃ શિરસિ ગુરુપાદપ્રણયિતા
મુખે સત્યા વાણી વિજયિ ભુજયોર્વીર્યં અતુલમ્ ।
હૃદિ સ્વચ્છા વૃત્તિઃ શ્રુતિં અધિગતં ચ શ્રવણયોર્
વિનાપ્યૈશ્વર્યેણ પ્રકૃતિમહતાં મંડનં ઇદમ્ ॥ 1.65 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
કરે - in the hand
શ્લાઘ્યઃ - praiseworthy; commendable
ત્યાગઃ - giving; generosity; letting go
શિરસિ - on the head; in the highest place
ગુરુ - teacher
પાદ - feet
પ્રણયિતા - affectionate devotion; reverent attachment (as in ગુરુપાદપ્રણયિતા)
મુખે - in the mouth
સત્યા - truthful
વાણી - speech
વિજયિ - victorious; able to win over obstacles
ભુજયોઃ - in the two arms
વીર્યં - strength; valor
અતુલં - incomparable
હૃદિ - in the heart
સ્વચ્છા - clear; pure
વૃત્તિઃ - inner tendency; conduct; disposition
શ્રુતિં - શ્રુતિ; scripture; that which is heard (Veda / sacred learning)
અધિગતં - studied; attained; learned
ચ - and
શ્રવણયોઃ - in the two ears
વિના - without
અપિ - even (sandhi in verse: વિનાપ્યૈશ્વર્યેણ = વિના + અપિ + ઐશ્વર્યેણ)
ઐશ્વર્યેણ - with wealth/power (instrumental of ઐશ્વર્ય)
પ્રકૃતિ - nature
મહતાં - of the great (genitive plural of મહત્)
મંડનં - ornament; adornment
ઇદં - this

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Even without wealth, this is the true ornament of the great by nature: praiseworthy generosity in the hand, reverence for the teacher at the highest place, truthful speech in the mouth, incomparable valor in the arms, a clear disposition in the heart, and sacred learning residing in the ears.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ is redefining "wealth" as qualities that cannot be taken away. External status can rise and fall, but ત્યાગ (generosity), ગુરુ-ભક્તિ (reverence to a teacher), સત્યવાણી (truthful speech), courage, and a clean વૃત્તિ (inner motive) remain yours. In modern life, this is a practical reminder: your real "portfolio" is your integrity and competence - the habits that make you dependable in both success and setback. When you cultivate these, even simple living becomes dignified; and when these are absent, even ઐશ્વર્ય (power) looks like a costume that does not fit.

સંપત્સુ મહતાં ચિત્તં ભવત્યુત્પલકોમલમ્ ।
આપત્સુ ચ મહાશૈલશિલા સંઘાતકર્કશમ્ ॥ 1.66 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સંપત્સુ - in prosperity; in times of success (locative plural of સંપદ્)
મહતાં - of the great (genitive plural of મહત્)
ચિત્તં - mind; heart
ભવતિ - becomes
ઉત્પલ - lotus
કોમલં - soft; tender (as in ઉત્પલકોમલં)
આપત્સુ - in calamities; in distress (locative plural of આપત્)
ચ - and
મહા - great
શૈલ - mountain
શિલા - rock
સંઘાત - mass; cluster; compact heap
કર્કશં - hard; rough; unyielding (as in મહાશૈલશિલા સંઘાતકર્કશં)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
In prosperity, the mind of the great becomes as soft as a lotus; in adversity, it becomes as hard as a compact mass of mountain-rock.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse praises two complementary strengths. In good times, the noble mind becomes કોમલ (tender) - generous, accessible, and humane; it does not use success as an excuse to become harsh. In hard times, that same mind becomes કર્કશ (unyielding) toward obstacles - steady in duty, not easily shaken by fear. In modern life, this is the balance of healthy leadership: be kind when you have resources, and be firm when you face crisis. Softness without backbone becomes weakness; backbone without softness becomes cruelty. ભર્તૃહરિ is showing the integrated mind that can do both.

સંતપ્તાયસિ સંસ્થિતસ્ય પયસો નામાપિ ન જ્ઞાયતે
મુક્તાકારતયા તદેવ નલિનીપત્રસ્થિતં રાજતે ।
સ્વાત્યાં સાગરશુક્તિમધ્યપતિતં તન્મૌક્તિકં જાયતે
પ્રાયેણાધમમધ્યમોત્તમગુણઃ સંસર્ગતો જાયતે ॥ 1.67 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સંતપ્ત - heated; burning hot
આયસિ - in iron (locative of અયસ્)
સંસ્થિતસ્ય - of that which is placed/resting (genitive of સંસ્થિત)
પયસઃ - of water (genitive of પયસ્)
નામ - name (as in નામાપિ)
અપિ - even
ન - not
જ્ઞાયતે - is known/recognized
મુક્તા - pearl
આકારતયા - in the form/appearance (instrumental of આકારતા)
તદેવ - that very same (water)
નલિની - lotus
પત્ર - leaf
સ્થિતં - placed on (as in નલિનીપત્રસ્થિતં)
રાજતે - shines; appears splendid
સ્વાત્યાં - in સ્વાતિ (the નક્ષત્ર; locative)
સાગર - ocean
શુક્તિ - oyster shell (as in સાગરશુક્તિ)
મધ્ય - middle
પતિતં - fallen into (as in મધ્યપતિતં)
તત્ - that
મૌક્તિકં - pearl
જાયતે - becomes; is born
પ્રાયેણ - generally; for the most part
અધમ - low
મધ્યમ - middling
ઉત્તમ - excellent
ગુણઃ - quality; virtue; character
સંસર્ગતઃ - due to association/company (ablative of સંસર્ગ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Water placed on heated iron is not recognized even as "water"; the same water, resting on a lotus leaf, shines like a pearl; and fallen into an oyster in the time of સ્વાતિ, it becomes a true pearl. In the same way, low, middling, and excellent qualities arise mostly from one's association.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a vivid argument for સંસર્ગ (company, environment). The "same water" can vanish, sparkle, or become a jewel depending on where it lands; likewise, the same raw human potential can be wasted, refined, or made luminous by context. In modern life this is why your circles matter: a team that rewards gossip and shortcuts makes you worse without noticing; a community that values learning and service makes you better almost effortlessly. This is exactly why આદિ શંકરાચાર્ય, in the અદ્વૈત teaching sequence of ભ્હજ ગોવિંદમ્, places સત્સંગ first: સત્સંગત્વે નિસ્સંગત્વં - from good association comes freedom from compulsive attachments, and the whole inner transformation follows. Choose your "lotus leaf" wisely.

પ્રીણાતિ યઃ સુચરિતૈઃ પિતરં સ પુત્રો
યદ્ભર્તુરેવ હિતં ઇચ્છતિ તત્કલત્રમ્ ।
તન્મિત્રં આપદિ સુખે ચ સમક્રિયં યદ્
એતત્ત્રયં જગતિ પુણ્યકૃતો લભંતે ॥ 1.68 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પ્રીણાતિ - pleases; gladdens
યઃ - who
સુચરિતૈઃ - by good conduct (instrumental plural of સુચરિત)
પિતરં - father (accusative of પિતૃ)
સ - that (person)
પુત્રઃ - son
યત્ - which/that (referring to the next clause)
ભર્તુઃ - of the husband (genitive of ભર્તૃ)
એવ - indeed; alone
હિતં - welfare; what is good
ઇચ્છતિ - desires; seeks
તત્ - that (one)
કલત્રં - wife; spouse
તત્ - that (one)
મિત્રં - friend
આપદિ - in adversity (locative of આપત્)
સુખે - in happiness (locative of સુખ)
ચ - and
સમક્રિયં - acting together; of equal participation/support
યત્ - which/that (friend)
એતત્ - these
ત્રયં - three
જગતિ - in the world
પુણ્ય - merit; past good action
કૃતઃ - (those who) have done (good deeds) (nominative plural; as in પુણ્યકૃતઃ)
લભંતે - obtain

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
He who gladdens his father through good conduct is a true son; she who seeks only her husband's welfare is a true wife; and that is a true friend who stands with you equally in trouble and in ease. These three are obtained in this world by the meritorious.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse does not romanticize relationships; it defines them by function: respect, welfare, and shared responsibility. A "son" is not merely biological but one whose life and choices bring joy to parents; a "wife/spouse" is one whose love expresses as seeking the other's હિત (good); and a "friend" is one who remains present when life is inconvenient, not only when it is fun. In modern life, this becomes a simple audit: do your actions bring peace to your elders, do you actively protect your partner's well-being (health, dignity, growth), and do you show up for friends in both crisis and celebration? The verse calls these rare not to make you fatalistic, but to encourage you to become such a person - and to choose such people carefully.

એકો દેવઃ કેશવો વા શિવો વા
હ્યેકં મિત્રં ભૂપતિર્વા યતિર્વા ।
એકો વાસઃ પત્તને વા વને વા
હ્યેકા ભાર્યા સુંદરી વા દરી વા ॥ 1.69 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
એકા - one (feminine; used with ભાર્યા)
એકો - one (masculine)
દેવઃ - God; the chosen deity
કેશવઃ - Kesava (Vishnu)
વા - or
શિવઃ - Siva
હિ - indeed
મિત્રં - friend
ભૂપતિઃ - king; ruler (can also mean a powerful patron)
યતી - renunciate; monk
વાસઃ - dwelling; residence
પત્તને - in a city/town (locative of પત્તન)
વને - in a forest (locative of વન)
ભાર્યા - wife
સુંદરી - a beautiful woman
દરી - a cave (as a simple dwelling)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Let there be one chosen God - whether Kesava or Siva; one close friend - whether a kingly patron or a renunciate; one dwelling - whether in a city or a forest; and one wife - whether she is a beauty or (life is lived in) a cave.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is one of the popular સુભાષિતાનિ from the શતકમ્, and it teaches the power of "one-pointedness" in life. ભર્તૃહરિ is not saying that everyone must literally live with a king or in a cave; he is saying: do not scatter your heart into endless alternatives. Choose an ઇષ્ટદેવતા (your worship focus) without sectarian hostility - કેશવઃ or શિવઃ both lead to inner growth when worship is sincere. Choose a real friend over a crowd, a stable home over restless wandering, and commitment in marriage over constant comparison. In modern life, this is the antidote to "infinite options": fewer loyalties, deeper practice, less distraction - and therefore more peace.

નમ્રત્વેનોન્નમંતઃ પરગુણકથનૈઃ સ્વાન્ગુણાન્ખ્યાપયંતઃ
સ્વાર્થાન્સંપાદયંતો વિતતપૃથુતરારંભયત્નાઃ પરાર્થે ।
ક્ષાંત્યૈવાક્ષેપરુક્ષાક્ષરમુખરમુખાંદુર્જનાંદૂષયંતઃ
સંતઃ સાશ્ચર્યચર્યા જગતિ બહુમતાઃ કસ્ય નાભ્યર્ચનીયાઃ ॥ 1.70 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
નમ્રત્વેન - by humility (instrumental of નમ્રતા)
ઉન્નમંતઃ - rising; becoming elevated
પર - others'
ગુણ - virtues/qualities
કથનૈઃ - by speaking about (instrumental plural of કથન)
સ્વ - one's own
અંગુણાન્ - one's own virtues (as in સ્વાન્ગુણાન્)
ખ્યાપયંતઃ - making known; revealing
સ્વાર્થાન્ - their own goals
સંપાદયંતઃ - accomplishing; bringing to completion
વિતત - wide; expansive
પૃથુ - broad; large
તર - more (comparative sense inside the compound)
આરંભ - undertaking; initiative
યત્નાઃ - efforts (as in તરારંભયત્નાઃ)
પરાર્થે - for others' welfare (locative of પરાર્થ)
ક્ષાંત્યા - by forbearance; by patience (instrumental of ક્ષાંતિ)
એવ - alone; indeed
આક્ષેપ - insult; abuse; censure
રુક્ષ - harsh; rough
અક્ષર - syllables/words (as in રુક્ષાક્ષર)
મુખર - noisy; clamorous
મુખાન્ - mouths/faces (accusative plural of મુખ)
દુર્જનાન્ - wicked people (accusative plural of દુર્જન)
દૂષયંતઃ - putting to shame; correcting (also "condemning") by their own conduct
સંતઃ - good people; saints
સાશ્ચર્ય - wondrous; amazing
ચર્યા - conduct; way of life
જગતિ - in the world
બહુમતાઃ - highly respected; well-regarded
કસ્ય - of whom?
ન - not
અભ્યર્ચનીયાઃ - worthy of worship/respect (sandhi in verse: નાભ્યર્ચનીયાઃ = ન + અભ્યર્ચનીયાઃ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
By humility they rise; by speaking of others' virtues they reveal their own; while accomplishing their own aims, their broadest efforts are for others' good. And by patience alone they put to shame the wicked whose mouths are noisy with harsh, abusive words. Such saints, with their wondrous conduct, are highly honored in the world - who would not revere them?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse is a portrait of mature goodness that does not need to advertise itself. The saint rises through નમ્રતા (humility), not through self-promotion; becomes known by praising others, not by attacking them; and converts personal capacity into પરાર્થ (public good). The toughest line is about ક્ષાંતિ (forbearance): it does not mean weakness; it means refusing to be pulled into the mud by abusive speech. In modern life, this is leadership without ego - giving credit, building systems, mentoring quietly, and not reacting to every provocation online or at work. When you stop fighting for "being seen", you become more useful; and that usefulness naturally earns respect.

ભવંતિ નમ્રાસ્તરવઃ ફલોદ્ગમૈર્
નવાંબુભિર્દૂરાવલંબિનો ઘનાઃ ।
અનુદ્ધતાઃ સત્પુરુષાઃ સમૃદ્ધિભિઃ
સ્વભાવ એષ પરોપકારિણામ્ ॥ 1.71 ॥

છંદઃ (વંzઅસ્થ): This is in વંzઅસ્થ (સમ-વૃત્ત) Chandas/Meter: 4 પાદાઃ, 12 અક્ષરાઃ per પાદ; લઘુ/ગુરુ pattern (per પાદ) is `LGLGG LLGLGLG`; યતિ (pause) is after the 5th syllable in each પાદ.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ભવંતિ - become; are
નમ્રાઃ - bowed; humble
તરવઃ - trees
ફલ - fruit
ઉદ્ગમૈઃ - with the arising/abundance (instrumental plural of ઉદ્ગમ); in verse as ફલોદ્ગમૈઃ
નવ - fresh; new
અંબુ - water
ભિઃ - by (instrumental plural; in verse as નવાંબુભિઃ)
દૂર - far; low-hanging
અવલંબિનઃ - hanging down; suspended
ઘનાઃ - clouds
અનુદ્ધતાઃ - not arrogant; unraised (i.e., not "puffed up")
સત્પુરુષાઃ - good people
સમૃદ્ધિભિઃ - with prosperity/abundance (instrumental plural of સમૃદ્ધિ)
સ્વભાવઃ - natural disposition
એષઃ - this
પર - others'
ઉપકારિણાં - of benefactors; of those who help others (genitive plural of પરોપકારિન્)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Trees bend down with the abundance of fruits; clouds hang low with fresh water; and good people are not arrogant even in prosperity - this is the natural way of benefactors.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
Fullness expresses as humility. A tree with no fruit stands stiff; a tree with fruit bends; a cloud heavy with rain hangs low. Likewise, when someone truly has value - skill, wealth, influence - they become more accessible, not more inflated. In modern life, this looks like a senior person who makes time for juniors, a successful leader who listens more than they speak, or a wealthy family that becomes quieter and more generous instead of more showy. Use the verse as a diagnostic: if prosperity makes you harder to approach, you are moving away from the nature of પરોપકાર (helping others).

શ્રોત્રં શ્રુતેનૈવ ન કુંડલેન
દાનેન પાણિર્ન તુ કંકણેન ।
વિભાતિ કાયઃ કરુણપરાણાં
પરોપકારૈર્ન તુ ચંદનેન ॥ 1.72 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
શ્રોત્રં - ear
શ્રુતેન - by learning/hearing; by knowledge (instrumental of શ્રુત)
એવ - indeed; alone
ન - not
કુંડલેન - by an earring (instrumental of કુંડલ)
દાનેન - by giving; by charity (instrumental of દાન)
પાણિઃ - hand (sandhi in verse: પાણિર્ન = પાણિઃ + ન)
તુ - but
કંકણેન - by a bracelet/armlet (instrumental of કંકણ)
વિભાતિ - shines; appears splendid
કાયઃ - body; person
કરુણા - compassion
પરાણાં - of those devoted to (genitive plural; as in કરુણપરાણાં)
પર - others'
ઉપકારૈઃ - by helpful acts (instrumental plural of પરોપકાર; sandhi in verse: પરોપકારૈર્ન = પરોપકારૈઃ + ન)
ચંદનેન - by sandal paste/wood (instrumental of ચંદન)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
It is learning that adorns the ear, not earrings; giving that adorns the hand, not bracelets; and it is helpful service that makes the compassionate person's very body shine, not sandalwood.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a reminder that the most lasting "decoration" is character. External ornaments can impress for a moment, but શ્રુત (real learning) changes the quality of your speech and decisions; દાન (giving) changes the quality of your relationships; and પરોપકાર (helpful action) changes the quality of your presence. In modern life, this can be applied very simply: invest in skills and study before spending on status symbols, build the habit of generosity, and be known for reliability and kindness. When virtue becomes your "jewelry", you are respected in every place - even where no one cares about appearance.

પાપાન્નિવારયતિ યોજયતે હિતાય
ગુહ્યં નિગૂહતિ ગુણાન્પ્રકટીકરોતિ ।
આપદ્ગતં ચ ન જહાતિ દદાતિ કાલે
સન્મિત્રલક્ષણં ઇદં પ્રવદંતિ સંતઃ ॥ 1.73 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પાપાત્ - from sin; from harmful action (ablative of પાપ; sandhi in verse: પાપાન્ + નિવારયતિ = પાપાન્નિવારયતિ)
નિવારયતિ - restrains; prevents
યોજયતે - connects/engages (someone); sets (someone) on (a path)
હિતાય - for welfare; for what is beneficial (dative of હિત)
ગુહ્યં - secret; confidential matter
નિગૂહતિ - hides; keeps concealed
ગુણાન્ - virtues; good qualities
પ્રકટીકરોતિ - makes manifest; brings to light
આપત્ - distress; calamity (as in આપદ્ગતં)
ગતં - gone into; fallen into
ચ - and
ન - not
જહાતિ - abandons; leaves
દદાતિ - gives
કાલે - at the right time; when needed (locative of કાલ)
સન્મિત્ર - true/good friend
લક્ષણં - mark; characteristic
ઇદં - this
પ્રવદંતિ - they say; they declare
સંતઃ - good people; the wise

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The wise say this is the mark of a true friend: they restrain you from harmful paths, guide you toward what is good, conceal your confidences, bring your virtues to light, do not abandon you when trouble comes, and help at the right time.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This definition of friendship is both ethical and practical. A true friend is not only pleasant company; they are a safeguard: they stop you from પાપ (harmful action), nudge you toward હિત (real good), and keep your ગુહ્ય (private matters) protected. They also do something generous: they highlight your ગુણ (strengths) in a way that helps you grow, and they show up in આપત્ (distress) with timely support. In modern life, this means valuing friends who hold you accountable, respect your confidentiality, credit you publicly, and stay present when it costs them something - not just those who entertain you.

પદ્માકરં દિનકરો વિકચીકરોતિ
ચંદ્રપ્રભોલ્લાસયતિ કૈરવચક્રવાલમ્ ।
નાભ્યર્થિતો જલધરોઽપિ જલં દદાતિ
સંતઃ સ્વયં પરહિતે વિહિતાભિયોગાઃ ॥ 1.74 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પદ્મ - lotus
આકરં - collection; pond (as in પદ્માકરં)
દિનકરઃ - the sun ("maker of the day"; sandhi in verse: દિનકરો = દિનકરઃ)
વિકચીકરોતિ - makes bloom/open; causes to unfold
ચંદ્ર - the moon
પ્રભા - radiance; light (sandhi in verse: પ્રભોલ્લાસયતિ = પ્રભા + ઉલ્લાસયતિ)
ઉલ્લાસયતિ - gladdens; makes blossom; causes to expand with joy
કૈરવ - white water-lily (often opening in moonlight)
ચક્રવાલં - multitude; circle; cluster (as in કૈરવચક્રવાલં)
ન - not
અબ્યર્થિતઃ - requested/asked (sandhi in verse: નાભ્યર્થિતઃ = ન + અબ્યર્થિતઃ)
જલધરઃ - cloud (sandhi in verse: જલધરોઽપિ = જલધરઃ + અપિ)
અપિ - even
જલં - water
દદાતિ - gives
સંતઃ - good people
સ્વયં - of their own accord
પર - others'
હિતે - in welfare/good (locative of હિત; as in પરહિતે)
વિહિત - established; appointed
અભિયોગાઃ - undertaking; dedicated effort (as in વિહિતાભિયોગાઃ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The sun makes the lotus-pond bloom; the moon's radiance makes the water-lilies rejoice; even a raincloud gives water only when asked. But good people, of their own accord, are dedicated to the welfare of others.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
Nature's forces respond to conditions: the sun and moon act according to their role; the cloud gives when invited. The saint, however, does not wait for an invitation to do good. વિહિતાભિયોગ means "committed engagement" - a steady readiness to help. In modern life, this is the difference between being reactive and being proactive: noticing someone struggling and offering support without being prompted, sharing useful information without being asked, or stepping in to prevent harm before it escalates. The verse invites you to become that person whose instinct is પરહિત (others' good).

એકે સત્પુરુષાઃ પરાર્થઘટકાઃ સ્વાર્થં પરિત્યજંતિ યે
સામાન્યાસ્તુ પરાર્થં ઉદ્યમભૃતઃ સ્વાર્થાવિરોધેન યે ।
તેઽમી માનુષરાક્ષસાઃ પરહિતં સ્વાર્થાય નિઘ્નંતિ યે
યે તુ ઘ્નંતિ નિરર્થકં પરહિતં તે કે ન જાનીમહે ॥ 1.75 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
એકે - some
સત્પુરુષાઃ - noble people
પર - others'
અર્થ - welfare; benefit
ઘટકાઃ - those who bring about/arrange (as in પરાર્થઘટકાઃ)
સ્વ - one's own
અર્થં - self-interest (as in સ્વાર્થં)
પરિત્યજંતિ - abandon; give up
યે - who
સામાન્યાઃ - ordinary people
તુ - but
પરાર્થં - others' welfare
ઉદ્યમ - effort; endeavor
ભૃતઃ - bearing/carrying; undertaking (as in ઉદ્યમભૃતઃ)
સ્વાર્થ - own interest
અવિરોધેન - without opposing/contradicting (instrumental of અવિરોધ)
તે - those
ઇમે - these (sandhi in verse: તેઽમી = તે + ઇમે)
માનુષ - human
રાક્ષસાઃ - demons; "rAkShasas" (as in માનુષરાક્ષસાઃ)
પરહિતં - others' welfare
સ્વાર્થાય - for their own benefit
નિઘ્નંતિ - strike down; destroy
યે - who
યે - who
તુ - but
ઘ્નંતિ - kill/destroy
નિરર્થકં - purposelessly; without any gain
પરહિતં - others' welfare
તે - those
કે - who?
ન - not
જાનીમહે - we know (with ન = "we do not know")

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Some noble people bring about others' welfare by giving up their own interest; ordinary people work for others' good without harming their own interests; those "human-demons" destroy others' welfare for their own benefit; but those who destroy others' welfare without any purpose - who are they? We do not know.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ classifies behavior by motive, and the last category is the most frightening: harm that is not even "rational". In modern life you can see all four: selfless mentors who sacrifice time for others; decent colleagues who help when it does not cost them much; exploiters who sabotage others to advance; and finally, people who attack or ridicule simply because they can. The practical lesson is વિવેક (discernment): do not assume everyone plays by the same ethical rules. Encourage the first two, protect yourself from the third, and do not waste your life trying to "understand" the fourth - set boundaries and move away.

ક્ષીરેણાત્મગતોદકાય હિ ગુણા દત્તા પુરા તેઽખિલા
ક્ષીરોત્તાપં અવેક્ષ્ય તેન પયસા સ્વાત્મા કૃશાનૌ હુતઃ ।
ગંતું પાવકં ઉન્મનસ્તદભવદ્દૃષ્ટ્વા તુ મિત્રાપદં
યુક્તં તેન જલેન શામ્યતિ સતાં મૈત્રી પુનસ્ત્વીદૃશી ॥ 1.76 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ક્ષીરેણ - by/with milk (instrumental of ક્ષીર)
આત્મગત - entered into; absorbed within
ઉદકાય - to water (dative of ઉદક; in verse as આત્મગતોદકાય)
હિ - indeed
ગુણાઃ - qualities
દત્તાઃ - given
પુરા - formerly; earlier
તે - to you (dative of the 2nd-person pronoun; sandhi in verse: તેઽખિલા = તે + અખિલાઃ)
અખિલાઃ - all; entire
ક્ષીર - milk
ઉત્તાપં - heating; distress/burning
અવેક્ષ્ય - having seen
તેન - by you/that
પયસા - by water (instrumental of પયસ્)
સ્વ - one's own
આત્મા - self
કૃશાનૌ - in fire (locative of કૃશાનુ)
હુતઃ - offered; sacrificed
ગંતું - to go
પાવકં - fire
ઉન્મનઃ - eager; uplifted; inclined (to move)
તદા - then
અભવત્ - became
દૃષ્ટ્વા - having seen
તુ - but
મિત્ર - friend
આપદં - misfortune/distress (as in મિત્રાપદં)
યુક્તં - fitting; proper
તેન - by that
જલેન - by water (instrumental of જલ)
શામ્યતિ - is quenched; is pacified
સતાં - of good people
મૈત્રી - friendship
પુનઃ - again; repeatedly
ત્વીદૃશી - of this kind; like this

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Milk had earlier given all its qualities to the water that entered into it. Seeing the milk being heated, that water offered its own self into the fire; and then the fire itself became eager to withdraw on seeing the friend's distress. Fittingly, that very water quenches the fire. Such indeed is the friendship of good people, again and again.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The imagery highlights a very specific kind of friendship: not one based on "what I get", but on "what I can protect". First there is sharing - milk does not keep its qualities to itself; then there is sacrifice - water gives itself up to absorb the heat; and finally there is reciprocity - fire itself withdraws when it recognizes the situation. In modern life, this looks like a friend who quietly shields you during a crisis, or a colleague who takes heat to protect the team, without announcing it later. The verse encourages મૈત્રી that is brave, discreet, and mutual - not fragile, performative, or transactional.

ઇતઃ સ્વપિતિ કેશવઃ કુલં ઇતસ્તદીયદ્વિષામ્
ઇતશ્ચ શરણાર્થિનાં શિખરિણાં ગણાઃ શેરતે ।
ઇતોઽપિ બડવાનલઃ સહ સમસ્તસંવર્તકૈઃ
અહો વિતતં ઊર્જિતં ભરસહં સિંધોર્વપુઃ ॥ 1.77 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ઇતઃ - here; in this place; on this side
સ્વપિતિ - sleeps
કેશવઃ - Kesava (Vishnu)
કુલં - clan; family
ઇતઃ - here also
તદીય - his
દ્વિષામ્ - of enemies (genitive plural of દ્વિષ્)
ઇતઃ - here also
ચ - and
શરણ - refuge
અર્થિનાં - of those seeking (genitive plural of અર્થિન્)
શિખરિણાં - of mountains (genitive plural of શિખરિન્)
ગણઃ - group; multitude
શેરતે - rest/lie down
ઇતઃ - here also
અપિ - even (sandhi in verse: ઇતોઽપિ = ઇતઃ + અપિ)
બડવાનલઃ - submarine fire (the "mare's mouth" fire)
સહ - along with
સમસ્ત - all
સંવર્તકૈઃ - with the fires of cosmic dissolution (instrumental plural of સંવર્તક)
અહો - alas!; ah!
વિતતં - vast; spread out
ઊર્જિતં - mighty; powerful
ભર - burden
સહં - bearing; enduring
સિંધોઃ - of the ocean (genitive of સિંધુ)
વપુઃ - body; form

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Here sleeps Kesava; here also is the clan of his enemies; here lie the mountains seeking refuge; and here too is the submarine fire along with the fires of cosmic dissolution. Ah - vast, mighty, and burden-bearing is the ocean's very body!

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The ocean is used as a metaphor for vast capacity: it holds what is sacred (કેશવ), what is hostile (the enemies' clan), what is heavy (mountains), and what is dangerous (submarine fire) - all without "spilling". In modern life, this is emotional maturity: being able to carry conflicting responsibilities, criticism, and uncertainty without losing stability. The verse does not ask you to become numb; it asks you to become spacious. When your inner world gains "ocean-like" breadth, you can respond to problems without panic, and you can serve as a refuge to others without being destroyed by their storms.

તૃષ્ણાં છિંધિ ભજ ક્ષમાં જહિ મદં પાપે રતિં મા કૃથાઃ
સત્યં બ્રૂહ્યનુયાહિ સાધુપદવીં સેવસ્વ વિદ્વજ્જનમ્ ।
માન્યાન્માનય વિદ્વિષોઽપ્યનુનય પ્રખ્યાપય પ્રશ્રયં
કીર્તિં પાલય દુઃખિતે કુરુ દયાં એતત્સતાં ચેષ્ટિતમ્ ॥ 1.78 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
તૃષ્ણાં - thirst; craving (especially greed/desire)
છિંધિ - cut off; break
ભજ - cultivate; practice
ક્ષમાં - forgiveness; forbearance
જહિ - abandon; destroy
મદં - pride; intoxication
પાપે - in sin; in harmful action (locative of પાપ)
રતિં - delight; attachment
મા - do not
કૃથાઃ - do (second person; imperative)
સત્યં - truth
બ્રૂહિ - speak (sandhi in verse: બ્રૂહ્યનુયાહિ = બ્રૂહિ + અનુયાહિ)
અનુયાહિ - follow; pursue
સાધુ - good; noble
પદવીં - path; track
સેવસ્વ - serve; associate with
વિદ્વજ્જનં - the learned; the wise (accusative)
માન્યાન્ - the worthy; respected people (accusative plural of માન્ય)
માનય - honor; respect
વિદ્વિષઃ - enemies (accusative plural of વિદ્વિષ્; sandhi in verse: વિદ્વિષોઽપિ = વિદ્વિષઃ + અપિ)
અપિ - even
અનુનય - conciliate; win over (imperative; also "seek reconciliation")
પ્રખ્યાપય - proclaim; make known
પ્રશ્રયં - humility; deference
કીર્તિં - good fame; reputation
પાલય - protect; maintain
દુઃખ્હિતે - toward the distressed/suffering (locative; "when someone is suffering")
કુરુ - do; practice
દયાં - compassion
એતત્ - this
સતાં - of good people
ચ - and (sandhi in verse: ચેષ્ટિતં = ચ + એષ્ટિતં)
એષ્ટિતં - conduct; practice

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Cut off craving; practice forgiveness; abandon pride; do not delight in wrongdoing. Speak truth; follow the path of the noble; serve the learned. Honor the worthy; conciliate even enemies; proclaim humility. Protect your good name; show compassion to the distressed. This is the conduct of the good.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse is a complete daily "discipline list" for character. It begins inwardly (તૃષ્ણા as craving, મદ as ego-intoxication), moves to speech and association (truth and wise company), then to social maturity (respecting elders, reconciling where possible), and finally to compassion and reputation. In modern life, you can treat it as a checklist before sleep: did I feed craving today, or did I cut it? did I react from pride, or choose ક્ષમા? did I speak truth kindly? did I spend time with people who elevate my standards? The verse does not promise perfection; it offers a direction - and repeated practice turns direction into habit.

મનસિ વચસિ કાયે પુણ્યપીયૂષપૂર્ણાસ્
ત્રિભુવનં ઉપકારશ્રેણિભિઃ પ્રીણયંતઃ ।
પરગુણપરમાણૂન્પર્વતીકૃત્ય નિત્યં
નિજહૃદિ વિકસંતઃ સંત સંતઃ કિયંતઃ ॥ 1.79 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
મનસિ - in the mind
વચસિ - in speech
કાયે - in the body; in action
પુણ્ય - merit; goodness
પીયૂષ - nectar; ambrosia
પૂર્ણાઃ - full (as in પુણ્યપીયૂષપૂર્ણાસ્)
ત્રિભુવનં - the three worlds
ઉપકાર - help; service
શ્રેણિભિઃ - by rows/series (instrumental plural of શ્રેણિ)
પ્રીણયંતઃ - pleasing; delighting
પર - others'
ગુણ - virtues; good qualities
પરમાણૂન્ - atoms; tiny particles (accusative plural of પરમાણુ)
પર્વતી - (making into) a mountain (as in પર્વતીકૃત્ય)
કૃત્ય - having made
નિત્યં - always
નિજ - one's own
હૃદિ - in the heart
વિકસંતઃ - blooming; expanding
સંતઃ - saints; good people
સંતઃ - saints; good people (repeated for emphasis)
કિયંતઃ - how many?

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Full of the nectar of merit in mind, speech, and action; delighting the three worlds through continuous acts of help; always making even the tiniest atoms of others' virtues into mountains; blooming in their own hearts - how many such saints are there, O how many?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse identifies a saint by three traits: inner sweetness, outward service, and generous perception. They are "nectar-filled" (પીયૂષ) because their mind and speech are not poisoned by cynicism; they serve continuously through ઉપકાર (helpful action); and they amplify others' good - they take even a પરમાણુ (tiny trace) of virtue in someone and make it visible, instead of hunting for faults. In modern life, such people are rare but invaluable: the teacher who encourages, the colleague who builds morale, the elder who blesses, the leader who sees strengths. The verse invites you to become one of them by practicing "magnifying good" as a deliberate habit.

કિં તેન હેમગિરિણા રજતાદ્રિણા વા
યત્રાશ્રિતાશ્ચ તરવસ્તરવસ્ત એવ ।
મન્યામહે મલયં એવ યદાશ્રયેણ
કંકોલનિંબકટુજા અપિ ચંદનાઃ સ્યુઃ ॥ 1.80 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
કિં - what (use is it?)
તેન - by that
હેમ - gold
ગિરિણા - by a mountain (instrumental; as in હેમગિરિણા)
રજત - silver
અદ્રિણા - by a mountain (instrumental; as in રજતાદ્રિણા)
વા - or
યત્ર - where
આશ્રિતાઃ - dwelling; resorting (past participle of આશ્રિ)
ચ - and
તરવઃ - trees
તરવઃ - trees (repetition for emphasis)
ત - those
એવ - only
મન્યામહે - we consider; we regard
મલયં - Malaya mountain
એવ - alone
યત્ - because/that which
આશ્રયેણ - by resorting to; by association (instrumental of આશ્રય)
કંકોલ - a pungent tree/fruit (often listed among inferior woods)
નિંબ - neem
કટુજ - pungent/bitter trees/wood
અપિ - even
ચંદનાઃ - become sandalwood; become fragrant/noble (predicate plural)
સ્યુઃ - would become; may become

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
What use is a golden mountain or a silver mountain, where only ordinary trees reside? We regard Malaya alone as the true mountain, because by resorting to it even ka~gkOla, neem, and other bitter woods become sandalwood.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is another teaching on સંસર્ગ (association). External "value" like gold or silver is not what transforms character; environment does. Malaya is famous for sandalwood, and the poetic point is that even inferior woods become fragrant by proximity. In modern life, this is why mentors, peer groups, and cultures matter more than slogans: if your environment rewards honesty and learning, you start "smelling" like that; if it rewards cynicism and shortcuts, you absorb that too. Choose your Malaya - a place, a community, a discipline - that makes you better simply by staying near it.

રત્નૈર્મહાર્હૈસ્તુતુષુર્ન દેવા
ન ભેજિરે ભીમવિષેણ ભીતિમ્ ।
સુધાં વિના ન પરયુર્વિરામં
ન નિશ્ચિતાર્થાદ્વિરમંતિ ધીરાઃ ॥ 1.81 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
રત્નૈઃ - by jewels (instrumental plural of રત્ન)
મહાર્હૈઃ - very precious; priceless
તુતુષુઃ - were satisfied; were content (perfect plural of તુષ્)
ન - not
દેવાઃ - gods
ન - not
ભેજિરે - experienced; accepted; were afraid (perfect plural of ભજ્)
ભીતિં - fear
ભીમવિષેણ - by terrible poison (instrumental of ભીમવિષ)
સુધાં - nectar; ambrosia (often used for અમૃત)
વિના - without
ન - not
પરયુઃ - reached/accepted ("did not stop"; perfect plural)
વિરામં - rest; cessation
ન - not
નિશ્ચિત - determined; resolved
અર્થાત્ - from the aim/purpose (ablative; sandhi in verse: નિશ્ચિતાર્થાત્ = નિશ્ચિત + અર્થાત્)
વિરમંતિ - desist; turn back
ધીરાઃ - steadfast; wise people

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The gods were not satisfied even with priceless jewels, were not frightened even by terrible poison, and did not rest without nectar; likewise, steadfast people do not turn back from a resolved goal.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse echoes the spirit of સમુદ્રમંથન: even when riches appear, the work is not done; even when danger appears, the purpose is not abandoned; the journey continues until the true goal is reached. ધીર here means someone whose mind does not break under either temptation or fear. In modern life, this is determination with discrimination: do not get distracted by side-rewards, do not panic when obstacles appear, and do not quit the moment effort becomes uncomfortable. The caution is implicit: choose a worthy નિશ્ચિતાર્થ (resolved aim) first; then carry it through steadily.

ક્વચિત્પૃથ્વીશય્યઃ ક્વચિદપિ ચ પરંકશયનઃ
ક્વચિચ્છાકાહારઃ ક્વચિદપિ ચ શાલ્યોદનરુચિઃ ।
ક્વચિત્કંથાધારી ક્વચિદપિ ચ દિવ્યાંબરધરો
મનસ્વી કાર્યાર્થી ન ગણયતિ દુઃખં ન ચ સુખમ્ ॥ 1.82 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ક્વચિત્ - sometimes; somewhere
પૃથ્વી - earth
સય્યઃ - bed; one who lies on (as in પૃથ્વીશય્યઃ = "sleeping on the earth")
ક્વચિત્ - sometimes
અપિ - also
ચ - and
પરંક - bed/couch
શયનઃ - sleeping; lying down (as in પરંકશયનઃ)
ક્વચિત્ - sometimes
છાક - vegetables/greens
આહારઃ - food; one who eats (as in છાકાહારઃ)
ક્વચિત્ - sometimes
અપિ - also
શાલિ - rice
ઓદન - cooked rice; meal
રુચિઃ - taste; liking (as in શાલ્યોદનરુચિઃ)
ક્વચિત્ - sometimes
કંથા - patched cloth; ragged garment
ધારી - wearing (as in કંથાધારી)
ક્વચિત્ - sometimes
અપિ - also
દિવ્ય - fine; splendid
અંબર - garment
ધરઃ - wearing (as in દિવ્યાંબરધરઃ)
મનસ્વી - strong-minded; resolute
કાર્ય - work; purpose/mission
અર્થી - seeker (as in કાર્યાર્થી)
ન - not
ગણયતિ - counts; considers
દુઃખં - sorrow; hardship
ન - not
ચ - and
સુખં - happiness; comfort

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Sometimes sleeping on the bare earth, sometimes on a bed; sometimes eating simple greens, sometimes enjoying rice; sometimes wearing rags, sometimes fine clothes - the resolute person intent on their purpose does not count sorrow and does not count comfort.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse teaches "goal-anchored flexibility." When your mind is fixed on કાર્ય (a worthy task), external ups and downs stop ruling you: you can work with whatever conditions exist. This is not negligence of health; it is refusal to make comfort the dictator of life. In modern life, anyone building something meaningful sees this rhythm: some months are lean and simple, some are abundant; some days are exhausting, some are easy - but the person with મનસ્ (inner resolve) keeps moving. The more you practice not overreacting to comfort or discomfort, the more stable your progress becomes.

ઐશ્વર્યસ્ય વિભૂષણં સુજનતા શૌર્યસ્ય વાક્સંયમો
જ્ઞાનસ્યોપશમઃ શ્રુતસ્ય વિનયો વિત્તસ્ય પાત્રે વ્યયઃ ।
અક્રોધસ્તપસઃ ક્ષમા પ્રભવિતુર્ધર્મસ્ય નિર્વાજતા
સર્વેષાં અપિ સર્વકારણં ઇદં શીલં પરં ભૂષણમ્ ॥ 1.83 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ઐશ્વર્યસ્ય - of wealth/power (genitive of ઐશ્વર્ય)
વિભૂષણં - ornament; adornment
સુજનતા - goodness; being a good person
શૌર્યસ્ય - of valor/heroism (genitive of શૌર્ય)
વાક્ - speech
સંયમઃ - restraint; control (as in વાક્સંયમઃ)
જ્ઞાનસ્ય - of knowledge (genitive of જ્ઞાન)
ઉપશમઃ - tranquility; pacification; calmness
શ્રુતસ્ય - of learning; of what is heard/studied (genitive of શ્રુત)
વિનયઃ - humility; discipline
વિત્તસ્ય - of wealth (genitive of વિત્ત)
પાત્રે - in a worthy recipient (locative of પાત્ર)
વ્યયઃ - spending; outlay
અક્રોધઃ - absence of anger; not being wrathful
તપસઃ - of austerity/discipline (genitive of તપસ્)
ક્ષમા - forgiveness; forbearance
પ્રભવિતુઃ - of the powerful/ruler (genitive of પ્રભવિતૃ)
ધર્મસ્ય - of ધર્મ
નિર્વાજતા - impartiality; not being swayed by bias/bribes
સર્વેષાં - of all
અપિ - even; indeed
સર્વ - all
કારણં - cause; reason (as in સર્વકારણં)
ઇદં - this
શીલં - good character; conduct
પરં - supreme
ભૂષણં - ornament; adornment

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Goodness is the ornament of wealth; restraint of speech is the ornament of valor; tranquility is the ornament of knowledge; humility is the ornament of learning; spending wealth on worthy recipients is its ornament; freedom from anger is the ornament of austerity; forgiveness is the ornament of the powerful; and impartiality is the ornament of ધર્મ. Indeed, this noble character is the supreme ornament and the cause of everything.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ is giving a practical test: what makes each strength safe? Wealth without સુજનતા (goodness) becomes arrogance; courage without વાક્સંયમ becomes bullying; knowledge without ઉપશમ becomes agitation; learning without વિનય becomes vanity. Even power is beautified only by ક્ષમા (forbearance), and public life is protected by નિર્વાજતા (impartiality) - not being bought by faction or favor. In modern life, treat these as "guardrails" for success: as you grow in resources, grow in restraint and humility even faster. That is how શીલ becomes the real ornament that does not fade.

નિંદંતુ નીતિનિપુણા યદિ વા સ્તુવંતુ
લક્ષ્મીઃ સમાવિશતુ ગચ્છતુ વા યથેષ્ઠમ્ ।
અદ્યૈવ વા મરણં અસ્તુ યુગાંતરે વા
ન્યાય્યાત્પથઃ પ્રવિચલંતિ પદં ન ધીરાઃ ॥ 1.84 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
નિંદંતુ - let them blame/criticize
નીતિ - conduct; ethics
નિપુણાઃ - experts; the skilled (as in નીતિનિપુણાઃ)
યદિ - if; whether
વા - or
સ્તુવંતુ - let them praise
લક્ષ્મીઃ - Lakshmi; fortune
સમાવિશતુ - may enter; may come
ગચ્છતુ - may go
વા - or
યથેષ્ઠં - as she wishes; as desired
અદ્ય - today
એવ - itself; indeed
વા - or
મરણં - death
અસ્તુ - may it be; let it be
યુગ - age; eon
અંતરે - in between; later (as in યુગાંતરે)
વા - or
ન્યાયાત્ - from justice/righteousness (ablative of ન્યાય)
પથઃ - from the path (ablative of પથ; as in ન્યાય્યાત્પથઃ)
પ્રવિચલંતિ - deviate; slip away
પદં - a step
ન - not
ધીરાઃ - steadfast; wise people

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Let experts in ethics blame, or let them praise; let fortune come or go as she pleases; let death come today, or after ages - the steadfast do not deviate even a step from the path of justice.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a vow of integrity that is independent of outcome. Praise and blame are social weather; લક્ષ્મી (fortune) is changeable; even life itself is uncertain. But ધીર means someone who is anchored in ન્યાય (justice) rather than in applause or fear. In modern life, this is the person who refuses to lie to look competent, refuses to cheat to get ahead, and refuses to abandon principles when money or anxiety enters the room. The verse is not "stubbornness"; it is clarity about what is non-negotiable.

ભગ્નાશસ્ય કરંડપિંડિતતનોર્મ્લાનેંદ્રિયસ્ય ક્ષુધા
કૃત્વાખુર્વિવરં સ્વયં નિપતિતો નક્તં મુખે ભોગિનઃ ।
તૃપ્તસ્તત્પિશિતેન સત્વરં અસૌ તેનૈવ યાતઃ યથા
લોકાઃ પશ્યત દૈવં એવ હિ નૃણાં વૃદ્ધૌ ક્ષયે કારણમ્ ॥ 1.85 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ભગ્ન - broken
આશસ્ય - of hope/expectation (genitive of આશા; as in ભગ્નાશસ્ય)
કરંડ - basket
પિંડિત - coiled up; packed up
તનોઃ - of the body (genitive of તનુ; in verse as કરંડપિંડિતતનોઃ)
મ્લાન - withered; weakened
ઇંદ્રિયસ્ય - of the senses (genitive of ઇંદ્રિય; as in મ્લાનેંદ્રિયસ્ય)
ક્ષુધા - by hunger
કૃત્વા - having made; having become
આખુ - rat/mouse
વિવરં - hole (as in આખુર્વિવરં = "a rat-hole")
સ્વયં - by itself
નિપતિતઃ - fallen into
નક્તં - at night
મુખે - in the mouth (locative of મુખ)
ભોગિનઃ - of the serpent (genitive of ભોગિન્)
તૃપ્તઃ - satisfied
તત્ - that (rat's)
પિશિતેન - by flesh/meat (instrumental of પિશિત)
સત્વરં - quickly
અસૌ - that one (the serpent)
તેન - by that
એવ - indeed
યાતઃ - went
યથા - as; just as
લોકાઃ - O people!
પશ્યત - see!
દૈવં - fate; destiny
એવ - alone
હિ - indeed
નૃણાં - of people/men (genitive plural of નૃ)
વૃદ્ધૌ - in rise/prosperity (locative of વૃદ્ધિ)
ક્ષયે - in decline/loss (locative of ક્ષય)
કારણં - cause

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
A serpent, whose hopes were broken, whose body was coiled like a basket and whose senses were weakened by hunger, made itself like a rat-hole; and at night a rat fell right into its mouth. Satisfied with that flesh, it quickly went away just like that. People, see! Destiny alone is indeed the cause of rise and fall in human life.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is not telling you to abandon effort; it is humbling you about outcomes. Even when the serpent is starving and seemingly helpless, fortune can drop food into its mouth; and even when you do things "right", results can still surprise you. દૈવ here means the vast network of causes you cannot control. In modern life, this shows up as timing, market cycles, health, and chance meetings. The practical response is balanced: do your best work sincerely, but do not build your identity on results. Gratitude in success and steadiness in loss are both forms of wisdom.

આલસ્યં હિ મનુષ્યાણાં
શરીરસ્થો મહાન્રિપુઃ ।
નાસ્ત્યુદ્યમસમો બંધુઃ
કુર્વાણો નાવસીદતિ ॥ 1.86 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
આલસ્યં - laziness; inertia
હિ - indeed
મનુષ્યાણાં - of human beings (genitive plural of મનુષ્ય)
શરીર - body
સ્થઃ - residing in (as in શરીરસ્થઃ)
મહાન્ - great
રિપુઃ - enemy
ન - not
અસ્તિ - there is (sandhi in verse: નાસ્તિ = ન + અસ્તિ)
ઉદ્યમ - effort; initiative
સમઃ - equal
બંધુઃ - friend
કુર્વાણઃ - doing; acting (present participle)
ન - not
અવસીદતિ - sinks; fails; falls into ruin (sandhi in verse: નાવસીદતિ = ન + અવસીદતિ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Laziness is indeed a great enemy dwelling within the human body; there is no friend equal to effort. The one who keeps acting does not sink into failure.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ points to the most dangerous opponent because it is invisible and internal: આલસ્ય (inertia) lives inside our routines and excuses. External obstacles can be negotiated, but laziness quietly steals days. The counter-force is ઉદ્યમ (effort): small, consistent action that keeps momentum alive. In modern life, this can be as simple as a daily non-negotiable: one page read, one message sent, one workout, one honest difficult conversation. When you keep moving, problems shrink; when you stop moving, even small problems feel like mountains.

છિન્નોઽપિ રોહતિ તર્ક્ષીણોઽપ્યુપચીયતે પુનશ્ચંદ્રઃ ।
ઇતિ વિમૃશંતઃ સંતઃ સંતપ્યંતે ન દુઃખેષુ ॥ 1.87 ॥

છંદઃ (આર્યા): This is in આર્યા Chandas/Meter: a માત્રા-ચંદસ્ counted by માત્રાઃ (1 for લઘુ, 2 for ગુરુ) rather than a fixed syllable count; the basic scheme is 12+18 માત્રાઃ in the first half and 12+15 માત્રાઃ in the second half (often written as two lines); a natural યતિ (pause) occurs at the 12-માત્રા split within each half.

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
છિન્નઃ - cut down
અપિ - even (sandhi in verse: છિન્નોઽપિ = છિન્નઃ + અપિ)
રોહતિ - grows again; sprouts
તર્ક્ષિણી - a tree (in verse as તર્ક્ષીણિ)
અપિ - even (sandhi in verse: તર્ક્ષીણોઽપિ = તર્ક્ષિણી + અપિ)
ઉપચીયતે - grows; increases again
પુનઃ - again
ચંદ્રઃ - the moon
ઇતિ - thus
વિમૃશંતઃ - reflecting; considering deeply
સંતઃ - good people; the wise
સંતપ્યંતે - are afflicted; suffer
ન - not
દુઃખેષુ - in sorrows; in difficulties (locative plural of દુઃખ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Even when cut down, a tree grows again; and even when it wanes, the moon increases again. Reflecting in this way, good people do not despair in times of sorrow.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse offers a simple medicine for despair: remember the rhythm of renewal in nature. Loss is real, but it is not always final; many things regrow, return, or can be rebuilt. In modern life, this is resilience after failure: a project can be restarted, skills can be regained, relationships can be repaired, health can often be restored with patient discipline. The point is not naive optimism; it is refusing to make pain into permanent identity. Like the moon's phases, your difficult season can pass.

નેતા યસ્ય બૃહસ્પતિઃ પ્રહરણં વજ્રં સુરાઃ સૈનિકાઃ
સ્વર્ગો દુર્ગં અનુગ્રહઃ કિલ હરેરૈરાવતો વારણઃ ।
ઇત્યૈશ્વર્યબલાન્વિતોઽપિ બલભિદ્ભગ્નઃ પરૈઃ સંગરે
તદ્વ્યક્તં નનુ દૈવં એવ શરણં ધિગ્ધિગ્વૃથા પૌરુષમ્ ॥ 1.88 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
નેતા - leader; guide
યસ્ય - of whom
બૃહસ્પતિઃ - Brihaspati (guru of the gods)
પ્રહરણં - weapon
વજ્રં - vajra (thunderbolt)
સુરાઃ - the gods
સૈનિકાઃ - soldiers; army
સ્વર્ગઃ - heaven
દુર્ગં - fortress
અનુગ્રહઃ - support; favor
કિલ - indeed
હરેઃ - of Hari (Vishnu)
ઐરાવતઃ - Airavata
વારણઃ - elephant
ઇતિ - thus
ઐશ્વર્ય - wealth/power
બલ - strength
અન્વિતઃ - endowed with (sandhi in verse: ઇત્યૈશ્વર્યબલાન્વિતોઽપિ = ઇતિ + ઐશ્વર્યબલાન્વિતઃ + અપિ)
અપિ - even though
બલભિત્ - Indra ("slayer of બલ")
ભગ્નઃ - defeated; broken
પરૈઃ - by others/enemies
સંગરે - in battle (locative of સંગર)
તત્ - that
વ્યક્તં - clear; manifest
નનુ - indeed
દૈવં - fate; destiny
એવ - alone
શરણં - refuge
ધિક્ - shame!
વૃથા - in vain; pointless
પૌરુષં - human effort/valor

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Even though Indra had Brihaspati as his leader, the vajra as his weapon, the gods as his army, heaven as his fortress, Hari's favor, and Airavata as his elephant, he was still defeated by enemies in battle. Thus it is clear: fate alone is the refuge - shame on human effort done in vain.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is deliberately extreme to make a point about limits: even the most "stacked" advantages cannot guarantee victory. દૈવ here stands for factors beyond our control - timing, hidden causes, and the unpredictability of the world. In modern life, this is why humility is essential in success and compassion is essential in judgment: you do not fully know what helped you win, and you do not fully know what blocked someone else. The healthy synthesis is: do your પૌરુષ (effort) sincerely, but do not treat outcomes as proof of personal superiority. Accept what you cannot control, and keep your character steady.

કર્માયત્તં ફલં પુંસાં
બુદ્ધિઃ કર્માનુસારિણી ।
તથાપિ સુધિયા ભાવ્યં
સુવિચાર્યૈવ કુર્વતા ॥ 1.89 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
કર્મ - action
આયત્તં - dependent on; under the control of (as in કર્માયત્તં)
ફલં - result; fruit
પુંસાં - of people/men (genitive plural of પુમાન્)
બુદ્ધિઃ - intellect; understanding
કર્મ - action
અનુસારિણી - following; in accordance with (as in કર્માનુસારિણી)
તથા - thus
અપિ - even so
સુધિયા - by the wise (instrumental of સુધિ)
ભાવ્યં - should be done; should act
સુવિચાર્ય - having deliberated well
એવ - indeed
કુર્વતા - by the one who acts/does

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The results people obtain depend on their actions, and even the mind's understanding follows action; nevertheless, the wise should act only after careful deliberation.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse balances two truths: action matters, and thinking matters. If you keep acting impulsively, your બુદ્ધિ (judgment) starts to "follow" those impulses and justifies them; but if you deliberate well and then act, your mind becomes aligned with wisdom. In modern life, this is why small ethical choices matter: a shortcut today makes the next shortcut easier; a principled choice today strengthens the next principled choice. Train yourself to pause, consider consequences, and then act - that is સુવિચાર in practice.

ખલ્વાતો દિવસેશ્વરસ્ય કિરણૈઃ સંતાડિતો મસ્તકે
વાંછંદેશં અનાતપં વિધિવશાત્તાલસ્ય મૂલં ગતઃ ।
તત્રાપ્યસ્ય મહાફલેન પતતા ભગ્નં સશબ્દં શિરઃ
પ્રાયો ગચ્છતિ યત્ર ભાગ્યરહિતસ્તત્રૈવ યાંત્યાપદઃ ॥ 1.90 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ખલ્વાતઃ - bald man (sandhi in verse: ખલ્વાતો = ખલ્વાતઃ)
દિવસ - day
ઈશ્વરસ્ય - of the lord (as in દિવસેશ્વરસ્ય = "lord of the day" = the sun)
કિરણૈઃ - by rays (instrumental plural of કિરણ)
સંતાડિતઃ - struck; tormented; afflicted
મસ્તકે - on the head (locative of મસ્તક)
વાંછન્ - desiring; seeking
દેશં - place
અનાતપં - without heat/sun; shady
વિધિ - fate; the ordainer
વશાત્ - due to the control/influence (as in વિધિવશાત્)
તાલસ્ય - of the palm tree
મૂલં - root; base
ગતઃ - went
તત્ર - there
અપિ - even
અસ્ય - his
મહા - big; great
ફલેન - by a fruit (instrumental of ફલ; as in મહાફલેન)
પતતા - falling (instrumental of present participle)
ભગ્નં - broken
સશબ્દં - with a sound
શિરઃ - head
પ્રાયઃ - generally; most often
ગચ્છતિ - goes
યત્ર - where
ભાગ્યરહિતઃ - the unfortunate; one without good fortune
તત્ર - there
એવ - indeed
યાંતિ - go
આપદઃ - calamities (sandhi in verse: યાંત્યાપદઃ = યાંતિ + આપદઃ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
A bald man, whose head was tormented by the sun's rays, sought a shady place; by fate he went under the base of a palm tree. Even there, his head was cracked with a loud sound by a large falling fruit. Often, calamities go exactly where the unfortunate goes.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a sharp way of describing cascading misfortune: when luck is bad, even a reasonable decision seems to backfire. It is also a warning about becoming careless under discomfort: the bald man is desperate for shade, so he stops thinking about what might fall from a tall tree. In modern life, this is how one rushed decision creates another problem - you try to escape one pain quickly and walk into a new one. The practical application is: slow down when stressed, widen your awareness, and choose "shade" that is actually safe. Even if દૈવ is a factor, વિવેક (discernment) reduces avoidable harm.

રવિનિશાકરયોર્ગ્રહપીડનં
ગજભુજંગમયોરપિ બંધનમ્ ।
મતિમતાં ચ વિલોક્ય દરિદ્રતાં
વિધિરહો બલવાનિતિ મે મતિઃ ॥ 1.91 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
રવિ - the sun
નિશાકર - the moon ("maker of night")
યોઃ - of the two (genitive dual; as in રવિનિશાકરયોઃ)
ગ્રહ - seizer; planet (here: eclipse-causing "graha")
પીડનં - affliction; oppression (as in ગ્રહપીડનં)
ગજ - elephant
ભુજંગમ - serpent
યોઃ - of the two (genitive dual; as in ગજભુજંગમયોઃ)
અપિ - even
બંધનં - bondage; captivity
મતિમતાં - of intelligent people (genitive plural of મતિમત્)
ચ - and
વિલોક્ય - having seen
દરિદ્રતાં - poverty; destitution
વિધિઃ - fate; the ordainer
અહો - alas!
બલવાન્ - powerful
ઇતિ - thus
મે - my
મતિઃ - opinion; understanding

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Seeing the eclipse of the sun and moon, the captivity of even an elephant and a serpent, and the poverty of intelligent people, I conclude: alas, fate is powerful.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse lists "reversals" to shake our simplistic beliefs: even the bright can be eclipsed, even the strong can be bound, and even the wise can be poor. વિધિ is not a license for helplessness; it is a reminder to stay humble and compassionate. In modern life, this means not equating wealth with intelligence, not assuming power guarantees safety, and not treating misfortune as moral failure. Do your work with effort, but hold outcomes with humility - that is what the verse trains.

સૃજતિ તાવદશેષગુણકરં
પુરુષરત્નં અલંકરણં ભુવઃ ।
તદપિ તત્ક્ષણભંગિ કરોતિ
ચેદહહ કષ્ટં અપંડિતતા વિધેઃ ॥ 1.92 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સૃજતિ - creates; produces
તાવત્ - then/so long; at first
અશેષ - without remainder; all
ગુણ - virtues; qualities
કરં - making; producing (as in અશેષગુણકરં = "producing all virtues")
પુરુષ - person
રત્નં - jewel (as in પુરુષરત્નં = "a jewel among people")
અલંકરણં - ornament; adornment
ભુવઃ - of the earth/world (genitive of ભુવ્)
તત્ - that
અપિ - even
તત્ક્ષણ - in that very moment; instantly
ભંગિ - breaking; destruction (as in તત્ક્ષણભંગિ)
કરોતિ - does; makes
ચેત્ - if (sandhi in verse: ચેદહહ = ચેત્ + અહહ)
અહહ - alas!
કષ્ટં - painful; hard
અપંડિતતા - lack of learning; not being a પંડિત
વિધેઃ - of fate/creator (genitive of વિધિ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Fate first creates a "jewel of a person" who produces every virtue, an ornament of the earth; but if it then breaks that person instantly, alas - how painful is the creator's gift of ignorance and lack of learning.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a lament that raw potential is wasted when education and discernment are missing. Even a naturally gifted person becomes fragile if અપંડિતતા (lack of learning) rules their choices; one impulsive error can "break" a reputation or a life. In modern life, this is why skill without judgment is dangerous: talent needs training, mentorship, and reflection to become stable virtue. Treat learning not as decoration but as protection - the difference between brilliance that burns out and brilliance that serves.

પત્રં નૈવ યદા કરીરવિટપે દોષો વસંતસ્ય કિમ્
નોલૂકોઽપ્યવલોકતે યદિ દિવા સૂર્યસ્ય કિં દૂષણમ્ ।
ધારા નૈવ પતંતિ ચાતકમુખે મેઘસ્ય કિં દૂષણમ્
યત્પૂર્વં વિધિના લલાટલિખિતં તન્માર્જિતું કઃ ક્ષમઃ ॥ 1.93 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
પત્રં - leaf
ન - not
એવ - at all (as in નૈવ)
યદા - when
કરીર - a thorny tree/shrub
વિટપે - on a branch/tree (locative of વિટપ)
દોષો - fault; defect
વસંતસ્ય - of spring
કિમ્ - what (fault?)
ઉલૂકઃ - owl (sandhi in verse: નોલૂકોઽપિ = ન + ઉલૂકઃ + અપિ)
અપિ - even
અવલોકતે - sees; looks (with ન in the verse: does not see)
યદિ - if
દિવા - in the daytime
સૂર્યસ્ય - of the sun
કિમ્ - what
દૂષણં - blame; defect
ધારાઃ - streams; flows (of rain)
ન - not
એવ - at all (as in નૈવ)
પતંતિ - fall
ચાતક - the chataka bird (traditionally said to drink only rain directly)
મુખે - into the mouth (locative of મુખ)
મેઘસ્ય - of the cloud
કિમ્ - what
દૂષણં - blame
યત્ - that which
પૂર્વં - previously
વિધિના - by fate/creator (instrumental of વિધિ)
લલાટ - forehead
લિખિતં - written (as in લલાટલિખિતં)
તત્ - that
માર્જિતું - to wipe away; to erase
કઃ - who?
ક્ષમઃ - capable

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
If, in spring, leaves do not appear on the thorny karIra tree, what fault is that of spring? If an owl cannot see in the daytime, what defect is that of the sun? If rain-streams do not fall into the chataka bird's mouth, what is the cloud to blame? What was written earlier on the forehead by fate - who can erase it?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse teaches two kinds of maturity: stop blaming the wrong cause, and accept what is beyond you. A karIra tree will not become leafy like a mango by blaming spring; an owl's limitation is not the sun's defect; and the chataka mythology is used to show that even the "right" cloud may not satisfy every desire. In modern life, this means: do not waste emotional energy resenting reality, other people, or the world for constraints that are structural. Work with what you can change, build skill and timing patiently, and accept that some outcomes are not in your hands. That acceptance is not laziness; it is clarity.

નમસ્યામો દેવાન્નનુ હતવિધેસ્તેઽપિ વશગા
વિધિર્વંદ્યઃ સોઽપિ પ્રતિનિયતકર્મૈકફલદઃ ।
ફલં કર્માયત્તં યદિ કિં અમરૈઃ કિં ચ વિધિના
નમસ્તત્કર્મભ્યો વિધિરપિ ન યેભ્યઃ પ્રભવતિ ॥ 1.94 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
નમસ્યામો - we bow; we salute
દેવાન્ - the gods (accusative plural of દેવ)
નનુ - indeed
હતવિધેઃ - of inexorable/cruel fate (genitive of હતવિધિ)
તે - they
અપિ - also; even (sandhi in verse: તેઽપિ = તે + અપિ)
વશગાઃ - under control; subservient
વિધિઃ - fate; the ordainer
વંદ્યઃ - worthy of reverence
સઃ - he
અપિ - also (sandhi in verse: સોઽપિ = સઃ + અપિ)
પ્રતિનિયત - fixed; strictly determined
કર્મ - action
એક - only
ફલદઃ - giver of fruits/results (as in પ્રતિનિયતકર્મૈકફલદઃ)
ફલં - fruit/result
કર્માયત્તં - dependent on કર્મ
યદિ - if
કિં - what (use?)
અમરૈઃ - by the immortal gods
કિં - what
ચ - and
વિધિના - by fate (instrumental)
નમઃ - salutations
તત્ - to those
કર્મભ્યઃ - to actions (dative plural of કર્મ)
વિધિઃ - fate
અપિ - even
ન - not
યેભ્યઃ - from which
પ્રભવતિ - prevails/operates

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
We bow to the gods, yet even they are under the control of inexorable fate. Fate is to be revered, yet it gives fruits only according to fixed karma. If results depend on karma, what use are the gods, and what use is fate? Salutations to those actions, apart from which even fate does not operate.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is a philosophical tightening of the screw: it keeps removing "intermediaries" until responsibility remains. If even gods are constrained by વિધિ, and if વિધિ itself gives results only through કર્મ, then the most practical focus is: do the right action. In modern life, this discourages both superstition and fatalism: do not outsource your ethics to rituals, and do not outsource your effort to luck. Worship in your tradition if you wish, but let it support સત્ક્રિયા (right conduct) - because conduct is where your agency lives.

બ્રહ્મા યેન કુલાલવન્નિયમિતો બ્રહ્માડભાંડોદરે
વિષ્ણુર્યેન દશાવતારગહને ક્ષિપ્તો મહાસંકટે ।
રુદ્રો યેન કપાલપાણિપુટકે ભિક્ષાટનં કારિતઃ
સૂર્યો ભ્રામ્યતિ નિત્યં એવ ગગને તસ્મૈ નમઃ કર્મણે ॥ 1.95 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
બ્રહ્મા - Brahma
યેન - by which
કુલાલ - potter
વત્ - like (as in કુલાલવત્)
નિયમિતઃ - regulated/limited; constrained
બ્રહ્માંડ - cosmic egg
ભાંડ - pot/vessel (as in બ્રહ્માંડભાંડ)
ઉદરે - inside (locative of ઉદર)
વિષ્ણુઃ - Vishnu
યેન - by which
દશ - ten
અવતાર - incarnations
ગહને - in the thicket; in the difficult maze (locative of ગહન)
ક્ષિપ્તઃ - thrown; cast
મહા - great
સંકટે - in distress/difficulty (locative of સંકટ)
રુદ્રઃ - Rudra (Siva)
યેન - by which
કપાલ - skull-bowl
પાણિ - hand
પુટકે - in the bundle/container (locative)
ભિક્ષાટનં - begging; wandering for alms
કારિતઃ - made to do; caused
સૂર્યઃ - the sun
ભ્રામ્યતિ - wanders; moves around
નિત્યં - always; daily
એવ - indeed
ગગને - in the sky
તસ્મૈ - to that
નમઃ - salutations
કર્મણે - to કર્મ (dative of કર્મ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Salutations to that karma by which Brahma is constrained like a potter within the "pot" of the cosmic egg; by which Vishnu is cast into the difficult maze of ten incarnations; by which Rudra is made to wander begging with a skull-bowl; and by which the sun endlessly circles the sky.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is a poetic way of asserting the universality of cause-and-effect. Even the highest cosmic roles are portrayed as moving within laws; no one is "above" the structure of consequence. In modern life, this restores moral seriousness: your actions matter, patterns repeat, and responsibility cannot be escaped by status. It also restores humility: if even gods are shown as moving within order, it is wise for us to align our choices with ધર્મ and to cultivate patience. કર્મ here is not merely fate; it is the moral logic of life.

નૈવાકૃતિઃ ફલતિ નૈવા કુલં ન શીલં
વિદ્યાપિ નૈવ ન ચ યત્નકૃતાપિ સેવા ।
ભાગ્યાનિ પૂર્વતપસા ખલુ સંચિતાનિ
કાલે ફલંતિ પુરુષસ્ય યથૈવ વૃક્ષાઃ ॥ 1.96 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ન - not
એવ - at all (as in નૈવ)
આકૃતિઃ - form; appearance
ફલતિ - bears fruit; succeeds
ન - not
એવ - at all
કુલં - family/lineage
ન - not
શીલં - character; conduct
વિદ્યા - learning
અપિ - even
ન - not
એવ - at all
ન - not
ચ - and
યત્ન - effort
કૃતા - done (as in યત્નકૃતા)
અપિ - even
સેવા - service
ભાગ્યાનિ - fortunes; good outcomes
પૂર્વ - earlier/past
તપસા - by austerity/discipline (instrumental of તપસ્)
ખલુ - indeed
સંચિતાનિ - accumulated
કાલે - in time; at the right season
ફલંતિ - bear fruit
પુરુષસ્ય - of a person
યથા - just as
એવ - indeed
વૃક્ષાઃ - trees

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Neither appearance, nor family, nor character, nor even learning or service done with effort necessarily bears fruit; fortunes accumulated through past discipline bear fruit in their own time for a person, just like trees.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
Read this verse as a teaching on timing and long causality, not as a command to stop trying. Many results are delayed; some are rooted in earlier causes we do not see. પૂર્વતપસ્ here can be understood as sustained effort and inner discipline accumulated over time - like planting a tree and waiting for the season of fruit. In modern life, this is why consistent practice matters: the work you do today may not show up immediately, but it is stored. Keep building good causes; when time ripens, effects appear.

વને રણે શત્રુજલાગ્નિમધ્યે
મહાર્ણવે પર્વતમસ્તકે વા ।
સુપ્તં પ્રમત્તં વિષમસ્થિતં વા
રક્ષંતિ પુણ્યાનિ પુરાકૃતાનિ ॥ 1.97 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
વને - in a forest
રણે - in battle
શત્રુ - enemy
જલ - water
અગ્નિ - fire
મધ્યે - in the midst (as in શત્રુજલાગ્નિમધ્યે)
મહા - great
અર્ણવે - in the ocean (locative of અર્ણવ; as in મહાર્ણવે)
પર્વત - mountain
મસ્તકે - on the top/head (locative; as in પર્વતમસ્તકે)
વા - or
સુપ્તં - (even if) asleep
પ્રમત્તં - careless; intoxicated; inattentive
વિષમ - dangerous; uneven
સ્થિતં - situated (as in વિષમસ્થિતં)
વા - or
રક્ષંતિ - protect
પુણ્યાનિ - merits; good deeds
પુરા - earlier
કૃતાનિ - done (as in પુરાકૃતાનિ)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Whether in a forest or in battle, amid enemies, water, or fire; whether in the great ocean or on a mountain peak; whether asleep, careless, or in a dangerous position - merits earned earlier protect.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is not encouraging recklessness; it is encouraging long-term ethical investment. When you consistently do good - build trust, keep promises, help others, avoid harm - that "stored" merit often shows up as protection: the right person appears, a mistake is forgiven, help arrives at the right time, or you simply have the inner strength to endure. In modern life, you can view પુણ્ય as both spiritual credit and practical goodwill. Build it quietly; it becomes your unseen safety net.

યા સાધૂંશ્ચ ખલાન્કરોતિ વિદુષો મૂર્ખાન્હિતાંદ્વેષિણઃ
પ્રત્યક્ષં કુરુતે પરીક્ષં અમૃતં હાલાહલં તત્ક્ષણાત્ ।
તાં આરાધય સત્ક્રિયાં ભગવતીં ભોક્તું ફલં વાંછિતં
હે સાધો વ્યસનૈર્ગુણેષુ વિપુલેષ્વાસ્થાં વૃથા મા કૃથાઃ ॥ 1.98 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
યા - which (power/goddess)
સાધૂન્ - good people; saints (accusative plural; sandhi in verse: સાધૂંશ્ચ = સાધૂન્ + ચ)
ચ - and
ખલાન્ - wicked people (accusative plural; as in "making (them) wicked")
કરોતિ - makes
વિદુષઃ - the learned (accusative plural; sandhi in verse: વિદુષો = વિદુષઃ)
મૂર્ખાન્ - fools (accusative plural of મૂર્ખ્)
હિતાન્ - well-wishers; beneficial people
દ્વેષિણઃ - haters; enemies (sandhi in verse: હિતાંદ્વેષિણઃ = હિતાન્ + દ્વેષિણઃ)
પ્રત્યક્ષં - directly; visibly
કુરુતે - makes/does
પરીક્ષં - test; examination
અમૃતં - nectar; ambrosia
હાલાહલં - deadly poison (halAhala)
તત્ક્ષણાત્ - in that very moment; instantly
તાં - her
આરાધય - worship; propitiate (imperative)
સત્ક્રિયાં - proper honoring; due service/reverence
ભગવતીં - the venerable goddess
ભોક્તું - to enjoy
ફલં - fruit/result
વાંછિતં - desired
હે - O!
સાધો - good man; noble one
વ્યસનૈઃ - by misfortunes/vices (instrumental plural of વ્યસન)
ગુણેષુ - in virtues/qualities (locative plural of ગુણ)
વિપુલેષુ - abundant; great
આસ્થાં - reliance; confidence; attachment
વૃથા - in vain
મા - do not
કૃથાઃ - do (imperative)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
That power which can turn good people into wicked, the learned into fools, and well-wishers into haters; which openly tests by turning nectar into deadly poison in an instant - worship her with due reverence if you wish to enjoy the result you desire. O noble one, do not place vain reliance on even abundant virtues when misfortune can overturn them.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse warns against complacency: character is tested, not merely possessed. Under pressure, people can flip; in one moment what looked like અમૃત (nectar) can feel like હાલાહલ (poison). The instruction is not to fear life, but to cultivate humility and consistent discipline - સત્ક્રિયા as "right conduct" and "proper honoring" of what is sacred and ethical. In modern life, this means not assuming your good habits are unbreakable: protect them with routines, good company, and boundaries, especially during stress. Virtues survive not by pride, but by practice.

ગુણવદગુણવદ્વા કુર્વતા કાર્યજાતં
પરિણતિરવધાર્યા યત્નતઃ પંડિતેન ।
અતિરભસકૃતાનાં કર્મણાં આવિપત્તેર્
ભવતિ હૃદયદાહી શલ્યતુલ્યો વિપાકઃ ॥ 1.99 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ગુણવત્ - with virtue/quality
અગુણવત્ - without quality; flawed
વા - or
કુર્વતા - by the doer; by one who does
કાર્યજાતં - the set/collection of tasks
પરિણતિઃ - outcome; consequence
અવધાર્યા - must be ascertained/considered
યત્નતઃ - carefully; with effort
પંડિતેન - by the wise person
અતિ - excessively
રભસ - haste; impulsive speed
કૃતાનાં - of actions done (genitive plural)
કર્મણાં - of actions
આ - toward; into (prefix)
વિપત્તેઃ - from the arising of calamity/misfortune (ablative of વિપત્તિ)
ભવતિ - becomes
હૃદય - heart
દાહી - burning (as in હૃદયદાહી)
શલ્ય - a thorn/dart; something lodged painfully
તુલ્યઃ - like; comparable (as in શલ્યતુલ્યઃ)
વિપાકઃ - fruition; ripened result

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Whether doing a task well or poorly, the wise person should carefully consider its consequence. For actions done in reckless haste, the ripened result becomes heart-burning, like a thorn or dart lodged within.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The key warning is against રભસ (impulsive haste). A rushed email, a quick lie, a sudden purchase, a careless comment, or an unreviewed change can ripen into વિપત્તિ (misfortune) that burns the heart. શલ્ય means a thorn or dart stuck inside - the pain is not dramatic but persistent, because it keeps pricking you later. In modern life, this verse is an argument for pause: review, ask one more question, wait one day, and act with clarity. The cost of carefulness is small; the cost of rashness is long.

સ્થાલ્યાં વૈદૂર્યમય્યાં પચતિ તિલકણાંશ્ચંદનૈરિંધનૌઘૈઃ
સૌવર્ણૈર્લાંગલાગ્રૈર્વિલિખતિ વસુધાં અર્કમૂલસ્ય હેતોઃ ।
કૃત્વા કર્પૂરખંડાન્વૃત્તિં ઇહ કુરુતે કોદ્રવાણાં સમંતાત્
પ્રાપ્યેમાં કરંભૂમિં ન ચરતિ મનુજો યસ્તોપ મંદભાગ્યઃ ॥ 1.100 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
સ્થાલ્યાં - in a cooking pot (locative of સ્થાલી)
વૈદૂર્ય - vaidUrya gemstone (cat's-eye)
મય્યાં - made of (locative feminine; as in વૈદૂર્યમય્યાં)
પચતિ - cooks
તિલકણાન્ - sesame seeds (accusative plural)
ચંદનૈઃ - with sandalwood (instrumental plural of ચંદન)
ઇંધન - fuel
ઔઘૈઃ - by heaps/floods (instrumental plural of ઓઘ્હ; as in ઇંધનૌઘૈઃ)
સૌવર્ણૈઃ - with golden (instrumental plural of સૌવર્ણ)
લાંગલ - plough
અગ્રૈઃ - tips/points (instrumental plural of અગ્ર; as in લાંગલાગ્રૈઃ)
વિલિખતિ - scratches; ploughs
વસુધાં - the earth (accusative of વસુધા)
અર્ક - arka plant
મૂલસ્ય - of the root (genitive of મૂલ)
હેતોઃ - for the sake of; for the purpose
કૃત્વા - having made
કર્પૂર - camphor
ખંડાન્ - pieces (accusative plural of ખંડ)
વૃત્તિં - use; means (here: using as fuel)
ઇહ - here
કુરુતે - does; makes
કોદ્રવાણાં - of coarse grains/millets (genitive plural of કોદ્રવ)
સમંતાત્ - all around; everywhere
પ્રાપ્ય - having obtained
ઇમાં - this
કર્મ - action
ભૂમિં - field/land (as in કરંભૂમિં = "field of action"; often used for the human condition as a place of purposeful effort)
ન - not
ચરતિ - conducts himself; lives/acts
મનુજઃ - man; human
યઃ - who
તુ - but
અપિ - even
મંદ - dull; weak
ભાગ્યઃ - fortune (as in મંદભાગ્યઃ = "unfortunate")

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
He cooks mere sesame seeds in a pot made of vaidUrya gem using heaps of sandalwood as fuel; he ploughs the earth with golden ploughshares just to grow the root of arka; he uses chunks of camphor as fuel to cook coarse grains everywhere. Having obtained this precious field of human action, such an unfortunate person still does not live rightly.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse is an unforgettable picture of misallocation: priceless resources used for trivial ends. In modern life, this looks like using a powerful mind only for gossip, using money only for status, using education only for vanity, or using time only for distraction. The word કરંભૂમિ reminds us that human life is the arena where choices can be made consciously; wasting it is the deepest poverty. The remedy is simple: match resources to purpose - use your best energy for what is truly meaningful, and refuse to spend the rare on the cheap.

મજ્જત્વંભસિ યાતુ મેરુશિખરં શત્રું જયત્વાહવે
વાણિજ્યં કૃષિસેવને ચ સકલા વિદ્યાઃ કલાઃ શિક્ષતામ્ ।
આકાશં વિપુલં પ્રયાતુ ખગવત્કૃત્વા પ્રયત્નં પરં
નાભાવ્યં ભવતીહ કર્મવશતો ભાવ્યસ્ય નાશઃ કુતઃ ॥ 1.101 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
મજ્જતુ - let it sink
અંબસિ - in water (locative of અંબુ)
યાતુ - let it go
મેરુ - Meru (cosmic mountain)
શિખરં - peak/summit
શત્રું - enemy
જયતુ - let (one) conquer
આહવે - in battle (locative of આહવ)
વાણિજ્યં - trade/commerce
કૃષિ - agriculture
સેવને - in service/practice (locative; as in કૃષિસેવને)
ચ - and
સકલાઃ - all
વિદ્યાઃ - knowledges/skills
કલાઃ - arts
શિક્ષતાં - let them be learned
આકાશં - the sky
વિપુલં - vast
પ્રયાતુ - let (one) reach
ખ્હગ - bird
વત્ - like (as in ખગવત્)
કૃત્વા - having done/made
પ્રયત્નં - effort
પરં - supreme; great
ન - not
અભાવ્યં - what is not destined ("not to be")
ભવતિ - happens
ઇહ - here
કર્મ - કર્મ; action
વશતઃ - due to the control (as in કર્મવશતઃ)
ભાવ્યસ્ય - of what is destined (to be)
નાશઃ - destruction
કુતઃ - from where? how?

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Let Meru's peak sink in water; let the enemy be conquered in battle; let all skills and arts be learned in trade and agriculture; let one reach the vast sky like a bird through supreme effort. Yet what is not destined will not happen here due to karma; and if something is destined, how can it be destroyed?

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse holds two truths in tension: exert the highest effort, and accept that outcomes are not fully yours. It encourages ambition and learning, but it also warns against arrogance and despair. In modern life, this is the healthiest mindset for big goals: do the work as if everything depends on you, and accept results as if something larger is also at play. That balance keeps you energetic without being fragile: you strive, you learn, you attempt the impossible - and you do not collapse if the world says "not now".

ભીમં વનં ભવતિ તસ્ય પુરં પ્રધાનં
સર્વો જનઃ સ્વજનતાં ઉપયાતિ તસ્ય ।
કૃત્સ્ના ચ ભૂર્ભવતિ સન્નિધિરત્નપૂર્ણા
યસ્યાસ્તિ પૂર્વસુકૃતં વિપુલં નરસ્ય ॥ 1.102 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
ભીમં - frightening; formidable
વનં - forest
ભવતિ - becomes
તસ્ય - for him; of him
પુરં - city
પ્રધાનં - principal; foremost
સર્વઃ - all
જનઃ - people
સ્વજનતાં - kinship; being one's own people
ઉપયાતિ - attains; comes to
તસ્ય - for him
કૃત્સ્ના - entire; whole
ચ - and
ભૂઃ - earth
ભવતિ - becomes
સન્નિધિઃ - proximity; nearness
રત્ન - jewel
પૂર્ણા - full (as in રત્નપૂર્ણા)
યસ્ય - whose
અસ્તિ - is
પૂર્વ - previous; past
સુકૃતં - good deed; merit
વિપુલં - abundant; great
નરસ્ય - of a man/person

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
For the person whose past merit is abundant, even a fearsome forest becomes his chief city, everyone becomes like his own kin, and the whole earth becomes like a nearby treasure-house full of jewels.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse describes how fortune reshapes the world around you: danger turns into opportunity, strangers turn into allies, and resources appear close at hand. Taken ethically, it is also a reminder not to be arrogant in prosperity: when the world feels "easy", much of that ease may be the ripening of પૂર્વસુકૃત (past good causes) rather than personal genius alone. In modern life, this encourages gratitude and generosity: if life is presently favorable, use that season to build more good causes and to help others who are in a harder season.

કો લાભો ગુણિસંગમઃ કિં અસુખં પ્રાજ્ઞેતરૈઃ સંગતિઃ
કા હાનિઃ સમયચ્યુતિર્નિપુણતા કા ધર્મતત્ત્વે રતિઃ ।
કઃ શૂરો વિજિતેંદ્રિયઃ પ્રિયતમા કાઽનુવ્રતા કિં ધનં
વિદ્યા કિં સુખં અપ્રવાસગમનં રાજ્યં કિં આજ્ઞાફલમ્ ॥ 1.103 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
કઃ - what? / which?
લાભઃ - gain
ગુણિ - the virtuous; the qualified
સંગમઃ - association (as in ગુણિસંગમઃ)
કિં - what?
અસુખં - sorrow; unhappiness
પ્રાજ્ઞ - wise
એતરૈઃ - with those other-than (i.e., not wise)
સંગતિઃ - association
કા - what?
હાનિઃ - loss
સમય - right time; opportunity
ચ્યુતિઃ - slipping away; missing (as in સમયચ્યુતિઃ)
નિપુણતા - skill; competence
કા - what?
ધર્મ - ધર્મ; rightness
તત્ત્વે - in the true essence/principle (locative of તત્ત્વ)
રતિઃ - delight; interest; commitment
કઃ - who?
શૂરઃ - hero
વિજિત - conquered
ઇંદ્રિયઃ - senses (as in વિજિતેંદ્રિયઃ)
પ્રિયતમા - most beloved
કા - who?
અનુવ્રતા - loyal; one who follows the same vow/path
કિં - what?
ધનં - wealth
વિદ્યા - knowledge
કિં - what?
સુખં - happiness
અપ્રવાસ - not living away from home; no exile/long absence
ગમનં - going/moving (as in અપ્રવાસગમનં)
રાજ્યં - kingdom; rule
કિં - what?
આજ્ઞા - command
ફલં - fruit; effectiveness (as in આજ્ઞાફલં)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
What is true gain? The company of the virtuous. What is sorrow? Association with those who are not wise. What is loss? Missing the right time. What is real skill? Delight in the essence of dharma. Who is a hero? One who has conquered the senses. Who is most beloved? The loyal companion who follows the same path. What is wealth? Knowledge. What is happiness? Not having to live away from home. What is kingdom? The effectiveness of one's command.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This verse is a compact value-system. It shifts definitions away from social status toward inner quality: real "profit" is good company, real "wealth" is knowledge, real "heroism" is self-mastery, and real "rule" is the ability to make decisions that actually take effect. In modern life, this helps you measure success more sanely: choose friends who raise your standards, guard your time (missed opportunities are real loss), invest in learning, and practice ઇંદ્રિયનિગ્રહ (sense-discipline) so choices are not hijacked by craving. A life shaped by these definitions becomes steady and dignified, even if it is not flashy.

અપ્રિયવચનદરિદ્રૈઃ પ્રિયવચનધનાઢ્યૈઃ સ્વદારપરિતુષ્ટૈઃ ।
પરપરિવાદનિવૃત્તૈઃ ક્વચિત્ક્વચિન્મંડિતા વસુધા ॥ 1.104 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
અપ્રિય - unpleasant; not dear
વચન - speech; words
દરિદ્રૈઃ - by those who are "poor" (instrumental plural of દરિદ્ર; as in અપ્રિયવચનદરિદ્રૈઃ = "poor in harsh speech")
પ્રિય - pleasant; dear
વચન - speech; words
ધન - wealth
આઢ્યૈઃ - by those who are rich (instrumental plural of આઢ્ય; as in પ્રિયવચનધનાઢ્યૈઃ = "rich in the wealth of kind words")
સ્વ - one's own
દાર - wife
પરિતુષ્ટૈઃ - by those who are content/satisfied (instrumental plural)
પર - others'
પરિવાદ - slander; backbiting
નિવૃત્તૈઃ - by those who have turned away/ceased (instrumental plural; as in પરપરિવાદનિવૃત્તૈઃ)
ક્વચિત્ - here
ક્વચિત્ - there
મંડિતા - adorned; beautified
વસુધા - earth

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The earth is beautified here and there by people who are "poor" in harsh words (i.e., who do not speak unkindly), "rich" in the wealth of pleasant speech, content with their own spouse, and refraining from slandering others.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ names four social virtues that quietly make the world livable. First is speech: being "poor" in અપ્રિય-વચન (hurtful words) and "rich" in પ્રિય-વચન (kind words) means you reduce needless harm. Second is fidelity: contentment with one's own spouse protects families. Third is restraint from પરિવાદ (backbiting), which protects communities from poison. In modern life, these virtues are still rare and powerful: think before you post, refuse gossip at work, honor commitments, and speak in a way that leaves others stronger. Such people truly "adorn" society.

કદર્થિતસ્યાપિ હિ ધૈર્યવૃત્તેર્
ન શક્યતે ધૈર્યગુણઃ પ્રમાર્ષ્ટુમ્ ।
અધોમુખસ્યાપિ કૃતસ્ય વહ્નેર્
નાધઃ શિખા યાતિ કદાચિદેવ ॥ 1.105 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
કદર્થિતસ્ય - of one who has been insulted/humiliated
અપિ - even
હિ - indeed
ધૈર્ય - courage; fortitude
વૃત્તેઃ - of the conduct/disposition (genitive; as in ધૈર્યવૃત્તેઃ)
ન - not
શક્યતે - can be (in the sense: "it is not possible")
ધૈર્ય - courage
ગુણઃ - quality
પ્રમાર્ષ્ટું - to wipe away; to erase
અધો - downward
મુખસ્ય - of (one) facing (genitive of મુખ; as in અધોમુખસ્ય)
અપિ - even
કૃતસ્ય - made; placed
વહ્નેઃ - of fire
ન - not
અધઃ - downward
શિખા - flame
યાતિ - goes
કદાચિત્ - ever; at any time
એવ - indeed

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Even if a person of courageous disposition is humiliated, the quality of courage cannot be wiped away. Even when fire is made to face downward, its flame never goes downward.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
ભર્તૃહરિ is praising inner character as "directional": it naturally rises. You can insult a courageous person, but you cannot erase their ધૈર્ય (fortitude) the way you wipe dust off a surface. The fire-image is simple: even when turned, its nature expresses upward as flame. In modern life, this is what resilience looks like: criticism, setbacks, or temporary humiliation may hurt, but they do not define you unless you internalize them. Hold your principles steady, keep doing the next right thing, and let time reveal the real direction of your character.

કાંતાકટાક્ષવિશિખા ન લુનંતિ યસ્ય
ચિત્તં ન નિર્દહતિ કૃપકૃશાનુતાપઃ ।
કર્ષંતિ ભૂરિવિષયાશ્ચ ન લોભપાશૈર્
લોકત્રયં જયતિ કૃત્સ્નં ઇદં સ ધીરઃ ॥ 1.106 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
કાંતા - beloved; wife
કટાક્ષ - sidelong glance
વિશિખા - arrow
ન - not
લુનંતિ - cut; wound
યસ્ય - whose
ચિત્તં - mind
ન - not
નિર્દહતિ - burns up
કૃપ - wretched; poor; pitiable
કૃશાનુ - fire
તાપઃ - heat; burning (as in કૃપકૃશાનુતાપઃ = "the burning heat of the fire of poverty"; hunger)
કર્ષંતિ - pull; drag
ભૂરિ - many; abundant
વિષયાઃ - sense objects
ચ - and
ન - not
લોભ - greed
પાશૈઃ - by ropes/nooses (instrumental plural of પાશ)
લોકત્રયં - the three worlds
જયતિ - conquers
કૃત્સ્નં - entire; complete
ઇદં - this
સ - that
ધીરઃ - steadfast person

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
The steadfast one whose mind is not wounded by the arrows of the beloved's glances, not burned by the heat of poverty's fire, and not dragged by the ropes of greed tied to countless sense objects - that person conquers this entire threefold world.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is a definition of victory that begins inside. The ધીર is not defeated by lust (the "arrow" of attraction), not defeated by hunger and hardship (કૃપકૃશાનુતાપ), and not defeated by greed (the પાશ, a noose). In modern life, this is the person who can stay ethical under financial stress, stay steady under emotional temptation, and stay focused amid endless consumer distraction. When you master these three pressures, outer victories become secondary; you have already won the hardest battle.

એકેનાપિ હિ શૂરેણ
પાદાક્રાંતં મહીતલમ્ ।
ક્રિયતે ભાસ્કરેણૈવ
સ્ફારસ્ફુરિતતેજસા ॥ 1.107 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
એકેન - by one
અપિ - even
હિ - indeed
શૂરેણ - by a hero/brave one (instrumental)
પાદ - foot
આક્રાંતં - trodden/overrun; conquered (as in પાદાક્રાંતં)
મહીતલં - the earth's surface
ક્રિયતે - is made
ભાસ્કરેણ - by the sun (instrumental of ભાસ્કર)
એવ - alone
સ્ફાર - vast; widespread
સ્ફુરિત - spread/flashed; radiated
તેજસા - by radiance (instrumental of તેજસ્; as in સ્ફારસ્ફુરિતતેજસા)

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Even by a single hero the earth can be overrun; and by the sun alone, through its widespread radiance, the world is made bright.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse reminds you not to underestimate concentrated power. One capable person can change a battlefield; one sun changes the world simply by shining. In modern life, this can be inspiring: one disciplined student, one principled leader, one excellent engineer, or one committed volunteer can lift a whole team. It is also a warning: if one person can cause so much good, one person can also cause large harm; therefore build character with capability.

વહ્નિસ્તસ્ય જલાયતે જલનિધિઃ કુલ્યાયતે તત્ક્ષણાન્
મેરુઃ સ્વલ્પશિલાયતે મૃગપતિઃ સદ્યઃ કુરંગાયતે ।
વ્યાલો માલ્યગુણાયતે વિષરસઃ પીયૂષવર્ષાયતે
યસ્યાંગેઽખિલલોકવલ્લભતમં શીલં સમુન્મીલતિ ॥ 1.108 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
વહ્નિઃ - fire
તસ્ય - for him; of him
જલ - water
આયતે - becomes like; takes the form of (as in જલાયતે)
જલનિધિઃ - ocean ("treasure of water")
કુલ્યા - a small canal/ditch
આયતે - becomes like (as in કુલ્યાયતે)
તત્ક્ષણાત્ - instantly; in that very moment
મેરુઃ - Meru (great mountain)
સ્વલ્પ - small
શિલા - stone
આયતે - becomes like (as in સ્વલ્પશિલાયતે)
મૃગપતિઃ - lion ("lord of beasts")
સદ્યઃ - immediately
કુરંગ - deer
આયતે - becomes like (as in કુરંગાયતે)
વ્યાલઃ - serpent; dangerous creature
માલ્ય - garland
ગુણ - string/cord (as in માલ્યગુણાયતે = "becomes like a garland-string")
વિષ - poison
રસઃ - essence/juice
પીયૂષ - nectar
વર્ષ - rain
આયતે - becomes like (as in પીયૂષવર્ષાયતે = "becomes like a rain of nectar")
યસ્ય - whose
અંગે - in the body (locative of અંગ)
અખ્હિલ - all; entire
લોક - worlds; people
વલ્લભ્હતમં - most beloved (as in અખિલલોકવલ્લભતમં)
શીલં - character; conduct
સમુન્મીલતિ - blossoms; fully opens

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
For the person in whom a most-beloved character blossoms, fire becomes like water, the ocean becomes like a small canal, Meru becomes like a pebble, the lion becomes like a deer, the serpent becomes like a garland-string, and poison becomes like a rain of nectar.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
This is intentional exaggeration to show the "alchemy" of શીલ (character). When your conduct is trusted and loved, the world becomes safer: people cooperate instead of attacking, risks shrink, and even "poison" (hostility) can turn into "nectar" (support). In modern life, this looks like reputation built over years: a leader whose team will follow through crisis, a person whose apology is believed, or a family elder whose words calm conflict. You cannot buy this power; you grow it by consistent integrity.

લજ્જાગુણૌઘજનનીં જનનીં ઇવ સ્વામ્
અત્યંતશુદ્ધહૃદયાં અનુવર્તમાનામ્ ।
તેજસ્વિનઃ સુખં અસૂનપિ સંત્યજનતિ
સત્યવ્રતવ્યસનિનો ન પુનઃ પ્રતિજ્ઞામ્ ॥ 1.109 ॥

Meaning (પદાર્થ):
લજ્જા - modesty; shame (in the sense of moral restraint)
ગુણ - virtue
ઔઘ - flood/heap (as in ગુણૌઘ)
જનનીં - mother; generator (accusative of જનની)
જનનીં - mother (repeated)
ઇવ - like
સ્વામ્ - one's own
અત્યંત - extremely
શુદ્ધ - pure
હૃદયાં - heart (accusative feminine; as in શુદ્ધહૃદયાં)
અનુવર્તમાનાં - following; adhering to (accusative plural)
તેજસ્વિનઃ - radiant; spirited people
સુખં - easily
અસૂન્ - life-breaths; lives
અપિ - even
સંત્યજનતિ - abandon; give up
સત્ય - truth
વ્રત - vow
વ્યસનિનઃ - those devoted/addicted to (as in સત્યવ્રતવ્યસનિનઃ)
ન - not
પુનઃ - again
પ્રતિજ્ઞાં - promise; pledge

Translation (ભાવાર્થ):
Those who, with perfectly pure hearts, follow their own mother-like source of modesty and the flood of virtues - the radiant ones devoted to the vow of truth - will easily give up even life, but will never break a promise.

Commentary (અનુસંધાન):
The verse places truthfulness above survival. For the સત્યવ્રત person, a promise is not a casual sentence; it is an extension of character. In modern life, this is rare integrity: honoring commitments even when inconvenient, refusing to manipulate language to escape responsibility, and guarding trust as a sacred asset. You need not "die" for truth, but you can live it: keep your word, admit mistakes quickly, and do not offer promises you cannot keep. That is how લજ્જા (moral restraint) and ગુણ (virtue) become living realities.

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