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ਚਾਣਕ੍ਯ ਨੀਤਿ - ਸ਼ੋਡਸ਼ੋਧ੍ਯਾਯਃ ਨ ਧ੍ਯਾਤਂ ਪਦਮੀਸ਼੍ਵਰਸ੍ਯ ਵਿਧਿਵਤ੍ਸਂਸਾਰਵਿਚ੍ਛਿਤ੍ਤਯੇ Neither we devoted our concentration of the feet of Lord Almighty to get release from the mundane bonds, nor we accrued religious merit to ensure our niche in the heaven, nor even in dreams we ever passionately embraced the solid softness of a woman’s breasts. Thus, except of acting as an axe on our mother’s youthful beauty, what else did we achieve in the world? [Chanakya explains in this quatrain symbolically the attainments of the three basic alms: ਧਰ੍ਮ, ਕਾਮ, ਮੋਕ੍ਸ਼, whose achievement automatically ensures ਅਰ੍ਥ, the last of the attributes. Release from the mundane world means ਮੋਕ੍ਸ਼; accrual of the religious merit ensures the adherence to ਧਰ੍ਮ and the excitement to embrace the hard breasts of a woman symbolically represents ਕਾਮ: In short, the meaning of this quatrain is that one wastes one’s life without attaining fulfillment of any of the four attributes explained above. Also, the fact is that delivery of a child entails decay of the youth on the part of the mother, So, if one has not attained fulfillment in any of the four attributes, what else the purpose of one’s birth be except ruining one’s mother’s beauty.] ਜਲ੍ਪਂਤਿ ਸਾਰ੍ਧਮਨ੍ਯੇਨ ਪਸ਼੍ਯਂਤ੍ਯਨ੍ਯਂ ਸਵਿਭ੍ਰਮਾਃ । The heart of a woman is not united; it is divided. While she is talking with one man, she looks lustfully at another and thinks fondly of a third in her heart. ਯੋ ਮੋਹਾਨ੍ਮਨ੍ਯਤੇ ਮੂਢੋ ਰਕ੍ਤੇਯਂ ਮਯਿ ਕਾਮਿਨੀ । The fool (mudha) who fancies that a charming young lady loves him, becomes her slave and he dances like a shakuntal bird tied to a string. ਕੋਰ੍ਥਾਨ੍ਪ੍ਰਾਪ੍ਯ ਨ ਗਰ੍ਵਿਤੋ ਵਿਸ਼ਯਿਣਃ ਕਸ੍ਯਾਪਦੋਸ੍ਤਂ ਗਤਾਃ Who is there who, having become rich, has not become proud? Which licentious (Free) man has put an end to his calamities (A grievous disaster)? Which man in this world has not been overcome by a woman? Who is always loved by the king? Who is there who has not been overcome by the ravages of time? Which beggar has attained glory? Who has become happy by contracting the vices of the wicked? ਨ ਨਿਰ੍ਮਿਤੋ ਨ ਚੈਵ ਨ ਦ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਸ਼੍ਟਪੂਰ੍ਵੋ No one did ever see or hear about any golden deer nor it was ever created, still behold the craving of ਰਘੁਨਂਦਨ (ਰਾਮ)! Indeed one’s wisdom fails at the onset of bad fate. [ਚਾਣਕ੍ਯ expresses wonder that how Lord ਰਾਮ could be lured by that golden deer – for which ਸੀਤਾ forced him to go and get it for herself, when no such doe was ever created, seen or heard about by anyone. Regrettably, he says that indeed the onset of evil days is heralded by the failure of one’s common sense or wisdom. This last phrase ਵਿਨਾਸ਼ਕਾਲੇ ਵਿਪਰੀਤਬੁਦ੍ਧਿਃ is one of the most quoted expressions even in the modern times.] ਗੁਣੈਰੁਤ੍ਤਮਤਾਂ ਯਾਤਿ ਨੋਚ੍ਚੈਰਾਸਨਸਂਸ੍ਥਿਤਾਃ । A man attains greatness by his merits, not simply by occupying an exalted seat. Can we call a crow an eagle (ਗਰੁਡ) simply because he sits on the top of a tall building? ਗੁਣਾਃ ਸਰ੍ਵਤ੍ਰ ਪੂਜ੍ਯਂਤੇ ਨ ਮਹਤ੍ਯੋਪਿ ਸਂਪਦਃ । It is virtue, which is adored everywhere and not the riches or even excess of them. Does the full moon is accorded the same respect as given to the weaker moon? [ਚਾਣਕ੍ਯ impliedly says that the initial phase of the moon, specifically the moon of the second day is accorded greater regard because the stains of the moon are not visible at this stage, which the full moon, despite being more luminous, has its stains clearly defined. It is only the unblemished part of the moon that is accorded the greater respect. Similarly, a rich-man with huge property would not command greater respect, if he is not virtuous or free from blemish, than the person having much less money or riches but more virtuous and untainted by any blemish.] ਪਰੈਰੁਕ੍ਤਗੁਣੋ ਯਸ੍ਤੁ ਨਿਰ੍ਗੁਣੋਪਿ ਗੁਣੀ ਭਵੇਤ੍ । The man who is praised by others as great is regarded as worthy though he may be really void of all merit. But the man who sings his own praises lowers himself in the estimation of others though he should be Indra (the possessor of all excellences). ਵਿਵੇਕਿਨਮਨੁਪ੍ਰਾਪ੍ਤਾ ਗੁਣਾ ਯਾਂਤਿ ਮਨੋਜ੍ਞਤਾਮ੍ । If good qualities should characterise a man of discrimination, the brilliance of his qualities will be recognised just as a gem which is essentially bright really shines when fixed in an ornament of gold. ਗੁਣੈਃ ਸਰ੍ਵਜ੍ਞਤੁਲ੍ਯੋਪਿ ਸੀਦਤ੍ਯੇਕੋ ਨਿਰਾਸ਼੍ਰਯਃ । Even one who by his qualities appears to be all knowing suffers without patronage; the gem, though precious, requires a gold setting. ਅਤਿਕ੍ਲੇਸ਼ੇਨ ਯਦ੍ਦ੍ਰਵ੍ਯਮਤਿਲੋਭੇਨ ਯਤ੍ਸੁਖਮ੍ । I do not deserve that wealth which is to be attained by enduring much suffering, or by transgressing the rules of virtue, or by flattering an enemy. ਕਿਂ ਤਯਾ ਕ੍ਰਿਯਤੇ ਲਕ੍ਸ਼੍ਮ੍ਯਾ ਯਾ ਵਧੂਰਿਵ ਕੇਵਲਾ । What are the uses of the riches kept inside the house like the bride of an orthodox and traditional family? And those riches which like the prostitutes are enjoyed by all have no usefulness either. [The miser keeps his wealth secretly hidden in the vaults which serve no purpose of the society. And the riches with the fools are like the prostitute enjoyed by others, especially the low category people. In that case also the wealth is not well spent. This way, obliquely Chanakya says that riches should be spent in the welfare of the virtuous who help the society and they should neither be amassed in a miserly way nor spent extravagantly.] ਧਨੇਸ਼ੁ ਜੀਵਿਤਵ੍ਯੇਸ਼ੁ ਸ੍ਤ੍ਰੀਸ਼ੁ ਚਾਹਾਰਕਰ੍ਮਸੁ । Those who were not satiated with the enjoyment of wealth, food and women have all passed away; there are others now passing away who have likewise remained unsatiated; and in the future still others will pass away feeling themselves unsatiated. ਕ੍ਸ਼ੀਯਂਤੇ ਸਰ੍ਵਦਾਨਾਨਿ ਯਜ੍ਞਹੋਮਬਲਿਕ੍ਰਿਯਾਃ । All charities and sacrifices (performed for fruitive gain) bring only temporary results, but gifts made to deserving persons and protection offered to all creatures shall never perish. ਤ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਣਂ ਲਘੁ ਤ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਣਾਤ੍ਤੂਲਂ ਤੂਲਾਦਪਿ ਚ ਯਾਚਕਃ । A blade of grass is light, cotton is lighter, the beggar is infinitely lighter still. Why then does not the wind carry him away? Because it fears that he may ask alms of him. ਵਰਂ ਪ੍ਰਾਣਪਰਿਤ੍ਯਾਗੋ ਮਾਨਭਂਗੇਨ ਜੀਵਨਾਤ੍ । It is better to die than to preserve this life by incurring disgrace. The loss of life causes but a moment's grief, but disgrace brings grief every day of one's life. ਪ੍ਰਿਯਵਾਕ੍ਯਪ੍ਰਦਾਨੇਨ ਸਰ੍ਵੇ ਤੁਸ਼੍ਯਂਤਿ ਜਂਤਵਃ । All the creatures are pleased by loving words; and therefore we should address words that are pleasing to all, for there is no lack of sweet words. ਸਂਸਾਰਕਟੁਵ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਕ੍ਸ਼ਸ੍ਯ ਦ੍ਵੇ ਫਲੇਮ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤੋਪਮੇ । There are two nectarean fruits hanging from the tree of this bitter world: one is the hearing of sweet words and the other, the company of saintly men. ਜਨ੍ਮ ਜਨ੍ਮ ਯਦਭ੍ਯਸ੍ਤਂ ਦਾਨਮਧ੍ਯਯਨਂ ਤਪਃ । The good habits of charity, learning and austerity practised during many past lives continue to be cultivated in this birth by virtue of the link (yoga) of this present life to the previous ones. ਪੁਸ੍ਤਕੇਸ਼ੁ ਚ ਯਾ ਵਿਦ੍ਯਾ ਪਰਹਸ੍ਤੇਸ਼ੁ ਯਦ੍ਧਨਮ੍ । One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others, can use neither his knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises.
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