Subhashita Nivi -4

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Dear Bhagavatas,

 

I am resuming the series on Swami Desikan's Subhashita Nivi.

In this post, I shall present the fourth set of twelve verses. My

summary is based on U.Ve. Sri. M.K. Srinivasan's translation of this

work. In this section, Swami Desikan describes the ways of the

ill-mannered.

 

1. Good lineage, nobility, and piety as demonstrated by pilgrimages to

sacred places and learning under the tutelage of great preceptors are

all of no avail if a person is ill-behaved and is engaged in evil

activity.

 

2.Professions of purity and conformity to external religious observances

will not prevent a man from being regarded as a sinner if

he indulges in prohibited acts.

 

3. Despite his honesty of purpose, helpful and friendly nature, good

character, a person not observing the traditional codes set by elders

is considered a fallen man, like the moon whose brightness fades away

when it rises anywhere other than the east.

 

4. For those whose minds are impure, who do not perform their prescribed

duties but indulge in prohibited acts even birth in noble families will

only lead to greater sins.

 

5. A sinner is inclined to persist in his sinful ways ignoring

opportunities for expiation intended to purify him.

 

6. A hypocrite is staying at one place, standing on one foot, apparently

detached from the world around, but traps the unwary and ruins them

without anyone's knowledge.

 

7. A crane cannot become a swan, although both are hatched from eggs and

both are white in color and flourish in water. The intrinsic difference

lies in their food behavior and character.

 

8. Accepting gifts from those who have no power of discrimination

between right and wrong, between the worthy and unworthy, and whose

wealth is ill-gotten does more harm than good to the recipient.

 

9. An honest person once falsely accused by wicked men, remains an

object of distrust for considerable amount of time even by those who

know that the accusation is false.

 

10. A person persisting in sinful conduct merits punishment at the

hands of his well-wishers or by the king himself so that he changes his

sinful ways.

 

11. The truly virtuous will shun all contact with those, who, though

well-born, commit evil deeds, who are shunned in good society, due to

their actions are ill-tempered and who, having realization of their own

guilt, swank about in society arrogantly.

 

12. Appearances are deceptive and not to be trusted. What appears to be

a bamboo may in reality be a snake. A magician's vision can snuff out a

snake's eyesight, but a stroke of lightning can destroy the magician's

vision.

 

Namo Narayana,

 

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

 

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