Subhashita Nivi Part 9

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Dear Friends,

 

A dear member of our group reminded me that I had not completed the

Subhashita Nivi series which I started last year. Accordingly, I

shall resume the delectable task of summarizing these gems from

Swami Desikan. In this set of twelve verses Swami Desikan describes the

ways of the righteous.

 

1. His is the kingdom eternal who, by his prowess, conquers the three

worlds, remains impartial among friends and foes alike, honours the

virtuous and has the gift of friendship, endurance, fortitude in the

face of dangers.

 

2. With the only one (intellect) distinguishing between the two

(duty and desire), understanding the three (friend, foe, and neutral),

with the help of four (reconciliation, gifts, dissension and

punishment), controlling the five (senses), mastering the six

(qualities of accord, expansion, movement, sitting, dualism and

protection) and getting rid of the seven (sorrows) a man achieves

bliss in this very life.

 

3. Even righteous rulers when they are gripped by vaulting ambition

resort to intrigue, dissension, and discord among themselves. What to

speak of mud pots which tend to break when they come in contact with

one another.

 

4. The God of Death should be termed competent as he administers

impartial justice to all, ensuring equality of treatment to the

rich and poor, treating the good and bad alike, rewarding the worthy

and punishing the wicked according to their desserts. He cannot be

termed as cruel though he wields the rod of death.

 

5. A ruler is regarded as Lord Vishnu himself, if he assuages the

sorrows and travails (of his subjects), corrects their errors,

and administers the kingdom with the four cardinal methods of

peace, presents, difference, and chastisement.

 

6. A self disciplined person may occassionally err while moving

in darkness and ignoring of true reality. But if he corrects himself,

he is an example to others and remains the beloved of the Gods.

 

7. A king need fear no threat to his rule if he takes care of the seven

limbs of the state, i.e., priests, ministers, allies, treasury,

subjects, fortresses, and army, plans his actions carefully and is

brave in war.

 

8. An over-ambitious king will be successful against his enemies,

however powerful they may be, if he wisely employs his sources of

strength, i.e., traditional armed forces acquired through generations of

sound rule and fair recruitment, support of friends and enemies,

zeal, supremacy and practice of consultation with ministers and taking

their wise counsel.

 

9. Krishna's son and Aniruddha's father, Pradyumna, who possesses

immense wealth and prowess, remains enshrined in the hearts of

spectators making the rest of the world effeminate.

 

10. Good an proper advice from devoted, loyal ministers may be

unpalatable at times, but will be invaluable to the king in a crisis to

overcome their enemies.

 

11. A wise king, who rules well, honours the righteous and punishes the

guilty and enforces discipline among friends with evil intent will

have a stable kingdom.

 

12. How lucky you are Oh cuckoo! God has endowed you with a sweet voice!

For otherwise, the lowly crows would not have driven you out

on hearing you sing.

 

13. Let the mighty Airavata rub its itching temples and pour tis ichor

on Mount Meru or try to lift it by its massive strength. Mount Meru

is unaffected by such acts, nor is it defiled.

 

Namo Narayana,

 

Muralidhar Rangaswamy

 

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