SUKTIYAN (APHORISMS)

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SUKTIYAN (APHORISMS)

Many aphorisms are popular in our society, like –

 

Crying before the blind is as good as losing your own eyesight.

Grapes are sour.

Whether you like it or not I'll be your guest.

Using such aphorisms as examples Acharya Chanakya has imparted

knowledge. Actually each word imparted by Chanakya contains an ocean

of knowledge, but the aphorisms have their own charm and style.

By preaching a mad disciple, indulging a quarrelsome wife and the

company of unhappy people makes good people unhappy. A happy person

who keeps the company of such miserable people also becomes unhappy.

Such people become lonesome.

A real attendant can be recognized only when the need of his service

arises. The real love of one's relatives can be recognized only in

time of suffering. A real friend is recognized only in times of

difficulties. A wife's love can be recognized only when a man loses

all his wealth. Only such people, who never leave your side in times

of trouble, love you truly.

If one casts aside that which can be obtained, and pursues that,

which is out of one's reach, then one will lose both the attainable

and the unattainable.

Greed blinds a person. The man blinded by greed forgets his own self.

 

Never trust rivers, persons with weapons, animals with horns or

claws, women and members of royal families.

One big wave in the river can take away one's life. A person with

weapons may attack us at any moment and kill us. Animals with horns

and claws can injure us at any moment. Women can put wrong

allegations on a noble man and blemish his reputation.

Members of the royal family lose their temper even over a trivial

matter. Such people always pose a threat to our lives. In short one

should beware of such people. Both, friendship as well as rivalry of

such people is harmful.

An ability to digest the most delicious and tasty food, energy to

have sexual relations for long, a beautiful wife and capacity to

give charity are no ordinary matters. To attain all these one has to

work very hard.

An ideal son is one, who is obedient to his parents. A father, who

provides the best education to his children and gives them a good

upbringing, is an ideal father. An ideal friend is trustworthy and

an ideal wife will give her husband intense pleasure during

intercourse.

If you do not find such virtues in them, then do not make friends

with them.

Every mountain does not have a jewel in it. Every elephant does not

have pearls in its head. Good men are not found everywhere.

Sandalwood does not grow everywhere. All that glitters is not gold.

This world is full of exceptions. Therefore one must be discerning

to recognize, that which is authentic. One must keep away from evil

and proceed on the path of goodness.

Everything is significant in its own unique way. Service befits the

king. Business befits the Bania. A bewitching wife truly beautifies

her house.

Like a wild animal that leaves the forest after it catches fire, a

Brahmin leaves after he has done his ritual and his dakshina given.

Similarly, people also leave this world after their purpose is

served. Everyone is selfish.

Never make friendship with servants with disrespectful behavior and

people living in dirty places. One cannot gain anything from such

friendship and so one must remain away from them.

Sorrow of death of one's wife, insults by one's relatives, burden of

debt, serving an evil king and the residence of the poor give a man

terrible heartache. There is no need for a funeral pyre for him.

A tree at the bank of river can break and fall into the river at any

moment. A woman who deserts her husband for another can be left at

any time and a king without a minister can lose his kingdom at any

moment.

A Brahmin is called a scholar only because of his knowledge and

education. The king is brave and strong only on the basis of his

army. A Bania earns money only because of his business acumen. A

Sudra spends his life only to serve.

Every prostitute leaves the house of poor, as she loves only money.

People never support a king who is not strong. A weak king can never

protect his subjects. Birds never sit on trees that bear no fruits.

Guests leave the house after having meals. These are things that

have been going on for ages and no ordinary man can change them.

Is there any living being on this earth that has no faults ?

Is there anyone free from sorrow in this world ?

 

No one has been happy forever.

 

Life is like the changing light of day and night where happiness and

sorrow also keep changing.

 

One's lineage can be recognized by his behavior. His speech reveals

his love. One's speech decides how people behave with him. One's

body mirrors the kind of food one consumes.

Who is better between a snake and an evil man ? The only answer to

this question is that the snake bites only when troubled whereas

evil people and sinners constantly do some evil. Therefore an evil

person is more dangerous than the snake.

Kings and great people keep intellectuals and scholars around them

as only these people support them in time of crisis. In times of

suffering, most people try to escape while intelligent people look

for ways to solve the problem. They search and find the way to get

rid of his worries. Therefore when you are in search of any advisor,

select only an intellectual person.

The ocean is great. But when a storm brews up it breaks all barriers

and destroys everything around it. On the other hand, saints and

knowledgeable people always remain within their limits.

However beautiful or of noble birth a human being might be, if he is

not educated then he is just like a flower without fragrance. Just

as such a flower has no significance, similarly an uneducated man

has no place in society.

The black cuckoo's asset is its melodious voice with which it can

charm everybody. Similarly the beauty of a woman lies in love for

her husband and capacity to manage the house, and not in her body.

The beauty of great people lies in their virtues. One should love

and respect an intellectual, knowledgeable person and scholar, even

if he is ugly.

One must be ready to renounce one's family, village, nation and even

the world, for the sake of one's self-respect. One must not hesitate

to sacrifice himself for his self-respect.

It is said that Sita's beauty was the cause of her kidnapping by

Ravana. Ravana was ruined because of his pride. This clearly

indicates that anything in excess is dangerous. There is a limit to

everything. A man can do any difficult work with confidence and

ability. This only requires his faith in himself.

No country is far away for a businessman. He can travel any distance

for his business. He should feel happy in doing so. There are

various doors open for scholars. Similarly, a sweet-tongued person

is always happy. He feels at home wherever he goes. Everyone calls

him with love.

Just as fish, tortoise and bird nurture their young ones, an

ordinary person who grows up in the company of intelligent people,

gains knowledge. Education is like Kamdhenu (sacred cow), which

provides man with intelligence. A man without education is just like

an animal. Knowledge is like a hidden treasure that can neither be

stolen nor will be lost.

Knowledge is a true companion, faithful friend and favorite relative

of man. Therefore knowledge should be attained at any cost.

Knowledge is the brightest light in man's life.

This world is a house of suffering. Everyone is surrounded with

worries. To attain peace, one must surrender himself to wife,

children and saint. Tired and defeated man will get peace from any

one of these three.

Three things should never be repeated : a king's decree, an erudite

man's statement and Kanyadan (when a bride is entrusted to her

husband by her father).

The king passes a decree only once. He, who does not obey his

orders, is liable to severe punishment. A scholar only speaks once.

A man should pay attention to the valuable words of knowledge that

he speaks. Kanyadan is done only once. After that, the girl belongs

to her husband.

Worship and devotion should be done in solitude. Only this seclusion

will bear the desired fruits. But one should always study in the

company of another. Three people singing in unison sound more

melodious. Four people traveling together will never feel tired.

Five people working together in the field will yield a huge harvest.

If many people fight a war together then it is difficult to defeat

them.

 

A house without children looks deserted. Husband and wife feel sad.

If one doesn't have brother then he always feels sad and loneliness

bites him like a snake. A fools heart and mind are empty and a poor

mans whole life is empty. Poverty is considered the greatest crime.

To be extremely rich is also the greatest form of loneliness.

 

For an inexperienced person, Shastra (a religious treatise) is like

poison. Undigested food is also like poison. The meeting of animals

or mad people is also equivalent to poison, as a man has no hope of

finding anything useful.

Religion teaches kindness. That which does not teach kindness is not

religion. One should abandon such a religion.

It is better to get rid of a woman who quarrels and gets angry every

now and then for trivial matters. You should remain away from an

unintelligent person, even if he is your own brother. You will not

benefit by living with such a brother.

Excessive walking on foot makes a man grow old faster. Enjoying

excess of physical relations with women also fastens the ageing

process. Even if a horse is kept inactive and in bondage for long he

becomes old. Inanimate objects like clothes lose their luster by

exposure to sun.

The Brahmins, Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas treat fire most

reverentially. Of the four Varnas, the Brahmin is most reverent. The

woman should treat her husband with great respect.

A guest is considered one of the forms of God. Arrival of a guest

means arrival of God. If a guest arrives at one's house, one should

take pleasure in serving him.

Cutting, rubbing, heating and grinding can check the purity of gold.

Similarly, the integrity of a man is tested by his traits of

sacrifice, virtues and gratitude. Therefore one should only decide

about any human being after taking into account all his virtues.

If a man does not keep any relations with this world, he has no

right to enjoy an earthly life. If a man does not crave for carnal

pleasure, he has no right to have an artificial bodily decor. Some

times even wise men and scholars cannot deliver good speech. A

straightforward man is virtually incapable of being crafty in his

dealings with others.

Stay away from a foolish scholar. Expecting to gain any knowledge

from him is foolishness. The poor develop hatred towards the rich.

Likewise it is no less foolish to expect modesty and kindness from

the rich. A widow feels jealous of a married woman.

Knowledge turns away from a lazy person. Wealth never returns, once

it changes hands. The army, which does not have any commander, is

worthless and can never gain victory over anything. If you do not

sow seeds in the field, how can you expect to have a harvest ? One

can be called mad, if he expects harvest, without sowing the seeds.

By studying constantly one attains knowledge. Study is the second

name of knowledge. One can know the worthiness of a person by his

virtues and behavior. Anger is seen in the eyes.

Wealth protects religion. Knowledge can be protected by proper

eating and drinking habits and by performing yoga. A king is

protected with strength. Similarly a wife, who is good, virtuous and

affable, can protect the entire home.

Anyone, who wants to defame and harass without the support of

Shastra (scriptures) any scholar (Pandit) of Vedas or a peace loving

person, he himself becomes unhappy.

Charity removes poverty. By giving charity wealth never decreases. A

sharp intellect destroys ignorance. One who has intellect never dies

of hunger and noble intentions will blot out all fear from our

minds.

Lust is the greatest disease in the world. It eats up a man's body

from within. It ruins the intellect as well.

Ignorance is man's most powerful enemy. Anger scorches the very core

of one's heart. It is even more powerful than fire. The attainment

of knowledge and wisdom is the greatest happiness that one can

experience.

Just as all living beings are born alone they die alone too.

Similarly no man can escape the consequences of his actions. His

actions chase him like a persistent shadow. He creates his own

heaven or hell.

Each individual has to bear the fruits of his deeds. Ultimate

emancipation can be attained only through rigorous effort and

penance.

One must remember this before performing any bad deeds.

For an enlightened man, heaven has little value. If a man is

belligerent, then life itself will be meaningless. A sensuous woman

will have little effect on a man who exercises rigid control over

his senses.

Only man's Karma will guide him after he has abandoned earthly life.

Good Karma is like medicine given to the ailing man and like

knowledge for an ignorant soul.

The expanse of the ocean will not gain from a little rain. Food

cannot further satisfy one who has eaten a full meal. A wealthy man

will not profit from charity. Similarly what is the use of lighting

a lamp in sunlight ?

The rain cloud is the most sacred source of water. The greatest task

is which is accomplished painstakingly and perfectly. The brilliance

of the eyes remains unmatched by all the wonders of the world. Food

is dearer than any other thing in this world, as food gives life.

The impoverished people, who have experienced the agony of poverty,

yearn for prosperity. While mortals crave for the comforts of

heaven, celestial deities long for final bliss. It is a long and

difficult path to that state of being, where one is devoid of

desire.

It is virtually impossible to see through the hearts of the crow,

the jackal, the barber and the gardener's wife. They are extremely

clever and crafty. It is very difficult to know what goes on in

their minds. We must be cautious of these people.

A crow is lowliest among birds. A dog is lowliest among animals.

Similarly monks consider sin as worst. But one who criticizes

someone behind his back, is considered the meanest and lowliest of

all.

 

A bronze pot is cleaned using ash, tamarind is used to clean a

copper pot and a river is cleansed of its filth by the rapid and

obstructed flow of water. In this way each thing has its own

different method of being cleaned. Similarly a woman is considered

pure after her menstruation cycle.

A king who roams in disguise around in the night to know the

problems of his people and a Brahmin who performs worship is widely

respected. By indulging in their duties they enrich the lives of

innumerable people.

On the other hand a woman is always called a housewife. Only those

women, who look after their husband and children well, are honored

and are worthy of respect.

LIGHT (PRAKASH) :

 

Chanakya studied and observed minutely the pleasures and pains of

people and tried to understand them. Today he can be aptly called a

great psychologist on the basis of his studies. In the following

chapter we find that Chanakya is not only a great psychologist but

also a great scholar. His only aim was to guide human beings and

show them the right path.