twenty things to learn from lion, dog, crow, crane, ass, and rooster

[Guest guest]

15. Learn one thing from a lion; one from a crane; four a cock; five

from a crow; six from a dog; and three from an ass.

 

16. The one excellent thing that can be learned from a lion is that

whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearted and

strenuous effort.

 

17. The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and

accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability.

 

18. To wake at the proper time; to take a bold stand and fight; to make

a fair division (of property) among relations; and to earn one's own bread

by personal exertion are the four excellent things to be learned from a

cock.

 

19. Union in privacy (with one's wife); boldness; storing away useful

items; watchfulness; and not easily trusting others; these five things are

to be learned from a crow.

 

20. Contentment with little or nothing to eat although one may have a

great appetite; to awaken instantly although one may be in a deep slumber;

unflinching devotion to the master; and bravery; these six qualities should

be learned from the dog.

 

21. Although an ass is tired, he continues to carry his burden; he is

unmindful of cold and heat; and he is always contented; these three things

should be learned from the ass.

 

22. He who shall practice these twenty virtues shall become invincible

in all his undertakings.

 

Canakya Niti-darpanam, ch.6

 

[two missing qualities of a dog seem to be his ability to eat a lot and fall

asleep easily]

 

siˆh€d ekaˆ bak€d ekaˆ ikec catv€ri kukku˜€t |

v€yas€t pañca ikec ca a˜ unas tr…Ši gardabh€t ||15||

 

prabh™taˆ k€ryam alpaˆ v€ yan naraƒ kartum icchati |

sarv€rambheŠa tat k€ryaˆ siˆh€d ekaˆ pracakate ||16||

 

indriy€Ši ca saˆyamya r€gadvea-vivarjitaƒ |

kama-duƒkha-sukhaƒ €ntaƒ tattva-jñaƒ s€dhur ucyate ||17||

 

pratyutth€naˆ ca yuddhaˆ ca saˆvibh€gaˆ ca bandhuu |

svayam €kramya bhuktaˆ ca ikec catv€ri kukku˜€t ||18||

 

g™ha-maithuna-c€ritvaˆ k€le k€le ca saˆgraham |

apramattam aviv€saˆ pañca ikec ca v€yas€t ||19||

 

bahv€… svalpa-santu˜aƒ sanidro laghu-cetanaƒ |

sv€mi-bhakta ca ™ra ca a ete v€nato guŠ€ƒ ||20||

 

sur€nto’pi vahed bh€raˆ …toŠaˆ na ca payati |

santu˜a carate nityaˆ tr…Ši ikec ca gardabh€t ||21||

 

ya et€n viˆati-guŠ€n €cariyati m€navaƒ |

k€ry€vasth€su sarv€su ajeyaƒ sa bhaviyati ||22||