Srila Prabhupada on Slokas from Canakya Pandita

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Srila Prabhupada used to tell stories from ancient

India collections such as the Hitopadesa, and he had

memorized many slokas from Canakya Pandita. Here's a

selection of examples Prabhupada most frequently used

from these literatures.

visvaso naiva kartavyah, strisu raja-kulesu ca

Never trust a woman or a politician.

matrvat para-daresu, para-dravyesu lostavat

atmavat sarva-bhutesu, yah pasyati sa panditah

An educated person is one who sees people's property

as garbage on the street, deals with others as he

would like them to deal with him, and sees every woman

except his wife as mother.

rna-seso 'gni-sesas ca, vyadhi-sesas tathaiva ca

punas ca vardhate yasmat, tasmac chesam ca karayet

Fire, debts, and disease should be treated

immediately.

The senses are like serpents that bite, and therefore

even a learned man should not sit alone with a woman,

not even his sister or mother.

rna-karta pita satrur, mata ca vyabhicarini

bharya rupavati satruh, putrah satrur apanditah

The following are enemies in one's home: one's son if

he is a fool, one's servants who speak back to him,

one's wife who is very beautiful, or one's wife who

speaks harshly with him. If a man has these enemies in

his home, he should leave home and take to a renounced

life.

arny akhyavat

Happy is the man who is not in debt and who does not

have to leave home. (Srila Prabhupada used to quote

this to criticize the civilization that sends

modern-day workers to commute great distances before

they reach their place of occupation. A simple

villager has the opulence of taking care of his

business at home, with a little land, a cow, or some

small trade.)

lalayet panca-varsani, dasa-varsani tadayet

prapte tu sodase varse, putram mitravad acaret

Fondle a son until he is five years of age and then

use the stick for another ten years. When he has

attained the sixteenth year, however, treat him as a

friend.

varam eko guni putro, na ca murkha-satair api

ekas candras tamo hanti, na ca tara-ganair api

A single son endowed with good qualities is far better

than a hundred sons devoid of them, for the moon,

though one, dispels the darkness, which the stars,

though numerous, cannot.

adau-mata guroh patni, brahmani raja-patnika

dhenur dhatri tatha prthvi, saptaita matarah smrtah

These seven should be considered as mothers: the

king's wife, the preceptor's wife, the friend's wife,

your wife's mother, your own mother, the land, and the

cow.

 

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami.

 

- From the Prabhupada Nectar by HH Satsvarupa dasa

Goswami Maharaj

 

 

 

 

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