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Stanza 10.117.1
न वा उ॑ दे॒वाः क्षुध॒मिद्व॒धं द॑दुरु॒ताशि॑त॒मुप॑ गच्छन्ति मृ॒त्यवः॑ | उ॒तो र॒यिः पृ॑ण॒तो नोप॑ दस्यत्यु॒तापृ॑णन्मर्डि॒तारं॒ न वि॑न्दते ||
ná vā́ u devā́ḥ kṣúdham íd vadháṁ dadur utā́śitam úpa gachanti mr̥tyávaḥ utó rayíḥ pr̥ṇató nópa dasyaty utā́pr̥ṇan marḍitā́raṁ ná vindate
The gods did not decree hunger as death; indeed, death comes even to the well-fed. Wealth never fails for the giver; but the one who does not give finds no one to comfort him.
This stanza asserts that the gods do not decree starvation as a means of death. Instead, death comes to everyone, even those who are well-fed. It highlights the importance of generosity, stating that the wealth of a giver never diminishes, while a stingy person will find no one to support them in their need.
Meter: Jagati
- A. न वा उ दे॒वाः क्षुध॒मि इ व॒धं ददुरु ná vaí u devā́ḥ kṣúdham ít vadhám daduḥ (12 syllables)
- B. उता आशि॑त उप गच्छन्ति मृ॒त्यवः॑ utá ā́śitam úpa gachanti mr̥tyávaḥ (12 syllables)
- C. उता उ र॒यिः पृ॑ण॒तः न उप दस्यत्यु utá u rayíḥ pr̥ṇatáḥ ná úpa dasyati (12 syllables)
- D. उता अ॒पृ॒ण॒ मर्डि॒तारं न वि॑न्दते utá ápr̥ṇan marḍitā́ram ná vindate (12 syllables)
न (ná)
not
वा (vaí)
indeed
उ (u)
indeed
दे॒वाः (devā́ḥ)
gods
क्षुध॒मि (kṣúdham)
hunger
इ (ít)
indeed
व॒धं (vadhám)
death, destruction
ददुरु (daduḥ)
gave, ordained
उता (utá)
and also
आशि॑त (ā́śitam)
having eaten, well-fed
उप (úpa)
towards
गच्छन्ति (gachanti)
come
मृ॒त्यवः॑ (mr̥tyávaḥ)
deaths
उता (utá)
and also
उ (u)
indeed
र॒यिः (rayíḥ)
wealth
पृ॑ण॒तः (pr̥ṇatáḥ)
of the giver
न (ná)
not
उप (úpa)
towards
दस्यत्यु (dasyati)
recedes, wastes away
उता (utá)
and also
अ॒पृ॒ण॒ (ápr̥ṇan)
non-giver
मर्डि॒तारं (marḍitā́ram)
comforter, one who delights
न (ná)
not
वि॑न्दते (vindate)
finds
Stanza 10.117.2
य आ॒ध्राय॑ चकमा॒नाय॑ पि॒त्वोऽन्न॑वा॒न्त्सन्र॑फि॒तायो॑पज॒ग्मुषे॑ | स्थि॒रं मनः॑ कृणु॒ते सेव॑ते पु॒रोतो चि॒त्स म॑र्डि॒तारं॒ न वि॑न्दते ||
yá ādhrā́ya cakamānā́ya pitvó 'nnavān sán raphitā́yopajagmúṣe sthirám mánaḥ kr̥ṇuté sévate purótó cit sá marḍitā́raṁ ná vindate
He who, having food, hardens his heart towards the beggar who approaches, seeking sustenance, even if they previously courted favor, will not find anyone to comfort him.
This verse describes a person who, despite having plenty of food, hardens their heart against a poor and needy beggar, especially one who has previously sought favor. Such a person, who shows no compassion, will ultimately find no one to pity them when they themselves are in need.
Meter: Jagati
- A. य आ॒ध्राय॑ चकमा॒नाय॑ पि॒त्वो yáḥ ādhrā́ya cakamānā́ya pitváḥ (11 syllables)
- B. अन्न॑वा॒न् सन् र॒फि॒तायो पज॒ग्मुषे॑ ánnavān sán raphitā́ya upajagmúṣe (12 syllables)
- C. स्थि॒रं मनः कृ॒णु॒ते सेव॑ते पु॒रोतो sthirám mánaḥ kr̥ṇuté sévate purā́ (12 syllables)
- D. उतो उ चि स मर्डि॒तारं न वि॑न्दते utá u cit sá marḍitā́ram ná vindate (12 syllables)
य (yáḥ)
whoever
आ॒ध्राय॑ (ādhrā́ya)
having abundant food
चकमा॒नाय॑ (cakamānā́ya)
desiring, seeking
पि॒त्वो (pitváḥ)
sustenance, food
अन्न॑वा॒न् (ánnavān)
possessing food
सन् (sán)
being
र॒फि॒तायो (raphitā́ya)
worn out, feeble
पज॒ग्मुषे॑ (upajagmúṣe)
having approached
स्थि॒रं (sthirám)
hard, firm
मनः (mánaḥ)
mind
कृ॒णु॒ते (kr̥ṇuté)
makes
सेव॑ते (sévate)
serves, seeks favor
पु॒रोतो (purā́)
before, formerly
उतो (utá)
and also
उ (u)
indeed
चि (cit)
even
स (sá)
he
मर्डि॒तारं (marḍitā́ram)
comforter
न (ná)
not
वि॑न्दते (vindate)
finds
Stanza 10.117.3
स इद्भो॒जो यो गृ॒हवे॒ ददा॒त्यन्न॑कामाय॒ चर॑ते कृ॒शाय॑ | अर॑मस्मै भवति॒ याम॑हूता उ॒ताप॒रीषु॑ कृणुते॒ सखा॑यम् ||
sá íd bhojó yó gr̥háve dádāty ánnakāmāya cárate kr̥śā́ya áram asmai bhavati yā́mahūtā utā́parī́ṣu kr̥ṇute sákhāyam
He is truly generous who gives to the one who begs for food, the one who is weak and wandering. Generosity is beneficial for him, and he creates a friend for himself in times to come.
This verse praises the generous person, calling them 'bountiful' (bhoja). Such a person gives to the beggar who comes in need of food and is weak. Their generosity brings them success, even in battle, and creates a friend for them in future difficulties.
Meter: Tristubh
- A. स इ भो॒जो यो गृ॒हवे ददा॒त्य sáḥ ít bhojáḥ yáḥ gr̥háve dádāti (11 syllables)
- B. अन्न॑कामाय चर॑ते कृ॒शाय॑ ánnakāmāya cárate kr̥śā́ya (11 syllables)
- C. अर॑म अस्मै भवति याम॑हूता áram asmai bhavati yā́mahūtau (11 syllables)
- D. उता अ॒परीषु कृणुते स॒खा॒यम् utá aparī́ṣu kr̥ṇute sákhāyam (11 syllables)
स (sáḥ)
he
इ (ít)
indeed
भो॒जो (bhojáḥ)
generous, bountiful one
यो (yáḥ)
whoever
गृ॒हवे (gr̥háve)
to the house, to the one coming
ददा॒त्य (dádāti)
gives
अन्न॑कामाय (ánnakāmāya)
to the one desiring food
चर॑ते (cárate)
wandering, going
कृ॒शाय॑ (kr̥śā́ya)
to the emaciated, weak one
अर॑म (áram)
beneficial, sufficient
अस्मै (asmai)
for him
भवति (bhavati)
becomes, is
याम॑हूता (yā́mahūtau)
in the call for help
उता (utá)
and also
अ॒परीषु (aparī́ṣu)
in future times
कृणुते (kr̥ṇute)
creates, makes
स॒खा॒यम् (sákhāyam)
a friend
Stanza 10.117.4
न स सखा॒ यो न ददा॑ति॒ सख्ये॑ सचा॒भुवे॒ सच॑मानाय पि॒त्वः | अपा॑स्मा॒त्प्रेया॒न्न तदोको॑ अस्ति पृ॒णन्त॑म॒न्यमर॑णं चिदिच्छेत् ||
ná sá sákhā yó ná dádāti sákhye sacābhúve sácamānāya pitváḥ ápāsmāt préyān ná tád óko asti pr̥ṇántam anyám áraṇaṁ cid ichet
He who does not give to his friend, his companion in need, is not a friend. Let him depart; that place is not a home. One should rather seek another person who gives, even a stranger.
This verse defines true friendship, stating that someone who does not give to their friend and companion in need is not a true friend. Such a person should be left, as their home offers no solace, and one should seek support from a stranger who is willing to give.
Meter: Tristubh
- A. न स सखा यो न ददा॑ति स॒ख्ये ná sá sákhā yáḥ ná dádāti sákhye (11 syllables)
- B. स॒चा॒भुवे स॒च॒मानाय॑ पि॒त्वः sacābhúve sácamānāya pitváḥ (11 syllables)
- C. अपा स्मा॒ प्रे या॒ न त ओकः अस्ति ápa asmāt prá iyāt ná tát ókaḥ asti (11 syllables)
- D. पृ॒णन्त॑म अ॒न्यम अर॑णं चि दिच्छेत् pr̥ṇántam anyám áraṇam cit ichet (11 syllables)
न (ná)
not
स (sá)
that
सखा (sákhā)
friend
यो (yáḥ)
whoever
न (ná)
not
ददा॑ति (dádāti)
gives
स॒ख्ये (sákhye)
to the friend
स॒चा॒भुवे (sacābhúve)
to the close companion
स॒च॒मानाय॑ (sácamānāya)
seeking companionship, approaching
पि॒त्वः (pitváḥ)
sustenance, food
अपा (ápa)
away
स्मा॒ (asmāt)
from him
प्रे (prá)
forth
या॒ (iyāt)
should go
न (ná)
not
त (tát)
that
ओकः (ókaḥ)
home, dwelling
अस्ति (asti)
is
पृ॒णन्त॑म (pr̥ṇántam)
giving, generous
अ॒न्यम (anyám)
another
अर॑णं (áraṇam)
one who does not give
चि (cit)
even
दिच्छेत् (ichet)
should seek
Stanza 10.117.5
पृ॒णी॒यादिन्नाध॑मानाय॒ तव्या॒न्द्राघी॑यांस॒मनु॑ पश्येत॒ पन्था॑म् | ओ हि वर्त॑न्ते॒ रथ्ये॑व च॒क्रान्यम॑न्य॒मुप॑ तिष्ठन्त॒ रायः॑ ||
pr̥ṇīyā́d ín nā́dhamānāya távyān drā́ghīyāṁsam ánu paśyeta pánthām ó hí vártante ráthyeva cakrā́nyám anyam úpa tiṣṭhanta rā́yaḥ
Let the rich give to the one who begs. Let him consider the longer path. For wealth, like chariot wheels, turns, coming now to one, now to another.
The wealthy should support the poor who are in need. They should also consider the longer path of life and recognize that wealth is impermanent, like the wheels of a chariot, constantly shifting from one person to another.
Meter: Tristubh
- A. पृ॒णी॒यादि न्नाध धमानाय त॒व्या॒ pr̥ṇīyā́t ít nā́dhamānāya távyān (11 syllables)
- B. न्दी॑यसा अनु पश्येत पन्था॑म् drā́ghīyāṃsam ánu paśyeta pánthām (11 syllables)
- C. आ उ हि वर्त॑न्ते रथ्ये व च॒क्रा ā́ u hí vártante ráthyā iva cakrā́ (11 syllables)
- D. न्यम॑न्य उप ति॒ष्ठन्त रायः anyám-anyam úpa tiṣṭhanta rā́yaḥ (11 syllables)
पृ॒णी॒यादि (pr̥ṇīyā́t)
should give
न्नाध (ít)
indeed
धमानाय (nā́dhamānāya)
to the one who begs, who is in need
त॒व्या॒ (távyān)
wealthier, stronger
न्दी॑यसा (drā́ghīyāṃsam)
longer
अनु (ánu)
along
पश्येत (paśyeta)
should look
पन्था॑म् (pánthām)
path
आ (ā́)
indeed
उ (u)
indeed
हि (hí)
indeed
वर्त॑न्ते (vártante)
turn, revolve
रथ्ये (ráthyā)
of a chariot
व (iva)
like
च॒क्रा (cakrā́)
wheels
न्यम॑न्य (anyám-anyam)
one to another
उप (úpa)
towards
ति॒ष्ठन्त (tiṣṭhanta)
stand, come
रायः (rā́yaḥ)
wealth
Stanza 10.117.6
मोघ॒मन्नं॑ विन्दते॒ अप्र॑चेताः स॒त्यं ब्र॑वीमि व॒ध इत्स तस्य॑ | नार्य॒मणं॒ पुष्य॑ति॒ नो सखा॑यं॒ केव॑लाघो भवति केवला॒दी ||
mógham ánnaṁ vindate ápracetāḥ satyám bravīmi vadhá ít sá tásya nā́ryamáṇam púṣyati nó sákhāyaṁ kévalāgho bhavati kevalādī́
The thoughtless man obtains food in vain; truly, I say, it becomes his destruction. He does not nourish a friend nor a companion; he eats alone and is guilty alone.
This verse criticizes the foolish person who obtains food without benefiting from it. It states that such food leads to their ruin. They neither nourish a friend nor a companion, and in eating alone, they bear the sole guilt of their selfishness.
Meter: Tristubh
- A. मो॒घम अन्नं विन्दते अप्र॑चेताः mógham ánnam vindate ápracetāḥ (11 syllables)
- B. स॒त्यं ब्र॒वी॒मि व॒ध इ स तस्य॑ satyám bravīmi vadháḥ ít sá tásya (11 syllables)
- C. नो र्य॒मणं पु॒ष्यति नो उ सखा॑यं ná aryamáṇam púṣyati ná u sákhāyam (11 syllables)
- D. केव॑लाघो भवति केवलादी kévalāghaḥ bhavati kevalādī́ (11 syllables)
मो॒घम (mógham)
in vain, fruitlessly
अन्नं (ánnam)
food
विन्दते (vindate)
obtains, finds
अप्र॑चेताः (ápracetāḥ)
thoughtless, foolish
स॒त्यं (satyám)
truth
ब्र॒वी॒मि (bravīmi)
I say
व॒ध (vadháḥ)
death, destruction
इ (ít)
indeed
स (sá)
that
तस्य॑ (tásya)
of him
नो (ná)
not
र्य॒मणं (aryamáṇam)
companion, one who sustains
पु॒ष्यति (púṣyati)
nourishes, supports
नो (ná)
not
उ (u)
indeed
सखा॑यं (sákhāyam)
a friend
केव॑लाघो (kévalāghaḥ)
solely guilty
भवति (bhavati)
becomes
केवलादी (kevalādī́)
one who eats alone
Stanza 10.117.7
कृ॒षन्नित्फाल॒ आशि॑तं कृणोति॒ यन्नध्वा॑न॒मप॑ वृङ्क्ते च॒रित्रैः॑ | वद॑न्ब्र॒ह्माव॑दतो॒ वनी॑यान्पृ॒णन्ना॒पिरपृ॑णन्तम॒भि ष्या॑त् ||
kr̥ṣánn ít phā́la ā́śitaṁ kr̥ṇoti yánn ádhvānam ápa vr̥ṅkte carítraiḥ vádan brahmā́vadato vánīyān pr̥ṇánn āpír ápr̥ṇantam abhí ṣyāt
The plough, as it cuts, makes food. He who moves his feet completes the path. The speaking person is better than the silent. The giver is more valuable than the non-giver.
This verse highlights the value of productive effort and generosity. It states that the plough that tills the soil produces food, and one who makes effort (like moving their feet) completes their journey. A speaking person is superior to a silent one, and a generous giver is more valuable than someone who does not give.
Meter: Tristubh
- A. कृ॒षन्न इ फाल आशि॑तं कृणोति kr̥ṣán ít phā́laḥ ā́śitam kr̥ṇoti (11 syllables)
- B. य अध्वा॒न अप वृङ्क्ते चरितैः yán ádhvānam ápa vr̥ṅkte carítraiḥ (11 syllables)
- C. वद॑न् ब्रह्मा अव॑दतो वनी॑यान् vádan brahmā́ ávadataḥ vánīyān (11 syllables)
- D. पृ॒णन् आ॒पिः अ॒पृ॒णन्तम अभि ष्यात् pr̥ṇán āpíḥ ápr̥ṇantam abhí syāt (11 syllables)
कृ॒षन्न (kr̥ṣán)
ploughing
इ (ít)
indeed
फाल (phā́laḥ)
ploughshare
आशि॑तं (ā́śitam)
food
कृणोति (kr̥ṇoti)
makes
य (yán)
whoever
अध्वा॒न (ádhvānam)
path, way
अप (ápa)
away
वृङ्क्ते (vr̥ṅkte)
turns aside, avoids
चरितैः (carítraiḥ)
with movements, by steps
वद॑न् (vádan)
speaking
ब्रह्मा (brahmā́)
devotee, knower of Brahman
अव॑दतो (ávadataḥ)
from the silent one
वनी॑यान् (vánīyān)
more desirous, liberal
पृ॒णन् (pr̥ṇán)
giving
आ॒पिः (āpíḥ)
friend
अ॒पृ॒णन्तम (ápr̥ṇantam)
the non-giver
अभि (abhí)
towards
ष्यात् (syāt)
should be
Stanza 10.117.8
एक॑पा॒द्भूयो॑ द्वि॒पदो॒ वि च॑क्रमे द्वि॒पात्त्रि॒पाद॑म॒भ्ये॑ति प॒श्चात् | चतु॑ष्पादेति द्वि॒पदा॑मभिस्व॒रे स॒म्पश्य॑न्प॒ङ्क्तीरु॑प॒तिष्ठ॑मानः ||
ékapād bhū́yo dvipádo ví cakrame dvipā́t tripā́dam abhy èti paścā́t cátuṣpād eti dvipádām abhisvaré sampáśyan paṅktī́r upatíṣṭhamānaḥ
The one-footed has outrun the two-footed. The two-footed approaches the three-footed from behind. The four-footed comes at the call of the two-footed. Observing the groups, they approach.
This verse uses a metaphor of beings with different numbers of feet to illustrate the progression and interaction in the world. The one-footed entity moves faster than the two-footed, which in turn surpasses the three-footed. Quadrupedal creatures respond to bipeds, and all gather where groups are present, observing and interacting.
Meter:
- A. एक॑पा भूयो द्वि॒पोदो वि च॒क्रमे ékapāt bhū́yaḥ dvipádaḥ ví cakrame (12 syllables)
- B. द्वि॒पा त्रि॒पाद॑म अभ्ये देति प॒श्चात् dvipā́t tripā́dam abhí eti paścā́t (11 syllables)
- C. चतु॑ष्पा देति द्वि॒पदा॑म अभिस्व॒रे cátuṣpāt eti dvipádām abhisvaré (12 syllables)
- D. सम्पश्य॑न् पङ्क्तीरु पतिष्ठ॑मानः sampáśyan paṅktī́ḥ upatíṣṭhamānaḥ (11 syllables)
एक॑पा (ékapāt)
one-footed
भूयो (bhū́yaḥ)
more, further
द्वि॒पोदो (dvipádaḥ)
than the two-footed
वि (ví)
apart, out
च॒क्रमे (cakrame)
strode, moved
द्वि॒पा (dvipā́t)
two-footed
त्रि॒पाद॑म (tripā́dam)
the three-footed
अभ्ये (abhí)
towards
देति (eti)
goes, comes
प॒श्चात् (paścā́t)
behind
चतु॑ष्पा (cátuṣpāt)
four-footed
देति (eti)
goes, comes
द्वि॒पदा॑म (dvipádām)
of the two-footed
अभिस्व॒रे (abhisvaré)
at the call
सम्पश्य॑न् (sampáśyan)
seeing, observing
पङ्क्तीरु (paṅktī́ḥ)
rows, groups
पतिष्ठ॑मानः (upatíṣṭhamānaḥ)
approaching, attending
Stanza 10.117.9
स॒मौ चि॒द्धस्तौ॒ न स॒मं वि॑विष्टः सम्मा॒तरा॑ चि॒न्न स॒मं दु॑हाते | य॒मयो॑श्चि॒न्न स॒मा वी॒र्या॑णि ज्ञा॒ती चि॒त्सन्तौ॒ न स॒मं पृ॑णीतः ||
samaú cid dhástau ná samáṁ viviṣṭaḥ sammātárā cin ná samáṁ duhāte yamáyoś cin ná samā́ vīryāā̀ṇi jñātī́ cit sántau ná samám pr̥ṇītaḥ
Even twin hands do not act equally. Even sister cows do not give milk equally. Even twins do not have equal strength. Even kinsmen, though together, do not give equally.
This verse uses analogies to illustrate that even things that appear similar or are closely related do not always perform or yield equally. Twin hands, sister cows, twin siblings, and even kinsmen, though alike in some ways, differ in their actions, yield, strength, and generosity.
Meter: Tristubh
- A. समौ चि हस्तौ न समं वि॒विष्टः samaú cit hástau ná samám viviṣṭaḥ (11 syllables)
- B. सम्मा॒तरा चि न समं दुहाते sammātárā cit ná samám duhāte (11 syllables)
- C. यमयो चि न समा वी॒र्या yamáyoḥ cit ná samā́ vīryā̀ṇi (11 syllables)
- D. ज्ञाती चि सन्तौ न समं पृ॒णी॒तः jñātī́ cit sántau ná samám pr̥ṇītaḥ (11 syllables)
समौ (samaú)
equal
चि (cit)
even
हस्तौ (hástau)
hands
न (ná)
not
समं (samám)
equally
वि॒विष्टः (viviṣṭaḥ)
distribute, act
सम्मा॒तरा (sammātárā)
mother-cows
चि (cit)
even
न (ná)
not
समं (samám)
equally
दुहाते (duhāte)
milk, yield
यमयो (yamáyoḥ)
of twins
चि (cit)
even
न (ná)
not
समा (samā́)
equal
वी॒र्या (vīryā̀ṇi)
strengths, powers
ज्ञाती (jñātī́)
kinsmen
चि (cit)
even
सन्तौ (sántau)
being
न (ná)
not
समं (samám)
equally
पृ॒णी॒तः (pr̥ṇītaḥ)
give, bestow