सहायो बलवत्तरः

सगुणो निर्गुणो वापि सहायो बलवत्तरः।
तुषेणापि परिभ्रष्टः तण्डुलो नाङ्कुरायते॥
saguṇo nirguṇo vāpi sahāyo balavattaraḥ |
tuṣeṇāpi paribhraṣṭaḥ taṇḍulo nāṅkurāyate ||
Whether talented or not, a companion is an additional strength.
Rice deprived of the husk will not sprout.

दैवं फलति सर्वत्र

दैवं फलति सर्वत्र न विद्या न च पौरुषम्।
समुद्रमथनाल्लेभे हरिर्लक्ष्मीं हरो विषम्॥

(It is) destiny that reaps (results) everywhere, not learning and not effort.
From the churning of the ocean, Hari obtained Lakshmi, Shankar, poison.

(Kindly contributed by Ms. Uma Purang)

मानो हि महतां धनम्‌

उत्तमा मानमिच्छन्ति धनमानौ हि मध्यमाः।
अधमा धनमिच्छन्ति मानो हि महतां धनम्‌॥
uttamā mānamicchanti dhanamānau hi madhyamāḥ |
adhamā dhanamicchanti māno hi mahatāṁ dhanam ||
Best of the men seek honour; the mediocre seek wealth and honour.
Those in bottom (inferior) seek [only] wealth. Honour is wealth to great men.

कार्यार्थी भजते लोकः

कार्यार्थी भजते लोकः यावत्‌ कार्यं न सिध्यति॥
उत्तीर्णे च परे पारे नौकायाः किं प्रयोजनम्॥
kāryārthī bhajate lokaḥ yāvat kāryaṁ na sidhyati||
uttīrṇe ca pare pāre naukāyāḥ kiṁ prayojanam||
The world (men of the world), intending to get its work done, prays (to you) only until the task is not accomplished. Once you have crossed over to the other bank, what is the use of the boat ?

अष्टौ गुणा पुरुषं दीपयन्ति

अष्टौ गुणा पुरुषं दीपयन्ति प्रज्ञा सुशीलत्वदमौ श्रुतं च।
पराक्रमश्चाबहुभाषिता च दानं यथाशक्ति कृतज्ञता च॥
aṣṭau guṇā puruṣaṁ dīpayanti prajñā suśīlatvadamau śrutaṁ ca|
parākramaścābahubhāṣitā ca dānaṁ yathāśakti kṛtajñatā ca||
Eight qualities adorn a man : Intellect, good character, self control, knowledge. Valour, not talking too much, being charitable as per his (financial) strength and gratitude.

[Thanks to Kedar]

[Posted on 20 SEP]

मौनेन कलहो नास्ति

कृषितो नास्ति दुर्भिक्षं जपतो नास्ति पातकम्‌।
मौनेन कलहो नास्ति नास्ति जागरतो भयम्‌॥
kṛṣito nāsti durbhikṣaṁ japato nāsti pātakam |
maunena kalaho nāsti nāsti jāgarato bhayam ||
For the one who farms, there is no famine; for the one who prays (does japa), there are no sins. Silence keeps away quarrels and fear, by taking proper precautionary measures.
[Posted on 20 SEP]

सर्वाङ्गं दुर्जने विषम्‌

वृश्चिकस्य विषं पुच्छं मक्षिकस्य विषं शिरः।
तक्षकस्य विषं दंष्ट्रा सर्वाङ्गं दुर्जने विषम्‌॥
vṛścikasya viṣaṁ pucchaṁ makṣikasya viṣaṁ śiraḥ |
takṣakasya viṣaṁ daṁṣṭrā sarvāṅgaṁ durjane viṣam ||
The poison of a scorpion is in its tail; the poison of a fly is in it’s head;
the poison of a snake is in its fangs; the poison of a wicked person is everywhere in his body.

[Posted on SEP 20]

कोकिलानां स्वरो रूपं

कोकिलानां स्वरो रूपं पातिव्रत्यं तु योषिताम्‌।
विद्या रूपं विरूपाणां क्षमा रूपं तपस्विनाम्‌॥
kokilānāṁ svaro rūpaṁ pātivratyaṁ tu yoṣitām |
vidyā rūpaṁ virūpāṇāṁ kṣamā rūpaṁ tapasvinām ||
The voice is the beauty of cuckoos, character (devotedness to husband) is the beauty of women,
Learning is the beauty of the deformed and patience/forgiveness is the beauty of ascetics.
[Posted on SEP 20]

चत्वाराः सहजागुणाः

दातृत्वं प्रियवक्तृत्वं धीरत्वमुचितज्ञता।
अभ्यासेन न लभ्यन्ते चत्वाराः सहजागुणाः॥
dātṛtvaṁ priyavaktṛtvaṁ dhīratvamucitajñatā |
abhyāsena na labhyante catvārāḥ sahajāguṇāḥ ||
Liberality, sweetness of speech, courage and judgement are the
four natural qualities, which can not be attained by practice.
They come naturally.