शिलालिखितमक्षरम्‌

सद्‌भिस्तु लीलया प्रोक्तं शिलालिखितमक्षरम्‌।
असद्‌भिः शपथेनोक्तं जले लिखितम् अक्षरम्‌॥
sadbhistu līlayā proktaṁ śilālikhitamakṣaram |
asadbhiḥ śapathenoktaṁ jale likhitam akṣaram ||
Even the casual words of good people are like words set in stone,
[while] even the vows of the bad people are like words written on water!

अपकारिषु यः साधुः

उपकारोऽपकारश्च प्रवराविति सम्मतौ।
उपकारिषु सर्वोऽपि करोत्युपकृतिं पुनः॥८०-५४॥
अपकारिषु यः साधुः पुण्यभाक्ष उदाहृतः॥८०-५५॥
—श्रीमद्‍ब्रह्मपुराणम्
An act of favour and an unfavourable act — these are to be considered alike.
On doing a favour, everyone will [be ready to] return the favour/help.
One who remains good, even on being wronged, he indeed is a noble soul.
upakāro’pakāraśca pravarāviti sammatau|
upakāriṣu sarvo’pi karotyupakṛtiṁ punaḥ||80-54||
apakāriṣu yaḥ sādhuḥ puṇyabhākṣa udāhṛtaḥ||80-55||
—śrīmadbrahmapurāṇam
An act of favour and an unfavourable act — these are to be considered alike.
On doing a favour, everyone will [be ready to] return the favour/help.
One who remains good, even on being wronged, he indeed is a noble soul.

तृष्णां छिन्धि भज क्षमाम्

तृष्णां छिन्धि भज क्षमां जहि मदं पापे रतिं मा कृताः
सत्यं ब्रूह्यनुयाहि साधु पदवीं सेवस्व विद्वज्जनम्‌।
मान्यान्मानय विद्विशोऽप्यनुनय प्रख्यापय प्रश्रयं
कीर्तिं पालय दुःखिते कुरु दयामेतत्सतां चेष्टितम्॥
tṛṣṇāṁ chindhi bhaja kṣamāṁ jahi madaṁ pāpe ratiṁ mā kṛtāḥ
satyaṁ brūhyanuyāhi sādhu padavīṁ sevasva vidvajjanam |
mānyānmānaya vidviśo’pyanunaya prakhyāpaya praśrayaṁ
kīrtiṁ pālaya duḥkhite kuru dayāmetatsatāṁ ceṣṭitam ||
Curbing the desire, practicing patience, giving up pride, not interested in committing a sin,
Speaking the truth, following the footsteps of the good, serving the scholars,
Respecting the honourable, pleasing even enemies, being modest,
Protecting fame and kind towards the distressed. These are the actions of the good.

[Thanks to sanskritdocuments.org]

महतां मण्डनमिदम्‌

करे श्लाघ्यस्त्यागः शिरसि गुरुपादप्रणयिता
मुखे सत्या वाणी विजयि भुजयोः वीर्यमतुलम्‌।
हृदि स्वच्छवृत्ति श्रुतमधिगतं च श्रवणयोः।
विनाऽप्यैश्वर्येण प्रकृति महतां मण्डनमिदम्‌॥
kare ślāghyastyāgaḥ śirasi gurupādapraṇayitā
mukhe satyā vāṇī vijayi bhujayoḥ vīryamatulam |
hṛdi svacchavṛtti śrutamadhigataṁ ca śravaṇayoḥ |
vinā’pyaiśvaryeṇa prakṛti mahatāṁ maṇḍanamidam ||
Ornaments of great people are entirely different. They are all natural.
Praise-worthy charity, for the hand; submission at the feet of the elders, for the head;
Truthful speech, for the mouth; matchless ever victorious strength, for the arms;
Purity of thought, for the heart and acquired knowledge of the holy scriptures, for the ears.
These are the worthy ornaments of the great by nature (despite the absence of worldly riches.)

[Thanks to sanskritdocuments.org]

परोपकाराय सतां विभूतयः

पिबन्ति नद्यः स्वयमेव नाम्भः स्वयं न खादन्ति फलानि वृक्षाः।
नादन्ति स्वस्यं खलु वारिवाहाः परोपकाराय सतां विभूतयः॥
pibanti nadyaḥ svayameva nāmbhaḥ svayaṁ na khādanti phalāni vṛkṣāḥ|
nādanti svasyaṁ khalu vārivāhāḥ paropakārāya satāṁ vibhūtayaḥ||
The rivers don’t drink their waters themselves; the trees don’t eat their own fruits.
The clouds do not eat the crops they have watered; in the same way, the wealth of the good people are for helping others (they don’t consume their own wealth)

Alternate version:

रत्नाकरः किं करोति स्वरत्नैः
विन्ध्याचलः किं करिभिः करोति
श्रीखन्ण्डकण्डैः मलयाचलः किं
परोपकाराय सतां विभूतयः

http://sanskritpearls.blogspot.com/2010/07/july-22nd.html

वृक्षाः सत्पुरुषा इव

छायामन्यस्य कुर्वन्ति तिष्ठन्ति स्वयमातपे।
फलान्यपि परार्थाय वृक्षाः सत्पुरुषा इव॥
chāyāmanyasya kurvanti tiṣṭhanti svayamātape|
phalānyapi parārthāya vṛkṣāḥ satpuruṣā iva||
Trees are like good people. They themselves stand in the heat and make shade for the others. Their fruits are also for the benefit of the others.

[Kindly contributed by Shri Chandrashekhar Raghu]

विकृतिं नैव गच्छन्ति

विकृतिं नैव गच्छन्ति सङ्गदोषेण साधवः।
आवेष्टितं महासर्पैश्चन्दनं न विषायते॥
vikṛtiṁ naiva gacchanti saṅgadoṣeṇa sādhavaḥ|
āveṣṭitaṁ mahāsarpaiścandanaṁ na viṣāyate||
Changes (negative changes/bad habits) are not induced by bad company in a great people.
[Just as] A sandalwood tree enveloped by great serpents does not turn poisonous.
Neverthless, one must always stay away from bad company. See दुर्जनेन समं सख्यम्

साक्षराः विपरीताश्चेत्

साक्षराः विपरीताश्चेत् राक्षसाः एव केवलम्।
सरसो विपरीतश्चेत् सरसत्वं न मुञ्चति॥
sākṣarāḥ viparītāścet rākṣasāḥ eva kevalam|
saraso viparītaścet sarasatvaṁ na muñcati||
If [the word] sākṣarā (literate, i.e. learned people) is inverted, it becomes rākṣasā (devil).
[But] if [the word] sarasa (good, i.e. good people) is inverted, it remains sarasa!

Therefore, one must be both  sākṣarā and sarasa.

भक्त्या हि तुष्यन्ति महानुभावाः

अपां निधिं वारिभिरर्चयन्ति
दीपेन सूर्यं प्रतिबोधयन्ति।
ताभ्यां तयोः किं परिपूर्णता स्याद्
भक्त्या हि तुष्यन्ति महानुभावाः॥
apāṁ nidhiṁ vāribhirarcayanti
dīpena sūryaṁ pratibodhayanti|
tābhyāṁ tayoḥ kiṁ paripūrṇatā syād
bhaktyā hi tuṣyanti mahānubhāvāḥ||
People worship the lord of waters (ocean) by offering (consecrated) water to him
and wave lights before the sun (to illumine him).
Do these two things enhance their fullness?
Great people are indeed pleased by devotion.

अपां प्रवाहो गाङ्गोऽपि

अपां प्रवाहो गाङ्गोऽपि समुद्रं प्राप्य तद्रसः।
भवत्यवश्यं तद्विद्वान्नाश्रयेदशुभात्मकम्॥
apāṁ pravāho gāṅgo’pi samudraṁ prāpya tadrasaḥ|
bhavatyavaśyaṁ tadvidvānnāśrayedaśubhātmakam||
A stream of tasteful water (even arising from the Ganges?), having flown into the sea, becomes saline and thus undrinkable.
For this simple reason, a wise man should never associate with one of wicked and impure soul.

[Posted on 25 NOV]

दुर्जनस्य धनं बलम्

गर्वाय परपीडायै दुर्जनस्य धनं बलम्।
सुजनस्य तु दानाय रक्षणाय च ते सदा॥
garvāya parapīḍāyai durjanasya dhanaṁ balam|
sujanasya tu dānāya rakṣaṇāya ca te sadā||
The wealth and power of a wicked person are for vanity and harrasment of others respectively. However, those of a good man are always [used] for charity and for protection.

[Thanks to Kedar]

[Posted on 23 NOV]

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]

असतोऽपि भवति गुणवान्

असतोऽपि भवति गुणवान् सद्भ्योऽपि परं भवन्त्यसद्वृत्ताः।
पङ्कादुदेति कमलं क्रिमयः कमालादपि भवन्ति॥
asato’pi bhavati guṇavān sadbhyo’pi paraṁ bhavantyasadvṛttāḥ|
paṅkādudeti kamalaṁ krimayaḥ kamālādapi bhavanti||
A virtuous person may spring even from a bad source and one of bad conduct even from the virtuous. The (beautiful) lotus springs from (dirty) mud, but worms are seen to spring even from a lotus.

अपमानितोऽपि कुलजो न वदति

अपमानितोऽपि कुलजो न वदति पुरुषं स्वभावदाक्षिण्यात्।
न हि मलयचन्दनतरुः परसुप्रहतः स्रवेत् पूयम्॥
apamānito'pi kulajo na vadati puruṣaṁ svabhāvadākṣiṇyāt|
na hi malayacandanataruḥ parasuprahataḥ sravet pūyam||
One well born (of a high stature), though insulted, does not hit back owing to their innate natural courtest. The sandal tree of the Malaya mountain does not exude filth [even] to the one who cuts it with an axe!

न विप्रियं वदत्यार्यः

अप्रियवचनाङ्गारैर्दग्धोऽपि न विप्रियं वदत्यार्यः।
किं दह्यमानमगरु स्वभावसुरभिं परित्यजति॥
apriyavacanāṅgārairdagdho'pi na vipriyaṁ vadatyāryaḥ|
kiṁ dahyamānamagaru svabhāvasurabhiṁ parityajati||
"A man of culture does not speak unpleasantly though burnt by the burning coals of displeasing talk.
Does the fragrant aloe wood abandon its natural fragrance when being burnt?"

गुणान् गृह्णाति सज्जनः

सन्त्यज्य शूर्पवद्दोषान् गुणान् गृह्णाति सज्जनः।
दोषग्राही गुणत्यागी पल्लोलीव हि दुर्जनः॥
santyajya śūrpavaddoṣān guṇān gṛhṇāti sajjanaḥ|
doṣagrāhī guṇatyāgī pallolīva hi durjanaḥ||

"The good people always receives the virtues and good qualities and leaves the bad qualities like a winnow;
Taking the bad and leaving the good, the bad men are like strainers (filters)!"

सज्जनः गुणग्राही

दुर्जनो दोषमादत्ते दुर्गन्धमिव सूकरः।
सज्जनश्च गुणग्राही हंसः क्षीरमिवाम्भसः॥
durjano doṣamādatte durgandhamiva sūkaraḥ|
sajjanaśca guṇagrāhī haṁsaḥ kṣīramivāmbhasaḥ||

"The wicked people pick only the bad, similar to a pig [which eats garbage];
[On the other hand] Good people always receives the virtuous qualities [ignoring the vices] much like a swan that takes milk and leaves water behind!"

चित्ते वाचि क्रियायाञ्च साधूनामेकरूपता

यथा चित्तं तथा वाचः यथा वचस्तथा क्रियाः।
चित्ते वाचि क्रियायाञ्च साधूनामेकरूपता॥
yathā cittaṁ tathā vācaḥ yathā vacastathā kriyāḥ|
citte vāci kriyāyāñca sādhūnāmekarūpatā||

"As is the thinking, so is the speech, as is the speech; so is the action;
In mind (thinking), in speech and in action, great men (saints) are consistent"

वचस्येकं मनस्येकं कर्मण्येकं महात्मनाम्।
vacasyekaṁ manasyekaṁ karmaṇyekaṁ mahātmanām|

परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यम्

परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यं सर्वेषां सुकरं नृणाम्।
धर्मे स्वीयमनुष्ठानं कस्यचित्तु महात्मनः॥
paropadeśe pāṇḍityaṁ sarveṣāṁ sukaraṁ nṛṇām|
dharme svīyamanuṣṭhānaṁ kasyacittu mahātmanaḥ||

“To advise others is a very easy task for all common people;
But to perform the proper duties in all necessary spheres is a matter of greatness of a few (great) people.”

अयम् मम शतमः प्रेषणम् !!!

एते सत्पुरुषाः

एते सत्पुरुषाः परार्थघटकाः स्वार्थान्‌ परित्यज ये
सामान्यास्तु परार्थमुद्यमभृतः स्वार्थाविरोधेन ये।
तेऽमी मानवराक्षसाः परहितं स्वार्थाय निघ्नन्ति ये
ये तु घ्नन्ति निरर्थकं परहितं ते के न जानीमहे॥
ete satpuruṣāḥ parārthaghaṭakāḥ svārthān parityaja ye
sāmānyāstu parārthamudyamabhṛtaḥ svārthāvirodhena ye|
te'mī mānavarākṣasāḥ parahitaṁ svārthāya nighnanti ye
ye tu ghnanti nirarthakaṁ parahitaṁ te ke na jānīmahe||

"These, who are engaged in benefitting others after sacrificing their own purposes are the great men. Those who benefit others without opposing their needs are the common men. Those who destroy others' well being for doing good to themselves are demons in human form. However those who destroy other peoples' well being without any cause whatsoever, we do not know who they are!"