गुणिर्गुणं वेत्ति

गुणिर्गुणं वेत्ति न वेत्ति निर्गुणः
बलिर्बलं वेत्ति न वेत्ति निर्बलः।
पिको वसन्तस्य गुणं न वायसः
करि च सिंहस्य बलं न मूषिकः॥
guṇirguṇaṁ vetti na vetti nirguṇaḥ
balirbalaṁ vetti na vetti nirbalaḥ |
piko vasantasya guṇaṁ na vāyasaḥ
kari ca siṁhasya balaṁ na mūṣikaḥ ||
The virtuous appreciate virtues but not the bad;
The strong appreciate strength but not the weak.
[just like] The cuckoo [which] feels the influence of the spring but not the crow;
[and] The elephant [that] values the strength of the lion but not the mouse.

गुणदोषौ बुधौ गृह्णन्

गुणदोषौ बुधौ गृह्णन्निन्दुक्ष्वेलाविवेश्वरः।
शिरसा श्लाघ्यते पूर्वं परं कण्ठे नियच्छति॥
guṇadoṣau budhau gṛhṇannindukṣvelāviveśvaraḥ |
śirasā ślāghyate pūrvaṁ paraṁ kaṇṭhe niyacchati ||
A wise man deals with merits and demerits as Lord Shiva dealt with the moon and the poison.
He praises the former with his head and keeps the latter in his throat.

ज्ञानस्य आभरणं क्षमा

नरस्य आभरणं रूपं रूपस्य आभरणं गुणः।
गुणस्य आभरणं ज्ञानं ज्ञानस्य आभरणं क्षमा॥
narasya ābharaṇaṁ rūpaṁ rūpasya ābharaṇaṁ guṇaḥ|
guṇasya ābharaṇaṁ jñānaṁ jñānasya ābharaṇaṁ kṣamā||
The ornament of man is beauty, the ornament of beauty is guṇās (~good qualitites).
Knowledge adorns good qualities, and forgiveness is the ornament of knowledge.

ज्येष्ठत्वं जन्मना नैव

ज्येष्ठत्वं जन्मना नैव गुणैर्ज्येष्ठत्वमुचते।
गुणात् गुरुत्वमायाति दुग्धं दधि घृतं क्रमात्॥
jyeṣṭhatvaṁ janmanā naiva guṇairjyeṣṭhatvamucate|
guṇāt gurutvamāyāti dugdhaṁ dadhi ghṛtaṁ kramāt||
Excellence is not by birth; excellence is decided by qualities [of a person].
Only by qualities, greatness comes, [just] as it increases from milk to curd to ghee.

यस्य धर्मः स जीवति

स जीवति गुणो यस्य यस्य धर्मः स जीवति।
गुणधर्मविहीनस्य जीवितं निष्प्रयोजनम्॥
sa jīvati guṇo yasya yasya dharmaḥ sa jīvati|
guṇadharmavihīnasya jīvitaṁ niṣprayojanam||
He lives, [who] [strives] for good qualities and dharma
For the one without dharma and good qualities, life is useless

[Posted on 9 MAY]

नागुणी गुणिनं वेत्ति

नागुणी गुणिनं वेत्ति गुणी गुणिषु मत्सरी।
गुणी च गुणरागी च सरलो विरलो जनः॥
nāguṇī guṇinaṁ vetti guṇī guṇiṣu matsarī|
guṇī ca guṇarāgī ca saralo viralo janaḥ||
Those who do not have talent do not recognize other talented people and those who are talented envy other talented people. Those who are themselves talented and love other talented persons, such simple people are rare indeed.

[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]

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.