Part 4
२१. कोऽन्धो? योऽकार्यरतः को बधिरो? यो हितानि न शृणोति।
को मूको? यो काले प्रियाणि वक्तुं न जानाति॥
21. ko’ndho? Yo’kaaryaratah, ko badhiro? Yo hitaani na shrinoti
ko mooko? Yah kaale priyaani vaktum na jaanaati
Q: Who is blind?
A: One whose actions are bad.
Q: Who is deaf?
A: One who does not listen to sage advice.
Q: Who is dumb?
A: One who cannot utter kind and sweet words at the appropriate time.
२२. किं दानं? अनाकाङ्क्षं, किं मित्रं? यो निवारयति पापात्।
कोऽलंकारः शीलं, किं वाचां मण्डनं? सत्यं॥
22. kim daanam? Anaakaangksham, kim mitram? Yo nivaarayati paapaat
Ko’lamkaarah? Sheelam, kim vaachaam mandanam? Satyam
Q: What is giving?
A: That which is given without being asked for
Q: Who is a friend?
A: One who prevents from committing sinful actions.
Q: What is adornment?
A: Good conduct.
Q: What adorns speech?
A: Truth
२३. विद्युद्विलसितचपलं किं? दुर्जनसंगतिर्युवतयश्च।
कुलशीलनिष्प्रकंपा: के कलिकालेऽपि? सज्जना एव॥
23. vidyudwilasitachapalam kim? Durjanasangatir yuvatayashcha
Kulasheelanishprakampaah ke kalikaale’pi? Sajjanaa eva
Q: Which is as fleeting (transient) as lightning?
A: The company of bad persons and young women
Q: Who, even in this age of Kali, do not deviate from the right conduct
followed by their forebears?
A: Good persons (sajjanaah)
२४. चिन्तामणिरिव दुर्लभमिह किं? कथयामि तच्चतुर्भद्रं।
किं तद्वदन्ति भूयो विधूततमसो विशेषेण?
२५. दानं प्रियवाक्यसहितं ज्ञानमगर्वं क्षमान्वितं शौर्यं।
वित्तं त्यागसमेतं दुर्लभमेतच्चतुर्भद्रं॥
24. Chintaamaniriva durlabhamiha kim? Kathayaami tachchaturbhadram
Kim tadwadanti bhooyo vidhootatamaso visheshena
25. daanam priyavaaksahitam jnaanamagarvam kshamaanvitam shauryam
Vittam tyaagasametam durlabhametat chaturbhadram
Q: Which is rare as the chintamani which turns iron into gold?
A: Chaturbhadram (four auspicious things )
Q: Which are those four auspicious things according to enlightened souls?
A: A gift accompanied by soothing pleasant words, knowledge devoid of
arrogance, valour tempered by forgiveness, Wealth accompanied by
philanthropy (altruism or generosity) – these, known as chaturbhadram,
are very rare indeed.
२१. कोऽन्धो? योऽकार्यरतः को बधिरो? यो हितानि न शृणोति।
को मूको? यो काले प्रियाणि वक्तुं न जानाति॥
21. ko’ndho? Yo’kaaryaratah, ko badhiro? Yo hitaani na shrinoti
ko mooko? Yah kaale priyaani vaktum na jaanaati
Q: Who is blind?
A: One whose actions are bad.
Q: Who is deaf?
A: One who does not listen to sage advice.
Q: Who is dumb?
A: One who cannot utter kind and sweet words at the appropriate time.
२२. किं दानं? अनाकाङ्क्षं, किं मित्रं? यो निवारयति पापात्।
कोऽलंकारः शीलं, किं वाचां मण्डनं? सत्यं॥
22. kim daanam? Anaakaangksham, kim mitram? Yo nivaarayati paapaat
Ko’lamkaarah? Sheelam, kim vaachaam mandanam? Satyam
Q: What is giving?
A: That which is given without being asked for
Q: Who is a friend?
A: One who prevents from committing sinful actions.
Q: What is adornment?
A: Good conduct.
Q: What adorns speech?
A: Truth
२३. विद्युद्विलसितचपलं किं? दुर्जनसंगतिर्युवतयश्च।
कुलशीलनिष्प्रकंपा: के कलिकालेऽपि? सज्जना एव॥
23. vidyudwilasitachapalam kim? Durjanasangatir yuvatayashcha
Kulasheelanishprakampaah ke kalikaale’pi? Sajjanaa eva
Q: Which is as fleeting (transient) as lightning?
A: The company of bad persons and young women
Q: Who, even in this age of Kali, do not deviate from the right conduct
followed by their forebears?
A: Good persons (sajjanaah)
२४. चिन्तामणिरिव दुर्लभमिह किं? कथयामि तच्चतुर्भद्रं।
किं तद्वदन्ति भूयो विधूततमसो विशेषेण?
२५. दानं प्रियवाक्यसहितं ज्ञानमगर्वं क्षमान्वितं शौर्यं।
वित्तं त्यागसमेतं दुर्लभमेतच्चतुर्भद्रं॥
24. Chintaamaniriva durlabhamiha kim? Kathayaami tachchaturbhadram
Kim tadwadanti bhooyo vidhootatamaso visheshena
25. daanam priyavaaksahitam jnaanamagarvam kshamaanvitam shauryam
Vittam tyaagasametam durlabhametat chaturbhadram
Q: Which is rare as the chintamani which turns iron into gold?
A: Chaturbhadram (four auspicious things )
Q: Which are those four auspicious things according to enlightened souls?
A: A gift accompanied by soothing pleasant words, knowledge devoid of
arrogance, valour tempered by forgiveness, Wealth accompanied by
philanthropy (altruism or generosity) – these, known as chaturbhadram,
are very rare indeed.