Thursday, June 25, 2020

success & failure

Success & Failure
ekaṁ hanyān na vā hanyād iṣur mukto dhanuṣmatā | buddhir buddhimat-otsṛṣṭā hanyād rāṣṭraṁ sarājakam || 129 || 
When a bowman shoots an arrow, he may or may not succeed in killing even a single person, but when an intelligent individual applies his intelligence (viciously); he may destroy an entire principality along with the ruler. 
yasmai devāḥ prayacchanti puruṣāya parābhavam | buddhiṁ tasyāpakarṣanti so’pācīnāni paśyati || 130 || 
If the gods wish someone to be defeated, they first cloud his intelligence, and it is for this reason that one becomes enamoured of dissolute activities. 
buddhau kaluṣa bhūtāyāṁ vināśe pratyupasthite | anayo naya saṅkāśo hṛdayān nāpasarpati || 131 || 
When destruction is immanent, the intelligence becomes confused, and wrong, appearing like right, firmly grips the mind. 
na devā daṇḍam ādāya rakṣanti paśupālavat | yaṁ tu rakṣitum icchanti buddhyā saṁvibhajanti tam || 132 || 
The gods do not protect people, by taking up clubs in their hands after the manner of herdsmen; unto those, however, whom they wish to protect, they grant intelligence [to make the right decisions]. 
yathā yathā hi puruṣaḥ kalyāṇe kurute manaḥ | tathā tathāsya sarvārthāḥ sidhyante nātra saṁśayaḥ || 133 || 
Whatever beneficial works a person intensely applies the mind to, those works will surely yield positive results, without a doubt. nainam chandāṁsi vṛjināt tārayanti māyā-vinaṁ māyayā vartamānam | nīḍaṁ śakuntā iva jāta-pakṣāśchandāṁsy enaṁ prajahaty antakāle || 134 ||
 The Vedas never rescue from sin a deceitful person living by defraud. On the other hand, they forsake him while he is on his death-bed, like newly fledged birds forsaking their nests. 
madyā-pānaṁ kalahaṁ pūga-vairaṁ bhāryāpatyor antaraṁ jñāti-bhedam | rāja-dviṣṭaṁ strī-pumāṁsor vivādaṁ varjyāny-āhuryaśca panthāḥ praduṣṭaḥ || 135 ||
 Drinking alcohol, quarrels, enmity with large numbers of people, fomenting domestic disputes — between couples and relatives, and creating conflict between men and women, disloyalty to the state — these and all paths that are iniquitous and should be avoided. divasenaiva tat kuryād yena rātrau sukhaṁ vaset | aṣṭaT māsena tat kuryādy ena varṣāḥ sukhaṁ vaset || 136 ||
 Do that during the day which may enable you to pass the night in happiness; and do that during eight months of the year which may enable you to pass the four months of the monsoon happily. 
pūrve vayasi tat kuryād yena vṛddhaḥ sukhaṁ vaset | yāvaj jīvena tat kuryād yena pretya sukhaṁ vaset || 137 || 
Do that during youth which will ensure a happy old age; and do that during your whole life here which may enable you to live happily hereafter.

No comments: