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Where is the greatest peace? In truth and righteousness. Who is the hero? The man who subdues his senses. Who is the best beloved? The faithful wife. What is wealth? Knowledge. What is the most perfect happiness? Staying at home.

Bhartrhari

Our life is like th’ unstable wave, Our bloom of youth decays. Our joys are brief as lightning flash In summer’s cloudy days, Our riches fleet as swift as thought; Faith in the One Supreme Alone will bear us o’er the gulfs Of Being’s stormy stream.
BHARTRHARI

God Joy Summer
Fate’s sentence written on the brow no hand can e’er efface.
BHARTRHARI

Fate Hands
The source of inward happiness which shall outlast the earth– To them e’en kings should yield the palm, and own their higher worth.
BHARTRHARI

Happiness Inward Kings Source
Idleness is a great enemy to mankind. There is no friend like energy, for, if you cultivate that, it will never fail.
BHARTRHARI

Enemy Energy Friends No
Knowledge is wonderful and truth serene But man in their service bleeds.
BHARTRHARI

Knowledge Men Wonderful
Trees bend low with ripened fruit; clouds hang down with gentle rain; noble people bow graciously. This is the way of generous things.
BHARTRHARI

Clouds People Rain
Those from whom we were born have long since departed, and those with whom we grew up exist only in memory. We, too, through the approach of death, become, as it were, trees growing on the sandy bank of a river.
BHARTRHARI

Long Memories Rivers
Kindness can turn the bad man’s heart, and fools convert to wise, Make poison into nectar-juice, and friends of enemies.
BHARTRHARI

Heart Kindness Wise
Man is but a beast without it: such a glorious god is Learning.
BHARTRHARI

Beast Learning Men
I have not wasted life, but life hath wasted me.
BHARTRHARI

Life Wasted Life
Trees loaded with fruit are bent down; the clouds when charged with fresh rain hang down near the earth: even so good men are not uplifted through prosperity. Such is the natural character of the liberal.
BHARTRHARI

Character Men Rain
A good man may fall, but he falls like a ball [and rebounds]; the ignoble man falls like a lump of clay.
BHARTRHARI

Fall Good Man Men
Let us keep a firm grip upon our money, for without it the whole assembly of virtues are but as blades of grass.
BHARTRHARI

Blades Money Virtue
The constant man loses not his virtue in misfortune. A torch may point towards the ground, but its flame will still point upwards.
BHARTRHARI

Flames Men Torch
The moth unwitting rushes on the fire, Through ignorance the fish devours the bait, We men know well the foes that lie in wait, Yet cannot shun the meshes of desire.
BHARTRHARI

Ignorance Lying Men
The pearl on my beloved’s neck, Afflicted sore the oyster!
BHARTRHARI

Oysters Pearls Sacrifice

Where is the greatest peace? In truth and righteousness. Who is the hero? The man who subdues his senses. Who is the best beloved? The faithful wife. What is wealth? Knowledge. What is the most perfect happiness? Staying at home.

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Where is the greatest peace? In truth and righteousness. Who is the hero? The man who subdues his senses. Who is the best beloved? The faithful wife. What is wealth? Knowledge. What is the most perfect happiness? Staying at home.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Bhartrhari Quotes