black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

I’ve wandered over many lands, and reaped withal no fruit, I’ve laid my pride of rank aside, and pressed my baffled suit, At stranger boards, like shameless crow, I’ve eaten bitter bread, But fierce Desire, that raging fire, still clamours to be fed.

Bhartrhari

Even the severed branch grows again, and the sunken moon returns: wise men who ponder this are not troubled in adversity.
BHARTRHARI

Adversity Moon Wise
Fate’s sentence written on the brow no hand can e’er efface.
BHARTRHARI

Fate Hands
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
Those who possess that treasure which no thief can take away, Which, though on suppliants freely spent, increaseth day by day,
BHARTRHARI

Happiness Kings Yield
What is the most profitable? Fellowship with the good. What is the worst thing in the world? The society of evil men. What is the greatest loss? Failure in ones duty.
BHARTRHARI

Happiness Hero Peace
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
For a moment man is a boy, for a moment a lovesick youth, for a moment bereft of wealth, for a moment in the height of prosperity; then at life’s end with limbs worn out by old age and wrinkles adorning his face, like an actor he retires behind the curtain of death.
BHARTRHARI

Boys Men Wrinkles
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
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
I’ve wandered over many lands, and reaped withal no fruit, I’ve laid my pride of rank aside, and pressed my baffled suit, At stranger boards, like shameless crow, I’ve eaten bitter bread, But fierce Desire, that raging fire, still clamours to be fed.
BHARTRHARI

Fire Land Pride
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
Three courses open lie to wealth, to give, enjoy, or lose, Who shrinketh from the former two, perforce the third doth choose.
BHARTRHARI

Giving Lying Two
I have not wasted life, but life hath wasted me.
BHARTRHARI

Life Wasted Life
Neither rings, bright chains, nor bracelets, perfumes, flowers, nor well-trimmed hair, Grace a man like polished language, th’ only jewel he should wear.
BHARTRHARI

Flower Hair Men

I’ve wandered over many lands, and reaped withal no fruit, I’ve laid my pride of rank aside, and pressed my baffled suit, At stranger boards, like shameless crow, I’ve eaten bitter bread, But fierce Desire, that raging fire, still clamours to be fed.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

I’ve wandered over many lands, and reaped withal no fruit, I’ve laid my pride of rank aside, and pressed my baffled suit, At stranger boards, like shameless crow, I’ve eaten bitter bread, But fierce Desire, that raging fire, still clamours to be fed.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Bhartrhari Quotes