VIDUR NEETI

SELF CONTROL

VASHYENDRIYAM JITAATMAANAM DHRITADANDAM VIKAARISHU ||
PAREEKSHYA KAARINAM DHEERMATYANTAM SHRINIRSHEVATE ||

(Laxmi, (Goddess of fortune) is always in the service of three types of people. One whose senses are under control, one who gives punishment to the wrong doers and who does work with great examination and inspection)

RATHAH SHAREERAM PURUSHASYA RAAJANNAATMAA NIYANTENDRIYAANYASYA CHAASHVAAH ||
TAIRAPRAMATTAH KUSHALEE SADASHVAIRDAANTAIH SUKHAM YAATI RATHEEVA DHEERAH ||

(Vidur says to Dhritarashtra that O king, man's body is just like a RATHA (chariot), INTELLIGENCE (BUDDHI) like a charioteer (SAARATHI) and senses are its horses. One, who controls all these three travels happily in this world, just like the charioteer who has controlled the horses of the chariot)

ETAANYANIGRIHEETAANI VYAAPAADYITUMAPYALAM ||
AVIDHEYAA IVAADAANTAA HAYAAH PATHI KUSAARATHIM ||

(Just like the untrained and uncontrollable horses overthrow the charioteer on the path, similarly the senses if uncontrollable have the capacity to kill a man)

DHARMAARTHO YAH PARITYAJYA SYAADINDRIYAVASHAANUGAH ||
SHRIPRAANADHANADAAREBHYAH KSHIPRAM SA PARIHEEYATE ||

(One who is under the influence of the senses, after abandoning religion (DHARMA) and its meaning (ARTHA) looses AISHWARYA (fortune), PRAN (life), DHAN (wealth) and STREE (wife) quickly)

AATMANAAMAANAMANVICHCHHENMANOBUDDHEENDRIYAIRYATAIH ||
AATMAA HYEVAATMANO BANDHURAATMAIVA RIPURAATMANAH ||

(One should try to understand his real self by controlling MANA (mind), BUDDHI (intelligence), INDRIYA (senses) because the soul only is one's friend and enemy)

IMPORTANCE OF 'FIVE'

PANCHAIVA PUJAYAMLLOKE YASHAH PRAPNOTI KEVALAM ||
DEVAAN PITRIN MANUSHYAANSHCHA BHIKSHUNATITHIPANCHAMAAN ||

(A man must always be in the service of FIVE Agnis that is MOTHER, FATHER, FIRE, SOUL AND PRECEPTOR as all these five are worth revering like Agni (Fire)

(Laxmi, (Goddess of fortune) is always in the service of three types of people. One whose senses are under control, one who gives punishment to the wrong doers and who does work with great examination and inspection)

PANCHA TVAANUGAMISHYANTI YATRA YATRA GAMISHYASI ||
MITTRAANYAMITTRAA MADHYASTHAA UPAJEEVYYOWPAJEEVINAH ||

(Being in the service of DEVATA (DEITIES), PITAR (ANCESTORS), MANUSHYA (MAN), SANYASI (HERMIT) AND ATITHI (GUEST) helps to achieve fame and admiration)

PANCHENDRIYASHCHA MATYARSHCHA CHIDRAM CHEDEKAMINDRIYAM ||
TATOSYA SRAVATI PRAGGYA DRITAH PATTRADIVODAKAM ||

(Just as a hole in MASHAK (a leather water bag) results in a leakage of water, in the same way, if any of the five sensory organs become faulty, then the intelligence is affected)

ABANDOMENT OF SIX BLEMISHES

SHAD DOSHAH PURUSHENEH HAATAVYA BHUTIMICHCHHTAA ||
NIDRA TANDRA BHAYA KRODH AALASYAM DIIRGHASUUTRATAA ||

(Six faults must be abandoned, NIDRA (SLEEP), TANDRA (NAP), BHAYA (FEAR), KRODHA (ANGER), AALASYA (LAZINESS) and DIIRGHASUUTRATA (PROCRASTIANTION)

SHADIMAAN PUROSHO JAHYAAD BHINNAN NAAVAMIVAARNAVE ||
APRAVAKTTAARAMAACHAARYAMANDHIYAANMRITVIJAM ||
ARAKSHITAAR RAAJAANAM BHAARYAAM CHAAPRIYAVAADINIIM ||
GRAAMAKAAMAM CHA GOPAALAM VANAKAAMAM CHA NAAPITAM ||

(One must abandon a non-preaching master (one who does not chant sacred mantras while doing oblations in the sacrificial fire (HOTA). A king who is not protective, a milkman who has a desire to live in the village that is he does not want to go out of the village to graze his cattle, an impetuous woman and a barber who has a desire to live in a forest, in the same way as a person abandons a sinking boat)

ACCEPTANCE OF SIX QUALITIES

SHADAIVA TU GUNAA PUNSAA NA HAATAVYAH KADAACHAN ||
SATYA DAAN MANAALASYAM ANASUUYAA KSHAMAA DHRITIH ||

(A man must never abandon Satya (Truth), Daan (charity), Karmanyataa (Activity), Anusuyaa (habit of finding faults even in the good qualities of others), Kshama (forgiveness) and Dhairya (Patience)

ARTHAAGAMO NITYAMAROGITAA CHA PRIYAA CHA BHAARYAA PRIYAVAADINI CHA ||
VASHYASHCHA PUTTRORTHAKAREE CHA VIDDYA SHAD JEEVALOKASHYA SUKHANI RAAJAN ||

(A man is fortunate if he has wealth, good health and non-diseased body, a favouring and loving wife and obedient son and a Vidya (knowledge) which is capable of earning money and wealth. These six things makes his life happy and full of joy)

SHASHNAAMAATMANI NITYAANAAMAISHVARYA YODHIGACHCHHATI ||
NA SA PAPAIH KUTONARTHAIRYUJYATE VIJITENRIYAH ||

PANCHENDRIYASHCHA MATYARSHCHA CHIDRAM CHEDEKAMINDRIYAM ||
TATOSYA SRAVATI PRAGGYA DRITAH PATTRADIVODAKAM ||

(Six enemies which are ever present in our minds must be controlled KAAM (LUST), KRODHA (ANGER), LOBHA (GREED), MOHA (ATTACHMENT), MADA (ARROGANCE) AND MAATSARYA (JEALOUSY). This control saves us from being a sinner)

(The following six types of persons earn their livelihood from six types CHOR (THIEF) earns from a careless person, VAIDYA (DOCTOR) earns from a sick person, women full of lust from lusty men, a priest from the YAJAMANA (HOST), a king from his subjects and a learned man from Ignorants)

IIRSHYEE GHRINEE SANTUSHTAH KRODHANO NITYASHANKITAH ||
PARBHAAGYOPAJEEVII CHA SHADETE NITYADUKHITAA ||

(Six types of persons are always in misery. IRSHYA (one who is envious), one who hates, an unsatisfied man, one who is always angry, one who is always suspicious and one who lives on the fortunes of others)

SHADETE HYAVAMANYANTE NITYAM PURVOPAKAARINAM ||
AACHAARYAM SHIKSHITAAH SHISHYAAH KRITADAARAASHCHA MAATARAM ||
NAARIIM VIGATAKAAMAASTU KRITAARTHAASHCHA PRAYOJAKAMA ||
NAAVAM NISTEERNAKAANTAARAA AATURAASHCHA CHIKITSAKAM ||

(The following six people show disrespect to their benefactors. A student to his teacher, after the completion of his studies, a married son to his mother, a man to a woman after his sexual urges are satisfied, KRIITKAARYA PURUSH (a man who has satisfactorily discharged his duties to his assistant, a man who has crossed the river to the boat and a sick man to the doctor after his ailment is cured)

AAROGYAMAANRINYAMAVIPRAVAASAH ||
SADBHIRMANUSHYAIH SAHA SAMPRAYOGAH ||
SVAPRATYAYAA VRITIRABHEETAVAASAH
SHAD JEEV LOKASYA SUKHAANI RAAJAN ||

(Vidur explains to king Dhritarashtra that there are six happenings, to be free of diseases, not to be in debt, not to be forced by the circumstances to live in an alien land, being fortunate to have company of good people to earn livelihood by the help of his profession and living without any fear)

SEVEN DEMERITS OF A KING

SAPTADOSHAAH SADAA HAATAVYAA VYASANODAYAAH ||
PRAAYASHAA YAIVIRNASHYANTI KRITMOOLAA APEESHVARAA ||
STRIYOKSHAA MRIGAYAA PAANAM VAAKPAARUSHYAM CHA PANCHAMAM ||
MAHACHHA DANDAPAARUSHYAMARTHADUSHANAMEVA CHA ||

(A king should abandon his lust for women, gambling, hunting, intoxication, speaking harshly, giving severe punishment and misusing wealth otherwise even well established kingdom is doomed)

NINE

NAVADWAARMIDAM VESHMA TRISTHUNAM PANCHASAAKSHIKAM ||
KSHETRAGYAADHISHTHITAM VIDVAAN YO VEDA SA PARAH KAVIH ||

(One who considers the body which has nine openings that is eye, ear etc. three pillars VAATA (WIND), PITTA (BILE) AND KAFA (PHLEGM) and five witnesses (sensory organs) as the home of the Atma (soul is the real GYANI (KNOWER)

TEN (IGNORANCE)

DASHA DHARMAM NA JANANTI DHRITRAASHTRA NIBODHATAAN ||
MATTAH PRAMATTA UNMATTAH SHRAANT KRUDDHO BUBHUKSHITAH ||
TVARMAANASHCHA LUBDHASHCHA BHEETAH KAAMI CHA TE DASHA ||
TASMAADETESHU SARVESHU NA PRASAJJETA PANDITAH ||

(Vidur says to Dhritarashtra that ten types of persons are ignorant about religion, an intoxicated man, an incautious man, a mad man, a tired man, an angry man, a hungry man, a man in a hurry, greedy man, a man full of fear and a lustful man. Hence a learned man should not develop intimacy with these type of people)

MAINTAINING SECRECY

CHIKEERSHITAM VIPRAKITAM CHA YASYA ||
NAANYE JANAAH KARMA JAANANTI KINCHIT ||
MANTRE GUPTE SAMYAGANUSHTHITE CHA ||
NAALPOPYASYA CHYAVATE KASCHIDARTHAH ||

(One who conceals his thoughts in his heart which are favourable to him and unfavourable to others that is he wants to accomplish some task and others do not want it to be accomplished and who maintain secrecy of his mantras, get their work accomplished without any hindrance)

PATIENCE

PRAAPYAAPADAM NA VYATHATE ||
KADAACHIDUDDYOGAMANVICHCHHATI CHAAPRAMATTAH ||
DUKHAM CHA KAALE SAHATE MAHAATMA ||
DHURANDHARASTASYA JITAAH SAPATNAAH ||

(One who is not dejected in times of any calamity but tries to endeavour his way out of that calamity and who has the capacity to bear pain, no enemy can defeat him)

MORALITY (SADACHAR)

NA SVE SUKHE VAI KURUTE PRAHARSHAM ||
NAANYASYA DOOHKHE BHAVATI PRAHRISHTAH ||
DATTVA NA PASHCHAATKURUTENUTAAPAM SA KATHYATE ||
SATPURUSHARYASHEELAH ||

(One who does not become happy in his own happiness who does not
rejoice in others misery is called a moral man)

FOOD

BHAKSHAYOTTAMPRATICHCHHANNAM MATSYO VADISHAMAAYASHAM ||
LOBHABHIPAATEE GRASATE NAANUBANDHAMAVEKSHATE ||
YACHCHHAKYAM PRASITUM GRASYAM GRASTAM PARINAMECHCHA YAT ||
HITAM CHA PARINAAME YAT TADADDYAM BHOOTIMICHCHHATAA ||

(Just as a fish is lured by the bait without realizing the consequences of its action, in the same way man should eat only those kinds of food that are worth eating and which can be digested and also has a good effect on the body that is devouring food indiscriminately has bad effects on the body. He should not be like a fish otherwise he will meet the same fate)

POLICY (NEETI)

YADTAPTAM PRANAMATI NA TAT SANTAAPAYANTYAPI ||
YACHCHA SWAYAM NATAM DAARU NA TAT SANNAMAYANTYAPI ||

(Those metals which can be moulded even without heating are not heated that is an intelligent man should never confront a person who has more strength than him)

SATYEN RAKSHYATE DHARMO VIDDYA YOGEN RAKSHYATE ||
MRIJAYAA RAKSHYATE ROOPAM KULAM VRITTEN RAKSHYATE ||

(Satya (Truth) protects the Dharma (religion), Yoga protects the VIDDYA (knowledge), cleanliness protects the beauty and MORALITY (SADAACHAR) protects the Kula (generation)

YA IIRSHUH PARVITTESHU ROOPE VIRYE KULAANVAYE ||
SUKHASAUBHAGYASATKAARE TASYA VYADHIRANANTAKAH ||

(One who envies others DHAN (wealth) ROOPA (beauty), PARAKRAMA (bravery), KULINTAA (nobility), SUKH (pleasures), SAUBHAGYA (good fortune),SAMMAAN (respect). This ailment of his is incurable)

AADHYAANAAM MAANSAPARAMAM MADHYAANAAM GORASOTTARAM ||
TAILOTTARAM DARIDRAANAAM BHOJANAM BHARATARSHABHA ||

(Vidur says to Dhritarashtra that the chief constituent of the food taken by the rich people, intoxicated by the power of their wealth is MAANSA (MEAT), the medium class people�s food mainly consists of GORASA (MILK) and the chief ingredients of the poor people�s food is TAILA (OIL))

CONTROLLING EXCESSIVE ANGER AND JOY

SANNIYACCHATI YO VEGAMUTTHITAM KRODHAHARSHAYOH ||
SA SHRIYO BHAAJANAM RAAJAN YASHCHAAPATSU NA MUHYATI ||

(Vidur says to Dhritarashtra O King, one who controls the forces of KRODHA (ANGER) AND JOY (HARSHA) and not lose his patience (DHAIRYA) even in the time of any calamity (AAPATTI), has the right of possessing wealth and fortune (RAAJALAKSHAMI))