Indian Poetry Part 21

"Elephants destroy by touching, snakes with point of tooth beguile; Kings by favour kill, and traitors murder with a fatal smile."

"Of the wife the lord is jewel, though no gems upon her beam; Lacking him, she lacks adornment, howsoe'er her jewels gleam!"

"Hairs three-lakhs, and half-a-lakh hairs, on a man so many grow-- And so many years to Swarga shall the true wife surely go!"

"When the faithful wife, embracing tenderly her husband dead, Mounts the blazing pyre beside him, as it were a bridal-bed; Though his sins were twenty thousand, twenty thousand times o'er-told, She shall bring his soul to splendour, for her love so large and bold."

"Counsel unto six ears spoken, unto all is notified When a King holds consultation, let it be with one beside."

"Sick men are for skilful leeches--prodigals for poisoning-- Fools for teachers--and the man who keeps a secret, for a King."

"With gift, craft, promise, cause thy foe to yield; When these have failed thee, challenge him afield."

"The subtle wash of waves do smoothly pa.s.s, But lay the tree as lowly as the gra.s.s."

"Ten true bowmen on a rampart fifty's onset may sustain; Fortalices keep a country more than armies in the plain."

"Build it strong, and build it s.p.a.cious, with an entry and retreat; Store it well with wood and water, fill its garners full with wheat."

"Gems will no man's life sustain; Best of gold is golden grain."

"Hard it is to conquer nature: if a dog were made a King, 'Mid the coronation trumpets he would gnaw his sandal-string."

"'Tis no Council where no Sage is--'tis no Sage that fears not Law; 'Tis no Law which Truth confirms not--'tis no Truth which Fear can awe."

"Though base be the Herald, nor hinder nor let, For the mouth of a king is he; The sword may be whet, and the battle set, But the word of his message goes free."

"Better few and chosen fighters than of shaven-crowns a host, For in headlong flight confounded, with the base the brave are lost."

"Kind is kin, howe'er a stranger--kin unkind is stranger shown; Sores hurt, though the body breeds them--drugs relieve, though desert-grown."

"Betel-nut is bitter, hot, sweet, spicy, binding, alkaline-- A demulcent--an astringent--foe to evils intestine; Giving to the breath a fragrance--to the lips a crimson red; A detergent, and a kindler of Love's flame that lieth dead.

Praise the G.o.ds for the good betel!--these be thirteen virtues given, Hard to meet in one thing blended, even in their happy heaven."

"He is brave whose tongue is silent of the trophies of his sword; He is great whose quiet bearing marks his greatness well a.s.sured."

"When the Priest, the Leech, the Vizier of a King his flatterers be, Very soon the King will part with health, and wealth and piety."

"Merciless, or money-loving, deaf to counsel, false of faith, Thoughtless, spiritless, or careless, changing course with every breath, Or the man who scorns his rival--if a prince should choose a foe, Ripe for meeting and defeating, certes he would choose him so."

"By the valorous and unskilful great achievements are not wrought; Courage, led by careful Prudence, unto highest ends is brought."

"Grief kills gladness, winter summer, midnight-gloom the light of day, Kindnesses ingrat.i.tude, and pleasant friends drive pain away; Each ends each, but none of other surer conquerors can be Than Impolicy of Fortune--of Misfortune Policy."

"Wisdom answers all who ask her, but a fool she cannot aid; Blind men in the faithful mirror see not their reflection made."

"Where the G.o.ds are, or thy Guru--in the face of Pain and Age, Cattle, Brahmans, Kings, and Children--reverently curb thy rage."

"Oh, my Prince! on eight occasions prodigality is none-- In the solemn sacrificing, at the wedding of a son, When the glittering treasure given makes the proud invader bleed, Or its l.u.s.tre bringeth comfort to the people in their need, Or when kinsmen are to succour, or a worthy work to end, Or to do a loved one honour, or to welcome back a friend."

"Truth, munificence, and valour, are the virtues of a King; Royalty, devoid of either, sinks to a rejected thing."

"Hold thy vantage!--alligators on the land make none afraid; And the lion's but a jackal who hath left his forest-shade."

"The people are the lotus-leaves, their monarch is the sun-- When he doth sink beneath the waves they vanish every one.

When he doth rise they rise again with bud and blossom rife, To bask awhile in his warm smile, who is their lord and life."

"All the cows bring forth are cattle--only now and then is born An authentic lord of pastures, with his shoulder-scratching horn."

"When the soldier in the battle lays his life down for his king, Unto Swarga's perfect glory such a deed his soul shall bring."

"'Tis the fool who, meeting trouble, straightway Destiny reviles, Knowing not his own misdoing brought his own mischance the whiles."

"'Time-not-come' and 'Quick-at-Peril,' these two fishes 'scaped the net; 'What-will-be-will-be,' he perished, by the fishermen beset."

"s.e.x, that tires of being true, Base and new is brave to you!

Like the jungle-cows ye range, Changing food for sake of change."