सुभाषितकौस्तुभः (९१-९५)
दोषोन्मेषोद्भावकस्य क्षयिष्णोः
राज्ञस्सेवां ये चिरादाचरन्ति ।
रात्रौ रात्रौ हन्त तुल्यं चकोरैः
पादग्रासं केवलं ते लभन्ते ॥ ९१ ॥
Those who serve a king for long, who gets agitated by even a small fault and who is getting weakened steadily will only receive every night only a mouthful of his feet like chakora birds which receive during night only a mouthful of moon’s rays (पाद) by serving the moon who brightens up the opening of the night (दोषा) and who gets weakened steadily. [The poet contrives a simile based on a few double-meaning words he has chosen to use. It is an oft-repeated poetic myth that Chakora birds live on moon’s rays. The idea he wants to convey is that it is futile to serve a bad master. ]
दोषादोषाभिज्ञतादूरगाणां
येषां बुद्धिर्हन्त मेषाविशेषा ।
भाषा वेषा ज्यौतिषं पैशुनं वा
तेषां चेतोरञ्जने साधनानि ॥ ९२ ॥
Those who are far away from the ability to discriminate right and wrong have the intellect of a sheep. Their instruments for recreation are (funny) talking, (funny) dresses, astrology and depravity.[Note the alliteration- repetitive use of षा- in the verse.]
मात्सर्यं विनिवार्य दूषणकृतो मातुश्च मीमांसिते
वात्सल्ये जननीजनात् तदधिकं वाचाटके दृश्यते ।
मध्येकृत्य मृदं मलानि हरते माता सशङ्कं शिशोः
निश्शङ्कं निजजिह्वयैव हरते नानामलं दूषकः ॥ ९३ ॥
If we compare the type of affection shown by a mother and a person who finds faults with others, we find that affection shown by the latter is greater. Mother handles the refuse of her child by taking it between mud with hesitation, whereas a person who finds faults with others handles all sorts of faults (refuses) of others with his tongue without any hesitation. [This is a sarcastic remark against persons who criticize others freely.]
विपद्यप्युग्रायां न ददति विगीते पथि पदं
प्रकृत्या सत्याभिर्विदधति च वाग्भिर्व्यवहृतिम् ।
प्रतिज्ञातं धर्मं न जहति तदेतत् सुमनसां
पवित्रं चारित्र्यं न खलु विषयो वाङ्मनसयोः ॥ ९४ ॥
Wise persons do not take the wrong step even in times of crisis. By nature, they interact through truthful speech. They do not swerve from the promised dharma. Their pious conduct is beyond speech and thought.
धन्यंमन्यमिह प्रसर्पति जनः प्रायो धनायोदय-
क्षुभ्यद्दुर्भगबर्बटीकुचतटीशाटीदशाटीकनैः ।
जानात्येव न तद् भविष्यदचिरात् कीनाशसूनाशतं
तद्भीत्या तु शतेषु कोऽपि रमते नारायणाराधने ॥ ९५ ॥
People flock to a person who considers himself blessed by touching the edge of the garment covering the breasts of a cursed dancing girl who gets excited by the prospect of some income. So they do not know the numerous killing houses of Yama, the God of death that future holds for them. It is only one in a hundred that indulges in worshipping Narayana fearing death. [The poet gets led away in his versifying a simple thought that most people drift towards worldly pleasures while only a select few take to devotion to God. There is a long compound word धनाय-उदय-क्षुभ्यत्-दुर्भग-बर्बटी-कुच-तटी-शाटी-दशा-आटीकनैः.]
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