Collected Works of Nolini Kanta Gupta - Vol. 5

[1]

An elephant in battle endures arrows shot from a bow. Even so, shall it endure censures, for men in the mass are, by nature, prone to evil.

An elephant, when controlled, can be led to battle; him the king can ride. And among men the best is he who is controlled and endures censures.

[3]

Mules, when controlled, are excellent, so also are the pure bred horses of Sindh, so indeed are the mighty tuskers. But best of all is the man who has controlled himself.

[4]

With such conveyances you cannot go where none has gone. He who has controlled himself goes out as a controlled person on a controlled mount.

[5]

The elephant, by name Dhanapala, is hard to control when in heat. Not a morsel would he eat, if bound; he remembers only his free forest herd.

[6]

When one is slothful, when one is gluttonous, one grows in flesh, even like a sleepy pig rolling from side to side – thus the fool is called to birth time and again.

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[7]

Till now this mind of mine has moved about doing whatever pleased it. Henceforth I shall thoroughly hold it under control even as the driver with his hook controls an elephant in heat.

[8]

Take delight in vigilance. Stand by your mind. Lift yourself out of evil, even like an elephant sunk in a bog.

[9]

If you have as your companion one who is intelligent and wise and of perfect conduct, then you will overcome all obstacles and go forward with him, contented and courageous.

[10]

If your do not have companion one who is intelligent and wise and of perfect conduct, then live alone, even like a vanquished king who has lost his kingdom or like an elephant alone in the midst of the forest.

[11]

Better to live alone, a fool is not a company. Live alone, do no evil, look not about, live like a lonely elephant.

[12]

A friend in need is a thing of joy, a more or less satisfaction here and there is a thing of joy, after death a good deed is a thing of joy; it is a joy indeed to have abandoned all griefs.

[13]

In the world, it is a joy to serve one's mother, it is a joy also to serve one's father. And it is a joy to follow the path of the Bhikkus, it is a joy to follow the path of the Brahmin.

[14]

It is a joy to lead a pure life till old age, it is a joy to possess a firmly established faith, it is a joy to acquire wisdom and it is a joy not to do evil.

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