Panchatantra or The Panchatantra

The wife of bad conduct constantly pleased with quarrelling? She is known by wise men to be cruel. Old Age in the form of a wife.

A man should not keep company with one whose character, family, and abode are unknown.

Intelligence can accomplish things more easily than army and weapons (that is - physical power).

Truly good men are like rubber balls; even if they fall they bounce back. A fool falls like mud and gets stuck to the ground.

Intelligence can accomplish things more easily than army and weapons (that is - physical power).

By associating with good and evil persons a man acquires the virtues and vices which they possess, even as the wind blowing over different places takes along good and bad odors.

The lustre of a virtuous character cannot be defaced, nor can the vices of a vicious man ever become lucid. A jewel preserves its lustre, though trodden in the mud, but a brass pot, though placed upon the head, is brass still.

His action no applause invites who simply good with good repays; he only justly merits praise who wrongful deeds with kind requites.

A king is ruined through bad advisers, A Sanyasi through company, A son through over-indulgence, A Brahamin through lack of studies of shastras, A business or a firm through neglect, And a family and character through contact with bad people.

A strong man who puts his faith in others, May play with life, But a weakling who is always wary, Escapes death, Even at the hands of the strongest men.

Money is troublesome to earn, and more so to guard. Getting or spending it, brings unhappiness, Money is really a curse.

The storm spares the low-bowing and weak grass but uproots the tall trees. The strong fight the strong But not the weak.

Though it be disfigured by many defects, to whom is his own body not dear?

The true seems often false, the false seem true – appearances deceive, so think it through.

Results are achieved only by action not by riding the chariot of the mind.

One should seek for the salutary in the unpleasant: if it is there, it is after all nectar. One should seek for the deceitful in the pleasant: if it is there it is after all poison.

A great man does not lose his self-possession when he is afflicted; the ocean is not made muddy by the falling in of its banks.

Excellent, average, and low qualities appear in anyone or anything due to association with person or things of the corresponding type.

An opportunity for one’s progress 
should be availed of as soon as it 
appears. If it is missed, it may not 
come again.

First dictate of wisdom is not to initiate an action without considerable thought;the second sign of wisdom is not to abandon an initiated action without
taking itto a successful completion.

A wise man should not publicly say 
disgraceful words to anyone or even 
truth that may hurt.

The wound inflicted by weapons will
eventually heal, but that created by 
words never heals. Therefore one 
should never use abusive and hateful 
words because they act like poison.

The association with great men always 
leads to progress and prosperity. A 
waterdrop on a lotus leaf shines like a
pearl.

Wealth can have only three states – given in 
charity, spent in enjoyment, and loss. If it is 
not given in charity or enjoyed, it is lost.

Wealth can have only three states – given in 
charity, spent in enjoyment, and loss. If it is 
not given in charity or enjoyed, it is lost.