Top 21 Shloks on morals

Top 21 Shloks on morals

Ethical Echoes: 21 Shloks Resonating with Moral Values

1

नलिनी दलगत जलमति तरलं तद्वज्जीवित मतिशय चपलम् | विद्धि व्याध्यभिमान ग्रस्तं लोकं शोकहतं च समस्तम् ‖ 4 ‖

naḻinī daḻagata jalamati taraḻaṃ tadvajjīvita matiśaya chapalam | viddhi vyādhyabhimāna grastaṃ lokaṃ śokahataṃ cha samastam ‖ 4 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 4

English Translation

As the water drops on a lotus leaf are unsteady and trembling, in the same way, life in this world is exceedingly unsteady and restless. Know that the whole world is full of miseries, afflicted by unhappiness and grief.

Sri Shankaracharya

2

यावद्-वित्तोपार्जन सक्तः तावन्-निजपरिवारो रक्तः | पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जर देहे वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे ‖ 5 ‖

yāvad-vittopārjana saktaḥ tāvan-nijaparivāro raktaḥ | paśchājjīvati jarjara dehe vārtāṃ koapi na pṛcChati gehe ‖ 5 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 5

English Translation

So long as a man is fit and able to support his family by earning wealth, all those family members around him show affection. But no one at home cares for him, even have a word with him, when his body becomes invalid and totters due to old age

Sri Shankaracharya

3

यावत्-पवनो निवसति देहे तावत्-पृच्छति कुशलं गेहे | गतवति वायौ देहापाये भार्या बिभ्यति तस्मिन् काये ‖ 6 ‖

yāvat-pavano nivasati dehe tāvat-pṛchChati kuśalaṃ gehe | gatavati vāyau dehāpāye bhāryā bibhyati tasmin kāye ‖ 6 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 6

English Translation

When one is alive, his family members inquire kindly about his welfare. But when the life-air stops and the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse.

Sri Shankaracharya

4

बाल स्तावत् क्रीडासक्तः तरुण स्तावत् तरुणीसक्तः | वृद्ध स्तावत्-चिन्तामग्नः परमे ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न लग्नः ‖ 7 ‖

bāla stāvat krīḍāsaktaḥ taruṇa stāvat taruṇīsaktaḥ | vṛddha stāvat-chintāmagnaḥ parame brahmaṇi koapi na lagnaḥ ‖ 7 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 7

English Translation

Childhood is lost in attachment to games. The youth is lost in attachment to women. Old age passes with worry and anxiety, thinking over many things. But there is hardly anyone who wants to be lost (attached) in para-brahman, the Supreme Spirit.

Sri Shankaracharya

5

का ते कान्ता कस्ते पुत्रः संसारोऽयमतीव विचित्रः | कस्य त्वं वा कुत आयातः तत्वं चिन्तय तदिह भ्रातः ‖ 8 ‖

kā te kāntā kaste putraḥ saṃsāroayamatīva vichitraḥ | kasya tvaṃ vā kuta āyātaḥ tatvaṃ chintaya tadiha bhrātaḥ ‖ 8 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 8

English Translation

Who is your wife? Who is your son? Supremely wonderful is saṁsāra, the circle of birth and death. Of whom are you? From where have you come? Brother, ponder over these concepts

Sri Shankaracharya

6

सत्सङ्गत्वे निस्सङ्गत्वं निस्सङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम् | निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ‖ 9 ‖

satsaṅgatve nissaṅgatvaṃ nissaṅgatve nirmohatvam | nirmohatve niśchalatattvaṃ niśchalatattve jīvanmuktiḥ ‖ 9 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 9

English Translation

Being in the company of good people (saints) gives rise to non-attachment; from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to awareness of reality; understanding of reality gives rise to emancipation leading to the liberation of the soul (jīvan-mukti), while still alive.

Sri Shankaracharya

7

वयसि गते कः कामविकारः शुष्के नीरे कः कासारः | क्षीणे वित्ते कः परिवारः ज्ञाते तत्त्वे कः संसारः ‖ 10 ‖

vayasi gate kaḥ kāmavikāraḥ śuśhke nīre kaḥ kāsāraḥ | kśhīṇe vitte kaḥ parivāraḥ GYāte tattve kaḥ saṃsāraḥ ‖ 10 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 10

English Translation

What good is lust when youth has fled? What use is a lake which has no water? Where are the relatives when wealth is gone? What is saṁsāra (transmigratory process), when Truth is known?

Sri Shankaracharya

8

अङ्गं गलितं पलितं मुण्डं दशन विहीनं जातं तुण्डम् | वृद्धो याति गृहीत्वा दण्डं तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशा पिण्डम् ‖ 16 ‖

aṅgaṃ galitaṃ palitaṃ muṇḍaṃ daśana vihīnaṃ jātaṃ tuṇḍam | vṛddho yāti gṛhītvā daṇḍaṃ tadapi na muñchatyāśā piṇḍam ‖ 16 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 16

English Translation

Strength has left the old man’s body; his head has become bald, his gums toothless, and leaning on crutches. Even then he can not let go of his attachment, clinging firmly to fruitless hopes and desires.

Sri Shankaracharya

9

अग्रे वह्निः पृष्ठे भानुः रात्रौ चुबुक समर्पित जानुः | करतल भिक्षस्-तरुतल वासः तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशा पाशः ‖ 17 ‖

agre vahniḥ pṛśhṭhe bhānuḥ rātrau chubuka samarpita jānuḥ | karatala bhikśhas-tarutala vāsaḥ tadapi na muñchatyāśā pāśaḥ ‖ 17 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 17

English Translation

The ascetic warms his body with fire in front and the sun at the back. At night he dwells under a tree with his face huddled between the knees to keep out of the cold. In his hands, he holds the beggar’s alms and yet he does not let go of the noose of attachment to desire and passion.

Sri Shankaracharya

10

सुरमन्दिर तरु मूल निवासः शय्या भूतलम्-अजिनं वासः | सर्व परिग्रह भोगत्यागः कस्य सुखं न करोति विरागः ‖ 19 ‖

suramandira taru mūla nivāsaḥ śayyā bhūtalam-ajinaṃ vāsaḥ | sarva parigraha bhogatyāgaḥ kasya sukhaṃ na karoti virāgaḥ ‖ 19 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 19

English Translation

One who lives in temples or dwells at the foot of trees, whose bed is the surface of the earth, whose garment is a deer skin, who has thus renounced all enjoyment of worldly possessions – to whom will such dispassion (vairāgya) not bring happiness? 

Sri Shankaracharya

11

रथ्या चर्पट विरचित कन्थः पुण्यापुण्य विवर्जित पन्थः | योगी योग नियोजित चित्तः रमते बालोन्मत्तवदेव ‖ 23 ‖

rathyā charpaṭa virachita kanthaḥ puṇyāpuṇya vivarjita panthaḥ | yogī yoga niyojita chittaḥ ramate bālonmattavadeva ‖ 23 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 23

English Translation

The one whose patched garment is made from tattered rags cast on the road, whose path is free from sins having abandoned virtue and vices, whose mind is fixed on yoga (in union with god), that yogi indeed rejoices (in divine bliss) like a crazed wild child overwhelmed by happiness.

Sri Shankaracharya

12

गेयं गीता नाम सहस्रं ध्येयं श्रीपति रूपम्-अजस्रम् | नेयं सज्जन सङ्गे चित्तं देयं दीनजनाय च वित्तम् ‖ 28 ‖

geyaṃ gītā nāma sahasraṃ dhyeyaṃ śrīpati rūpam-ajasram | neyaṃ sajjana saṅge chittaṃ deyaṃ dīnajanāya cha vittam ‖ 28 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 28

English Translation

Regularly recite from the Gītā, meditate on Viṣṇu (śrīpati) in your heart, and chant his thousand glories names (viṣṇu-sahasranāma). Take delight to be with the noble and the holy. Distribute your wealth in charity to the poor and the needy.

Sri Shankaracharya

13

सुखतः क्रियते रामाभोगः पश्चाद्धन्त शरीरे रोगः | यद्यपि लोके मरणं शरणं तदपि न मुञ्चति पापाचरणम् ‖ 29 ‖

sukhataḥ kriyate rāmābhogaḥ paśchāddhanta śarīre rogaḥ | yadyapi loke maraṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ tadapi na muñchati pāpācharaṇam ‖ 29 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 29

English Translation

Very readily one indulges in carnal pleasures but later on, alas, come diseases of the body. Even though in the world the ultimate end is death (maraṇaṁ), even then one does not relinquish his sinful behaviors.

Sri Shankaracharya

14

प्राणायामं प्रत्याहारं नित्यानित्य विवेक विचारम् | जाप्यसमेत समाधि विधानं कुर्व वधानं महद्-अवधानम् ‖ 31 ‖

prāṇāyāmaṃ pratyāhāraṃ nityānitya viveka vichāram | jāpyasameta samādhi vidhānaṃ kurva vadhānaṃ mahad-avadhānam ‖ 31 ‖

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 31

English Translation

Practice control of breath (prāṇā-yāma) and withdrawal of the senses from their respective sense objects (pratyāhāra); deliberate on the distinction between the permanent and the transitory; perform meditation along with chanting the holy names of god; perform these with great attention and extreme care!

Sri Shankaracharya

15

मूढः कश्चिन वैयाकरणो डुकृण्करणाध्ययन धुरीणः | श्रीमच्छङ्कर भगवच्चिष्यैः बोधित आसीच्छोदित करणैः ‖ 33 ‖ इति मोहमुद्गरः संपूर्णः॥

mūḍhaḥ kaśchina vaiyākaraṇo ḍukṛṇkaraṇādhyayana dhurīṇaḥ | śrīmacChaṅkara bhagavachchiśhyaiḥ bodhita āsīcChodita karaṇaiḥ ‖ 33 ‖ Iti mohamudgaraḥ saṃpūrṇaḥ..

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Bhaja Govindam - Chapter 1 - Shlok 33

English Translation

Thus a foolish grammarian lost in grammatical rules, was cleansed of his narrow vision and shown the light by the students of the illustrious Śrīmad Śaṅkarācārya.

Sri Shankaracharya

16

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः। स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते।।3.21।।

yadyadācarati śreṣṭhastattadevetaro janaḥ। sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate।।3.21।।

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Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 3 - Shlok 21

Hindi Translation

श्रेष्ठ मनुष्य जो-जो आचरण करता है, दूसरे मनुष्य वैसा-वैसा ही आचरण करते हैं। वह जो कुछ प्रमाण  देता है,  दूसरे मनुष्य उसीके अनुसार आचरण करते हैं।

English Translation

For whatever a great man does, others imitate. People conform to the standard which he has set.

17

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् | आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: || 5||

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

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Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 6 - Shlok 5

English Translation

Elevate yourself through the power of your mind, and not degrade yourself, for the mind can be the friend and also the enemy of the self.

18

तपसो हि परं नास्ति तपसा विन्दते महत् । नासाध्यं तपसः किंचिदिति बुध्यस्व भारत ॥ १६ ॥

tapasā tu tvamātmānaṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ saha yojaya | tapaso hi paraṃ nāsti tapasā vindate mahat || 18 ||

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Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 3 - Shlok 18

English Translation

And as many gold coins. And unto me, you have purposed to give twice as much, as also a car of gold and a couple of horses fleet as thought. If you enquirest now, you will soon learn.

19

न कन्यायाः पिता विद्वान् ग्रह्णियात् – शुल्कम् अणु-अपि। गृह्णन् – शुल्कं हि लोभेन स्यान् नरो अपत्यविक्रयी ।।

na kanyāyāḥ pitā vidvān grahṇiyāt – śulkam aṇu-api। gṛhṇan – śulkaṃ hi lobhena syān naro apatyavikrayī ।।

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Manu Smriti - Chapter 3 - Shlok 51

English Translation

No father who knows (the law) must take even the smallest gratuity for his daughter; for a man who, through avarice, takes a gratuity, is a seller of his offspring.

Hindi Translation

विद्वान् पिता, कन्यादान में कुछ भी उसके बदले में मूल्य न लेवे, यदि लोभ से कुछ ले लेता है, तो वह संतान को बेचने वाला होता हैं।

20

जामयो यानि गेहानी शपन्त्यप्रतिपूजिताः। तानि कृत्याहतानीव विनश्यन्ति समन्ततः।।

jāmayo yāni gehānī śapantyapratipūjitāḥ। tāni kṛtyāhatānīva vinaśyanti samantataḥ।।

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Manu Smriti - Chapter 3 - Shlok 58

English Translation

The houses on which female relations, not being duly honored, pronounce a curse, perish completely, as if destroyed by magic.

Hindi Translation

जिस कुल में स्त्रियों का सत्कार नहीं है, वह उनके श्राप से नष्ट हो जाता है, जैसे मारण करने से हो जाता है।

21

तस्मादेताः सदा पूज्या भूषण – आच्छादन – अशनैः। भूति – कामैर् नरैर् नित्यं सत्करेषु – उत्सवेषु च।

tasmādetāḥ sadā pūjyā bhūṣaṇa – ācchādana – aśanaiḥ। bhūti – kāmair narair nityaṃ satkareṣu – utsaveṣu ca।

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Manu Smriti - Chapter 3 - Shlok 59

English Translation

Men who seek (their own) welfare, should always honor women on festivals with (gifts of) ornaments, clothes, and (dainty) food.

Hindi Translation

स्त्रियों को सत्कार के मौक़े पर और उत्सवों पर सदा गहना, वस्त्र और स्वादिष्ट भोजन से संतुष्ट करना चाहिए।

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