A walking man lifts his second leg only after the first has been placed firmly on the

ground. A caterpillar leaves a blade of grass only when it has caught hold of another; similarly does the embodied soul, following the course of its destiny, leave the former body only when it has caught hold of the next.

- Bhagavata Purana 10.1.40

Two types of deaths have been considered the most coveted in this world: The yogic way of giving up the body by control of breath and meditating on the Supreme Reality, and the second of the brave warrior fighting fearlessly at the forefront of battle. Relieving others of their suffering is the highest worship of god.

- Bhagavata Purana 10.33

- Bhagavata Purana 8.7.44

O sandalwood, who could be clever enough to follow this path of yours that you, even when rubbed, fill with your fragrance even those who rub you? To be without qualities is good. Fie upon qualities. While other trees have their jolly good existence, it is the sandalwood trees that are cut. Like a tree laden with ripe fruits bends naturally, so do gentle people display all the more humility when blessed with abundance.

- Bhamineevilas, 1.11

- Bhamineevilas, 1.86

- Bhartrihari's Nitishatakam 71

An elephant bound in ropes, the eclipse of the sun and the poverty of the wise, makes it obvious that the power of fate is always supreme. Like birds collecting on a tree in the night and then going their separate ways in the morning, the union of all beings inevitably ends in separation.

- Bhartrihari's Nitishatakam 91

- Buddha Charita 6.46

Water does not stick to a lotus leaf or a grain of mustard to the tip of an awl. Similarly, even though he may be married, one who does not cling to the pleasure of the senses, him would I call a Brahmin.
- Buddha in the Dhammapada Atthakatha, Book V, Story 10

A servant is tested at the time of work, Relatives at the time of suffering, Friends in calamities, and women during the loss of wealth. Never trust the following: Animals with nails, Rivers, Horned animals, Men with weapons, Women, and the Royal family (because all change temperament without warning).

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 1.11

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 1.15

Appropriate food and the capacity to digest it, a beautiful wife and the power to make love to her, extensive wealth and the inclination to charity, all these are not the fruit of a small amount of penance (i.e. they are the fruits of a large amount of penance). Whose son is under his control, whose wife follows his words, who has ample wealth, for him, this world itself is heaven.

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 2.2

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 2.3

Sita was kidnapped because of too much beauty, Ravana was killed because of excess pride, King Bali was bound in ropes because of excess charity; therefore, always shun excess in anything.

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 3.12

A man's behavior reveals his family background, his manner of speaking his place of origin, respect reveals his affection, and the makeup of his body reveals his food habits. A scripture is poison without practice, food is poison for those having indigestion, a gathering is poison for a poor fellow, and a young woman is poison for an old man.

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 3.2

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 4.15

One should ponder over again and again over the following points: who are my friends, who are my enemies, what is the ground level situation, what is my income and expense, who am I, and what is my strength.
- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 4.18

Charity destroys poverty, good behavior destroys troubles, knowledge destroys ignorance, and bhakti destroys fear.

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 5.11

For the Brahmagyani heaven, for the brave a warrior his life, for one who has won over his senses a woman, and for those who are not greedy this world, all are but mere twigs.

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 5.14

There is no water purer than a clouds, no power greater than ones own inner strength, no light like that of the eye and nothing more likeable than food.
- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 5.17

Fools bear malice towards the wise, the poor towards the rich, prostitutes towards women of noble families, and widows towards married women.

- Chanakya Neeti Darpan: 5.6

The wise do not seek to hasten the ripening of that which is not yet ripe, but rather they wisely await its ripening.
- Digha Nikaya ii 333

The way of action is inscrutable as to what may happen and when. It could be that a mountain is dug up and what is gained is just a mouse.

- Ganeshpuran 72.14

A king without pride, a Brahmin without greed, a sage without anger, a monkey without pranks, a poet without jealousy, a merchant who is no thief (pilferer), a fond husband without jealousy, a good man not poor, a rich man not half-wicked, an attendant who is happy, a gambler who is grateful, a wandering ascetic who is not hungry, a cruel man who is sweet of tongue and a king s son who is not arrogant are rare in this world.
- Harshacharit, 202

A golden deer is an impossibility; even then, the great Rama went after it. Truly, when misfortune is near, the intelligence of even the most clever gets deluded.

- Hitopdesha 1.11

When calamities are to befall, even a well-wisher becomes a cause of them. It is the leg of the mother that serves as the pillar for tying the calf.
- Hitopdesha, 1.30

To be in the river till noon, to offer worship to a deity in an (open) assembly, to be welldressed all the time - this is what hypocrisy is.
- Kalividamban, 92

When the heart becomes free of all desires, then does man achieve god and become immortal.

- Katha Upanishad 2.3.14

Fix your mind only on Me, place your intellect in Me and then without doubt you will dwell in me thereafter.

- Krishna to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita 12.8

O you the Ketaka plant, you are curved, you grow in a muddy place, you are not easy of reach, snakes take recourse in you, you have no fruit, you have thorns, still you through your smell, are dear to all beings. Just one, single, good quality of yours cancels out all the bad ones.
- Narabharan, 84

The wise should keep the following nine as secret: age, wealth, the weak point of their family (lit. house), mantra, medicine, contracts, charity, honour and insult. The fish which lives deep in the sea gets caught, the deer which runs faster than the wind gets bound, even the bird, which can discern a piece of meat from a distance of several miles cannot see the net nearby - all because of the vagaries of fate. Who does not become proud by a stroke of good luck?

- Neetishastra, 19

- Padma Purana. 2.81.28-29

Though one might be exceedingly strong and clever, one should be wary of an unnecessary foe. Though a doctor may be available, for no reason should one carelessly drink poison. One tenth of our income should be given to charity. The rest should be divided into three parts - one for increasing our wealth, second for dharma and the third for one's own consumption.

- Panchatantra, Book III (iii)

- Shiva Purana. Vidyeshvarasamhita.13.72