17 Should one throughout a single birth, like a tortoise keep in his five senses, the fruit of it will prove a safe-guard to him throughout the seven-fold births. 127. Whateer they fail to guard, oer lips men guard should keep; If not, through fault of tongue, they bitter tears shall weep. Whatever besides you leave unguarded, guard your tongue; otherwise errors of speech and the consequent misery will ensue. 128. Though some small gain of good it seem to bring, The evil word is parent still of evil thing. If a mans speech be productive of a single evil, all the good by him will be turned into evil. 129. In flesh by fire inflamed, nature may thoroughly heal the sore; In soul by tongue inflamed, the ulcer healeth never more. The wound which has been burnt in by fire may heal, but a wound burnt in by the tongue will never heal. 130. Who learns restraint, and guards his soul from wrath, Virtue, a timely aid, attends his path. Virtue, seeking for an opportunity, will come into the path of that man who, possessed of learning and self-control, guards himself against anger. 1.2.10 The Possession of Decorum 131. Decorum gives especial excellence; with greater care Decorum should men guard than life, which all men share. Propriety of conduct leads to eminence, it should therefore be preserved more carefully than life. 132. Searching, duly watching, learning, decorum still we find; Mans only aid; toiling, guard thou this with watchful mind. Let propriety of conduct be laboriously preserved and guarded; though one know and practise and excel in many virtues, that will be an eminent aid. 133. Decorums true nobility on earth; Indecorums issue is ignoble birth. Propriety of conduct is true greatness of birth, and impropriety will sink into a mean birth. 134. Though he forget, the Brahman may regain his Vedic lore; Failing in decorum due, birthrights gone for evermore. A Brahman though he should forget the Vedas may recover it by reading; but, if he fail in propriety of conduct even his high birth will be destroyed
Posted on: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 01:33:45 +0000