Humbly bowing down before the almighty Lord Sri Vishnu, the Lord of the three worlds, I recite maxims of the science of political ethics (niti) selected from the various shastras.
That man who by the study of these maxims from the satras acquires a knowledge of the most celebrated principles of duty, and understands what ought and what ought not to be followed, and what is good and what is bad, is most excellent.
Therefore with an eye to the public good, I shall speak that which, when understood, will lead to an understanding of things in their proper perspective.
मूर्खशिष्योपदेशेन दुष्टस्त्रीभरणेन च ।
दुःखितैः सम्प्रयोगेण पण्डितोऽप्यवसीदति ॥ ०४ ॥
mūrkhaśiṣyopadeśena duṣṭastrībharaṇena ca .
duḥkhitaiḥ samprayogeṇa paṇḍito'pyavasīdati .. 04 ..
Even a pandit or a learned person comes to grief by giving instruction to a foolish disciple, by maintaining a wicked wife, and by excessive familiarity with the miserable.
One should save his money against hard times, save his wife at the sacrifice of his riches, but invariably one should save his soul even at the sacrifice of his wife and riches.
Save your wealth against future calamity. Do not say, "What what fear has a rich man of calamity?" When riches begin to forsake one even the accumulated stock dwindles away
धनिकः श्रोत्रियो राजा नदी वैद्यस्तु पञ्चमः ।
पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न तत्र दिवसं वसेत् ॥ ०९ ॥
dhanikaḥ śrotriyo rājā nadī vaidyastu pañcamaḥ .
pañca yatra na vidyante na tatra divasaṃ vaset .. 09 ..
Do not stay for a single day where there are not these five persons: a wealthy man, a brahmana well versed in Vedic lore, a king, a river and a physician.
लोकयात्रा भयं लज्जा दाक्षिण्यं त्यागशीलता ।
पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न कुर्यात्तत्र संस्थितिम् ॥ १० ॥
lokayātrā bhayaṃ lajjā dākṣiṇyaṃ tyāgaśīlatā .
pañca yatra na vidyante na kuryāttatra saṃsthitim .. 10 ..
Wise men should never go into a country where there are no means of earning one's livelihood, where the people have no dread of anybody, have no sense of shame, no intelligence, or a charitable disposition.
A wise man should marry a virgin of a respectable family even if she is deformed. He should not marry one of a low-class family, through beauty. Marriage in a family of equal status is preferable.
Even from poison extract nectar, wash and take back gold if it has fallen in filth, receive the highest knowledge (Krsna consciousness) from a low born person; so also a girl possessing virtuous qualities (stri-ratna) even if she be born in a disreputable family.