Character and conduct

अतिरूपेण वै सीता अतिगर्वेणः रावणः । अतिदानाब्दलिर्बध्दो ह्यति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत्

atirūpeṇa vai sītā atigarveṇaḥ rāvaṇaḥ | atidānābdalirbadhdo hyati sarvatra varjayet

In plain words: Too much beauty ruined Sita, too much pride ruined Ravana, too much giving bound Bali: avoid excess in everything.

त्यजेध्दर्म दयाहीनं विद्याहीनं गुरुं त्यजेत् । त्यजेत्क्रोधमुखीं भार्यान्निः स्नेहानबंधवांस्त्यजेत्

tyajedhdarma dayāhīnaṃ vidyāhīnaṃ guruṃ tyajet | tyajetkrodhamukhīṃ bhāryānniḥ snehānabaṃdhavāṃstyajet

In plain words: Give up a religion without compassion, a teacher without learning and relatives without affection.

यथा चतुर्भिः कनकं परीक्ष्यते निघर्षणच्छेदनतापताडनैः । तथा चतुर्भिः पुरुषः परीक्ष्यते त्यागेन शीलेन गुणेन कर्मणा

yathā caturbhiḥ kanakaṃ parīkṣyate nigharṣaṇacchedanatāpatāḍanaiḥ | tathā caturbhiḥ puruṣaḥ parīkṣyate tyāgena śīlena guṇena karmaṇā

In plain words: As gold is tested in four ways (rubbing, cutting, heating, beating), a person is tested in four: by giving, character, qualities and conduct.

दारिद्र्यनाशनं दान शीलं दुर्गतिनाशनम् । अज्ञाननाशिनी प्रज्ञा भावना भयनाशिनी

dāridryanāśanaṃ dāna śīlaṃ durgatināśanam | ajñānanāśinī prajñā bhāvanā bhayanāśinī

In plain words: Giving removes poverty, good conduct removes misfortune, wisdom removes ignorance and thinking things through removes fear.