नीतिशतकम्

Nītiśatakam opens Bhartṛhari’s triad with a hundred verses on how to live well among people. Part poet, part statesman, he surveys the whole social world: the stubbornness of fools, the quiet worth of the learned, the pride of the self-respecting, the pull and peril of wealth, the company of the wicked and the good, and the generosity of those who help others. He closes with courage in adversity and the sovereign force of destiny. The verses rely on vivid images and sharp comparisons, so their counsel on leadership, friendship, character and perseverance still feels fresh. Read it as a practical guide to conduct, or simply as some of the finest moral poetry in Sanskrit.