[neeti-31]
जातिर्यातु रसातलं गुणगणैस्तत्राप्यधो गम्यतांशीलं शैलतटात्पतत्वभिजनः सन्दह्यतां वह्निना ।शौर्ये वैरिणि वज्रमाशु निपतत्वर्थोऽस्तु नः केवलंयेनैकेन विना गुणास्तृणलवप्रायाः समस्ता इमे ॥३१॥jātiryātu rasātalaṃ guṇagaṇaistatrāpyadho gamyatāṃśīlaṃ śailataṭātpatatvabhijanaḥ sandahyatāṃ vahninā |śaurye vairiṇi vajramāśu nipatatvartho'stu naḥ kevalaṃyenaikena vinā guṇāstṛṇalavaprāyāḥ samastā ime ||31||
Translation
(WEALTH ALONE IS THE MOST CHERISHED OBJECT FOR A MAN)
Let the caste preferences go to hell (infernal regions)! Let the collection of virtues go even down below (to nether worlds)! Let the good character fall down from the top of the hill! Let those born of this family get burnt by fire! Let the thunderbolt (of Indra) strike the valorous enemy! (We do not want any such noble qualities.) Let only wealth belong to us! Because, without wealth, all these virtues are equal to worthless grass! ॥ 31 ॥