[neeti-40]
यद्धात्रा निजभालपट्टलिखितं स्तोकं महद्वा धनंतत्प्राप्नोति मरुस्थलेऽपि नितरां मेरौ ततो नाधिकम् ।तद्धीरो भव वित्तवत्सु कृपणां वृत्तिं वृथा मा कृथाःकूपे पश्य पयोनिधावपि घटो गृह्णाति तुल्यं जलम् ॥४०॥yaddhātrā nijabhālapaṭṭalikhitaṃ stokaṃ mahadvā dhanaṃtatprāpnoti marusthale'pi nitarāṃ merau tato nādhikam |taddhīro bhava vittavatsu kṛpaṇāṃ vṛttiṃ vṛthā mā kṛthāḥkūpe paśya payonidhāvapi ghaṭo gṛhṇāti tulyaṃ jalam ||40||
Translation
(WEALTH)
Whatever amount of wealth, little or great, has been written by the Creator on one’s forehead, one receives it even in a desert; one gains no more than that even on Mount Meru. Therefore, be steady; do not lead a wretched life before the wealthy in vain. Look at a pot: whether placed in a well or in the vast ocean, it can only hold an equal amount of water. ॥ 40 ॥