[neeti-56]
असन्तो नाभ्यर्थ्याः सुहृदपि न याच्यः कृशधनःप्रिया न्याय्या वृत्तिर्मलिनमसुभङ्गेऽप्यसुकरम् ।विपद्युच्चैः स्थेयं पदमनुविधेयं च महतांसतां केनोद्दिष्टं विषममसिधाराव्रतमिदम् ॥५६॥asanto nābhyarthyāḥ suhṛdapi na yācyaḥ kṛśadhanaḥpriyā nyāyyā vṛttirmalinamasubhaṅge'pyasukaram |vipadyuccaiḥ stheyaṃ padamanuvidheyaṃ ca mahatāṃsatāṃ kenoddiṣṭaṃ viṣamamasidhārāvratamidam ||56||
Translation
(WALKING ON THE EDGE OF THE SWORD-I)
Fondness for proper conduct; not doing a malicious act even if the life is at stake; not taking help from the ignoble; if money is lacking, never begging from even a friend; extreme stability when met with difficulties. For gaining what, such rigid rules are followed by the good men like following the ‘Vow of standing on the edge of the sword’! ॥ 56 ॥