Chapter 75 - Winning of Affection (saubhāgya-karaṇa)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

1. A man of agreeable manners enjoys sexual pleasures fully and not so one of a morose nature; for he cannot secure the love of women. A woman, though at a distance, conceives a child of the shape of the person she loves ardently and thinks of at the time.

2. Just in the same way as a tree that grows is not different from the parent tree, whether we plant a branch or sow a seed, so the main features of the child partake of the features of its father, though there might be slight changes due to the soil.

3. The subtle soul co-operates with the manas (the mind); the mind, co-operates with the senses; the senses, perceive objects; all this takes place in little or no time. The above is the connection between the soul and the objects around us. What is there which the mind cannot comprehend? Therefore, wherever the mind enters, the soul follows it.

4. The soul being subtle whenever it enters another soul, it requires some time and an effort of the mind to know the latter. The soul which intensely meditates on an object, assumes the shape of that object, and therefore, young women’s thoughts are always directed towards amiable persons.

5. Real love makes one beloved of others, and hatred makes a person unpopular. There is great sin attaching to attempts at winning the favour of a person by the practice of magic or the use of drugs or by stratagems, and no pleasure can come out of it.

6. A person who is not selfish becomes popular and selfishness makes a man unpopular. A selfish person executes his work with much difficulty, and an unselfish man through his sweet manners and speech finds it easy to do his work, being helped by others.

7. It is not manly in a person thoughtlessly to attempt to do a thing or to utter falsehood with a view to please others. A person who, even while successfully executing a business, does not feel proud nor indulge in selfish praise, is truly noble.

8. A person who desires to become a general favourite shall speak of the merits of other men in terms of praise, and a person who speaks of the demerits of other men becomes wicked himself.

9. All men wish to help a person who aims at the good of the people. The renown which a person will derive from an act of assistance to his enemy when in difficulties is a fortune resulting from numerous good deeds.

10. Where there are real merits, the attempt to suppress them only increases their splendour just like an attempt to suppress flaming fire by means of dry grass. A person, who out of envy, aims at ruining the reputation of other men, is hated by all.