Hitam Manohari ca..

हितं मनॊहारि च वचः दुर्लभं
హితం మనొహారి చ వచః దుర్లభం

स किं सखा साधु न शास्ति यॊधिपं
हिताण् न यः संश्रुणुतॆ स किं प्रभुः।
స కిం సఖా సాధు న శాస్తి యొధిపం
హితాణ్ న యః సంశ్రుణుతె స కిం ప్రభుః|
न विव्यतॆतस्य मनॊ नप्रियं
प्रवक्तु मिच्छन्ति मृषा हितैषिणः॥
న వివ్యతే తస్య మనొ నప్రియం
ప్రవక్తు మిచ్ఛన్తి మృషా హితైషిణః||

'A good advice and pleasing speech may not go together !!'

 'What kind of a friend is he who cannot give a good advice !!'

 'What kind of leader is he who cannot hear a piece of good advice !!'.

 'A good adviser is one who will not tell a lie to please !!'

These are part of a dialog in Bharavi's Kiratarjuniyam .

Bharavi is one of the foremost Poets in Sanskrit after Kalidasa. The Kiratarjuniyam consist of many more such gems .

Kiratarjuniyam starts with the spy deployed by Pandavas brefing Dharmaraja about the activities of the Duryodhana as the King. Bharavi uses this dialog to drive home some truths that are invariably missed by leaders. That Bharavi stated them is a proof of the existence of contrary behviour even in those days.

The report of the spy brought out the good deeds attempted by Duryodhan to win over the population which is aware of the great qualities of Dharmaraja. The report alarms Draupadi and Bhima both of whom speak up to push Dharmaraj into action ! A cautionary advice to Bhima from Dharmaraja is the Sloka ... … Sahasavidhadhita na kriyam.. avivekaha.

"One should not do anything in a hurry, A person who does not deliberate ( avivekaha) faces great calamities . Fortunes ever attached to merits seek on their own one who acts with reflection" .

A wonderful peice of advice that stands the test of time !!

Om Tat Sat