Simhasanadvatrimshika 12.p4

12.p4

etatpurandaravacanena niruttarī bhūto dhanadas tūṣṇīm āsīt. tataḥ purandaraḥ pitṛdravyaṃ sarvaṃ vyayam anayat. tato nirdhanikaṃ purandaraṃ bandhumitrādayo na mānayanti sma, tena saha nā 'pi goṣṭhīṃ kurvanti. purandareṇa svamanasi cintitam: aho mama haste yāvad dhanam abhūt, tāvad ete mitrādayo mama sevām akārṣuḥ; idānīṃ mayā saha goṣthīṃ na kurvanti. nītir iyaṃ satyā; yasyā 'rtho 'sti tasyai 'va mitrādayaḥ santi. uktaṃ ca:

To these words of Purandara, Dhanada, having no reply, remained silent. Then Purandara proceeded to waste all his father's goods. And then, when Purandara had no more money, his friends and relatives esteemed him no more, and would not even associate with him. And Purandara reflected in his heart: "Ha! as long as there was money in my hands, so long these friends of mine were attentive unto me. But now they have no dealings with me. This is true philosophy of conduct: only he who has money has friends and the like. It is said: 5. He who has money has friends; he who has money has relatives; he who has money is a man among men; and he who has money is a scholar. Furthermore: 6. Towards a man who has lost his money his relations do not behave as before; being attacht to him because of his station alone, his parasites quickly go their own ways, his friends become fickle, and — why make a long story of it? — even a man's wife is certain to have not so much regard for him when his money is gone. And so: 7. Whatsoever man has wealth, that man is noble; he is a scholar, he is rich in learning, he knows (how to appreciate) good points (in others); he verily is eloquent also, and handsome; all virtues rest upon gold. Moreover: 8. A wealthy man, altho not generous, will have a thousand retainers as long as he keeps his position; but let him lose his wealth, and not even a blood-relation will so much as show his face. And so: 9. The wind is a friend of the fire that devours the forests, but the same wind destroys the fire of a lamp; for a poor man who has friendship?