श्रीमानजननिन्द्यश्च शूरश्चाऽप्यविकत्थनः । समदृष्टिः प्रभुश्चैव दुर्लभाः पुरुषास्त्रयः ॥ ११ ॥
śrīmānajananindyaśca śūraścā’pyavikatthanaḥ | samadṛṣṭiḥ prabhuścaiva durlabhāḥ puruṣāstrayaḥ || 11 ||
Translation
One who is rich yet not blamed by people, brave yet not boastful, a master yet even-eyed: these three are hard to find.
Word by word
- śrīmān
- one who is rich
- ajana
- (a-jana) not by people
- nindyaś
- (nindyaḥ) blamed
- ca
- and
- śūraś
- (śūraḥ) brave
- api
- yet
- avikatthanaḥ
- not boastful
- sama
- even
- dṛṣṭiḥ
- eyed
- prabhuś
- (prabhuḥ) a master
- ēva
- yet
- durlabhāḥ
- are hard to find
- puruṣās
- (puruṣāḥ) men
- trayaḥ
- these three
Meaning
Someone might object that there are good rich men. Rāma does not deny it; he says they are rare. Three are hard to find: the wealthy man no one speaks ill of, the brave man who does not praise himself, and the master who looks on all with an equal eye (samadṛṣṭi). The commentary explains why: people always find fault with the rich, the brave cannot help speaking of their own deeds, and one who has the power to punish and to favour will not stay impartial. Each gift brings its typical flaw. The reader who has any of the three gifts may watch for its flaw in themselves.