Ñātabba-kaṇḍa — The Section on What Should Be Known

249. A Bad Mother and a Bad Father — the Child Suffers Too

A child raised by a base mother, it is said, tends to have spoiled speech — coarse, false, or low — through imitation and lack of correction. A child with a base father tends toward spoiled conduct, lacking a good example. If both parents are base, the child takes on faults in every dimension, in both speech and conduct. Though this verse does not weigh each individual's own effort, it does underscore the immense responsibility of parents and the heavy inheritance of family culture.

250. A Good Mother and a Good Father — the Child Turns Out Good

An excellent mother instills good speech in her child through words that are gentle, truthful, and wise. An excellent father models good conduct through actions that are righteous and disciplined. When both parents are exemplary, the child inherits the full legacy of excellence — both graceful speech and virtuous behavior. The family is the first school of character; the moral and social worth of a child is therefore no accident, but shows through the quality of the parents who shaped him.

251. (A Folk Belief) Physique and Character

This is a folk belief and should not be taken as a true judgment of character. The too-tall were once thought lanky, sluggish, and lacking in sharpness. Those of middling height were held to be wise and well-proportioned in both body and mind. The reference to the short being crafty is linked to the story of the Vāmana avatāra (the fifth incarnation of Viṣṇu, in the form of a short brahmin), who by a ruse asked King Bali for only three paces of land, then expanded to cosmic size and measured out the whole earth and heavens. This should be understood as a belief of folklore, not as a principle for judging people.

252. What Reveals a Person's True Self

A person's conduct — his manners, morals, and daily habits — reveals the quality of the upbringing his family gave him. Speech, including accent and choice of words, reveals one's place of origin. Birth or social origin reveals the depth of affection that others hold for one. And finally, the body — its health, form, and complexion — reveals the quality and quantity of the food one eats. Nothing can be hidden; every facet of a person tells the story of his past.

253. Measures of Various Things

The length of the lotus stalk reveals the depth of the water in which it grows. A person's actions are the measure of the true worth of his family, not birth alone. The content and quality of the words a person speaks are the measure of his true wisdom, not his boasts. The kind of grass and the presence of water are the measure of the fertility of the land. In each case, the tangible, observable effect is the proof of the hidden cause or condition.

254. Know a Person by His Speech, as You Know a Horse by Its Speed

A good horse is known by its speed, not its looks. A strong draft ox is known by the loads it can haul. A good cow is known by the quantity of its milk. By analogy, the wise are known by the words they speak — not by silence or reputation, but by what they say when they do speak: whether it is true, useful, profound, and timely. The essence of each thing is revealed through its proper function. For a human being, that highest function is to communicate with wisdom and purpose.

255. Know People in the Time of Testing

The loyalty of a servant is known when he is sent on an errand — whether he will be diligent or dishonest. The love of a kinsman is known when danger comes — whether he will help or flee. The worth of a friend is known in a time of calamity — whether he will stand at one's side or abandon one. The true nature of a wife is known when wealth is lost — whether she will remain faithful or think of leaving. These are the crucibles that separate pretense from a true bond. Love and loyalty are deeds that can be seen only when they are put to the test.

256. Knowledge from Books Cannot Match Instinct

Astrologers, even with their detailed treatises, cannot tell the time accurately without their instruments and divination texts. Yet the cock knows the dawn by instinct, the trees sense the turning of the seasons, and the water-creatures respond to the cycles of tide and moon. Theoretical knowledge, when cut off from direct perception and natural intelligence, is inferior to an understanding ingrained from birth. The verse mocks hollow, empty learning and honors the unerring knowledge born of a living, direct connection with the world.