The truth is stranger than fiction

शून्यमापूर्णतामेति
मृत्युरप्यमृतायते ।
आपत्सम्पदिवाभाति
विद्वज्जनसमागमात् ॥

The zero attains completeness, even the 'death' turns into 'deathlessness', calamity appears to be prosperity when scholarly people assemble!
('Zero' refers to the absence of all feelings which is considered as eternal bliss. 'Deathlessness' refers to release from the cycle of birth and death)

The truth is stranger than fiction.
The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.

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A light purse is a heavy curse

दुःखं दुःखमिति ब्रूयात्
मानवो नरकं प्रति ।
दारिद्र्यादधिकं दुःखम्
न भूतं न भविष्यति ॥

It is said that hell is the place of intense pain and severe torture. But in reality, there is no pain (or torture) as intense as that of poverty, neither was there in past, nor will be in future.

A light purse is a heavy curse.

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When it rains, it pours

क्षते प्रहाराः निपतन्त्यभीक्ष्णं
धनक्षये वर्धति जाठराग्निः ।
आपत्सु वैराणि समुद्भवन्ति
छिद्रेष्वनर्थाः बहुलीभवन्ति ॥

- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

When wounded, powerful blows hit us every moment.
When suffering from severe economic loss, the hunger increases.
When in times of trouble, enemies crop up.
When the group is divided, difficulties multiply.

When it rains, it pours.
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

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After a storm comes a calm

सुखमापतितं सेव्यम्
दुःखमापतितं तथा ।
चक्रवत्परिवर्तन्ते
दुःखानि च सुखानि च ॥

- हितोपदेशः

One should accept the pleasures which have come in the way of life. Likewise, one should also accept the hardships in life. Pleasures and miseries revolve like a wheel.

Success is never final.
Failure is never fatal.
After a storm comes a calm.

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No man is wise at all times

न भूतपूर्वं न कदापि वार्ता
हेम्नः कुरङ्गो न कदापि दृष्टः ।
तथापि तृष्णा रघुनन्दनस्य
विनाशकाले विपरीतबुद्धिः ॥

Alternately,

न निर्मितः केन न दृष्टपूर्वः
न श्रूयते हेममयः कुरङ्गः ।
तथापि तृष्णा रघुनन्दनस्य
विनाशकाले विपरीतबुद्धिः ॥

- चाणक्यनीतिः

It has never happened before. It is not even heard about. A golden deer has never ever been seen. Even then, Rama desired it. Surely, mind goes crazy in times of trouble.

No man is wise at all times.

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When going gets tough, the tough get going

सम्पत्सु महतां चित्तम् भवत्युत्पलकोमलम् ।
आपत्सु च महाशैलशिलासङ्घातकर्कशम् ॥

- नीतिशतकम्

In times of prosperity, the minds of great people are as soft as gentle water lilies, whereas in adversity when going gets tough, they become as hard as a huge mass of solid rock.

When going gets tough, the tough get going.
Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.

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In adversity, we know our true friends

आतुरे व्यसने प्राप्ते
दुर्भिक्षे शत्रुसङ्कटे ।
राजद्वारे श्मशाने च
यस्तिष्ठति स बान्धवः ॥

- चाणक्यनीतिः

When you are suffering from a rare disease (or addiction), when in times of natural calamity, when you are afraid of your enemy, when you are at the doorstep of the king (to discuss your problems) or in a graveyard (when someone close to you dies), whoever stands by you is a true kinsman.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.
It is prosperity that gives us friends, adversity that proves them.
In prosperity, our friends know us.
In adversity, we know our friends.

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A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner

सम्पदो महतामेव
महतामेव चापदः ।
वर्धते क्षीयते चन्द्रो
न तु तारागणः क्वचित् ॥

Riches are meant to be enjoyed by great people. Difficulties are also meant to be overcome by them. They are the ones who go through lots of ups and downs in life. The moon grows and shrinks whereas stars remain the same.

The virtue of adversity is fortitude.
A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.
Prosperity tries the fortunate; adversity the great.

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The harder you fall, the higher you bounce

पातितोऽपि कराघातैः
उत्पतत्येव कन्दुकः ।
प्रायेण साधुवृत्तानाम्
अस्थायिन्यो विपत्तयः ॥

- नीतिशतकम्

A ball, though forced to fall on ground with a blow from hand, rebounds upwards. In general, the failures of the virtuous do not last long.

Failure is a stepping stone to success.
The harder you fall, the higher you bounce.

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When it rains, it pours

खल्वाटो दिवसेश्वरस्य किरणैस्सन्तापितो मस्तके
वाञ्छन्देशमनातपं विधिवशात्तालस्य मूलं गतः ।
तत्राप्यस्य महाफलेन पतता भग्नं सशब्दं शिरः
प्रायो गच्छति यत्र भाग्यरहितस्तत्रैव यान्त्यापदः ॥

- नीतिशतकम्

A bald man scorched by the rays on sun on his head, seeking shade, guided by his fate, took shelter under a palm tree hoping to get some relief. But then, a big fruit fell from the tree, with a loud noise broke his head and killed him. Usually, troubles always follow an unlucky person wherever he goes.

When it rains, it pours.
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

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A friend in need is a friend indeed

आपत्काले तु सम्प्राप्ते
यन्मित्रं मित्रमेव तत् ।
वृद्धिकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते
दुर्जनोऽपि सुहृद्भवेत् ॥

- पञ्चतन्त्रम्

Whoever is friendly in adversity, is indeed a true friend. In prosperity, even a wicked person wants to be a friend.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.
It is prosperity that gives us friends, adversity that proves them.

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Fire is the test of gold, adversity, of strong men

व्यसने मित्रपरीक्षा
शूरपरीक्षा रणाङ्गणे भवति ।
विनये भृत्यपरीक्षा
दानपरीक्षा च दुर्भिक्षे ॥

A friend is tested in times of trouble.
A brave warrior is tested on battlefield.
A servant is tested in his obedience.
A generous person is tested in times of scarcity.

Adversity is the touchstone of virtue.
Fire is the test of gold, adversity, of strong men.

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