Sri Aurobindo

Translations

CWSA.- Volume 5

Part One. Translations from Sanskrit
Section Four. Bhartrihari. The Century of Life

On Wealth

Policy

Often she lies, wears sometimes brow of truth,

Kind sometimes, sometimes ravening-merciless;

Now open-handed, full of bounty and grace,

And now a harpy; now sweet honey and ruth

Flows from her tongue, now menace harsh or stern;

This moment with a bottomless desire

She gathers millions in, the next will tire,–

Endless expense takes prodigally its turn.

Thus like a harlot changes momently

In princes the chameleon Policy.