A Better Way

It's better to clash with the wise and the smart,

Than to bind your soul to a fool's dull heart.

It's better to beg for a humble meal,

Than feast where a tyrant makes you kneel.

It's better to chant and praise the divine,

Than waste time with fools who can’t see the sign.

It's better to drink just a mug of clear water,

Than take milk from those who love to falter.

It's better to dwell in a forest alone,

Than near quarrelsome neighbors with hearts of stone.

It's better to live in a broken old place,

Than with a jealous wife who knows no grace.

It's better to live with devotion pure,

Than wander in life without a cure.

Seek wisdom, kindness, and the divine light,

For these bring meaning to life’s endless night.

(A hymn by Shri Purandaradasa)