Life in Balance: Amit D. Chaudhary’s Blog
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I looked up Golden Verses of Pythagoras after reading a reference about them in the The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin. Pythagoras was a Greek Philosopher who lived roughly during 500 BC.

These are guidelines on how to live one’s life and are full of wisdom.

Many of the Verses are relevant for Personal Development including the one about “Reviewing each day of your life”. Some of the other concepts are similar to those in Yoga texts.

Here are a few selected Golden Verses of Pythagoras:

• Do not neglect the health of your body. Give to the body food, drink and exercise in measure — so that it strengthen and know not surfeit and slumber.

• Before sleep closes your eyes remember thrice your deeds of the day. Consider them as an impartial judge and ask yourself: “What good did I do? What did I fail to do that I should have done?” Thus review everything you did throughout the day. Reproach yourself severely for all wrong deeds and be glad about the good ones.

• Remember about the law of cause and effect in your life.

• You are given the ability to overcome your passions: greed, laziness, lust, and anger; use it and restrain yourself.

• As for the misfortunes that are sent to people according to their destinies, you have to endure them patiently. Strive nevertheless to alleviate the pain as much as you can. And remember that the Immortal Gods never send to people trials which are above their strengths.

• Choose for yourself a wise friend; heed his advice and learn from his example; do not quarrel with him for trifle reasons.

• Listen to others’ advice and deliberate yourself. Only fools acts thoughtlessly, without consideration.

• And abstain from eating flesh: this is contrary to your nature and will prevent you from purifying yourself.

For the complete Verses, here are two translations of Golden Verses of Pythagoras:

• At Pythagoras.name, by the Russian E.P.Kaznacheeva

• At Sacred Texts by Florence M. Firth who in turn uses different translations