The Hunter on Karma, Rebirth and the Road to Liberation

Verse 1 (3.213.1)

धर्मव्याधस्तु निपुणं पुनरेव युधिष्ठिर । विप्रर्षभमुवाचेदं सर्वधर्मभृतांवर ॥

dharmavyādhastu nipuṇaṃ punareva yudhiṣṭhira | viprarṣabhamuvācedaṃ sarvadharmabhṛtāṃvara

Then, Yudhishthira, best of all upholders of dharma, the righteous hunter spoke skilfully once more to that bull among brahmins:

Verse 2 (3.213.2)

श्रुतिप्रमाणो धर्मोऽयमिति वृद्धानुशासनम् । सूक्ष्मा गतिर्हि धर्मस्य बहुशाखा ह्यनन्तिका ॥

śrutipramāṇo dharmo'yamiti vṛddhānuśāsanam | sūkṣmā gatirhi dharmasya bahuśākhā hyanantikā

"Dharma has scripture for its authority" — such is the teaching of the elders. Subtle is the way of dharma, many-branched and without end.

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मस् → धर्मस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, critical edition dharmasya). Speaker: the hunter's speech runs on from verse 1 without a printed heading; assigned to व्याध until the brahmin's heading at verse 26.

Verse 3 (3.213.3)

प्राणान्तिके विवाहे च वक्तव्यमनृतं भवेत् । अनृतेन भवेत्सत्यं सत्येनैवानृतं भवेत् ॥

prāṇāntike vivāhe ca vaktavyamanṛtaṃ bhavet | anṛtena bhavetsatyaṃ satyenaivānṛtaṃ bhavet

When life is in danger, and at a marriage, a falsehood may be spoken. Truth may come about through falsehood, and falsehood through truth.

Verse 4 (3.213.4)

यद्भूतहितमत्यन्तं तत्सत्यमिति धारणा । विपर्ययकृतोऽधर्मः पश्य धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मताम् ॥

yadbhūtahitamatyantaṃ tatsatyamiti dhāraṇā | viparyayakṛto'dharmaḥ paśya dharmasya sūkṣmatām

Whatever is of the utmost good to living beings, that is truth: such is the settled view. Its reverse is unrighteousness. See how subtle dharma is!

Verse 5 (3.213.5)

यत्करोत्यशुभं कर्म शुभं वा यदि सत्तम । अवश्यं तत्समाप्नोति पुरुषो नात्र संशयः ॥

yatkarotyaśubhaṃ karma śubhaṃ vā yadi sattama | avaśyaṃ tatsamāpnoti puruṣo nātra saṃśayaḥ

Whatever deed a man does, good or bad, good sir, he is sure to reap its fruit; of that there is no doubt.

Verse 6 (3.213.6)

विषमां च दशां प्राप्तो देवान्गर्हति वै भृशम् । आत्मनः कर्मदोषेण न विजानात्यपण्डितः ॥

viṣamāṃ ca daśāṃ prāpto devāngarhati vai bhṛśam | ātmanaḥ karmadoṣeṇa na vijānātyapaṇḍitaḥ

Fallen on hard times, the unwise man bitterly blames the gods, not seeing that his plight comes from the fault of his own deeds.

Note on the text: Corrected आत्मृनः → आत्मनः (misprint in Wikisource; stray ृ, critical edition ātmanaḥ).

Verse 7 (3.213.7)

मूढो नैकृतिकश्चापि चपलश्च द्विजोत्तम । न शुभं कर्म बध्नाति पुरुषं पापनिश्चयम् ॥

mūḍho naikṛtikaścāpi capalaśca dvijottama | na śubhaṃ karma badhnāti puruṣaṃ pāpaniścayam

The fool, the deceitful and the fickle, best of the twice-born — good deeds do not cling to a man set on evil.

Note on the text: Removed the wiki quote marks round the second line and corrected पाषनिश्चयम् → पापनिश्चयम् (misprint in Wikisource; ष for प). The second line is not in the critical edition text; it appears in its apparatus as 3.200.7f*1023 (vulgate recension, a variant wording).

Verse 8 (3.213.8)

सुखदुःखविपर्यासो यदा समुपपद्यते । नैनं प्रज्ञा सुनीतं वा त्रायते नैव पौरुषम् ॥

sukhaduḥkhaviparyāso yadā samupapadyate | nainaṃ prajñā sunītaṃ vā trāyate naiva pauruṣam

When the reversal of joy and sorrow comes upon such a man, neither wisdom nor good guidance nor his own effort can save him.

Verse 9 (3.213.9)

यो यमिच्छेद्यथा कामं तं तं कामं स आप्नुयात् । यदि स्यादपराधीनं पौरुषस्य क्रियाफलम् ॥

yo yamicchedyathā kāmaṃ taṃ taṃ kāmaṃ sa āpnuyāt | yadi syādaparādhīnaṃ pauruṣasya kriyāphalam

If the fruit of a man's effort depended on no one else, each would obtain whatever he wished, just as he wished it.

Note on the text: Corrected पौरुषस् → पौरुषस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the critical edition reads puruṣasya).

Verse 10 (3.213.10)

संयताश्चापि दक्षाश्च मतिमन्तश्च मानवाः । दृश्यन्ते निष्फलाः सन्तः प्रहीणाः सर्वकर्मभिः ॥

saṃyatāścāpi dakṣāśca matimantaśca mānavāḥ | dṛśyante niṣphalāḥ santaḥ prahīṇāḥ sarvakarmabhiḥ

Yet men who are self-controlled, capable and intelligent are seen to go unrewarded, worn out by all their labours.

Verse 11 (3.213.11)

भूतानामपरः कश्चिद्धिंसायां सततोत्थितः । वञ्चनायां च लोकस्य स सुखेनैव युज्यते ॥

bhūtānāmaparaḥ kaściddhiṃsāyāṃ satatotthitaḥ | vañcanāyāṃ ca lokasya sa sukhenaiva yujyate

Another man, always intent on harming creatures and on deceiving the world, is blessed with ease.

Verse 12 (3.213.12)

अचेष्टमपि चासीनं श्रीः कंचिदुपतिष्ठति । कश्चित्कर्माणि कुर्वन्हि न प्राप्यमधिगच्छति ॥

aceṣṭamapi cāsīnaṃ śrīḥ kaṃcidupatiṣṭhati | kaścitkarmāṇi kurvanhi na prāpyamadhigacchati

Fortune waits on one who sits idle without stirring, while another, though he labours, does not gain what he should.

Verse 13 (3.213.13)

देवानिष्ट्वा तपस्तप्त्वा कृपणैः पुत्रगृध्नुभिः । दशमासधृता गर्भा जायन्ते कुलपांसनाः ॥

devāniṣṭvā tapastaptvā kṛpaṇaiḥ putragṛdhnubhiḥ | daśamāsadhṛtā garbhā jāyante kulapāṃsanāḥ

Wretched folk who crave sons worship the gods and practise austerities, and the children carried ten months in the womb are born to disgrace their families.

Verse 14 (3.213.14)

अपरे धनधान्यैश्च भोगैश्च पितृसंचितैः । विपुलैरभिजायन्ते लब्धास्तैरेव मङ्गलैः ॥

apare dhanadhānyaiśca bhogaiśca pitṛsaṃcitaiḥ | vipulairabhijāyante labdhāstaireva maṅgalaiḥ

Others are born amid abundant wealth, grain and comforts gathered by their fathers, and are blessed with those very good things.

Verse 15 (3.213.15)

न देहजा मनुष्याणां व्याधयो द्विजसत्तम । कर्मजा हि मनुष्याणां रोगा नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥

na dehajā manuṣyāṇāṃ vyādhayo dvijasattama | karmajā hi manuṣyāṇāṃ rogā nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ

Men's illnesses, best of the twice-born, do not spring from the body; men's diseases are born of their deeds, of that there is no doubt.

Note on the text: Removed the wiki quote marks round the first line. That line is not in the critical edition text; it appears in its apparatus as 3.200.13d*1024 (vulgate recension).

Verse 16 (3.213.16)

आधिभिश्चैव बाध्यन्ते व्यालैः क्षुद्रमृगा इव । ते चापि कुशलैर्वैद्यैर्निपुणैः संभृतौषधैः । व्याधयो विनिवार्यन्ते मृगा व्याधैरिव द्विज ॥

ādhibhiścaiva bādhyante vyālaiḥ kṣudramṛgā iva | te cāpi kuśalairvaidyairnipuṇaiḥ saṃbhṛtauṣadhaiḥ | vyādhayo vinivāryante mṛgā vyādhairiva dvija

They are tormented by sorrows as small deer are by beasts of prey. And those diseases are driven off by skilled physicians, expert and well stocked with remedies, as deer are driven off by hunters, brahmin.

Note on the text: Restored the middle line from the critical edition (3.200.15a): Wikisource has lost "te cāpi kuśalair vaidyair nipuṇaiḥ saṃbhṛtauṣadhaiḥ", leaving "व्याधयो विनिवार्यन्ते" without the physicians who ward the diseases off. The first line is the critical edition's 3.200.14c.

Verse 17 (3.213.17)

येषामस्ति च भोक्तव्यं ग्रहणीरोगपीडिताः । न शक्नुवन्ति ते भोक्तुं चेष्टितं पूर्वकर्मणा ॥

yeṣāmasti ca bhoktavyaṃ grahaṇīrogapīḍitāḥ | na śaknuvanti te bhoktuṃ ceṣṭitaṃ pūrvakarmaṇā

Those who have food to eat but are afflicted by disease of the bowels cannot eat it: such is the working of former deeds.

Note on the text: Corrected पूर्वकर्मया → पूर्वकर्मणा (misprint in Wikisource; not a valid form of कर्मन्). The critical edition has a different half-line here (paśya dharmabhṛtāṃ vara).

Verse 18 (3.213.18)

अपरे बाहुबलिनः क्लिश्यन्ति बहवो जनाः । दुःखेन चाधिगच्छन्ति भोजनं द्विजसत्तम ॥

apare bāhubalinaḥ kliśyanti bahavo janāḥ | duḥkhena cādhigacchanti bhojanaṃ dvijasattama

Many others, strong of arm, suffer hardship and win their food only with toil and pain, best of the twice-born.

Note on the text: Corrected चाधिगच्छनति → चाधिगच्छन्ति (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, critical edition cādhigacchanti).

Verse 19 (3.213.19)

इति लोकमनाक्रन्दं देहशङ्कापरिप्लुतम् । स्रोतसाऽसकृदाक्षिप्तं ह्रियमाणं बलीयसा ॥

iti lokamanākrandaṃ dehaśaṅkāpariplutam | srotasā'sakṛdākṣiptaṃ hriyamāṇaṃ balīyasā

So the world, helpless and swamped by fear for the body, is tossed again and again and swept away by a mighty current.

Verse 20 (3.213.20)

न म्रियेयुर्न जीर्येयुः सर्वे स्युः सर्वकामिकाः । नाप्रियं प्रतिपश्येयुर्विधिश्च यदि नो भवेत् ॥

na mriyeyurna jīryeyuḥ sarve syuḥ sarvakāmikāḥ | nāpriyaṃ pratipaśyeyurvidhiśca yadi no bhavet

If there were no fate, none would die and none grow old; all would have every wish fulfilled, and none would meet with anything unwelcome.

Note on the text: Corrected जीर्यैयुः → जीर्येयुः (misprint in Wikisource; ै for े, critical edition jīryeyuḥ).

Verse 21 (3.213.21)

उपर्युपरि लोकस्य सर्वो गन्तुं समीहते । यतते च यथाशक्ति न च तद्वर्तते तथा ॥

uparyupari lokasya sarvo gantuṃ samīhate | yatate ca yathāśakti na ca tadvartate tathā

Everyone seeks to rise above the rest of the world and strives as best he can, yet things do not turn out that way.

Note on the text: Corrected यथाथक्ति → यथाशक्ति (misprint in Wikisource; थ for श, critical edition yathāśakti).

Verse 22 (3.213.22)

बहवः संप्रदृश्यन्ते तुल्यनक्षत्रमङ्गलाः । महत्तु फलवैषम्यं दृश्यते कर्मसिद्धिषु ॥

bahavaḥ saṃpradṛśyante tulyanakṣatramaṅgalāḥ | mahattu phalavaiṣamyaṃ dṛśyate karmasiddhiṣu

Many are seen born under the same stars and the same auspicious signs, yet great is the difference in the fruit their works achieve.

Verse 23 (3.213.23)

न केचिदीशते ब्रह्मन्स्वयंग्राह्यस्य सत्तम । कर्मणां प्राकृतानां वै इह सिद्धिः प्रदृश्यते ॥

na kecidīśate brahmansvayaṃgrāhyasya sattama | karmaṇāṃ prākṛtānāṃ vai iha siddhiḥ pradṛśyate

No one, brahmin, is master even of what he would take for himself, good sir. It is the fruit of deeds done before that is seen fulfilled here.

Verse 24 (3.213.24)

तथा श्रुतिरियंब्रह्मञ्जीवः किल सनातनः । शरीरमध्रुवं लोके सर्वेषां प्राणिनामिह ॥

tathā śrutiriyaṃbrahmañjīvaḥ kila sanātanaḥ | śarīramadhruvaṃ loke sarveṣāṃ prāṇināmiha

So too the scripture says, brahmin, that the soul is eternal, while the body of every creature in this world is fleeting.

Verse 25 (3.213.25)

वध्यमाने शरीरे तु देहनाशो भवत्युत । जीवः संक्रमतेऽन्यत्रकर्मबन्धनिबन्धनः ॥

vadhyamāne śarīre tu dehanāśo bhavatyuta | jīvaḥ saṃkramate'nyatrakarmabandhanibandhanaḥ

When the body is struck down, the body perishes; but the soul, bound by the bonds of its deeds, passes on elsewhere.

Note on the text: Corrected कर्मबनधनिबन्धनः → कर्मबन्धनिबन्धनः (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, critical edition karmabandhanibandhanaḥ).

Verse 26 (3.213.26)

कथं धर्मविदांश्रेष्ठ जीवो भवति शाश्वतः । एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तत्त्वेन वदतांवर ॥

kathaṃ dharmavidāṃśreṣṭha jīvo bhavati śāśvataḥ | etadicchāmyahaṃ jñātuṃ tattvena vadatāṃvara

How is the soul eternal, best of those who know dharma? I wish to understand this truly, best of speakers.

Verse 27 (3.213.27)

न जीवनाशोस्ति हि देहभेदे । मिथ्यैतदाहुर्म्रियतीति मूढाः । जीवस्तु देहान्तरितः प्रयाति । दशार्धतैवास्य शरीरभेदः ॥

na jīvanāśosti hi dehabhede | mithyaitadāhurmriyatīti mūḍhāḥ | jīvastu dehāntaritaḥ prayāti | daśārdhataivāsya śarīrabhedaḥ

There is no destruction of the soul when the body breaks apart; fools say falsely that it dies. The soul passes on into another body; the breaking-up of the body is only its return to the five elements.

Note on the text: Corrected दशार्धतैवास् → दशार्धतैवास्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, critical edition daśārdhataivāsya).

Verse 28 (3.213.28)

अन्यो हि नाश्नाति कृतं हि कर्म । मनुष्यलोके मनुजस्य कश्चित् । यत्तेन किंचिद्धि कृतंहि कर्म । तदश्नुते नास्ति कृतस्य नाशः ॥

anyo hi nāśnāti kṛtaṃ hi karma | manuṣyaloke manujasya kaścit | yattena kiṃciddhi kṛtaṃhi karma | tadaśnute nāsti kṛtasya nāśaḥ

No other person in the world of men reaps the deed a man has done. Whatever deed he has done, he himself reaps it; what is done is never destroyed.

Note on the text: Corrected मनुजस् → मनुजस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, which the metre requires). The critical edition has a different second line (sa eva kartā sukhaduḥkhabhāgī).

Verse 29 (3.213.29)

सुपुण्यशीला हि भवन्ति पुण्या । नराधमाः पापकृतो भवन्ति । नरोऽनुयातस्त्विह कर्मभिः स्वै- । स्ततः समुत्पद्यति भावितस्तैः ॥

supuṇyaśīlā hi bhavanti puṇyā | narādhamāḥ pāpakṛto bhavanti | naro'nuyātastviha karmabhiḥ svai- | stataḥ samutpadyati bhāvitastaiḥ

Those of virtuous conduct become meritorious; the vilest of men become doers of evil. A man is followed here by his own deeds, and, shaped by them, he is born again.

Verse 30 (3.213.30)

कथं संभवते योनौ कथं वा पुण्यपापयोः । जातीः पुण्या ह्यपुण्याश्च कथं गच्छति सत्तम ॥

kathaṃ saṃbhavate yonau kathaṃ vā puṇyapāpayoḥ | jātīḥ puṇyā hyapuṇyāśca kathaṃ gacchati sattama

How does a man come to be born in a womb? And how, good sir, does he pass to births that are pure or impure according to his merit and sin?

Note on the text: Corrected ह्यपुण्याश् → ह्यपुण्याश्च (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, critical edition hy apuṇyāś ca).

Verse 31 (3.213.31)

गर्भाधानसमायुक्तं कर्मेदं संप्रदृश्यते । समासेन तु ते क्षिप्रं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्विजोत्तम ॥

garbhādhānasamāyuktaṃ karmedaṃ saṃpradṛśyate | samāsena tu te kṣipraṃ pravakṣyāmi dvijottama

This working of karma is seen in conception itself. I will tell it to you briefly and quickly, best of the twice-born.

Verse 32 (3.213.32)

यथा संभृतसंभारः पुनरेव प्रजायते । शुभकृच्छुभयोनीषु पापकृत्पापयोनिषु ॥

yathā saṃbhṛtasaṃbhāraḥ punareva prajāyate | śubhakṛcchubhayonīṣu pāpakṛtpāpayoniṣu

As a man has gathered his store of deeds, so he is born again: the doer of good in good births, the doer of evil in evil ones.

Verse 33 (3.213.33)

शुभैः प्रयोगैर्देवत्वंव्यामिश्रैर्मानुषो भवेत् । मोहनीयैर्वियोनीषु त्वधोगामी च किल्बिषैः ॥

śubhaiḥ prayogairdevatvaṃvyāmiśrairmānuṣo bhavet | mohanīyairviyonīṣu tvadhogāmī ca kilbiṣaiḥ

By good deeds he attains godhood; by mixed deeds he becomes human; by deeds of delusion he is born among lower creatures, and by sins he goes downward.

Verse 34 (3.213.34)

जातिमृत्युजरादुःखैः सततं समभिद्रुतः । संसारे पच्यमानश्च दोषैरात्मकृतैर्नरः ॥

jātimṛtyujarāduḥkhaiḥ satataṃ samabhidrutaḥ | saṃsāre pacyamānaśca doṣairātmakṛtairnaraḥ

Constantly beset by the sorrows of birth, death and old age, a man is cooked in the round of rebirth by the faults he himself has made.

Verse 35 (3.213.35)

तिर्यग्योनिसहस्राणि गत्वा नरकमेव च । जीवाः संपरिवर्तन्ते कर्मबन्धनिबन्धनाः ॥

tiryagyonisahasrāṇi gatvā narakameva ca | jīvāḥ saṃparivartante karmabandhanibandhanāḥ

Passing through thousands of animal births, and through hell as well, souls go round and round, bound by the bonds of their deeds.

Verse 36 (3.213.36)

जन्तुस्तु कर्मभिस्तैस्तैः स्वकृतैः प्रेत्य दुःखितः । तद्दुःखप्रतिघातार्थमपुण्यां योनिमाप्नुते ॥

jantustu karmabhistaistaiḥ svakṛtaiḥ pretya duḥkhitaḥ | tadduḥkhapratighātārthamapuṇyāṃ yonimāpnute

A creature made wretched after death by the deeds he himself has done enters an impure birth to work off that suffering.

Verse 37 (3.213.37)

ततः कर्म समादत्ते पुनरन्यन्नवं बहु । पच्यते तु पुनस्तेन भुक्त्वाऽपथ्यमिवातुरः ॥

tataḥ karma samādatte punaranyannavaṃ bahu | pacyate tu punastena bhuktvā'pathyamivāturaḥ

Then he takes up much fresh karma once more, and by it he is cooked again, like a sick man who has eaten unwholesome food.

Verse 38 (3.213.38)

अजस्रमेव दुःखार्तोऽदुःखितः सुखिसंज्ञितः । ततोऽनिवृत्तबन्धत्वात्कर्मणामुदयादपि ॥

ajasrameva duḥkhārto'duḥkhitaḥ sukhisaṃjñitaḥ | tato'nivṛttabandhatvātkarmaṇāmudayādapi

Though forever stricken with sorrow, he counts himself free of sorrow and happy. Then, because his bonds are not loosed and his deeds keep bearing fruit,

Note on the text: Corrected ततो निवृत्तबन्धत्वात् → ततोऽनिवृत्तबन्धत्वात् (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha flips the sense — the man wanders because his bonds are NOT loosed; critical edition tato 'nivṛttabandhatvāt).

Verse 39 (3.213.39)

परिक्रामति संसारे चक्रवद्बहुवेदनः । स चेन्निवृत्तबन्धस्तु विशुद्धश्चापि कर्मभिः ॥

parikrāmati saṃsāre cakravadbahuvedanaḥ | sa cennivṛttabandhastu viśuddhaścāpi karmabhiḥ

he wanders through the round of rebirth like a wheel, in great pain. But if his bonds are loosed and he is purified by his deeds,

Verse 40 (3.213.40)

तपोयोगसमारम्भं कुरुते द्विजसत्तम । कर्मभिर्बहुभिश्चापि लोकानश्नाति कर्मभिः ॥

tapoyogasamārambhaṃ kurute dvijasattama | karmabhirbahubhiścāpi lokānaśnāti karmabhiḥ

he undertakes austerity and yoga, best of the twice-born, and through his many deeds he enjoys the worlds those deeds have won.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition text; it appears in its apparatus as 3.200.38b*1026 (vulgate recension, reading mānavaḥ for the second कर्मभिः).

Verse 41 (3.213.41)

स चेन्निवृत्तबन्धस्तु विशुद्धश्चापि कर्मभिः । प्राप्नोति सुकृताँल्लोकान्यत्रगत्वा न शोचति ॥

sa cennivṛttabandhastu viśuddhaścāpi karmabhiḥ | prāpnoti sukṛtām̐llokānyatragatvā na śocati

If his bonds are loosed and he is purified by his deeds, he reaches the worlds of the virtuous, where, once he has gone, he grieves no more.

Note on the text: Removed the square brackets Wikisource prints round the first line, which repeats the second line of verse 39 to resume the sentence after the inserted verse 40; the critical edition has this line once, as 3.200.38a.

Verse 42 (3.213.42)

पापं कुर्वन्पापवृत्तः पापस्यान्तं न गच्छति । पुण्यं कुर्वन्पुण्यवृत्तः पुण्यस्यान्तं न गच्छति । तस्मात्पुण्यं यतेत्कर्तुं वर्जयेत च पापकम् ॥

pāpaṃ kurvanpāpavṛttaḥ pāpasyāntaṃ na gacchati | puṇyaṃ kurvanpuṇyavṛttaḥ puṇyasyāntaṃ na gacchati | tasmātpuṇyaṃ yatetkartuṃ varjayeta ca pāpakam

One who does evil and lives by evil never reaches the end of evil; one who does good and lives by goodness never reaches the end of merit. Therefore one should strive to do good and shun what is sinful.

Note on the text: Restored the first line from the critical edition (3.200.39a): Wikisource prints "पापं कुर्वनपुण्यवृत्तः पुण्यस्यान्तं न गच्छति", a garbled line assimilated to the line that follows it. Removed the wiki quote marks round the second line, which is not in the critical edition text but appears in its apparatus as 3.200.39b*1027 (vulgate recension). Corrected वर्जयीत → वर्जयेत (misprint in Wikisource; not a valid form, critical edition varjayeta).

Verse 43 (3.213.43)

अनसूयुः कृतज्ञश्च कल्याणान्येव सेवते । सुखानि धर्ममर्थं च स्वर्गं च लभते नरः ॥

anasūyuḥ kṛtajñaśca kalyāṇānyeva sevate | sukhāni dharmamarthaṃ ca svargaṃ ca labhate naraḥ

One who is free of envy and is grateful pursues only what is good, and gains happiness, dharma, wealth and heaven.

Verse 44 (3.213.44)

संस्कृतस्य च दान्तस्य नियतस्य यतात्मनः । प्राज्ञस्यानन्तरा वृत्तिरिह लोके परत्र च ॥

saṃskṛtasya ca dāntasya niyatasya yatātmanaḥ | prājñasyānantarā vṛttiriha loke paratra ca

For the cultivated, restrained, disciplined and self-controlled wise man there is unbroken well-being, in this world and the next.

Note on the text: Corrected दान्तस् → दान्तस्य (dropped akshara), प्राज्ञास्य → प्राज्ञस्य (stray ा) and वृत्तिरिहि → वृत्तिरिह (stray ि) — misprints in Wikisource; critical edition dāntasya, prājñasya, iha.

Verse 45 (3.213.45)

सतां धर्मेण वर्तेत क्रियां शिष्टवदाचरेत् । असंक्लेशेन लोकस्य वृत्तिं लिप्सेत वै द्विजः ॥

satāṃ dharmeṇa varteta kriyāṃ śiṣṭavadācaret | asaṃkleśena lokasya vṛttiṃ lipseta vai dvijaḥ

One should live by the dharma of the good and act as the cultured do; a brahmin should seek his livelihood without causing distress to the world.

Note on the text: Corrected धऱ्मेण → धर्मेण (misprint in Wikisource; wrong character ऱ for र्).

Verse 46 (3.213.46)

सन्ति ह्यागमविज्ञानाः शिष्टाः शास्त्रे विचक्षणाः । स्वधर्मेण क्रिया लोके कुर्वाणास्ते ह्यसंकराः ॥

santi hyāgamavijñānāḥ śiṣṭāḥ śāstre vicakṣaṇāḥ | svadharmeṇa kriyā loke kurvāṇāste hyasaṃkarāḥ

There are cultured men who know the scriptures and are wise in learning; doing their work in the world according to their own dharma, they keep the orders of duty unconfused.

Verse 47 (3.213.47)

प्राज्ञो धर्मेण रमते धर्मं चैवोपजीवति । तस्माद्धर्मादवाप्तेन धनेन द्विजसत्तम ॥

prājño dharmeṇa ramate dharmaṃ caivopajīvati | tasmāddharmādavāptena dhanena dvijasattama

The wise man delights in dharma and lives by dharma. With the wealth he has gained through that dharma, best of the twice-born,

Note on the text: Corrected धनन → धनेन (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign).

Verse 48 (3.213.48)

तस्यैव सिंचते मूलं गुणान्पश्यति यत्र वै । धर्मात्मा भवति ह्येवं चित्तं चास्य प्रसीदति । स मित्रजनसंतुष्ट इह प्रेत्य च नन्दति ॥

tasyaiva siṃcate mūlaṃ guṇānpaśyati yatra vai | dharmātmā bhavati hyevaṃ cittaṃ cāsya prasīdati | sa mitrajanasaṃtuṣṭa iha pretya ca nandati

he waters the very root wherever he sees virtue. Thus he becomes righteous at heart and his mind grows serene; content among his friends, he rejoices here and hereafter.

Verse 49 (3.213.49)

शब्दं स्पर्शं तथा रूपं गन्धानिष्टांश्च सत्तम । प्रभुत्वं लभते चापि धर्मस्यैतत्फलं विदुः ॥

śabdaṃ sparśaṃ tathā rūpaṃ gandhāniṣṭāṃśca sattama | prabhutvaṃ labhate cāpi dharmasyaitatphalaṃ viduḥ

Sound, touch, form and whatever scents he desires, good sir, and lordship too he gains: this, they say, is the fruit of dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected गन्धानिष्टांस्च → गन्धानिष्टांश्च (misprint in Wikisource; स for श).

Verse 50 (3.213.50)

धर्मस्य च फलं लब्ध्वा न तुष्यति महाद्विज । अतुष्यमाणो निर्वेदमादत्ते ज्ञानचक्षुषा ॥

dharmasya ca phalaṃ labdhvā na tuṣyati mahādvija | atuṣyamāṇo nirvedamādatte jñānacakṣuṣā

Yet having gained the fruit of dharma, great brahmin, he is not content; and, not content, he takes up detachment through the eye of knowledge.

Note on the text: Corrected धरमस्य च पलं → धर्मस्य च फलं (misprints in Wikisource; broken conjunct and प for फ).

Verse 51 (3.213.51)

प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्नर इह दोषं नैवानुरुध्यते । विरज्यति यथाकामं न च धर्मं विमुञ्चति ॥

prajñācakṣurnara iha doṣaṃ naivānurudhyate | virajyati yathākāmaṃ na ca dharmaṃ vimuñcati

A man with the eye of wisdom is not swayed by faults here; he becomes dispassionate as he wills, yet he does not abandon dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected विरज्ये → विरज्यति (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, which the metre and syntax require; critical edition virajyati).

Verse 52 (3.213.52)

फलत्यागे च यतते दृष्ट्वा लोकं क्रियात्मकम् । ततो मोक्षे प्रयतते नानुपायादुपायतः ॥

phalatyāge ca yatate dṛṣṭvā lokaṃ kriyātmakam | tato mokṣe prayatate nānupāyādupāyataḥ

Seeing that the world is bound up with action, he strives to give up the fruits of action; then he strives for liberation — by the right means, not without means.

Verse 53 (3.213.53)

एवं निर्वेदमादत्ते पापं कर्म जहाति च । धार्मिकश्चापि भवति मोक्षं च लभते परम् ॥

evaṃ nirvedamādatte pāpaṃ karma jahāti ca | dhārmikaścāpi bhavati mokṣaṃ ca labhate param

Thus he takes up detachment and abandons sinful deeds; he becomes righteous and attains supreme liberation.

Verse 54 (3.213.54)

तपो निःश्रेयसं जन्तोस्तस्य मूलं शमो दमः । तेन सर्वानवाप्नोति कामान्यान्मनसेच्छति ॥

tapo niḥśreyasaṃ jantostasya mūlaṃ śamo damaḥ | tena sarvānavāpnoti kāmānyānmanasecchati

Austerity is a creature's highest good, and its root is calm and self-restraint. By it he obtains every desire his mind conceives.

Verse 55 (3.213.55)

इन्द्रियाणां निरोधेन सत्येन च दमेन च । ब्रह्मणः पदमाप्नोति यत्परं द्विजसत्तम ॥

indriyāṇāṃ nirodhena satyena ca damena ca | brahmaṇaḥ padamāpnoti yatparaṃ dvijasattama

By restraint of the senses, by truth and by self-control, he reaches the state of Brahman, which is supreme, best of the twice-born.

Verse 56 (3.213.56)

इन्द्रियाणीति यान्याहुः कानि तानि यतव्रत । निग्रहश्च कथं कार्यो निग्रहस्य च किं फलम् ॥

indriyāṇīti yānyāhuḥ kāni tāni yatavrata | nigrahaśca kathaṃ kāryo nigrahasya ca kiṃ phalam

What are those things called the senses, you who are firm in your vows? How is their restraint to be achieved, and what is the fruit of restraining them?

Verse 57 (3.213.57)

कथं च फलमाप्नोति तेषां धर्मभृतांवर । एतदिच्छामि तत्त्वेन धर्मं ज्ञातुं सुधार्मिक ॥

kathaṃ ca phalamāpnoti teṣāṃ dharmabhṛtāṃvara | etadicchāmi tattvena dharmaṃ jñātuṃ sudhārmika

And how does one obtain the fruit of restraining them, best of the upholders of dharma? I wish to know this dharma truly, most righteous one.