Narada Tells Galava What the Highest Good Is

Verse 1 (12.293.1)

अतत्त्वज्ञस्य शास्त्राणां संततं संशयात्मनः । अकृतव्यवसायस्य श्रेयो ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

atattvajñasya śāstrāṇāṃ saṃtataṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ | akṛtavyavasāyasya śreyo brūhi pitāmaha

Grandfather, tell me what is the highest good for one who has not grasped the truth of the scriptures, whose mind is always in doubt, and who has not made up his mind.

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: the page is the right adhyaya (rows labelled 12-293-1 to 12-293-59; the colophon reads त्रिनवत्यधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः । 293); no stray copy of another adhyaya. Its text is the critical edition's 12.276.1-58 (the CE numbers this adhyaya 276). Wikisource divides the CE's couplets differently from verse 14 to verse 23 (see the notes there). The footnote block after the colophon (पाठान्तर glosses) is not part of the text and is not added. No Appendix I passage occurs here; the two CE star passages (12.276.3d*0738 and 12.276.40d*0739) are not in Wikisource's text.

Verse 2 (12.293.2)

गुरुपूजा च सततं वृद्धानां पर्युपासनम् । श्रवणं चैव विद्यानां कूटस्थं श्रेय उच्यते ॥

gurupūjā ca satataṃ vṛddhānāṃ paryupāsanam | śravaṇaṃ caiva vidyānāṃ kūṭasthaṃ śreya ucyate

Constant reverence for one's teachers, waiting upon the elders, and listening to the sciences: this is called the unchanging good.

Verse 3 (12.293.3)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । गालवस्य च संवादं देवर्षेर्नारदस्य च ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | gālavasya ca saṃvādaṃ devarṣernāradasya ca

On this point they tell this ancient account, the conversation of Galava and the divine sage Narada.

Note on the text: The CE has a star line after 12.276.3d (*0738_01, svāśramaṃ samanuprāptaṃ nāradaṃ devavarcasam); it is not in Wikisource's text.

Verse 4 (12.293.4)

वीतमोहक्लमं विप्रं ज्ञानतृप्तं जितेन्द्रियः । श्रेयस्कामो यतात्मानं नारदं गालवोऽब्रवीत् ॥

vītamohaklamaṃ vipraṃ jñānatṛptaṃ jitendriyaḥ | śreyaskāmo yatātmānaṃ nāradaṃ gālavo'bravīt

Galava, self-controlled and desiring his own good, spoke to Narada, the learned brahmin, free of delusion and weariness, content with knowledge, and master of himself.

Note on the text: Corrected यतान्मानं → यतात्मानं (misprint in Wikisource; यतान्मानं is not a word; the reading is yatātmānaṃ, 'self-restrained', cf. CE jitātmānam).

Verse 5 (12.293.5)

यैः कैश्चित्संमतो लोके गुणैश्च पुरुषो नृषु । भवत्यनपगान्सर्वांस्तान्गुणाँल्लक्षयामहे ॥

yaiḥ kaiścitsaṃmato loke guṇaiśca puruṣo nṛṣu | bhavatyanapagānsarvāṃstānguṇām̐llakṣayāmahe

We take note of all those qualities, whatever they may be, by which a man becomes esteemed among men in the world, and which never leave him.

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed; verses 5-11 are Galava's speech to Narada (the CE heads Narada's reply at 12.276.12).

Verse 6 (12.293.6)

भवानेवंविधोऽस्माकं संशयं छेत्तुमर्हति । अमूढश्चिरमूढानां लोकतत्त्वमजानताम् ॥

bhavānevaṃvidho'smākaṃ saṃśayaṃ chettumarhati | amūḍhaściramūḍhānāṃ lokatattvamajānatām

A man such as you, who are never bewildered, can cut our doubt, we who have long been bewildered and do not know the truth of the world.

Verse 7 (12.293.7)

ज्ञाने ह्येवं प्रवृत्तिः स्यात्कार्याणामविशेषतः । यत्कार्यं न व्यवस्यामस्तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति ॥

jñāne hyevaṃ pravṛttiḥ syātkāryāṇāmaviśeṣataḥ | yatkāryaṃ na vyavasyāmastadbhavānvaktumarhati

For it is by knowledge that one sets about actions without confusing one with another. Whatever duty we cannot settle on, that you should tell us.

Verse 8 (12.293.8)

भगवन्नाश्रमाः सर्वे पृथगाचारदर्शिनः । इदं श्रेय इदं श्रेय इति सर्वे प्रबोधिताः ॥

bhagavannāśramāḥ sarve pṛthagācāradarśinaḥ | idaṃ śreya idaṃ śreya iti sarve prabodhitāḥ

Revered one, all the orders of life look to their own separate rules of conduct, and all have been taught: This is the highest good, this is the highest good.

Verse 9 (12.293.9)

तांस्तु विप्रस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा शास्त्रैः शास्त्राभिनन्दिनः । स्वशास्त्रैः परितुष्टाश्च श्रेयो नोपलभामहे ॥

tāṃstu viprasthitāndṛṣṭvā śāstraiḥ śāstrābhinandinaḥ | svaśāstraiḥ parituṣṭāśca śreyo nopalabhāmahe

Seeing them standing apart, each delighting in its own scriptures and well satisfied with its own texts, we cannot find the highest good.

Note on the text: Corrected विप्रस्थितानदृष्ट्वा → विप्रस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा (misprint in Wikisource; the virama of न् is dropped; CE viprasthitān dṛṣṭvā). Corrected पिरतुष्टाश्च → परितुष्टाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; पिर- is not a word; CE parituṣṭāṃś ca).

Verse 10 (12.293.10)

शास्त्रं यदि भवेदेकं श्रेयो व्यक्तं भवेत्तदा । शास्त्रैश्च बहुभिर्भूयः श्रेयो गुह्यं प्रवेशितम् ॥

śāstraṃ yadi bhavedekaṃ śreyo vyaktaṃ bhavettadā | śāstraiśca bahubhirbhūyaḥ śreyo guhyaṃ praveśitam

If there were a single scripture, the highest good would be plain. But through the many scriptures the good has been made a hidden thing.

Verse 11 (12.293.11)

एतस्मात्कारणाच्छ्रेयो गहनं प्रतिभाति मे । ब्रवीतु भगवांस्तन्मे उपसन्नोस्म्यधीहि भो ॥

etasmātkāraṇācchreyo gahanaṃ pratibhāti me | bravītu bhagavāṃstanme upasannosmyadhīhi bho

For this reason the highest good seems to me hard to fathom. Let the revered one tell it to me; I have come to you for refuge, so teach me.

Verse 12 (12.293.12)

आश्रमास्तात चत्वारो यथा संकल्पिताः पृथक् । तान्सर्वाननुपश्य त्वं समाश्रित्यैव गालव ॥

āśramāstāta catvāro yathā saṃkalpitāḥ pṛthak | tānsarvānanupaśya tvaṃ samāśrityaiva gālava

My child, there are four orders of life, each laid down separately as it was devised. Examine all of them, Galava, keeping every one of them in view.

Verse 13 (12.293.13)

तेषांतेषां तथाहि त्वमाश्रमाणां ततस्ततः । नानारूपं गुणोद्देशं पश्य विप्रस्थितं पृथक् ॥

teṣāṃteṣāṃ tathāhi tvamāśramāṇāṃ tatastataḥ | nānārūpaṃ guṇoddeśaṃ paśya viprasthitaṃ pṛthak

Look at the various forms of virtue laid down in each of those orders of life, one after another, each standing apart.

Verse 14 (12.293.14)

न यान्ति चैव ते सम्यगभिप्रेतमसंशयम् । अन्येऽपश्यंस्तथा सम्यगाश्रमाणां परां गतिम् ॥

na yānti caiva te samyagabhipretamasaṃśayam | anye'paśyaṃstathā samyagāśramāṇāṃ parāṃ gatim

They do not reach the intended goal beyond doubt; others, again, have rightly seen the supreme end of the orders of life.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 12.276.13e (nayanti caiva te samyag abhipretam asaṃśayam) and line 2 corresponds to CE 12.276.14a (ṛju paśyaṃs tathā samyag āśramāṇāṃ parāṃ gatim); Wikisource's न यान्ति and अन्येऽपश्यंस्तथा are recension variants (the page's footnote records ऋजु पश्यन्ति ये सम्यक् as another reading) and are kept. Wikisource's couplets run one line off from the CE from here to verse 23.

Verse 15 (12.293.15)

यत्तु निःश्रेयसं सम्यक्तच्चैवासंशयात्मकम् । अनुग्रहं च मित्राणाममित्राणां च निग्रहम् ॥

yattu niḥśreyasaṃ samyaktaccaivāsaṃśayātmakam | anugrahaṃ ca mitrāṇāmamitrāṇāṃ ca nigraham

What is truly the supreme good is free of doubt: favour to friends, restraint of enemies,

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.276.14c and 15a.

Verse 16 (12.293.16)

संग्रहं च त्रिवर्गस्य श्रेय आहुर्मनीषिणः । निवृत्तिः कर्मणः पापात्सततं पुण्यशीलता ॥

saṃgrahaṃ ca trivargasya śreya āhurmanīṣiṇaḥ | nivṛttiḥ karmaṇaḥ pāpātsatataṃ puṇyaśīlatā

and the gathering of the three aims of life: this the wise call the good. Turning away from sinful action, constant devotion to virtue,

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.276.15c and 16a.

Verse 17 (12.293.17)

सद्भिश्च समुदाचारः श्रेय एतदसंशयम् । मार्दवं सर्वभूतेषु व्यवहारेषु चार्जवम् ॥

sadbhiśca samudācāraḥ śreya etadasaṃśayam | mārdavaṃ sarvabhūteṣu vyavahāreṣu cārjavam

and conduct in keeping with the good: this is the good beyond doubt. Gentleness toward all beings, honesty in dealings,

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.276.16c and 17a.

Verse 18 (12.293.18)

वाक्चैव मधुरा प्रोक्ता श्रेय एतदसंशयम् । देवताभ्यः पितृभ्यश्च संविभागोऽतिथिष्वपि ॥

vākcaiva madhurā proktā śreya etadasaṃśayam | devatābhyaḥ pitṛbhyaśca saṃvibhāgo'tithiṣvapi

and sweet speech are declared to be the good beyond doubt. A share for the gods, the ancestors and also the guests,

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.276.17c and 18a.

Verse 19 (12.293.19)

असंत्यागश्च भृत्यानां श्रेय एतदसंशयम् । सत्यस्य वचनं श्रेयः सत्यज्ञानं तु दुष्करम् ॥

asaṃtyāgaśca bhṛtyānāṃ śreya etadasaṃśayam | satyasya vacanaṃ śreyaḥ satyajñānaṃ tu duṣkaram

and not abandoning one's dependants: this is the good beyond doubt. To speak the truth is good, but to know the truth is hard.

Note on the text: Corrected भूत्यानां → भृत्यानां (misprint in Wikisource; भूत्यानां is not a word; CE bhṛtyānām, 'dependants'). Lines are CE 12.276.18c and 19a.

Verse 20 (12.293.20)

यद्भूतहितमत्यन्तमेतत्सत्यं ब्रवीम्यहम् । अहंकारस्य च त्यागः प्रमादस्य च निग्रहः ॥

yadbhūtahitamatyantametatsatyaṃ bravīmyaham | ahaṃkārasya ca tyāgaḥ pramādasya ca nigrahaḥ

What is utterly beneficial to beings, that I call truth. Giving up egoism and curbing heedlessness,

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.276.19c and 20a; Wikisource's प्रमादस्य (CE praṇayasya; the page's footnote has प्रणयस्य as a variant) is a recension variant.

Verse 21 (12.293.21)

संतोषश्चैकचर्या च कूटस्थं श्रेय उच्यते । धर्मेण वेदाध्ययनं वेदाङ्गानां तथैव च ॥

saṃtoṣaścaikacaryā ca kūṭasthaṃ śreya ucyate | dharmeṇa vedādhyayanaṃ vedāṅgānāṃ tathaiva ca

contentment and a solitary way of life are called the unchanging good. Study of the Veda according to dharma, and likewise of the Vedangas,

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.276.20c and 21a.

Verse 22 (12.293.22)

ज्ञानार्थानां च जिज्ञासा श्रेय एतदसंशयम् । शब्दरूपरसस्पर्शान्सह गन्धेन केवलान् ॥

jñānārthānāṃ ca jijñāsā śreya etadasaṃśayam | śabdarūparasasparśānsaha gandhena kevalān

and the desire to know what is to be known: this is the good beyond doubt. Sound, form, taste and touch, together with smell, taken purely as objects of enjoyment,

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.276.21c and 22a; Wikisource's ज्ञानार्थानां is a recension variant of CE vidyārthānām (the page's footnote gives वेद्यार्थानां).

Verse 23 (12.293.23)

नात्यर्थमुपसेवेत श्रेयसोर्थी कथंचन ॥

nātyarthamupaseveta śreyasorthī kathaṃcana

one who seeks the highest good should never indulge to excess.

Note on the text: A single line on the page (labelled 12-293-23a only); nothing is lost: it is CE 12.276.22c, the line left over by the one-line shift in the couplets (Wikisource has कथंचन for CE paraṃtapa). The sentence begun in verse 22 ends here.

Verse 24 (12.293.24)

नक्तंचर्यां दिवास्वप्नमालस्यं पैशुनं मदम् । अतियोगमयोगं च श्रेयसोर्थी परित्यजेत् ॥

naktaṃcaryāṃ divāsvapnamālasyaṃ paiśunaṃ madam | atiyogamayogaṃ ca śreyasorthī parityajet

One who seeks the highest good should give up wandering by night, sleeping by day, sloth, slander, intoxication, over-doing and neglect.

Verse 25 (12.293.25)

आत्मोत्कर्षं न मार्गेत परेषां परिनिन्दया । स्वगुणैरेव मार्गेत विप्रकर्षं पृथग्जनात् ॥

ātmotkarṣaṃ na mārgeta pareṣāṃ parinindayā | svaguṇaireva mārgeta viprakarṣaṃ pṛthagjanāt

Let him not seek to raise himself by disparaging others; let him seek to stand apart from the common crowd by his own virtues.

Note on the text: Corrected मार्गेति → मार्गेत (misprint in Wikisource; मार्गेति is not a valid form; the optative मार्गेत (CE mārgeta) is meant).

Verse 26 (12.293.26)

निर्गुणास्त्वेव भूयिष्ठमात्मसंभाविता नराः । दोषैरन्यान्गुणवतः क्षिपन्त्यात्मगुणक्षयात् ॥

nirguṇāstveva bhūyiṣṭhamātmasaṃbhāvitā narāḥ | doṣairanyānguṇavataḥ kṣipantyātmaguṇakṣayāt

Men without virtue, for the most part full of self-esteem, cast faults on those who have virtue, because their own merit is spent.

Verse 27 (12.293.27)

अनूच्यमानास्तु पुनस्ते मन्यन्ते महाजनात् । गुणवत्तरमात्मानं स्वेन मानेन दर्पिताः ॥

anūcyamānāstu punaste manyante mahājanāt | guṇavattaramātmānaṃ svena mānena darpitāḥ

And when they are echoed by the crowd, swollen with their own conceit, they think themselves more virtuous than the great.

Verse 28 (12.293.28)

अब्रुवन्कस्यचिन्निन्दामात्मपूजामवर्णयन् । विपश्चिद्गुणसंपन्नः प्राप्नोत्येव महद्यशः ॥

abruvankasyacinnindāmātmapūjāmavarṇayan | vipaścidguṇasaṃpannaḥ prāpnotyeva mahadyaśaḥ

A learned man rich in virtue, who speaks ill of no one and does not proclaim his own worth, wins great fame all the same.

Verse 29 (12.293.29)

अब्रुवन्वाऽतिसुरभिर्गन्धः सुमनसां शुचिः । तथैवाव्याहरन्भाति विमलो भानुरम्बरे ॥

abruvanvā'tisurabhirgandhaḥ sumanasāṃ śuciḥ | tathaivāvyāharanbhāti vimalo bhānurambare

The pure fragrance of flowers spreads wide without a word; so too the spotless sun shines in the sky without speaking.

Verse 30 (12.293.30)

एवमादीनि चान्यानि परित्यक्तानि मेधया । ज्वलन्ति यशसा लोके यानि न व्याहरन्ति च ॥

evamādīni cānyāni parityaktāni medhayā | jvalanti yaśasā loke yāni na vyāharanti ca

These and other things like them, which wisdom has left to stand on their own, blaze with glory in the world without a word.

Note on the text: Corrected एव मादीनि → एवमादीनि (misprint in Wikisource; a stray space splits the word एवमादीनि).

Verse 31 (12.293.31)

न लोके दीप्यते मूर्खः केवलात्मप्रशंसया । अपि चापिहितः श्वभ्रे कृतविद्यः प्रकाशते ॥

na loke dīpyate mūrkhaḥ kevalātmapraśaṃsayā | api cāpihitaḥ śvabhre kṛtavidyaḥ prakāśate

A fool does not shine in the world merely by praising himself; but a man of learning shines forth even when hidden in a pit.

Verse 32 (12.293.32)

असदुच्चैरपि प्रोक्तः शब्दः समुपशाम्यति । दीप्यते त्वेव लोकेषु शनैरपि सुभाषितम् ॥

asaduccairapi proktaḥ śabdaḥ samupaśāmyati | dīpyate tveva lokeṣu śanairapi subhāṣitam

A bad word, however loudly spoken, dies away; but a well-spoken word, even softly spoken, shines in the world.

Verse 33 (12.293.33)

मूढानामवलिप्तानामसारं भाषितं बहु । दर्शयत्यन्तरात्मानमग्निरूपमिवांशुमान् ॥

mūḍhānāmavaliptānāmasāraṃ bhāṣitaṃ bahu | darśayatyantarātmānamagnirūpamivāṃśumān

The abundant, empty talk of the foolish and the arrogant lays bare their inner self, as the radiant sun shows a fiery form.

Verse 34 (12.293.34)

एतस्मात्कारणात्प्रज्ञां मृगयन्ते पृथग्विधाम् । प्रज्ञालाभो हि भूतानामुत्तमः प्रतिभाति मे ॥

etasmātkāraṇātprajñāṃ mṛgayante pṛthagvidhām | prajñālābho hi bhūtānāmuttamaḥ pratibhāti me

For this reason men seek wisdom of many kinds; the gaining of wisdom seems to me the best of all gains for living beings.

Verse 35 (12.293.35)

नापृष्टः कस्यचिद्ब्रूयान्नाप्यन्यायेन पृच्छतः । जानन्नपि च मेधावी जडवत्समुपाविशेत् ॥

nāpṛṣṭaḥ kasyacidbrūyānnāpyanyāyena pṛcchataḥ | jānannapi ca medhāvī jaḍavatsamupāviśet

He should not speak to anyone who has not asked, nor to one who asks improperly; even if he knows, a wise man should sit like a dullard.

Verse 36 (12.293.36)

ततो वासं परीक्षेत धर्मनित्येषु साधुषु । मनुष्येषु वदान्येषु स्वधर्मनिरतेषु च ॥

tato vāsaṃ parīkṣeta dharmanityeṣu sādhuṣu | manuṣyeṣu vadānyeṣu svadharmanirateṣu ca

Then let him examine where to live: among good men constant in dharma, among generous people devoted to their own duty.

Verse 37 (12.293.37)

चतुर्णां यत्र वर्णानां धर्मव्यतिकरो भवेत् । न तत्र वासं कुर्वीत श्रेयोर्थी वै कथंचन ॥

caturṇāṃ yatra varṇānāṃ dharmavyatikaro bhavet | na tatra vāsaṃ kurvīta śreyorthī vai kathaṃcana

Where the duties of the four varnas are mixed up, one who seeks the highest good should never live.

Verse 38 (12.293.38)

निरारम्भोऽप्ययमिह यथालब्धोपजीवनः । पुण्यं पुण्येषु विमलं पापं पापेषु चाप्नुयात् ॥

nirārambho'pyayamiha yathālabdhopajīvanaḥ | puṇyaṃ puṇyeṣu vimalaṃ pāpaṃ pāpeṣu cāpnuyāt

Even a man who undertakes no work and lives on whatever he happens to receive will win, here, pure merit among the meritorious and sin among the sinful.

Verse 39 (12.293.39)

अपामग्नेस्तथेन्दोश्च स्पर्शं वेदयते यथा । तथा पश्यामहे स्पर्शमुभयोः पुण्यपापयोः ॥

apāmagnestathendośca sparśaṃ vedayate yathā | tathā paśyāmahe sparśamubhayoḥ puṇyapāpayoḥ

As one feels the touch of water, of fire and of the moon, so we see the touch of both merit and sin.

Verse 40 (12.293.40)

अपश्यन्तोऽन्यविषयं भुञ्जते विघसाशिनः । भुञ्जानाश्चान्यविषयान्विषयान्विद्धि कर्मणाम् ॥

apaśyanto'nyaviṣayaṃ bhuñjate vighasāśinaḥ | bhuñjānāścānyaviṣayānviṣayānviddhi karmaṇām

Those who eat the remains of the offering enjoy their food without looking to any other domain; and know that those who enjoy other domains enjoy only the domains of their deeds.

Verse 41 (12.293.41)

यत्रागमयमानानामसत्कारेण पृच्छताम् । प्रब्रूयाद्ब्रह्मणो धर्मं त्यजेत्तं देशमात्मवान् ॥

yatrāgamayamānānāmasatkāreṇa pṛcchatām | prabrūyādbrahmaṇo dharmaṃ tyajettaṃ deśamātmavān

Where people question without showing respect and take in nothing of what they hear, and yet a brahmin expounds dharma to them, a self-possessed man should leave that land.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रह्माणो → ब्रह्मणो (misprint in Wikisource; ब्रह्माणो is not a valid form; CE brahmaṇo). The CE has four star lines after 12.276.40d (*0739_01-04, durvṛtto 'pi varo vipro … śunocchiṣṭaṃ havir yathā); they are not in Wikisource's text.

Verse 42 (12.293.42)

शिष्योपाध्यायिका वृत्तिर्यत्र स्यात्सुसमाहिता । यथावच्छास्त्रसंपन्ना कस्तं देशं परित्यजेत् ॥

śiṣyopādhyāyikā vṛttiryatra syātsusamāhitā | yathāvacchāstrasaṃpannā kastaṃ deśaṃ parityajet

Where the livelihood of pupils and teachers is well provided for and fully in keeping with the scriptures, who would leave that land?

Note on the text: Corrected शिष्योषाध्यायिका → शिष्योपाध्यायिका (misprint in Wikisource; ष for प; CE śiṣyopādhyāyikā).

Verse 43 (12.293.43)

आकाशस्था ध्रुवं यत्र दोषं ब्रूयुर्विपश्चिताम् । आत्मपूजाभिकामो वै को वसेत्तत्र पण्डितः ॥

ākāśasthā dhruvaṃ yatra doṣaṃ brūyurvipaścitām | ātmapūjābhikāmo vai ko vasettatra paṇḍitaḥ

Where men who set themselves up as though in the sky are sure to proclaim the faults of the learned, what wise man who wants honour for himself would live there?

Verse 44 (12.293.44)

यत्र संलोडिता लुब्धैः प्रायशो धर्मसेतवः । प्रदीप्तमिव चेलान्तं कस्तं देशं न संत्यजेत् ॥

yatra saṃloḍitā lubdhaiḥ prāyaśo dharmasetavaḥ | pradīptamiva celāntaṃ kastaṃ deśaṃ na saṃtyajet

Where the bridges of dharma have for the most part been broken down by the greedy, like the edge of a cloth set ablaze, who would not leave that land?

Verse 45 (12.293.45)

यत्र धर्ममनाशङ्काश्चरेयुर्वीतमत्सराः । भवेत्तत्र वसेच्चैव पुण्यशीलेषु साधुषु ॥

yatra dharmamanāśaṅkāścareyurvītamatsarāḥ | bhavettatra vaseccaiva puṇyaśīleṣu sādhuṣu

Where people practise dharma without fear and free of envy, there let him stay and live, among good people of virtuous conduct.

Verse 46 (12.293.46)

धर्ममर्थनिमित्तं च चरेयुर्यत्र मानवाः । न ताननुवसेज्जातु ते हि पापकृतो जनाः ॥

dharmamarthanimittaṃ ca careyuryatra mānavāḥ | na tānanuvasejjātu te hi pāpakṛto janāḥ

Where people practise dharma for the sake of gain, he should never live among them, for they are doers of evil.

Verse 47 (12.293.47)

कर्मणां यत्र पापेन वर्तन्ते जीवितेप्सवः । व्यवधावेत्ततस्तूर्णं ससर्पाच्छरणादिव ॥

karmaṇāṃ yatra pāpena vartante jīvitepsavaḥ | vyavadhāvettatastūrṇaṃ sasarpāccharaṇādiva

Where men who wish to live support themselves by sinful work, he should run swiftly from there, as from a house with a snake in it.

Verse 48 (12.293.48)

येन खट्वां समारूढः कर्मणाऽनुशयी भवेत् । आदितस्तन्न कर्तव्यमिच्छता भवमात्मनः ॥

yena khaṭvāṃ samārūḍhaḥ karmaṇā'nuśayī bhavet | āditastanna kartavyamicchatā bhavamātmanaḥ

A man who wants his own prosperity should avoid from the very beginning any deed that would leave him repenting when he has climbed onto his bier.

Verse 49 (12.293.49)

यत्र राजा च राज्ञश्च पुरुषाः प्रत्यनन्तराः । कुटुम्बिनामग्रभुजस्त्यजेत्तद्राष्ट्रमात्मवान् ॥

yatra rājā ca rājñaśca puruṣāḥ pratyanantarāḥ | kuṭumbināmagrabhujastyajettadrāṣṭramātmavān

Where the king and the king's men next in rank eat before the householders, a self-possessed man should leave that kingdom.

Verse 50 (12.293.50)

श्रोत्रियास्त्वग्रभोक्तारो धर्मनित्याः सनातनाः । याजनाध्यापने युक्ता यत्र तद्राष्ट्रमावसेत् ॥

śrotriyāstvagrabhoktāro dharmanityāḥ sanātanāḥ | yājanādhyāpane yuktā yatra tadrāṣṭramāvaset

He should settle in the kingdom where learned brahmins, constant in dharma and of ancient lineage, eat first, and are engaged in conducting sacrifices and teaching.

Verse 51 (12.293.51)

स्वाहास्वधावषट्कारा यत्र सम्यगनुष्ठिताः । अजस्रं चैव वर्तन्ते वसेत्तत्राविचारयन् ॥

svāhāsvadhāvaṣaṭkārā yatra samyaganuṣṭhitāḥ | ajasraṃ caiva vartante vasettatrāvicārayan

Where the svaha, svadha and vashat offerings are duly performed and go on without a break, he should live there without hesitation.

Note on the text: Corrected वषट्‌कारा → वषट्कारा (misprint in Wikisource; a stray zero-width non-joiner (U+200C) inside the word is removed).

Verse 52 (12.293.52)

अशुचीन्यत्र पश्येत ब्राह्मणान्वृत्तिकर्शितान् । त्यजेत्तद्राष्ट्रमासन्नमुपसृष्टमिवामिषम् ॥

aśucīnyatra paśyeta brāhmaṇānvṛttikarśitān | tyajettadrāṣṭramāsannamupasṛṣṭamivāmiṣam

Where he sees brahmins unclean and wasted by want of a livelihood, he should leave that kingdom, as one leaves meat that has been touched and defiled.

Verse 53 (12.293.53)

प्रीयमाणा नरा यत्र प्रयच्छेयुरयाचिताः । स्वस्थचित्तो वसेत्तत्र कृतकृत्य इवात्मवान् ॥

prīyamāṇā narā yatra prayaccheyurayācitāḥ | svasthacitto vasettatra kṛtakṛtya ivātmavān

Where people give gladly without being asked, there he should live with a tranquil mind, like one who has done all that was to be done.

Verse 54 (12.293.54)

दण्डो यत्राविनीतेषु सत्कारश्च कृतात्मसु । चरेत्तत्र वसेच्चैव पुण्यशीलेषु साधुषु ॥

daṇḍo yatrāvinīteṣu satkāraśca kṛtātmasu | carettatra vaseccaiva puṇyaśīleṣu sādhuṣu

Where punishment falls on the unruly and honour is paid to the self-disciplined, there let him go about and live, among good people of virtuous conduct.

Verse 55 (12.293.55)

उपसृष्टेषु दान्तेषु दुराचारेषु साधुषु । अविनीतेषु लुब्धेषु सुमहद्दण्डधारणम् ॥

upasṛṣṭeṣu dānteṣu durācāreṣu sādhuṣu | avinīteṣu lubdheṣu sumahaddaṇḍadhāraṇam

A very heavy rod of punishment is held over those who assail the self-controlled, those who behave ill toward the good, and the unruly and the greedy.

Note on the text: The Sanskrit is elliptical as printed; the sense follows the page's footnote (ये दान्तेषु उपसृष्टाः … ये च साधुषु दुराचारास्तेषु); it is read as the mark of a well-governed land, in the series of verses on where to live.

Verse 56 (12.293.56)

यत्र राजा धर्मनित्यो राज्यं धर्मेण पालयेत् । अपास्य कामान्कामेशो वसेत्तत्राविचारयन् ॥

yatra rājā dharmanityo rājyaṃ dharmeṇa pālayet | apāsya kāmānkāmeśo vasettatrāvicārayan

Where the king, constant in dharma, rules the realm by dharma, setting desires aside and master of his own desires, he should live there without hesitation.

Verse 57 (12.293.57)

यथाशीला हि राजानः सर्वान्विषयवासिनः । श्रेयसा योजयत्याशु श्रेयसि प्रत्युपस्थिते ॥

yathāśīlā hi rājānaḥ sarvānviṣayavāsinaḥ | śreyasā yojayatyāśu śreyasi pratyupasthite

For according to the character of the kings, so do they quickly bring all who dwell in the land to the good, when the good is at hand.

Verse 58 (12.293.58)

पृच्छतस्ते मया तात श्रेय एतदुदाहृतम् । न हि शक्यं प्रधानेन श्रेयः सङ्ख्यातुमात्मनः ॥

pṛcchataste mayā tāta śreya etadudāhṛtam | na hi śakyaṃ pradhānena śreyaḥ saṅkhyātumātmanaḥ

I have told you this, my dear child, as the good, since you asked me; for the good of the self cannot be counted up in full, even by the foremost.

Verse 59 (12.293.59)

एवं प्रवर्तमानस्य वृत्तिं प्रणिहितात्मनः । तपसैवेह बहुलं श्रेयो व्यक्तं भविष्यति ॥

evaṃ pravartamānasya vṛttiṃ praṇihitātmanaḥ | tapasaiveha bahulaṃ śreyo vyaktaṃ bhaviṣyati

For one who conducts himself in this way, with a well-concentrated mind, the good will become plain in abundance through austerity alone.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राणिहितात्मनः → प्रणिहितात्मनः (misprint in Wikisource; प्राणि- is not a word here; CE praṇihitātmanaḥ).