अर्थकृच्छ्रेषु दुर्गेषु व्यापत्सु स्वजनेष्वपि। शारीरमानसैर्दुःखैर्न सीदन्ति भवद्विधाः
Even in financial hardship, danger, calamity among relatives, or bodily and mental suffering, those like you do not falter.
श्रूयतां चाभिधास्यामि जनकेन यथा पुरा। आत्मव्यवस्थानकरागीताः श्लोका महात्मना
Hear now as I recount the verses once sung by the great-souled Janaka, which establish the self.
मनोदेहसमुत्थाभ्यां दुःखाभ्यामर्दितं जगत्। तयोर्व्याससमासाभ्यांशमोपायमिमं शृणु
The world is afflicted by sufferings arising from mind and body; hear the means for their partial and complete remedy.
व्याधेरनिष्टसंस्पर्शाच्छ्रमादिष्टविवर्जनात्। दुःखं चतुर्भिः शारीरं कारणैः संप्रवर्तते
Bodily suffering arises from four causes: contact with disease and unpleasant things, fatigue, and deprivation.
तदा तत्प्रतिकाराच्च सततं चाविचिन्तनात्। आधिव्याधिप्रशमनं क्रियायोगबलेन तु
Through counteraction, constant reflection, and the strength of practice and discipline, ailments and afflictions are subdued.
मतिमन्तो व्यथोपेताः शमं प्रागेव कुर्वते। मानसस्य प्रियाख्यानैः संभोगोपनयैर्नृणाम्
Those of intelligence, even when afflicted, attain calm beforehand, through pleasant narratives and means of enjoyment among people.
मानसेन हि दुःखेन शरीरमुपतप्यते। अयःपिण्डेन तप्तेन कुम्भसंस्थमिवोदकम्
For mental suffering torments the body, as water in a pot is heated by a hot iron lump.
मानसं शमयेत्तस्माज्ज्ञानेनाग्निमिवाम्बुना। प्रशन्ते मानसे दुःखे शारीरमुपशाम्यति
Therefore, one should pacify the mind with knowledge, as fire with water; when the mind's suffering is calmed, bodily pain subsides.
मनसो दुःखमूलं तु स्नेह इत्युपलभ्यते। स्नेहात्तु सज्जते जन्तुर्दुःखयोगमुपैति च
It is observed that affection is the root of sorrow in the mind; from affection, a creature becomes attached and enters into union with suffering.
स्नेहमूलानि दुःखानि स्नेहजानि भयानि च। शोकहर्षौ तथायासः सर्वं स्नेहात्प्रवर्तते
Sorrows have their origin in affection, and fears arise from affection as well; grief and joy, as well as fatigue, all proceed from affection.
स्नेहात्कारुण्यरागौ च प्रजास्वीर्ष्यादयस्तथा। अश्रेयस्कावुभावेतौ पूर्वस्तत्र गुरुः स्मृतः
From affection arise compassion and passion toward people, as well as envy and other such feelings; both are considered unbeneficial, with the former regarded as weighty.
कोटराग्निर्यथाऽशेषं समूलं पादपं दहेत्। धर्मार्थिनं तथाऽल्पोपि रागदोषो विनाशयेत्
Just as fire in a hollow burns up a tree completely, root and all, so even a small fault of passion can destroy one who seeks righteousness.
विप्रयोगे न तु त्यागी दोषदर्शी समागमे। विरागं भजते जन्तुर्निर्वैरो निष्परिग्रहः
Not in separation, but in union, does one who is renouncing and perceives faults attain dispassion, being free from enmity and possessions.
तस्मात्स्नेहं स्वपक्षेभ्यो मित्रेभ्यो धनसंचयात्। स्वशरीरसमुत्थं च ज्ञानेन विनिवर्तयेत्
Therefore, one should turn away affection for one's own side, friends, accumulation of wealth, and even for one's own body, by means of knowledge.
ज्ञानान्वितेषु युक्तेषु शास्त्रज्ञेषु कृतात्मसु। न तेषु सज्जते स्नेहः पद्मपत्रेष्विवोदकम्
In those endowed with knowledge, discipline, mastery of scripture, and self-control, affection does not adhere, just as water does not stick to a lotus leaf.
रागाभिभूतः पुरुषः कामेन परिकृष्यते। इच्छा संजायते तस्य ततस्तृष्णा विवर्धते
A person overwhelmed by passion is dragged by desire; longing arises in him, and then craving increases.
तृष्णा हि सर्वपापिष्ठा नित्योद्देगकरी नृणाम्। अधर्मबहुला चैव घोरा पापानुबन्धिनी
Craving is indeed the most wicked of all, always causing agitation in people; it is full of unrighteousness, dreadful, and follows sin.
या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर्या न जीर्यति जीर्यतः। योसौ प्राणान्तिको रोगस्तां तृष्णांत्यजतः सुखम्
That craving which is hard to abandon for the foolish, which does not decay even as one ages, which is a disease ending in death—happiness comes to one who abandons it.
अनाद्यन्ता तु सा तृष्णा अन्तर्देहगता नृणाम्। विनाशयति भूतानि अयोनिज इवानलः
That craving, without beginning or end, resides within the bodies of people; it destroys beings, like fire not born from a womb.
यथैधः स्वसमुत्थेन वह्निना नाशमृच्छति। तथाऽकृतात्मा लोभेन सहजेन विनश्यति
Just as fuel is consumed by fire arising from itself, so one whose self is unformed is destroyed by innate greed.
राजतः सलिलादग्नेश्चोरतः स्वजनादपि। `अर्थिभ्यः कालतस्तस्मान्नित्यमर्थवतां भयम्'। भयमर्थवतां नित्यं मृत्योः प्राणभृतामिव
From kings, from water, from fire, from thieves, and even from one's own people, from supplicants, and from time—there is always fear for those possessing wealth; the fear of the wealthy is constant, like the fear of death for living beings.
यथा ह्याभिषमाकाशे पक्षिभिः श्वापदैर्भुवि। भक्ष्यते सलिले मत्स्यैस्तथा सर्वेण वित्तवान्
Just as a snake is eaten in the sky by birds, on the earth by beasts, and in water by fish, so too is a wealthy person consumed by all.
अर्थ एव हि केषांचिदनर्थं भजते नृणाम्। अर्थश्रेयसि चासक्तो न श्रेयो विन्दते नरः। तस्मादर्थागमाः सर्वे मनोमोहविवर्धनाः
For some, wealth itself becomes misfortune; one attached to the prosperity of wealth does not attain true welfare. Therefore, all acquisitions of wealth only increase the delusion of the mind.
कार्पण्यं दर्पमानौ च भयमुद्वेग एव च। अर्थजानि विदुः प्राज्ञा दुःखान्येतानि देहिनाम्
Wise people know that misery, pride, arrogance, fear, and agitation—all these are born from wealth and are sufferings for embodied beings.
अर्थस्योपार्जने दुःखमार्जितानां च रक्षणे। नाशे दुःखं व्यये दुःखं घ्नन्ति चैवार्थकारणात्
There is sorrow in acquiring wealth, in protecting what has been acquired, in its loss, and in its expenditure; all these afflict because of wealth.
अर्था दुःखं परित्यक्तुं पालिताश्चैव शत्रवः। दुःखेन चाधिगम्यन्ते तेषां नाशं न चिन्तयेत्
Wealth is difficult to abandon, and when guarded, it becomes an enemy; it is obtained with suffering, and one should not grieve for its loss.
असन्तोषपरा मूढाः संतोषं यान्ति पण्डिताः। अन्तो नास्ति पिपासायाः संतोषः परमं सुखम्। तस्मात्संतोषमेवेह परं पश्यन्ति पण्डितः
Foolish people are devoted to dissatisfaction, while the wise attain contentment. There is no end to craving, but contentment is the highest happiness. Therefore, the wise see contentment alone as supreme in this world.
अनित्यं यौवनं रूपं जीवितं रत्नसंचयः। ऐश्वर्यं प्रियसंवासो गृद्ध्येत्तत्र न पण्डितः
Youth, beauty, life, the accumulation of jewels, wealth, and the company of loved ones are all impermanent; the wise do not become attached to them.
त्यजेत स च यांस्तस्मात्तज्जान्क्लेशान्सहेत च। न हि संचयवान्कश्चिद्दृश्यते निरुपद्रवः। अतश्च धार्मिकैः पुम्भिरनीहार्थः प्रशस्यते
Therefore, one should abandon and endure the troubles that arise from these things; for no one who accumulates possessions is seen to be free from distress. Thus, the wise praise a life without striving for gain.
धर्मार्थं यस्य वित्तेहा वरं तस्य नरीहता। प्रक्षालनाद्धि पङ्कस्य श्रेयो ह्यस्पर्शनं नृणाम्
For one whose pursuit of wealth is for the sake of righteousness, it is better to have no striving at all; for just as it is better for people not to touch mud than to wash it off, so too with wealth.