मणिः सूत्र इव प्रोतो नस्योत इव गोवृषः। धातुरादेशमन्वेति तन्मयो हि तदर्पणः
Like a jewel strung on a thread, or an ox bound to the yoke, he follows the command of the Creator, being made of that and offered to that.
नात्माथीनो मनुष्योऽयं कालं भजतिं कंचन। स्रोतसो मध्यमापन्नः कूलवृक्ष इव च्युतः
A person is not independent, nor does he attain any time of his own choosing; like a tree fallen into the middle of a stream, he is carried away.
अज्ञो जन्तुरनीशोऽयमात्मनः सुखदुःखयोः। ईश्वरप्रेरितो गच्छेत्स्वर्गं नरकमेव च
This ignorant creature is powerless over his own happiness and suffering; driven by the Lord, he goes to heaven or to hell.
यथा वायोस्तृणाग्राणि वशं यान्ति बलीयसः। धातुरेवं वशं यान्ति सर्वभूतानि भारत
Just as blades of grass are swept along by the forceful wind, so too, O Bharata, all beings are brought under the sway of the Creator.
आर्ये कर्मणि युञ्जानः पापे वा पुनरीश्वः। व्याप्य भूतानि चरते न चायमिति लक्ष्यते
Whether engaged in noble deeds or in sin, the Lord pervades all beings and moves among them, yet he is not recognized as such.
हेतुमात्रमिदं धातुः शरीरं क्षेत्रसंज्ञितम्। येन कारयते कर्म शुभाशुभफलं विभुः
This body, called the field, is merely an instrument of the Creator; through it, the Supreme causes actions that yield good or bad results.
पश्य मायाप्रभावोऽयमीश्वरेण यथा कृतः। यो हन्ति भूतैर्भूतानि मोहयित्वाऽऽत्ममायया
Behold this power of illusion, wrought by the Lord: after deluding beings through his own maya, he destroys them by means of other beings.
अन्यथा परिदृष्टानि मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः। अन्यथा परिवर्तन्ते वेगा इव नभस्वतः
Things are perceived one way by sages who see the truth, but they turn out differently, like the shifting gusts of the wind.
अन्यथैव हि वर्तन्ते पुरुषास्तानि तानि च। अन्यथैव प्रभुस्तानि करोति विकरोति च
Indeed, people act in one way, and those very things unfold differently; the Lord makes and unmakes them in yet another way.
यथा काष्ठेन वा काष्ठमश्मानं चाश्मना पुनः। अयसा चाप्ययश्छिन्द्यान्निर्विचेष्टमचेतनम्
Just as wood may break wood, or stone break stone, or iron cut iron—though all are inert and lifeless—
एवं स भगवान्देवः स्वयंभूः प्रपितामहः। निहन्ति भूतैर्भूतानि छद्म कृत्वा युधिष्ठिर
So too does the blessed, self-born Lord, the great grandsire, destroy beings by means of other beings, concealing himself, O Yudhishthira.
संप्रयोज्य वियोज्यायं कामकारकरः प्रभुः। क्रीडते भगवान्भूतैर्बालः क्रीडनकैरिव
Bringing together and separating beings at will, the Lord plays with them as a child plays with toys.
न मातृपितृवद्राजन्धाता भूतेषु वर्तते। रोषादिव प्रवृत्तो।़यं यथाऽयमितरो जनः
O King, the Creator does not act among beings like a mother or father, nor is he moved by anger or such impulses, as ordinary people are.
आर्याञ्शीलवो दृष्ट्वा हीमतो वृत्तिकर्शितान्। अनार्यान्सुखिनश्चैव विह्वलानिव चिन्तये
Seeing the noble, virtuous, and self-restrained suffering, and the ignoble living happily, I am troubled, as if bewildered.
तवेमामापदं दृष्ट्वा समृद्धिं च सुयोधने। धातारं गर्हये पार्थ विषमं योऽनुपश्यति
Seeing your misfortune and Duryodhana's prosperity, I reproach the Creator, O Partha, who observes this injustice.
आर्यशास्त्रातिगे क्रूरे लुब्धे धर्मापचायिनि। धार्तराष्ट्रे श्रियं दत्त्वा धाता किं फलमश्नुते
What fruit does the Creator gain by granting fortune to the cruel, greedy, and unrighteous son of Dhritarashtra, who transgresses noble law?
कर्मचेत्कृतमन्वेति कर्तारं नान्यमृच्छति। कर्मणा तेन पापेन लिप्यते नूनमीश्वरः
If an action follows its doer and does not reach anyone else, then surely the Lord is tainted by that sinful act.
अथ कर्मकृतं पापं न चेत्कर्तारमृच्छति। कारणं बलमेवेह जनाञ्शोचामि दुर्बलान्
But if the sin produced by action does not reach the doer, then only force is the cause here; for this, I pity the weak.
वल्गु चित्रपदं श्लक्ष्णं याज्ञसेनि त्वया वचः। उक्तं तच्छ्रुतमस्माभिर्नास्तिक्यं तु प्रभाषसे
O Yajnaseni, you have spoken words that are charming, varied, and gentle; we have heard them, but you speak in a manner of disbelief.
नाहं धर्मफलाकाङ्क्षी राजपुत्रि चराम्भुत। ददामि देयमित्येव यजे यष्टव्यमित्युत
O princess, I do not act for the sake of the fruits of righteousness; I give because it should be given, and I perform sacrifice because it should be performed.
अस्तु वाऽत्र फलं मा वा कर्तव्यं पुरुषेण यत्। गृहे निवसता कृष्णे यथाशक्ति करोमि तत्
Whether there is fruit here or not, a person must do what should be done; living in the house, O Krishna, I act according to my ability.
धर्मं चरामि सुश्रोणि न धर्मफलकारणात्। आगमाननतिक्रम्य सतां वृत्तमवेक्ष्य च
I practice righteousness, O fair-hipped one, not for the sake of its reward; not transgressing the tradition, and observing the conduct of the virtuous.
धर्म एव मनः कृष्णे स्वभावाच्चैव मे धृतम्। [धर्मवाणिज्यको हीनो जघन्यो धर्मवादिनाम्]
My mind, O Krishna, is fixed on righteousness alone, and this is held by my very nature; for one who trades in righteousness is the lowest among those who speak of righteousness.
न धर्मफलमाप्नोति यो धर्मं दोग्धुमिच्छति। यश्चैनं शङ्कते कृत्वा नास्तिक्यात्पापचेतनः
He does not obtain the fruit of righteousness who seeks to milk righteousness; and he who, after acting, doubts it out of disbelief, is of sinful mind.
अतिवादान्मदाच्चैव मा धर्ममभिशङ्कथाः। धर्मातिशङ्की पुरुषस्तिर्यग्गतिपरायणः
Do not, out of excessive argument or pride, cast suspicion on righteousness; the man who excessively doubts righteousness is destined for lower births.
धर्मो यस्यातिशङ्क्यः स्यादार्षं वा दुर्बलात्मनः। वेदाच्छूद्र इवापेयात्स लोकादजरामरात्
For one whose mind is weak, if righteousness or the words of the seers become suspect, he should be cast out from the world of the deathless, like a Shudra from the Veda.
वेदाध्यायी धर्मपरः कुले जातो मनस्विनि। स्थविरेषु स योक्तव्यो राजभिर्धर्मचारिभिः
He who is devoted to the Veda, intent on righteousness, and born in a noble family, O wise one, should be engaged by elders and righteous kings.
पापीयान्स हि शूद्रेभ्यस्तस्करेभ्यो विशिष्यते। शास्त्रातिगो मन्दबुद्धिर्यो धर्ममतिशङ्कते
He is more sinful than Shudras and worse than thieves, that dull-witted one who, transgressing the scripture, casts suspicion on righteousness.
प्रत्यक्षं हि त्वया दृष्ट ऋषिर्गच्छन्महातपाः। मार्कण्डेयोऽप्रमेयात्मा धर्मेण चिरजीविता
You yourself have seen with your own eyes the sage of great austerity, Markandeya, whose soul is immeasurable, living long through righteousness.
व्यासो वसिष्ठो मैत्रेयो नारदो लोमशः शुकः। अन्ये च ऋषयः सर्वे धर्मेणैव सुचेतसः
Vyasa, Vasishtha, Maitreya, Narada, Lomasha, Shuka, and all the other sages, wise in mind, live by righteousness alone.