सर्वथा कार्यमेतन्नः स्वधर्ममनुतिष्ठताम्। काङ्खतां विषुलां कीर्ति वैरं प्रतिचिकीर्षताम्
In every way, this is our duty—to uphold our own dharma, seeking unblemished fame and desiring to repay enmity.
आत्मार्थं युध्यमानानां जीविते कृत्यलक्षणे। अन्यैरपि हृते राज्ये प्रशंसैव न गर्हणा
For those who fight for their own sake, when the time for action has come, even if the kingdom is taken by others, there is praise, not blame.
कर्शनार्थो हि यो धर्मो विप्राणामात्मनस्तथा। व्यसनं नाम तद्राजन्न धर्मः स कुवर्त्मतत्
That dharma which brings only suffering to oneself or to brahmins is not true dharma, O King; it is a false path called misfortune.
सर्वथा धर्मनित्यं तु पुरुषं धर्मदुर्बलम्। जहतस्तात धर्मार्थौ प्रेतं दुःखसुखे यथा
Indeed, O father, when a man always devoted to dharma is weak in dharma, both righteousness and wealth abandon him, as pleasure and pain leave the dead.
यस्य धर्मो हि धर्मार्थँ क्लेशभाङ्ग स पण्डितः। न स धर्मस्य वेदार्थं सूर्यस्यान्धः प्रभामिव
He who regards dharma as only hardship and pain is not wise; he does not understand the meaning of dharma, just as a blind man cannot see the sun’s light.
यस्य चार्थार्थ एवार्थः स च नार्थस्य कोविदः। रक्ष्यते भृतकः पुण्यं यथा स्यात्तादृगेव सः
And he who sees only gain as gain is not skilled in gain; he is like a hired servant who guards virtue only for pay.
अतिवेलं हि योऽर्थार्थी नेतरावनुतिष्ठति। स वध्यः सर्वभूतानां ब्रह्महेव जुगुप्सितः
He who, seeking gain, acts excessively and not as others do, is to be condemned by all beings, just as a slayer of Brahman is reviled.
सततं यश्च कामार्थी नेतरावनुतिष्ठति। मित्राणि तस्य नश्यन्ति धर्मार्थाभ्यां च हीयते
One who constantly pursues desire and acts unlike others loses his friends and diminishes in both righteousness and wealth.
तस्य धर्मार्थहीनस्य कामान्ते निधनं ध्रुवम्। कामतो रममाणस्य मीनस्येवाम्भसः क्षये
For one deprived of righteousness and wealth, destruction at the end of desire is certain, like a fish perishing when water is gone, indulging in pleasure.
तस्माद्धर्मार्थयोर्नित्यं न प्रमान्द्यन्ति पण्डिताः। प्रकृतिः सा हि कामस्य पावकस्यारणिर्यथा
Therefore, the wise never neglect righteousness and wealth; for the nature of desire is like fire arising from wood.
सर्वथा धर्ममूलोऽर्थो धर्मश्चार्थपरिग्रहः। इतरेतरयोर्नीतौ विद्धि मेघोदधी यथा
In every way, wealth is rooted in righteousness, and righteousness is supported by wealth; know their mutual relationship as that between cloud and ocean.
द्रव्यार्थस्पर्शसंयोगे या प्रीतिरुपजायते। स कामश्चित्तसंकल्पः शरीरं नास्य दृश्यते
The pleasure that arises from contact with objects of wealth is desire, a resolve of the mind; its form is not seen in the body.
अर्थार्थी पुरुषो राजन्बृहन्तं धर्ममिच्छति। अर्थमिच्छति कामार्थीन कामादन्यमिच्छति
O King, a man seeking gain desires abundant righteousness; one seeking wealth desires pleasure, and from pleasure, he desires something else.
न हि कामेन कामोऽन्यः सिध्यते फलमेव तत्। उषयोगात्फलस्यैव काष्ठाद्भस्मेव पण्डितः
Indeed, one desire is not fulfilled by another desire; it is only the result that is achieved, just as fire consumes wood and leaves only ashes, O wise one.
इमाञ्शकुनकान्राजन्हन्ति वैतंसिको यथा। एतद्रूपमधर्मस्य भूतेषु च विहिंसनम्
O King, just as a fowler kills birds, so is the nature of unrighteousness—harming creatures.
कामाल्लोभाच्च धर्मस्य प्रवृत्तिं यो न पश्ति। स वध्यः सर्वभूतानां प्रेत्य चेहैच दुर्मतिः
He who, out of desire and greed, does not see the course of righteousness is to be condemned by all beings, both after death and here, as one of evil mind.
व्यक्तं ते विदितो राजन्नर्थो द्रव्यपरिग्रहः। प्रकृतिं चापि वेत्थास्य विकृतिं चापि भूयसीम्
O King, the meaning of wealth, the acquisition of possessions, is clearly known to you; you know its nature and also its greater distortion.
तस्य नाशं विनाशं वा जरया मरणेन वा। अनर्थ इति मन्यन्ते सोयमस्मासु वर्तते
Its destruction or loss, whether by old age or by death, is considered misfortune; this is what occurs among us.
इन्द्रियाणां च पञ्चानां मनसो हृदयस्य च। विपये वर्तमानानां या प्रीतिरुपजायते
The pleasure that arises from the five senses, the mind, and the heart, when they are engaged in their objects—
स काम इति मे बुद्धिः कर्मणां फलमुत्तमम्। एवमेव पृथग्दृष्ट्वा धर्मार्थौ काममेव च
That is called desire, in my understanding, the highest fruit of actions; thus, seeing righteousness, wealth, and desire as distinct—
न धर्मपर एव स्यान्न चार्थपरमो नरः। न कामपरमो वा स्यात्सर्वान्सेवेत सर्वदा
Let no one be devoted solely to righteousness, nor to wealth, nor to desire; let him always serve all of them.
धर्मं पूर्वे धनं मध्ये जघन्ये काममाचरेत्। अहन्यनुचरेदेवमेष शास्त्रकृतो विधिः
Let one pursue righteousness first, wealth in the middle, and desire last; let him act thus each day—this is the rule established by scripture.
कामं पूर्वे धनं मध्ये जघन्ये धर्ममाचरेत्। वयस्यनुचरेदेवमेष शास्त्रकृतो विधिः
Let one pursue desire first, wealth in the middle, and righteousness last; let him act thus in youth—this is the rule established by scripture.
धर्मं चार्थं च कामं च यथावद्वदतांवर। विभज्य काले कालज्ञः सर्वान्सेवेत पण्डितः
O best of speakers, let the wise man, knowing the proper time, divide righteousness, wealth, and desire accordingly, and serve them all.
मोक्षो वा परमं श्रेय एष राजन्सुखार्थिनाम्। प्राप्तिं वा बुद्धिमास्थाय सोपायां कुरुनन्दन
O King, liberation is the highest good for those who seek happiness; or, Kurunandana, attain your goal by adopting intelligent means.
तद्वाऽऽशु क्रियतां राजन्प्राप्तिर्वाप्यधिगम्यताम्। जीवितं ह्यातुरस्येव दुःखमन्तरवर्तिनः
Therefore, O King, let this be done quickly, or let the objective be achieved; for life, when troubled by suffering, is like that of a sick man.
विदितश्चैव मे धर्मः सततं चरितश्च ते। जानन्तस्त्वयि शंसन्ति सुहृदः कर्मचोदनाम्
I know your righteousness, and it has always been practiced by you; your friends, knowing this in you, urge you toward action.
एष नार्थविहीनेन शक्यो राजन्निपेवितुम्। अखिलाः पुरुषव्याघ्र गुणाः स्युर्यद्यपीनरे
O King, all virtues cannot be maintained by one who lacks wealth, even if he is a tiger among men.
धर्ममूलं जगद्राजन्नान्यद्धर्माद्विशिष्यते। धर्मश्चार्थेन महता शक्यो राजन्निषेवितुम्
O King, the world is rooted in righteousness; nothing surpasses righteousness; and righteousness can indeed be pursued by means of great wealth.
न चार्थो भैक्ष्यचर्येण नापि क्लैब्येन कर्हिचित्। वेत्तुं शक्यस्तथा राजन्केवलं धर्मबुद्धिना
And wealth is never attained through begging or by weakness, O King, nor by mere righteous intention alone.