किं तच्छौचं भवेद्येन विप्रः शुद्धः सदा भवेत्। तदिच्छामि महाप्राज्ञ श्रोतुं धर्मभृतांवर
What is that purity by which a Brahmin is always pure? I wish to hear this, O great sage, foremost among upholders of Dharma.
वाक्शौचं क्रमशौचं च यच्च शौचं जलात्मकम्। त्रिभिः शौचैरुपेतो यः स स्वर्गी नात्र संशयः
Purity of speech, purity of conduct, and that which is purity arising from water—he who possesses these three purities, there is no doubt, attains heaven.
सायं प्रातश्च संध्यां यो ब्राह्मणोऽभ्युपसेवते। प्रजपन्पावनीं देवीं गायत्रीं वेदमातरम्
A Brahmin who serves the twilight rituals morning and evening, reciting the sacred Gayatri, the mother of the Vedas, purifies himself.
स तया पावितो देव्या ब्राह्मणो नष्टकिल्बिषः। न सीदेत्प्रतिगृह्णानो महीमपि ससागराम्
Purified by that divine goddess, the Brahmin becomes free from sin; even if he accepts the earth with its oceans, he does not falter.
ये चास् दारुणा केचिद्ग्रहाः सूर्यादयो दिवि। ते चास्य सौम्या जायन्ते शिवाः शिवतराः सदा
Those harsh planets, some among the Sun and others in the sky, become gentle for him, always auspicious and even more beneficent.
सर्वेनानुगतं चैनं दारुणाः पिशिताशनाः। घोररूपा महाकाया धर्षयन्ति द्विजोत्तमम्
All those fierce, flesh-eating beings of dreadful form and great size follow him and assail the foremost of twice-born.
नाध्यापनाद्याजनाद्वा अन्यायाद्वा प्रतिग्रहात्। दोषो भवति विप्राणां ज्वलिताग्निससा द्विजाः
From teaching, officiating, or accepting gifts unjustly, no fault arises for Brahmins; twice-born are as pure as blazing fire.
दुर्वेदा वा सुवेदा वा प्राकृताः संस्कृतास्तथा। ब्राह्मणा नावमन्तव्या भस्मच्छन्ना इवाग्नयः
Whether poorly versed or well versed, unrefined or refined, Brahmins should not be despised, for they are like fires covered with ashes.
यथा श्मशाने दीप्तौजाः पावको नैव दुष्यति। एवं विद्वानविद्वान्वा ब्राह्मणो दैवतं महत्
Just as fire burning brightly in a cremation ground is not defiled, so too, whether learned or unlearned, a Brahmin is a great divinity.
प्राकरैश्च पुरद्वारैः प्रासादैश्च पृथग्विधैः। नगराणि न शोभन्ते हीनानि ब्राह्मणोत्तमैः
Cities adorned with walls, gates, and various palaces do not shine if they lack eminent Brahmins.
वेदाढ्ञा वृत्संपन्ना ज्ञानवन्तस्तपस्विनः। यत्रतिष्न्ति वै विप्रास्तन्नाम नगरं नृप
Where Brahmins reside, learned in the Vedas, possessing herds, knowledgeable and austere, that place, O king, is called a city.
व्रजे वाऽप्यथवाऽरण्ये यत्रसन्ति बहुश्रुताः। तत्तन्नगरमित्याहुः पार्थ तीर्थं च तद्भवेत्
Whether in a village or in a forest, wherever many learned ones dwell, that is called a city, O Partha, and that place becomes a sacred site.
रक्षितारं च राजानं ब्राह्मणं च तपस्विनम्। अभिगम्याभिपूज्याथ सद्यः पापात्प्रमुच्यते
By approaching and duly honoring a king who protects, or a Brahmin devoted to austerity, one is immediately freed from sin.
पुण्यतीर्थाभिषेकं च पवित्राणां च कीर्तनम्। सद्भिः संभाषणं चैव प्रशस्तं कीर्त्यते बुधैः
Bathing at holy fords, reciting the names of the pure, and conversing with the virtuous—these are praised by the wise.
साधुसङ्गमपूतेन वाक्सुभाषितवारिणा। पवित्रीकृतमात्मानं सन्तो मन्न्ति नित्यशः
The good declare that one whose self is purified by the company of the righteous and by the water of well-spoken words is ever pure.
त्रिदण्डधारणं मौनं जटाभारोऽथ मुण्डनम्। वल्कलाजिनसंवेष्टं व्रतचर्याऽभिषेचनम्
Carrying the triple staff, silence, matted locks or a shaven head, wearing bark or skins, and performing vows—
अग्निहोत्रं वने वासः शरीरपरिशोषणम्। सर्वाण्येतानि मिथ्या स्युर्यदि भावो न निर्मलः
Agnihotra, dwelling in the forest, mortifying the body—all these are in vain if the mind is not pure.
विशुद्धिं चक्षुरादीनां षण्णामिन्द्रियगामिनाम्। विकारि तेषां राजेन्द्र सुदुष्करतरं मनः
O king, purification of the six senses—sight and the rest—is possible, but the mind, which is ever restless, is most difficult to master.
ये पापानि न कुर्वन्ति मनोवाक्कर्मबुद्धिभिः। ते तपन्ति महात्मानो न शरीरस्य शोषणम्
Those great souls who do not commit sins by mind, speech, action, or intellect truly practice austerity, not those who merely torment the body.
न ज्ञातिभ्यो दया यस्य शुक्लदेहोऽविकल्मषः। हिंसा सा तपसस्तस्य नानाशित्वं तपः स्मृतम्
He whose heart is not compassionate to his kin, though his body be pure and unstained, his violence is called austerity, and diverse eating is considered penance.
तिष्ठन्गृहे चैव मुनिर्नित्यं शुचिरलंकृतः। यावज्जीवं दयावांश् सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
A sage who remains at home, always pure and adorned, and compassionate throughout his life, is freed from all sins.
न हि पापानि कर्माणि शुद्ध्यन्त्यनशनादिभिः। सीदत्यनशनादेव मांसशोणितलेपनः
Indeed, sinful acts are not purified by fasting and the like; by fasting alone, one whose body is smeared with flesh and blood only suffers.
अज्ञातं कर्म कृत्वा च क्लेशो नान्यत्प्रहीयते। नाग्निर्दहति कर्माणि भावशून्यस्य देहिनः
By performing an unknown act, suffering is not removed otherwise; fire does not burn the deeds of one whose mind is empty.
पुण्यादेव प्रव्रजन्ति शुध्यन्त्यनशनानि च। न मूलफलभक्षित्वान्न मौनान्नानिलाशनात्
Only through merit do people go forth and become pure, not by eating roots and fruits, nor by silence, nor by living on air.
शिरसो मुण्डनाद्वाऽपि न स्थानकुटिकासनात्। न जटाधारणाद्वाऽपिन तु स्थानकुटिकासनात्
Not by shaving the head, nor by sitting in a hut, nor by wearing matted locks, nor by sitting in a hut, does one attain purity.
नित्यं ह्यनशनाद्वाऽपि नाग्निशुश्रूषणादपि। न चोदकप्रवेशेन न च क्ष्माशयनादपि
Not by constant fasting, nor by tending the sacred fire, nor by entering water, nor by lying on the ground, does one attain purity.
ज्ञानेन कर्मणा वापि जरामरणमेव च। व्याधयश्च प्रहीयन्ते प्राप्यते चोत्तमं पदम्
By knowledge or by action, even old age, death, and diseases are overcome, and the highest state is attained.
बीजानि ह्यग्निदग्धानि न रोहन्ति पुनर्यथा। ज्ञानदग्धैस्तधा क्लेशैर्नात्मा संडुज्यते पुनः
Just as seeds burned by fire do not sprout again, so too, when afflictions are burned by knowledge, the self is not bound again.
आत्मना विप्रहीणानि काष्ठकुण्ठोपमानि च। विनश्यन्ति न संदेहः फेनानीव महार्णवे
Afflictions abandoned by the self, like pieces of wood or potsherds, surely perish, like foam on the great ocean.
आत्मानं विन्दते येन सर्वभूतगुहाशयम्। श्लोकेन यदि वाऽर्धेन क्षीणं तस्य प्रयोजनम्
He who realizes the self dwelling in the cave of all beings, even by a verse or half a verse, for him the purpose is fulfilled.