द्व्यक्षरादभिसंधाय केचिच्छ्लोकपदाङ्कितैः। शतैरन्यैः सहस्रैश्च प्रत्ययो मोक्षलक्षणम्
Some, by composing verses marked with words of two syllables, and others with hundreds or thousands, pursue the certainty that is the mark of liberation.
नायं लोकोस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः। ऊटुर्ज्ञानविदो वृद्धाः प्रत्ययो मोक्षलक्षणम्
For one whose mind is filled with doubt, neither this world nor the next exists, nor happiness; the wise elders, learned in knowledge, declare certainty as the mark of liberation.
विदितार्थस्तु वेदानां परिवेद प्रयोजनम्। उद्विजेत्स तु देवेभ्यो दावाग्नेरिव मानवः
He who understands the meaning of the Vedas and their purpose should shun even the gods, just as a man flees from a forest fire.
शुष्कं तर्कं परित्यज्यआश्रयस्व श्रुतिं स्मृतिम्। एकाराभिसंबद्धं तत्त्वं हेतुभिरिच्छसि। बुद्धिर्न तस्य सिद्ध्येत साधनस्य विपर्ययात्
Abandon dry reasoning and rely upon the revealed texts and tradition; if you seek truth bound by a single syllable through arguments, your intellect will not attain success, due to the reversal of means.
वेद्यं पूर्वं वेदितव्यं प्रयत्ना- त्तद्धीर्वेदस्तस्य वेदः शरीरम्। वेदस्तत्त्वं तत्समासोपलब्धिः क्लीबस्त्वात्मा न स वेद्यं न वेदः
What is to be known must first be understood through effort; that indeed is the Veda for him, the Veda is the body; the Veda is the truth, and its comprehensive realization; but the impotent self is neither the object to be known nor the Veda.
वेदोक्तमायुर्देवानामाशिषश्चैव कर्मणाम्। फलत्यनुयुगं लोके प्रभावश्च शरीरिणाम्
The lifespan spoken of in the Veda belongs to the gods, as do the blessings and actions; their effects manifest in the world through the ages, as does the power of embodied beings.
इन्द्रियाणां प्रसादेन तदेतत्परिवर्जयेत्। तस्मादनशनं दिव्यं निरुद्धेन्द्रियगोचरम्
By the clarity of the senses, one should renounce all this; therefore, divine fasting is prescribed, restricting the range of the senses.
तपसा स्वर्गगमनं भोगो दानेन जायते। ज्ञानेन मोक्षो विज्ञेयस्तीर्थस्नानादघक्षयः
Through austerity, one attains heaven; enjoyment arises from giving; liberation is to be understood through knowledge; the removal of sin comes from bathing at sacred places.
एवमुक्तस्तु राजेन्द्र प्रत्युवाच महायशाः। भगवञ्श्रोतुमिच्छामि प्रदानविधिमुत्तमम्
Thus addressed, O king, the illustrious one replied: 'O revered one, I wish to hear the supreme method of giving.'
यत्तत्पृच्छसि राजेन्द्रदानधर्मं युधिष्ठिर। इष्टं चेदं सदा मह्यं राजन्गौरवतस्तथा
That which you ask, O king, about the dharma of giving, O Yudhishthira, is always dear to me, and I honor it, O king.
शृणु दानरहस्यानि श्रुतिस्मृत्युदितानि च। छायायां करिणः श्राद्धं तत्कर्म परिवीजितम्। दशकल्पायुतानीह न क्षीयेत युधिष्ठिर
Hear the secrets of giving, as declared in the revealed texts and tradition; the offering made in the shadow of an elephant, fanned by ritual, does not diminish for ten thousand cycles, O Yudhishthira.
जीवनाय समाक्लिन्नं वसु दत्त्वा महीपते। विप्रं तु वासयेद्यस्तु सर्वयज्ञैः स इष्टवान्
By giving wealth soaked for sustenance, O king, and providing a dwelling for a Brahmin, one is considered to have performed all sacrifices.
प्रतिस्रोतश्चित्रवाहाः पर्जन्योऽन्नानुसंचरन्। महाधुरि यथा नावा महापापैः प्रमुच्यते। विषुवे विप्रदत्तानि दधिमध्वक्षयाणि च
Just as the mighty river flows against the current, and clouds distribute food, so, like a great ship, one is freed from great sins; at the equinox, gifts given to Brahmins, such as curd and honey, are inexhaustible.
पर्वसु द्विगुणं दानमृतौ दशगुणं भवेत्। `अब्दे दशगुणं प्रोक्तमनन्तं विषुवे भवेत्
On festival days, giving is doubled; at death, it becomes tenfold; in the year, tenfold is declared, and at the equinox, it becomes infinite.
अयने विषुवे चैवषडशीतिमुखेषु च। चन्द्रसूर्योपरागे च दत्तमक्षयमुच्यते
At the solstices, equinoxes, and at the mouths of the eighty-six days, and during eclipses of the moon and sun, gifts given are said to be inexhaustible.
ऋतुषु दशगुणं वदन्ति दत्तं शतगुणमृत्वयनादिषु ध्रुवम्। भवति सहस्रगुणं दिनस्य राहो- र्विषुवति चाक्षयमश्नुते फलम्
They say that gifts given during the seasons are tenfold; at the beginnings of the seasons, a hundredfold; at the thousandth part of the day of Rahu, and at the equinox, one attains inexhaustible fruit.
नाभूमिदो भूमिमश्नाति राज- न्नायानदो यानमारुह्य याति। यान्यान्कामान्ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददाति तांस्तान्कामाञ्जायमानः स भुङ्क्ते
O king, he who does not give land does not enjoy land; he who does not give a vehicle does not travel by vehicle; whatever desires one gives to Brahmins, those very desires he enjoys when born again.
अग्नेरपत्यं प्रथमं सुवर्णं भूर्वैष्णवी सूर्यसुताश्च गावः। लोकाश्त्रयस्तेन भवन्ति दत्ता यः काञ्चनं गाश्च महीं च दद्यात्
Gold is the first offspring of fire; earth is Vishnu's, cows are the daughters of the sun; by giving gold, cows, and land, one attains the three worlds.
परंहि दानान्न बभूव शाश्वतं भव्यं त्रिलोके भवते कुतः पुनः। तस्मात्प्रधानं परमं हि दानं वदन्ति लोकेषु विशिष्टबुद्धयः
Indeed, there has never been any gift greater or more lasting than charity; what else in the three worlds could be more auspicious? Therefore, those of distinguished wisdom in the world declare charity to be the foremost and highest.
इक्ष्वाकौ संस्तिते राजञ्शशादः पृथिवीमिमाम्। प्राप्तः परमधर्मात्मा सोऽयोध्यायां नृपोऽभवत्
When Ikshvaku passed away, O King, Shashada, a ruler of supreme righteousness, obtained this earth and became king in Ayodhya.
शशादस्य तु दायाद ककुत्स्थो नाम वीर्यवान्। अनेनाश्चापि काकुत्स्थः पृथुश्चानेनसः सुतः
Shashada's heir was the mighty Kakutstha by name; from him came Anenā, and from Anenā, Prithu, son of Anenā.
विष्वगश्वः पृथोः पुत्रस्तस्मादार्द्रश्च जज्ञिवान्। आर्द्रस्य युवनाश्वस्तु श्रावस्तस्तस्य चात्मजः
Vishvagashva was the son of Prithu, and from him was born Ardra; Ardra's son was Yuvanashva, and Shrāvasta was his son.
जज्ञे श्रावस्तको राजा श्रावस्ती येन निर्मिता। श्रावस्तस्य तु दायादो बृहदश्वो महाबलः
King Shrāvastaka was born, by whom Shrāvastī was founded; and Shrāvasta's heir was Brihadashva, of great might.
बृहदश्वस् दायादः कुवलाश्व इति स्मृतः। कुवलाश्वस्य पुत्राणां सहस्राण्येकविंसतिः
Brihadashva's heir was known as Kuvalāshva; Kuvalāshva had twenty-one thousand sons.
सर्वे विद्यासु निष्णाता बलवन्तो दुरासदाः। कुवलाश्वश्च पितृतोगुणैरभ्यधिकोऽभवत्
All were accomplished in the sciences, strong, and unconquerable; and Kuvalāshva surpassed his fathers in virtues.
समये तं तदा राज्ये बृहदश्वोऽभ्यषेचयत्। कुवलाश्वं महाराज शूरमुत्तमधार्मिकम्
At the proper time, Brihadashva anointed Kuvalāshva, the heroic and supremely righteous one, as king, O great king.
पुत्रसंक्रामितश्रीस्तु बृहदश्वो महीपतिः। जगाम तपसे धीमांस्तपोवनममित्रहा
Having transferred his royal glory to his son, the wise king Brihadashva, destroyer of foes, departed to the forest for asceticism.
अथ शश्वाव राजर्षिं तमुदङ्को नराधिप। वनं संप्रस्थितं राजन्बृहदश्वं द्विजोत्तमः
Then, O King, as Brihadashva, the royal sage, set out for the forest, the foremost of Brahmins, Udanka, approached him.
तमुदङ्को महातेजाः सर्वास्त्रविदुषांवरम्। न्यवारयदमेयात्मा समासाद्य पुरोत्तमे
That illustrious Udanka, master of all weapons and of immeasurable self-control, stopped him as he reached the foremost of cities.
भवता रक्षणं कार्यं तत्तावत्कर्तुमर्हसि। निरुद्विग्रा वयं राजंस्त्वत्प्रदाद्वसेमहि
You must provide protection, for that is your duty; let us dwell here without fear, O King, under your guardianship.