राजानो हि स्वधर्मेण श्रियमिच्छन्ति भूयसीम्। सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां त्राता राजा भवत्युत
Kings, by following their own duty, desire abundant prosperity; indeed, the king becomes the protector of all classes.
परेण हि हतान्ब्रह्मन्वराहमहिषानहम्। न स्वयं हन्मि विप्रर्षे विक्रीणामि सदा त्वहम्
O Brahmin, I do not kill boars or buffaloes myself, but have them slain by others; nor do I ever sell them, O sage.
न भक्षयामि मांसानि ऋतुगामी तथाह्यहम्। सदोपवासी च तथा नक्तभोजी सदा द्विज
I do not eat meat; I observe the seasons, always fast, and eat only at night, O twice-born.
अशीलश्चापि पुरुषो भूत्वा भवति शीलवान्। प्राणिहिंसारतिश्चापि भवते धार्मिकः पुनः
Even a man without virtue can become virtuous; one who delights in harming living beings can again become righteous.
व्यभिचाराननरेन्द्राणां धर्मः संकीर्यते महान्। अधर्मो वर्तते चापि संकीर्यन्ते ततः प्रजाः
When kings commit transgressions, righteousness becomes greatly corrupted; unrighteousness prevails, and then the subjects are corrupted.
भेरुण्डा वामनाः कुब्जाः स्थूलशीर्षास्तथैव च। क्लीबाश्चान्धाश्च बधिरा जायन्तेऽत्युच्चलोचनाः
Bherundas, dwarfs, hunchbacks, those with large heads, impotent, blind, deaf, and those with excessively protruding eyes are born.
पार्थिवानामधर्मत्वात्प्रजानामभवः सदा। स एष राजा जनकः प्रजा धर्मेण पश्यति
Because of the unrighteousness of kings, defects always arise among the people; this King Janaka observes his subjects with righteousness.
अनुगृह्णन्प्रजाः सर्वाः स्वधर्मनिरताः सदा। `पात्येष राजा जनकः पितृवद्द्विजसत्तम
He supports all his subjects, who are always devoted to their own duties; this King Janaka protects them like a father, O best of twice-born.
येचैव मां प्रशंसन्ति येच निन्दन्ति मानवाः। सर्वान्सुपरिणीतेन कर्माणा तोषयाम्यहम्
Those who praise me and those who blame me, all people—I satisfy them with well-performed actions.
ये जीवन्ति स्वधर्मेण संयुञ्जन्ति च पार्थिवाः। न किंचिदुपजीवनति दान्ता उत्थानसीलिनः
Those who live by their own duty and are joined with the king, do not subsist on anything else; they are restrained and diligent.
शक्त्याऽन्नदानं सततं तितिक्षा धर्मनित्यता। यथार्हं प्रतिपूजा च सर्वभूतेषु वै दया
Constant giving of food according to one's ability, endurance, devotion to righteousness, proper honor, and compassion toward all beings.
त्यागान्नान्यत्र मर्त्यानां गुणास्तिष्ठान्ति पूरुषे। मृषावादं परिहरेत्कुर्यात्प्रियमयाचितः
Except for renunciation, virtues do not remain in mortals; one should avoid false speech and act kindly when asked.
न च कामान्न संरम्भान्न द्वेषाद्धर्ममुत्सृजेत्। प्रिये नातिभृशं हृष्येदप्रिये न च संज्वरेत्
One should not abandon righteousness for desire, anger, or hatred; in pleasant things, do not rejoice excessively, nor grieve in unpleasant things.
न मुह्येदर्थकृच्छ्रेषु न च धऱ्मं परित्यजेत्। कर्म चेत्किंचिदन्यत्स्यादितरन्न तदाचरेत्
One should not be confused in difficulties, nor abandon righteousness; if there is any other action, one should not perform it.
यत्कल्याणमभिध्यायेत्तत्रात्मानं नियोजयेत्। न पापं प्रति पापः स्यात्साधुरेव सदा भवेत्
One should direct oneself toward what is good; one should never be evil toward evil, but always remain virtuous.
आत्मनैव हतः पापो यः पापं कर्तुमिच्छति। कर्म चैतदसाधूनां वृजिनानामसाधुकम्
He who desires to commit evil is destroyed by his own self; such actions are unworthy of the unrighteous and wicked.
न धर्मोस्तीति मन्वानाः शुचीनवहसन्ति ये। अश्रद्दधाना धर्मस् ते नश्यन्ति न संशयः
Those who believe there is no righteousness and mock the pure, lacking faith—such people are destroyed by unrighteousness; of this there is no doubt.
महादृतिरिवाध्मातः पापो भवति नित्यदा। `साधुः सन्नतिमानेव सर्वत्रद्विजसत्तम
Sinful is he who is always inflated with pride, like a great mountain swelled up; but the virtuous, O best of twice-born, are humble everywhere.
मूढानामवलिप्तानामसारं भाषितं भवेत्। दर्शयन्त्यन्तरात्मानं दिवा रूपमिवांशुमान्
The speech of the foolish and arrogant is empty; their inner self is revealed, like the sun showing its form by day.
न लोके राजते मूर्खः केवलात्मप्रशंसया। अपिचेह मृजाहीनः कृतविद्यः प्रकाशते
A fool does not shine in the world by merely praising himself; even a learned man lacking purity does not become illustrious here.
अब्रुवन्कस्यचिन्निन्दामात्मपूजामवर्णयन्। न कश्चिद्गुणसंपन्नः प्रकाशो भुवि दृश्यते
One who speaks ill of others and praises himself—no one endowed with virtue and brilliance is seen on earth behaving thus.
विकर्मणा तप्यमानः पापाद्विपरिमुच्यते। न तत्कुर्यां पुनरिति द्वितीयात्परिमुच्यते
One who is tormented by his own misdeeds is freed from sin; by resolving, 'I will not do this again,' he is released a second time.
कर्मणा येन केनापि पापात्मा द्विजसत्तम। एवं श्रुतिरियं ब्रह्मन्धर्मेषु प्रतिदृश्यते
By any act whatsoever, O best of twice-born, a sinful person—so it is heard in the scriptures—can be seen to be freed from sin in the teachings on righteousness.
पापनि बुद्ध्वेह पुरा कृतानि स्वधर्मशीलो विनिहन्ति पश्चात्। धर्मो ब्रह्मन्नुदते ब्राह्मणानां यत्कुर्वते पापमिह प्रमादात्
Having recognized the sins committed before, one devoted to his own duty destroys them afterwards; O Brahman, righteousness rises up for Brahmins when they, through negligence, commit sin here.
पापं कृत्वा हि मन्येत नाहमस्मीति पूरुषः। [तं तु देवाः प्रपश्यन्ति स्वस्यैवान्तरपूरुषः]
After committing sin, a person may think, 'I am not that'; but the gods, and his own inner self, truly see him.
चिकीर्षेदेव कल्यायणं श्रद्दधानोऽनसूयकः
One should act only for the good, with faith and without envy.
वसनस्येव च्छिद्राणइ साधूनां विवृणोति यः। `अपश्यन्नात्मनो दोषान्स पापः प्रेत्य नश्यति
Just as the holes in a garment reveal what is within, so too, one who does not see his own faults—such a sinner perishes after death.
पापं चेत्पुरुषः कृत्वा कल्याणमभिपद्यते। मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो महाभ्रेणेव चन्द्रमाः
If a person, having committed sin, turns toward the good, he is freed from all sins, like the moon emerging from a great cloud.
यथाऽऽदित्यः समुद्यन्वै तमः सर्वं व्यपोहति। एवं कल्याणमातिष्ठन्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Just as the rising sun dispels all darkness, so too, by practicing virtue, one is freed from all sins.
पापानां विद्ध्यधिष्ठानं लोभमोहौ द्विजोत्तम। `तस्मात्तौ विदुषा विप्र वर्जनीयौ विशेषतः
Know that the seat of sins is greed and delusion, O best of twice-born; therefore, a wise Brahmin should especially avoid these two.