कुले हि विहितं कर्म देही तं न विमुञ्चति। धात्रा विधिरयं दृष्टो बहुधा कर्मनिर्मये
Indeed, the embodied one does not relinquish the action prescribed in his lineage; this ordinance is observed by the Creator in many ways in the arrangement of actions.
द्रष्टव्यस्तु भवेद्ब्रह्मन्धर्मो धर्मविनिश्चये। कथं कर्म शुभं कुर्यां कथं मुच्ये पराभवात्
O Brahman, righteousness must be discerned in the determination of righteousness; how should I perform auspicious action, and how may I be freed from defeat?
कर्मणस्तस्य घोरस् वसुधा निर्णयो भवेत्। दाने च सत्यवाक्ये च गुरुशुश्रूणे तथा। द्विजातिपूजने चाहं धर्मे च निरतः सदा
The harsh outcome of action is determined by the earth; and in giving, in speaking truth, in service to the teacher, in honoring the twice-born, and in righteousness, I am always devoted.
अतिमानातिवादाभ्यां निवृत्तोस्मि द्विजोत्तम। कृषिं साध्वीति मन्यन्ते तत्र हिंसा परा स्मृता
I have withdrawn from excessive pride and disputation, O best of twice-born; agriculture is considered virtuous, yet there is supreme violence remembered in it.
कर्षन्तो लाङ्गलैरुर्वीं घ्नन्ति भूमिशयान्बहून्। जीवानन्यांश्च बहुशस्तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते
Plowing the earth with plows, they kill many who dwell in the soil, and many other living beings as well; what do you perceive in this matter?
धान्यबीजानि यान्याहुर्व्रीह्यादीनि द्विजोत्तम। सर्वाण्येतानि जीवा हि तत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते
The grains and seeds called rice and others, O best of twice-born, all these are living beings; what do you perceive in this matter?
अध्याक्रम् पशूंश्चापि घ्नन्ति वै भक्षयन्ति च। वृक्षांस्तथौषधीश्चापि छिन्दन्ति पुरुषा द्विज
They seize and kill animals, and indeed eat them; men also cut down trees and herbs, O twice-born.
जीवा हि बहवो ब्रह्मन्वृक्षेषु च फलेषु च। उदके बहवश्चापि तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते
Many living beings, O Brahman, are found in trees and fruits, and many also in water; what do you perceive in this matter?
सर्वं व्याप्तमिदं ब्रह्मन्प्राणिभिः प्राणिजीवनैः। मत्स्यान्ग्रसन्ते मत्स्याश्च तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते
All this, O Brahman, is pervaded by living beings and the lives of creatures; fish devour fish, what do you perceive in this matter?
सत्वैः सत्वानि जीवन्ति बहुधा द्विजसत्तम। प्राणिनोऽन्योन्यभक्षाश्च तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते
Creatures live by other creatures in many ways, O best of twice-born; living beings eat one another, what do you perceive in this matter?
चङ्क्रम्यमाणा जीवांश्च धरणीसंश्रितान्बहून्। पद्भ्यां घ्नन्ति नरा विप्र तत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते
Men, while walking, trample many living beings who dwell upon the earth with their feet, O Brahman; what do you perceive in this matter?
उपविष्टाः शयानाश्च घ्नन्ति जीवाननेकशः। अज्ञानादथवा ज्ञानात्तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते
Sitting or lying down, they kill many living beings, either unknowingly or knowingly; what do you perceive in this matter?
जीवैर्ग्रस्तमिदं सर्वमाकाशं पृथिवी तथा। अविज्ञानाच्च हिंसन्ति तत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते
All this, the sky and the earth, is consumed by living beings; and through ignorance, they cause harm—what do you perceive in this matter?
अहिंसेति यदुक्तं हि पुरुषैर्विस्मितैः पुरा। के न हिंसन्ति जीवान्वै लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विजसत्तम्
The statement 'one should not harm' was uttered long ago by astonished men; but who does not harm living beings in this world, O best of twice-born?
बहु संचिन्त्य इह वै नास्ति कश्चिदहिंसकः
Having considered much, indeed, there is no one here who is non-harming.
अहिंयासां तु निरता यतयो द्विजसत्तम। कुर्वन्त्येव हि हिंसां ते यत्नादल्पतरा भवेत्
Those ascetics devoted to non-harming, O best of twice-born, still commit harm, though their effort may be very slight.
आलक्ष्याश्चैव पुरुषाः कुले जाता महागुणाः। महाघोराणि कर्माणि कृत्वा लज्जन्ति वै न च
Men of great qualities, though born in noble families, are seen to commit terrible deeds and yet feel no shame.
सुहृदः सुहृदोऽन्यांस्च दुर्हृदश्चापि दुर्हृदः। सम्यक्प्रवृत्तान्पुरुषानन सम्यगनुपश्यति
Friends regard friends, and the wicked regard the wicked; but a person who is not rightly disposed does not truly perceive those who are rightly engaged.
समृद्धैश्चन नन्दन्ति बान्धवा बान्धवैरपि। गुरूंश्चैव विनिदन्ति मूढा निश्चितमानिनः
Relatives rejoice with prosperous relatives, but the deluded, thinking themselves wise, certainly speak ill of their elders.
बहु लोके विपर्यस्तं दृश्यते द्विजसत्तम। धर्मयुक्तमधर्मं च तत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते
Much is seen in the world to be reversed, O best of twice-born; even unrighteousness appears as righteousness—what do you think of this?
वक्तुं बहुविधं शक्यं धर्माधर्मेषु कर्मसु। स्वकर्मनिरतो यो हि स यशः प्राप्नुयान्महत्
There are many things that can be said about righteous and unrighteous acts; but he who is devoted to his own duty attains great fame.
धर्मव्याधस्तु निपुणं पुनरेव युधिष्ठिर। विप्रर्षभमुवाचेदं सर्वधर्मभृतांवर
Then the righteous butcher again skillfully addressed Yudhishthira, the foremost among upholders of all dharma, and the bull among Brahmins.
श्रुतिप्रमाणो धर्मोऽयमिति वृद्धानुशासनम्। सूक्ष्मा गतिर्हि धर्मस् बहुशाखा ह्यनन्तिका
The elders instruct that dharma is established by the authority of the scriptures; but dharma is subtle in its course, has many branches, and is not easily grasped.
प्राणान्तिके विवाहे च वक्तव्यमनृतं भवेत्। अनृतेन भवेत्सत्यं सत्येनैवानृतं भवेत्
In matters of life and death, or in marriage, falsehood may be spoken; by falsehood truth may be achieved, and by truth, falsehood may result.
यद्भूतहितमत्यन्तं तत्सत्यमिति धारणा। विपर्ययकृतोऽधर्मः पश्य धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मताम्
That which is of the highest benefit to beings is to be regarded as truth; the opposite is unrighteousness—see the subtlety of dharma.
यत्करोत्यशुभं कर्म शुभं वा यदि सत्तम। अवश्यं तत्समाप्नोति पुरुषो नात्र संशयः
Whatever unwholesome or wholesome act a person performs, O best of men, he certainly attains its result—of this there is no doubt.
विषमां च दशां प्राप्तो देवान्गर्हति वै भृशम्। आत्मृनः कर्मदोषेण न विजानात्यपण्डितः
When one falls into a difficult situation, he harshly blames the gods, but the unwise do not recognize that it is due to the fault of their own actions.
मूढो नैकृतिकश्चापि चपलश्च द्विजोत्तम। `न शुभं कर्म बध्नाति पुरुषं पाषनिश्चयम्
The deluded, the deceitful, and the fickle, O best of twice-born, are not bound by good deeds, being firmly set in wickedness.
सुखदुःखविपर्यासो यदा समुपपद्यते। नैनं प्रज्ञा सुनीतं वा त्रायते नैव पौरुषम्
When the reversal of happiness and sorrow arises, neither wisdom, good conduct, nor manly effort can protect a person.
यो यमिच्छेद्यथा कामं तं तं कामं स आप्नुयात्। यदि स्यादपराधीनं पौरुषस् क्रियाफलम्
Whoever desires whatever, in whatever way, attains that desire—if the fruit of action were not dependent on another.