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.
संयताश्चापि दक्षाश्च मतिमन्तश्च मानवाः। दृश्यन्ते निष्फलाः सन्तः प्रहीणाः सर्वकर्मभिः
Even restrained, skillful, and intelligent men are seen to be fruitless, deprived of all actions.
भूतानामपरः कश्चिद्धिंसायां सततोत्थितः। वञ्चनायां च लोकस्य स सुखेनैव युज्यते
Someone is always intent on harming beings and deceiving people, yet he enjoys happiness with ease.
अचेष्टमपि चासीनं श्रीः कंचिदुपतिष्ठति। कश्चित्कर्माणि कुर्वन्हि न प्राप्यमधिगच्छति
Prosperity approaches some who are inactive and seated, while another, though performing actions, does not attain what is not meant for him.
देवानिष्ट्वा तपस्तप्त्वा कृपणैः पुत्रगृध्नुभिः। दशमासधृता गर्भा जायन्ते कुलपांसनाः
Having worshipped the gods and performed austerities, some wretches, greedy for sons, give birth to children who are a disgrace to their lineage, though carried for ten months.
अपरे धनधान्यैश्च भोगैश्च पितृसंचितैः। विपुलैरभिजायन्ते लब्धास्तैरेव मङ्गलैः
Others are born into great wealth, grain, and enjoyments accumulated by their ancestors, and they obtain those auspicious things.
न देहजा मनुष्याणां व्याधयो द्विजसत्तम'। कर्मजा हि मनुष्याणां रोगा नास्त्यत्र संशयः
O best of twice-born, diseases in humans do not arise from the body; indeed, diseases in humans are born of karma—there is no doubt about this.
आधिभिश्चैव बाध्यन्ते व्यालैः क्षुद्रमृगा इव। व्याधयो विनिवार्यन्ते मृगा व्याधैरिव द्विज
And just as small animals are afflicted by predators, so too are people troubled by mental afflictions; diseases are warded off like animals by hunters, O twice-born.
येषामस्ति च भोक्तव्यं ग्रहणीरोगपीडिताः। न शक्नुवन्ति ते भोक्तुं चेष्टितं पूर्वकर्मया
Those who have food to eat, yet are afflicted by digestive disorders, are unable to enjoy it—this too is due to actions performed in previous lives.
अपरे बाहुबलिनः क्लिश्यन्ति बहवो जनाः। दुःखेन चाधिगच्छनति भोजनं द्विजसत्तम
Others, though strong in arm, suffer greatly, and many people obtain food only with difficulty, O best of twice-born.
इति लोकमनाक्रन्दं देहशङ्कापरिप्लुतम्। स्रोतसाऽसकृदाक्षिप्तं ह्रियमाणं बलीयसा
Thus, the world, filled with lamentation and overwhelmed by fear for the body, is repeatedly swept away by the powerful current.
न म्रियेयुर्न जीर्यैयुः सर्वे स्युः सर्वकामिकाः। नाप्रियं प्रतिपश्येयुर्विधिश्च यदि नो भवेत्
If fate did not exist, then none would die or grow old; all would have every desire fulfilled and would never encounter anything unpleasant.
उपर्युपरि लोकस्य सर्वो गन्तुं समीहते। यतते च यथाथक्ति न च तद्वर्तते तथा
Everyone in the world strives to ascend higher and higher, and each endeavors according to their ability, but it does not turn out as they wish.
बहवः संप्रदृश्यन्ते तुल्यनक्षत्रमङ्गलाः। महत्तु फलवैषम्यं दृश्यते कर्मसिद्धिषु
Many are seen who share the same stars and auspicious signs, yet there is great inequality in the results of their actions.
न केचिदीशते ब्रह्मन्स्वयंग्राह्यस्य सत्तम। कर्मणां प्राकृतानां वै इह सिद्धिः प्रदृश्यते
No one, O Brahman, is master of what is to be attained; here, the success of ordinary actions is seen to be uncertain.
तथा श्रुतिरियंब्रह्मञ्जीवः किल सनातनः। शरीरमध्रुवं लोके सर्वेषां प्राणिनामिह
Thus, it is heard, O Brahman, that the soul is indeed eternal, but the body in this world is impermanent for all living beings.
वध्यमाने शरीरे तु देहनाशो भवत्युत। जीवः संक्रमतेऽन्यत्रकर्मबनधनिबन्धनः
When the body is slain, the body is indeed destroyed, but the soul, bound by the bonds of karma, passes on elsewhere.
कथं धर्मविदांश्रेष्ठ जीवो भवति शाश्वतः। एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तत्त्वेन वदतांवर
O best knower of dharma, how does the soul become eternal? I wish to know this in truth, O foremost of speakers.
न जीवनाशोस्ति हि देहभेदे मिथ्यैतदाहुर्म्रियतीति मूढाः। जीवस्तु देहान्तरितः प्रयाति दशार्धतैवास् शरीरभेदः
There is no destruction of the soul when the body perishes; the deluded say 'he dies,' but this is false. The soul, separated from the body, departs; the destruction is only of the body.
अन्यो हि नाश्नाति कृतं हि कर्म मनुष्यलोके मनुजस् कश्चित्। यत्तेन किंचिद्धि कृतंहि कर्म तदश्नुते नास्ति कृतस्य नाशः
No one else partakes of the actions performed by a person in the world of men; whatever action he has done, he alone enjoys—there is no destruction of what has been done.
सुपुण्यशीला हि भवन्ति पुण्या नराधमाः पापकृतो भवन्ति। नरोऽनुयातस्त्विह कर्मभिः स्वै- स्ततः समुत्पद्यति भावितस्तैः
Those of virtuous conduct become blessed, while the wicked become degraded; a person here follows after his own actions, and is born accordingly, shaped by them.