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.
कथं संभवते योनौ कथं वा पुण्यपापयोः। जातीः पुण्या ह्यपुण्याश् कथं गच्छति सत्तम
How does birth occur in a womb, and how do virtue and vice operate? How do blessed and unblessed births happen, O noble one?
गर्भाधानसमायुक्तं कर्मेदं संप्रदृश्यते। समासेन तु ते क्षिप्रं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्विजोत्तम
This action is seen to be connected with conception; but briefly, O best of twice-born, I will quickly explain it to you.
यथा संभृतसंभारः पुनरेव प्रजायते। शुभकृच्छुभयोनीषु पापकृत्पापयोनिषु
Just as one who has gathered provisions is born again, so too the doer of good is born in auspicious wombs, and the doer of evil in evil wombs.
शुभैः प्रयोगैर्देवत्वंव्यामिश्रैर्मानुषो भवेत्। मोहनीयैर्वियोनीषु त्वधोगामी च किल्बिषैः
Through pure actions one attains divinity; through mixed actions, one becomes human; but through deluding and sinful deeds, one is born in lower wombs.
जातिमृत्युजरादुःखैः सततं समभिद्रुतः। संसारे पच्यमानश्च दोषैरात्मकृतैर्नरः
Constantly afflicted by the sufferings of birth, death, and old age, a man is cooked in the world by faults he himself has made.
तिर्यग्योनिसहस्राणि गत्वा नरकमेव च। जीवाः संपरिवर्तन्ते कर्मबन्धनिबन्धनाः
Having passed through thousands of animal births and even hell, beings revolve, bound by the fetters of karma.
जन्तुस्तु कर्मभिस्तैस्तैः स्वकृतैः प्रेत्य दुःखितः। तद्दुःखप्रतिघातार्थमपुण्यां योनिमाप्नुते
A creature, suffering after death from those very actions it has performed, attains a painful birth as a result of that suffering.
ततः कर्म समादत्ते पुनरन्यन्नवं बहु। पच्यते तु पुनस्तेन भुक्त्वाऽपथ्यमिवातुरः
Then, taking up many new actions again, he is cooked once more by them, just as a sick man suffers after eating what is unwholesome.
अजस्रमेव दुःखार्तोऽदुःखितः सुखिसंज्ञितः। ततो निवृत्तबन्धत्वात्कर्मणामुदयादपि
Always tormented by suffering, though thinking himself happy when not in pain, he is bound by karma, yet also freed when karma is exhausted.
परिक्रामति संसारे चक्रवद्बहुवेदनः। स चेन्निवृत्तबन्धस्तु विशुद्धश्चापि कर्मभिः
He wanders in the cycle of existence, experiencing much pain like a wheel; but if freed from bondage and purified by actions—