तपोयोगसमारम्भं कुरुते द्विजसत्तम। कर्मभिर्बहुभिश्चापि लोकानश्नाति कर्मभिः
—he undertakes ascetic practice and yoga, O best of twice-born, and by many actions enjoys the worlds through those very actions.
[स चेन्निवृत्तबन्धस्तु विशुद्धश्चापि कर्मभिः।] प्राप्नोति सुकृताँल्लोकान्यत्रगत्वा न शोचति
If he is freed from bondage and purified by actions, he attains the worlds of the virtuous, and, having gone there, does not grieve.
पापं कुर्वनपुण्यवृत्तः पुण्यस्यान्तं न गच्छति। `पुण्यं कुर्वन्पुण्यवृत्तः पुण्यस्यान्तं न गच्छति'। तस्मात्पुण्यं यतेत्कर्तुं वर्जयीत च पापकम्
One who acts sinfully and follows unrighteous conduct does not reach the end of merit; but one who acts righteously and follows virtue does not reach the end of merit. Therefore, one should strive to do good and avoid evil.
अनसूयुः कृतज्ञश्च कल्याणान्येव सेवते। सुखानि धर्ममर्थं च स्वर्गं च लभते नरः
A man who is free from envy and grateful pursues only what is auspicious; he attains happiness, righteousness, wealth, and heaven.
संस्कृतस्य च दान्तस् नियतस्य यतात्मनः। प्राज्ञास्यानन्तरा वृत्तिरिहि लोके परत्र च
For one who is disciplined, self-controlled, and restrained, the conduct of the wise follows him both in this world and the next.
सतां धऱ्मेण वर्तेत क्रियां शिष्टवदाचरेत्। असंक्लेशेन लोकस्य वृत्तिं लिप्सेत वै द्विजः
One should act in accordance with the righteous, behave as the virtuous do, and, without causing distress to the world, a twice-born should seek his livelihood.
सन्ति ह्यागमविज्ञानाः शिष्टाः शास्त्रे विचक्षणाः। स्वधर्मेण क्रिया लोके कुर्वाणास्ते ह्यसंकराः
There are indeed learned and discerning elders, skilled in the scriptures; those who act in the world according to their own duty are not confused.
प्राज्ञो धर्मेण रमते धर्मं चैवोपजीवति। तस्माद्धर्मादवाप्तेन धनन द्विजसत्तम
The wise delight in righteousness and live by righteousness; therefore, O best of twice-born, wealth should be obtained through righteousness.
तस्यैव सिंचते मूलं गुणान्पश्यति यत्र वै। धर्मात्मा भवति ह्येवं चित्तं चास्य प्रसीदति। स मित्रजनसंतुष्ट इह प्रेत्य च नन्दति
Its root is nourished only there where virtues are seen; thus, one becomes righteous, his mind is pleased, and he is satisfied with friends and people, rejoicing here and after death.
शब्दं स्पर्शं तथा रूपं गन्धानिष्टांस्च सत्तम। प्रभुत्वं लभते चापि धर्मस्यैतत्फलं विदुः
Sound, touch, form, and pleasant scents, O noble one, and even lordship—these are known as the fruits of righteousness.
धरमस्य च पलं लब्ध्वा न तुष्यति महाद्विज। अतुष्यमाणो निर्वेदमादत्ते ज्ञानचक्षुषा
Having obtained the fruit of righteousness, the great twice-born is not satisfied; remaining unsatisfied, he adopts dispassion with the eye of knowledge.
प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्नर इह दोषं नैवानुरुध्यते। विरज्ये यथाकामं न च धर्मं विमुञ्चति
A man endowed with the eye of wisdom does not cling to faults here; withdrawing as he wishes, he does not abandon righteousness.
फलत्यागे च यतते दृष्ट्वा लोकं क्रियात्मकम्। ततो मोक्षे प्रयतते नानुपायादुपायतः
Seeing the world engaged in action, he strives for the abandonment of results; then he seeks liberation, by proper means, not by improper ones.
एवं निर्वेदमादत्ते पापं कर्म जहाति च। धार्मिकश्चापि भवति मोक्षं च लभते परम्
Thus, he adopts dispassion and abandons sinful deeds; he becomes righteous and also attains the supreme liberation.
तपो निःश्रेयसं जन्तोस्तस्य मूलं शमो दमः। तेन सर्वानवाप्नोति कामान्यान्मनसेच्छति
For a living being, asceticism is the highest good; its root is tranquility and self-control. By that, he attains all desires that his mind wishes for.
इन्द्रियाणां निरोधेन सत्येन च दमेन च। ब्रह्मणः पदमाप्नोति यत्परं द्विजसत्तम
By restraining the senses, by truth, and by self-control, O best of twice-born, one attains the supreme state of Brahman.
इन्द्रियाणीति यान्याहुः कानि तानि यतव्रत। निग्रहश्च कथं कार्यो निग्रहस्य च किं फलम्
What are those called the senses, O steadfast in vows, and which are they? How should restraint be practiced, and what is the fruit of restraint?
कथं च फलमाप्नोति तेषां धर्मभृतांवर। एतदिच्छामि तत्त्वेन धर्मं ज्ञातुं सुधार्मिक
And how does one attain the fruit of their restraint, O best upholder of righteousness? I wish to know this true dharma from you, O most righteous one.
एवमुक्तस्तु विप्रेण धर्मव्याधो युधिष्ठिर। प्रत्युवाच यथा विप्रं तच्छृणुष्व नराधिप
Thus addressed by the Brahmin, the righteous butcher replied to Yudhishthira as he had to the Brahmin; hear this, O king.
विज्ञानार्थं मनुष्याणां मनः पूर्वं प्रवर्तते। तत्प्राप्य कामं भजतेक्रोधं च द्विजसत्तम
For the sake of knowledge, the mind of men first becomes active; having obtained that, it pursues desire and anger, O best of twice-born.
ततस्तदर्थं यतते कर्म चारभते महत्। इष्टानां रूपगन्धानामभ्यासं च निषेवते
Then, for that purpose, he strives and undertakes great action; he also indulges in the enjoyment of forms and scents that are desired.
ततो रागः प्रभवति द्वेषश्च तदनन्तरम्। ततो लोभः प्रभवति मोहश्च तदनन्तरम्
From that arises attachment, and after that, aversion; from that arises greed, and after that, delusion.
तस् लोभाभिभूतस्य रागद्वेषहतस्य च। न धर्मे जायते बुद्धिर्व्याजाद्धर्मं करोति च
For one overpowered by greed and afflicted by attachment and aversion, discernment regarding righteousness does not arise, and he performs righteousness deceitfully.
व्याजेन चरते धर्ममर्थं व्याजेन रोचते। व्याजेन सिध्यमानेषु धनेषु द्विजसत्तम
He practices righteousness by deceit, seeks wealth by deceit, and when wealth is attained by deceit, O best of twice-born,
तत्रैव रमते बुद्धिस्ततः पापं चिकीर्षति। सुहृद्भिर्वार्यमाणश्च पण्डितैश्च द्विजोत्तम
His mind delights in that very thing, and then he desires to commit sin, even when restrained by friends and learned Brahmins, O best of twice-born.
उत्तरं श्रुतिसंबद्धं ब्रवीत्यश्रुतियोजितम्। अधर्मस्त्रिविधस्तस्य वर्तते रागदोषजः
He speaks what is connected to the scriptures as an answer, but applies what is not scriptural; for him, unrighteousness of three kinds, born of attachment and fault, prevails.
पापं चिन्तयते चैव ब्रवीति च करोति च। तस्याधर्मप्रवृत्तस्य गुणा नश्यन्ति साधवः
He thinks of sin, speaks of it, and does it; for one engaged in unrighteousness, his virtues, O good one, are destroyed.
एकशीलाश्च मित्रत्वं भजन्ते पापकर्मिणः। स तेन दुःखमाप्नोति परत्र च विपद्यते
Those of like conduct become his friends, though he acts wickedly; through this, he attains suffering and perishes in the next world as well.
पापात्मा भवति ह्येवं धर्मलाभं तु मे शृणु। यस्त्वेतान्प्रज्ञाया दोषान्पूर्वमेवानुपश्यति
A person becomes wicked indeed who acts thus; now hear from me about the gain of righteousness: one who perceives these faults with discernment beforehand—
कुशलः सुखदुःखेषु सांधूंश्चाप्युपसेवते। तस्य साधुसमारम्भाद्बुद्ध्रिधर्मेषु राजते
—is skilled in pleasure and pain, and also associates with the virtuous; by his noble undertakings, he shines in the path of wisdom and righteousness.