परित्यजति यो दुःखं सुखं चाप्युभयं नरः। ब्रह्म प्राप्नोति सोत्यन्तमासङ्गं च न गच्छति
The person who abandons both sorrow and happiness attains the supreme Brahman and does not fall into attachment.
यथाश्रुतमिदं सर्वं समासेन द्विजोत्तम। एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
All this has been explained to you concisely, O best of twice-born; what more do you wish to hear?
एवं संकथिते कृत्स्ने मोक्षधर्मे युधिष्ठिर। दृढप्रीतमना विप्रो धर्मव्याधमुवाच ह
When the entire teaching on liberation had thus been related, Yudhishthira, the brahmin, with a heart firm in affection, spoke to the righteous butcher.
न्याययुक्तमिदं सर्वं भवता परिकीर्तितम्। न तेऽस्त्यविदितं किंचिद्धर्मेष्वभिसमीक्ष्यते
All that you have declared is in accordance with justice; nothing concerning dharma appears unknown to you.
प्रत्यक्षं मम यो धर्मस्तं च पश्य द्विजोत्तम। येन सिद्धिरियं प्राप्ता मया ब्राह्मणपुङ्गव
See, O best of brahmins, the dharma that is evident to me, by which I have attained this accomplishment.
उत्तिष्ठ भगवन्क्षिप्रं प्रविश्याभ्यन्तरं गृहम्। द्रष्टुमर्हसि धर्मज्ञ मातरं पितरं च मे
Rise quickly, venerable one, and enter my inner house; you should see my mother and father, knower of dharma.
इत्युक्तः स प्रविश्याथ ददर्श परमार्चितम्। सौधं हृद्यं चतुःशालमतीव च मनोरमम्
Thus addressed, he entered and saw a most honored mansion, delightful, with four halls, and exceedingly charming.
देवतागृहसंकाश दैवतैश्च सुपूजितम्। शयनासनसंबाधं गन्धैश्च परमैर्युतम्
Resembling the house of the gods and worshipped by deities, it was filled with excellent beds and seats, and pervaded by supreme fragrances.
तत्रशुक्लाम्बरधरौ पितरावस्य पूजितौ। कृताहारौ तु संतुष्टावुपविष्टौ वरासने
There, his parents, honored, dressed in white garments, having eaten and satisfied, were seated on splendid seats.
तस्य व्याधस्य पितरौ ब्राह्मणः संददर्श ह'। धर्मव्याधस्तु तौ दृष्ट्वा पादेषु शिरसाऽपतत्
The brahmin saw the parents of that butcher; and upon seeing them, the righteous butcher bowed his head to their feet.
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ धर्मज्ञ धर्मस्त्वामभिरक्षतु। प्रीतौ स्वस्तव शौचेन दीर्घमायुरवाप्नुहि। [गतिमिष्टां तपो ज्ञानं मेधां च परमां गतः]
"Rise, rise, knower of dharma! May dharma protect you. We are pleased; by your purity, may you obtain long life, and having attained the desired path, austerity, knowledge, and supreme intelligence."
सत्पुत्रेण त्वया पुत्र नित्यं काले सुपूजितौ। `सुखमेव वसावोऽत्र देवलोकगताविव
"By you, our son, ever honored at the proper time, we live here happily, as if we had gone to the world of the gods."
न तेऽन्यद्दैवतं किंचिद्दैवतेष्वपि वर्तते। प्रयतसत्वाद्द्विजातीनांदमेनासि समनवितः
"You have no other deity among the gods; by your pure nature, O twice-born, you are endowed with self-restraint."
पितुः पितामहा ये च तथैव प्रपितामहाः। प्रीतास्ते सततं पुत्र दमेनावां च पूजया
"The fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers are always pleased, son, by your self-restraint and our worship."
मनसा कर्मणा वाचा शुश्रूषा नैव हीयते। न चान्या हि तथा बुद्धिर्दृश्यते सांप्रतं तव
"By mind, action, and speech, your service never fails; nor is any other understanding now seen in you."
जामदग्न्येन रामेण यथा वृद्धौ सुपूजितौ। तथा त्वया कृतंसर्वंतद्विशिष्टं च पुत्रक
"As Rama, son of Jamadagni, honored his aged parents, so have you done all, and even surpassed that, dear son."
ततस्तं ब्राह्मणं ताभ्यां धर्मव्याधो न्यवेदयत्। तौ स्वागतेन तं विप्रमर्चयामासतुस्तदा
Then the butcher informed those two about the brahmin; and they welcomed the brahmin and honored him at that time.
प्रतिगृह्यच तां पूजां द्विजः पप्रच्छ तावुभौ। सपुत्राभ्यां सभृत्याभ्यां कच्चिद्वां कुशलं गृहे। अनामय च वां कच्चित्सुखं वेह शरीरयोः
And having received that honor, the brahmin asked both of them: 'Is all well in your house, with your sons and servants? Are you both in good health and comfort here?'
कुशलं नौ गृहे विप्र भृत्यवर्गे च सर्वशः। कच्चित्त्वमप्यविघ्नेन संप्राप्तो भगवन्निति
'All is well in our house, O brahmin, and with all our servants as well. I hope you too have arrived here without any trouble, O revered one.'
हाढमित्येव तौ विप्रः प्रत्युवाच मुदान्वितः। धर्मव्याधस्तु तं विप्रमर्थवद्वाक्यमब्रवीत्
The brahmin replied to them joyfully, saying only 'Yes, indeed.' Then the righteous butcher spoke meaningful words to the brahmin.
पिता माता च भगवन्नेतौ मे दैवतं परम्। यद्दैवतेभ्यः कर्तव्यं तदेताभ्यां करोम्यहम्
'My father and mother, O revered one, are my highest deities. Whatever is to be done for the gods, I do for these two.'
त्रयस्त्रिंशद्यथा देवाः सर्वे शक्रपुरोगमाः। संपूज्याः सर्वलोकस्य तथा वृद्धाविमौ मम
'Just as the thirty-three gods, with Indra at their head, are to be honored by all the worlds, so too are these two elders for me.'
उपाहारानाहरन्तो देवतानां यथा द्विजः। कुर्वन्ति तद्वदेताभ्यां करोम्यहमतन्द्रितः
'Just as offerings are brought to the gods, O brahmin, so I diligently perform such acts for these two.'
एतौ मे परमं ब्रह्मन्पिता माता च दैवतम्। एतौ पुष्पैः फलैरन्नैस्तोषयामि सदा द्विज
'These two, O brahmin, my father and mother, are my supreme deities. I always please them with flowers, fruits, and food.'
एतावेवाग्नयो मह्यं यान्वदन्ति मनीषिणः। यज्ञा वेदाश्च चत्वारः सर्वमेतौ मम द्विज
'These two alone are my fires, as the wise declare. The sacrifices and the four Vedas—all these are contained in them for me, O brahmin.'
एतदर्थं मम प्राणा भार्या पुत्रः सुहृज्जनः। सपुत्रदारः शुश्रूषां नित्यमेव करोम्यहम्
'For their sake are my life, my wife, my son, and my friends. With my wife and son, I always serve them.'
स्वयं च स्नापयाम्येतौ तथा पादौ प्रधावये। आहारं च प्रयच्छामि स्वयंच द्विजसत्तम
'I myself bathe them and wash their feet; I myself, O best of brahmins, give them their food.'
अनुकूलाः कथा वच्मि विप्रियं परिवर्जये। अधर्मेणापि संयुक्तं प्रियमाभ्यां करोम्यहम्
'I speak agreeable words to them and avoid what is displeasing. Even if something is not righteous, if it pleases them, I do it.'
धर्ममेव गुरुं मत्वा साक्षादेतौ द्विजोत्तम। अतन्द्रितः सदा विप्र शुश्रूषां वै करोम्यहम्
'Considering righteousness as the highest, I always serve these two without fatigue, O best of brahmins.'
पञ्चैव गुरवो ब्रह्मनपुरुषस्य बुभूषतः। पिता माताऽग्निरात्मा च गुरुश्च द्विजसत्तम
'There are five teachers, O brahmin, for a person who desires to live: father, mother, fire, self, and guru, O best of brahmins.'