एतेषु यस्तु वर्तेत सम्यगेव द्विजोत्तम। भवेयुरप्रयस्तेन परिचीर्णास्तु नित्यशः। गार्हस्थ्ये वर्तमानस्य एष धर्मः सनातनः
'Whoever conducts himself rightly toward these, O best of brahmins, is considered to have always served them well. This is the eternal duty for one living the householder's life.'
गुरू निवेद्य विप्राय तौ मातापितरावुभौ। पुनरेव स धर्मात्मा व्याधो ब्राह्मणमब्रवीत्
Having introduced his father and mother to the brahmin, the righteous butcher again spoke to the brahmin.
प्रवृत्तचक्षुर्जातोस्मि संपश्य तपसो बलम्। यदर्थमुक्तोसि तया गच्छ त्वं मिथिलामिति
'I have gained true vision; behold the power of austerity. For the purpose you were told, go now to Mithila.'
पतिशुश्रूषपरया दान्तया सत्यशीलया। मिथिलायां वसन्व्याधः स ते धर्मान्प्रवक्ष्यति
'In Mithila dwells one who is devoted to serving her husband, self-restrained, and truthful in conduct; that person will teach you righteousness, O hunter.'
पतिव्रतायाः सत्यायाः शीलाढ्याया यतव्रत। संस्मृत्य वाक्यं धर्मज्ञ गुणवानसि मे मतः
Remembering the words of that devoted, truthful, virtuous, and self-restrained wife, O knower of righteousness, I consider you to be virtuous.
यत्तया त्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठ नियुक्तो मां प्रति प्रभो। दृष्टमेव तया सम्यगेकपत्न्या न संशयः
O best of twice-born, whatever you, O lord, instructed me regarding her, has indeed been seen by her, who is steadfast in monogamy—there is no doubt.
त्वदनुग्रहबुद्ध्या तु विप्रैतद्दर्शितं मया। वाक्यं च शृणु मे तात यत्ते वक्ष्ये हितं द्विज
But, O Brahmin, by your gracious intention, I have shown you this; now, O dear one, listen to my words, for I will speak what is beneficial to you.
त्वया न पूजिता माता पिता च द्विजसत्तम। अनिसृष्टोसि निष्क्रान्तो गृहात्ताभ्यामनिनदित
O best of Brahmins, your mother and father were not honored by you; you left home without their permission and without being reproached by them.
वेदोच्चारणकार्यार्थमयुक्तं तत्त्वया कृतम्। तव शोकेन वृद्धौ तावन्धीभूतौ तपस्विनौ
You performed the recitation of the Vedas and your duties improperly; because of their grief for you, those ascetics have become aged and blind.
तौ प्रसादयितुं गच्छ मा त्वां धर्मोऽत्यगादयम्। तपस्वी त्वं महात्मा च धर्मे च निरतः सदा
Go to them and seek their forgiveness; do not let righteousness abandon you for this reason. You are an ascetic, a great soul, always devoted to righteousness.
सर्वमेतदपार्थं ते क्षिप्रं तौ संप्रसादय। `तौ प्रसाद्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ यच्छ्रेयस्तदवाप्स्यसि
All this is fruitless for you; quickly appease them. O best of Brahmins, having pleased them, you will attain what is truly best.
श्रद्दधस्व मम ब्रह्मन्नान्यथा कर्तुमर्हसि। यम्यतामद्यविप्रर्षे श्रेयस्ते कथयाम्यहम्
Have faith in my words, O Brahmin, you should not act otherwise. Today, O foremost of sages, I tell you what is for your highest good.
यदेतदुक्तं भवता सर्वं सत्यमसंशयम्। प्रीतोस्मि तव भद्रं ते धर्माचारगुणान्वित
All that you have said is entirely true, without doubt. I am pleased with you—may good befall you—endowed as you are with the virtues of righteous conduct.
दैवतप्रतिमो हि त्वं यस्त्वं धर्ममनुव्रतः। पुराणं शाश्वतं दिव्यं दुष्प्रापमकृतात्मभिः
Truly, you are like a deity, for you are devoted to righteousness—ancient, eternal, divine, and difficult to attain for those who have not mastered themselves.
मातापित्रोः सकाशं हि गत्वात्वं द्विजसत्तम। अतन्द्रितः कुरु क्षिप्रंमातापित्रोर्हि पूजनम्। अतः परमहं धर्मं नान्यं पश्यामि कंचन
Go to your mother and father, O best of Brahmins, and without delay, diligently perform the honoring of your parents. Beyond this, I see no other righteousness.
इहाहमागतो दिष्ट्या दिष्ट्या मे संगतं त्वया। ईदृशा दुर्लभा लोके नरा धर्मप्रदर्शकाः
By fortune I have come here, and by fortune I have met you. Such men, who show the path of righteousness, are rare in this world.
एकोनरसहस्रेषु धर्मवानविद्यते न वा। प्रीतोस्मि तवसत्येन भद्रं ते पुरुषर्षभ
Among a thousand men, perhaps one is found who is righteous, or perhaps not. I am pleased with your truthfulness—may good befall you, O best of men.
पतमानोऽद्यनरके भवताऽस्मि समुद्धृतः। भवितव्यमथैवं च यद्दृष्टोसि मयाऽनघ
Today, as I was falling into hell, I have been lifted up by you. It was destined to be so, that I should be seen by you, O sinless one.
राजा ययातिर्दौहित्रैः पतितस्तारितो यथा। सद्भिः पुरुषशार्दूल तथाऽहं भवता त्विह
Just as King Yayāti was rescued by his grandsons after falling, so too, O best of men, have I been saved here by you.
मातापितृभ्यां शुश्रूषां करिष्ये वचनात्तव। नाकृतात्मा वेदयति धर्माधर्मविनिश्चयम्
By your instruction, I will serve my mother and father. One who has not mastered himself cannot discern righteousness from unrighteousness.
दुर्ज्ञेयः शाश्वतो धर्मः शूद्रयोनौ हि वर्तता। न त्वां शूद्रमहं मन्ये भवितव्यं हि कारणम्
The eternal law is difficult to know, especially for one born in a Śūdra womb. Yet I do not consider you a Śūdra; destiny is indeed the cause.
येन कर्मविशेषेण प्राप्तेयं शूद्रता त्वया। एतामिच्छामि विज्ञातुं तत्त्वेन तव शूद्रताम्। कामयानस् मे शंस सर्वं त्वं प्रयतात्मवान्
By what specific action did you come to be born as a Śūdra? I wish to know the truth of your Śūdra birth. Please, desiring to know, tell me everything, for you are one of disciplined self.
अनतिक्रमणीया वै ब्राह्मणा मे द्विजोत्तम। शृणु सर्वमिदं वृत्तं पूर्वदेहे ममानघ
O best of twice-born, Brahmanas are indeed not to be transgressed by me; listen to all that happened in my previous birth, O sinless one.
अहं हि ब्राह्मणः पूर्वमासं द्विजवरात्मजः। वेदाध्यायी सुकुशलो वेदाङ्गानां च पारगः। आत्मदोषकृतैर्ब्रह्मन्नवस्थामाप्तवानिमाम्
For formerly I was a Brahmana, the son of a foremost twice-born; I was a student of the Vedas, highly skilled, and accomplished in the limbs of the Veda; but, O Brahman, through faults of my own, I attained this present condition.
कश्चिद्राजा मम सखा धनुर्वेदपरायणः। संसर्गाद्धनुषि श्रेष्ठस्ततोऽहमभवं द्विज
There was a certain king, my friend, devoted to the science of archery; through association with him, O twice-born, I became excellent in archery.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु मृगयां निर्गतो नृपः। सहितो योधमुख्यैश् मन्त्रिभिश्च सुसंवृतः। ततोऽभ्यहन्मृगांस्तत्र सुबहूनाश्रमं प्रति
At that very time, the king went out to hunt, accompanied by chief warriors and well-guarded by ministers; then, approaching the hermitage, he killed many animals there.
अथ क्षिप्तः शरो घोरो मयापि द्विजसत्तम। ताडितश्च ऋषिस्तन शरेणानतपर्वणा
Then, O best of Brahmanas, a terrible arrow was shot by me, and a sage was struck there by that arrow with unblunted tip.
भूमौ निपतितो ब्रह्मन्नुवाच प्रतिनादयन्। नापराध्याम्यहं किंचित्केन पापमिदं कृतम्
Falling to the ground, O Brahman, the sage cried out, resounding, 'I have committed no offense at all; by whom has this sin been done?'
मन्वानस्तं मृगं चाहं संप्राप्तः सहसा मुनिम्। अपश्यं तमृषिं विद्धं शरेणानतपर्वणा। तमुग्रतपसं विप्रं निष्टनन्तं महीतले
Thinking that it was an animal, I suddenly approached the sage; I saw that sage, wounded by the arrow with unblunted tip, that Brahman of fierce austerity, writhing on the ground.
अकार्यकरणाच्चापि भृशं मे व्यथितं मनः। अजानता कृतमिदं मयेत्यहमथाब्रुवम्
Because of this wrongful act, my mind was greatly troubled; I said, 'This was done by me unknowingly.'