एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यथा मम पुराऽभवत्। अभितश्चापि गन्तव्यो मया स्वर्गो द्विजोत्तम
All this I have told you, as it once happened to me; and now, O best of twice-born, I too must go to heaven from here.
एवमेतानि पुरुषा दुःखानि च सुखानि च। आप्नुवन्ति महाबुद्धे नोत्कण्ठां कर्तुमर्हसि
In this way, O great-minded one, people experience both sorrow and happiness; you should not give in to despair.
दुष्करं हि कृतंकर्म जानता जातिमात्मनः। [लोकवृत्तान्ततत्त्वज्ञ नित्यं धर्मपरायण ।।]
Indeed, you have performed a difficult deed, knowing your own birth, always devoted to righteousness, and understanding the true nature of worldly events.
कर्मदोषाच्च वै विद्वन्नात्मजातिकृतेन वै। कंचित्कालं मृष्यतां वै ततोसि भविता द्विजः
O learned one, because of the fault in your actions, not by your birth, you must endure for a certain time; after that, you will become a Brahmin.
सांप्रतं च मतो मेऽसि ब्राह्मणो नात्र संशयः
And now, in my view, you are a Brahmin—there is no doubt about this.
ब्राह्मणः पतनीयेषु वर्तमानो विकर्मसु। दाम्भिक्वो दुष्कृतप्रायः शूद्रेण सदृशो भवेत्
A Brahmin who engages in sinful acts and wrongful deeds, full of hypocrisy and evil conduct, becomes like a Shudra.
यस्तु शूद्रो दमे सत्ये धर्मे च सततोत्थितः। तं ब्राह्मणमहं मन्ये वृत्तेन हि भवेद्द्विजः
But a Shudra who is always engaged in self-control, truth, and righteousness—I consider him a Brahmin, for by conduct one becomes a twice-born.
कर्मदोषेण विषमां गतिमाप्तोसि दारुणाम्। क्षीणदोषमहं मन्ये चाभितस्त्वां नरोत्तम
Because of the fault in your actions, you have reached a harsh and difficult state; but I think you are now free from faults, O best of men.
कर्तुमर्हसि नोत्कण्ठां त्वद्विधा ह्यविषादिनः। लोकवृत्तान्ततत्वज्ञा नित्यं धर्मपरायणाः
You should not give in to despair; for those like you, who know the truth of worldly affairs and are always devoted to righteousness, do not lose heart.
प्रज्ञया मानसं दुःखं हन्याच्छारीरमौषधैः। एतद्विज्ञानसामर्थ्यं न बालै समतामियात्
By wisdom, one should dispel mental suffering, and by medicine, bodily pain; such is the power of knowledge, which cannot be equaled by the ignorant.
अनिष्टसंप्रयोगाच्च विप्रयोगात्प्रयिस्य च। मनुष्या मानसैर्दुःखैर्युज्यन्ते चाल्पबुद्धयः
Because of union with what is undesirable, and separation from what is desired, people of little understanding are afflicted by mental sorrows.
गुणैर्भूतानि युज्यन्ते वियुज्यन्ते तथैव च। सर्वाणि नैतदेकस्य शोकस्थानं हि विद्यते
Beings are joined and separated by their qualities; all of this does not provide a cause for sorrow for any one person.
अनिष्टनान्वितं पश्यंस्तथा क्षिप्रं विरज्यते। ततश्च प्रतिकुर्वन्ति यदि पश्यन्त्युपक्रमम्
Seeing what is joined with misfortune, one quickly becomes detached; and then, if they see a means, they act to remedy it.
शोचतो न भवेत्किंचित्केवलं परितप्यते। परित्यजन्ति ये दुःखं सुखं वाऽप्युभयं नराः
Nothing is gained by grieving; one only suffers more; those who abandon both sorrow and happiness, or even both, are truly wise.
त एव सुखमेधन्ते ज्ञानतृप्ता मनीषिणः। असंतोषपरा मूढाः संतोषं यानति पण्डिताः
Those wise ones, satisfied in knowledge, alone attain happiness; the deluded pursue dissatisfaction, but the learned seek contentment.
असंतोषस्य नास्त्यन्तस्तुष्टिस्तु परमं सुखम्। न शोचन्ति गताध्वानः पश्यन्तः परमां गतिं
There is no end to dissatisfaction, but contentment is the highest happiness; those who have reached their journey's end do not grieve, seeing the supreme goal.
न विषादे मनः कार्यं विषादो विषमुत्तमम्। मारयत्यकृतप्रज्ञं बालं क्रुद्ध इवोरगः
The mind should not be given over to despair, for despair is the worst poison; it destroys the unwise, just as a furious serpent kills a child.
यंविषादोऽभिभवति विषमे समुपस्थिते। तेजसा तस् हीनस्य पुरुषार्थो न विद्यते
When despair overcomes someone in a crisis, that person, deprived of energy, has no purpose or achievement.
अवश्यं क्रियमाणस् कर्मणो दृश्यते फलम्। न हि निर्वेदमागम्य किंचित्प्राप्नोति शोभनम्
The result of action is certainly seen; for, upon falling into despair, one attains nothing good.
अथाप्युपायं पश्येत दुःखस् परिमोक्षणे। अशोचन्नारभेतैव युक्तश्चाव्यसनी भवेत्
However, if one perceives a means for release from suffering, one should act without sorrow and remain steadfast, free from misfortune.
भूतेष्वभावं संचिन्त्य ये तु बुद्धेः परं गताः। न शोचन्ति कृतप्रज्ञाः पश्यन्तः परमां गतिम्
But those who have attained the highest understanding, contemplating the impermanence of beings, do not grieve, for their wisdom perceives the supreme goal.
न शोचामि रमे विद्वन्कालाकाङ्क्षी स्थितोस्म्यहम्। एतैर्निदर्शनैर्ब्रह्मन्नावसीदामि सत्तम
O wise one, I do not grieve; I remain awaiting the right time. By these examples, O Brahman, I do not lose heart, best of the good.
कृतप्रज्ञोसि मेधावी बुद्धिश्च विपुला तव। पापान्निवृत्तोसि सदा ज्ञानवृद्धोसि धर्मवित्
You are wise, intelligent, and your understanding is vast; you always refrain from evil, you are mature in knowledge, and you know righteousness.
आपृच्छे त्वां स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु धर्मस्त्वां परिरक्षतु। अप्रमादस्तु कर्तव्यो धर्मे धर्मभृतांवर
I take leave of you; may well-being be yours. May righteousness protect you, and may you, foremost upholder of righteousness, always act with vigilance in dharma.
बाढमित्येव तं व्याधः कृताञ्जलिरुवाच ह। प्रदक्षिणमथो कृत्वा प्रस्थितो द्विजसत्तमः
The hunter, with joined palms, replied, 'So be it.' Then, having circumambulated him, the best of the twice-born set out.
स तु गत्वाद्विजः सर्वां शुश्रूषां कृतवांस्तदा। मातापितृभ्यामन्धाभ्यां यथान्यायं सुसंशितः
Having gone, the Brahmin then performed all service, thoroughly and properly, for his blind mother and father.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं निखिलेन युधिष्ठिर। पृष्टवानसि यं तात धर्मं धर्मभृतांवर
Thus, O Yudhishthira, I have told you everything in detail about the dharma you inquired about, best among upholders of dharma.
पतिव्रताया माहात्म्यं ब्राह्मणस्य च सत्तम। मातापित्रोश्च शुश्रूषा धर्मव्याधेन कीर्तिता
The greatness of a devoted wife, the excellence of the Brahmin, and the service to mother and father have been praised by the righteous hunter.
अत्यद्भुतमिदं ब्रह्मन्धर्माख्यानमनुत्तमम्। सर्वधर्मविदांश्रेष्ठ कथितं मुनिसत्तम
This account of righteousness, O Brahman, is truly wonderful and supreme, narrated by you, best among those who know all dharma.
सुखश्राव्यतया विद्वन्मुहूर्त इव मे गतः। न हि तृप्तोस्मि भगवञ्शृण्वानो धर्ममुत्तमम्
Because it was so pleasant to hear, O wise one, the time passed as if in a moment; indeed, O venerable one, I am not satisfied, hearing this supreme dharma.