नात्यन्तमसुखं कश्चित्प्राप्नोति पुरुषर्षभ। प्रज्ञावांस्त्वेव पुरुषः संयुक्तः परया धिया
No one, O best of men, attains unbroken happiness; only a wise man, endowed with supreme understanding, does so.
उदयास्तमयज्ञो हि न हृष्यति न शोचति। सुखमापतितं विन्दन्दुःखमापतितं सहन्
He who is devoted to the rising and setting of the sun is neither elated nor distressed; he enjoys happiness when it comes and endures suffering when it comes.
कालप्राप्तमुपासीत सस्यानामिव कर्षकः। तपसो हि परं नास्ति तपसा विन्दते महत्
One should wait for the right time, like a farmer for his crops; for there is nothing higher than austerity—by austerity, one attains greatness.
नासाध्यं तपसः किंचिदिति बुध्यस् भारत। सत्यमार्जवमक्रोधः संविभागो दमः शमः
Know, O Bharata, that for austerity nothing is unattainable; truth, uprightness, absence of anger, sharing, self-restraint, and tranquility.
अनसूयाऽविहिंसा च शौचमिन्द्रियसंयमः। साधनानि महाराज नराणां पुण्यकर्मणाम्
Freedom from envy, non-violence, purity, and control of the senses—these, O King, are the disciplines of those who perform virtuous deeds.
अधर्मरुचयो मूढास्तिर्यग्गतिपरायणाः। कृच्छ्रां योनिमनुप्राप्ता न सुखं विन्दते अनाः
Those deluded ones who delight in unrighteousness, destined for the path of lower births, attain difficult wombs and do not find happiness.
इह यत्क्रियते कर्म तत्परत्रोपभुज्यते। `मूलसिक्तस्य वृक्षस्य फलं शाखासु दृश्यते'। तस्माच्छरीरं युञ्जीत तपसा नियमेन च
Whatever action is performed here, its result is enjoyed hereafter; just as the fruit of a tree watered at its root appears on its branches, so one should discipline the body with austerity and restraint.
यथाशक्ति प्रयच्छेत संपूज्याभिप्रणम्य च। काले प्राप्ते च हृष्टात्मा राजन्विगतमत्सरः
One should give according to one's ability, with reverence and salutation to those worthy of honor, and when the time comes, with a joyful and envy-free heart, O King.
सत्यवादी लभेतायुरनायासमथार्जवम्। अक्रोधनोऽनसूयश्च निर्वृतिं लभते पराम्
A speaker of truth attains long life, ease, and straightforwardness; one who is free from anger and envy attains supreme contentment.
दान्तः शमपरः शश्वत्परिक्लेशं न विन्दति। न च तप्यति दान्तात्मा दृष्ट्वा परगतां श्रियम्
The self-controlled, ever devoted to tranquility, never experiences great distress; nor does the restrained one grieve upon seeing the prosperity of others.
संविभक्ता च दाता च भोगवान्सुखवान्नरः। भवत्यहिंसकश्चैव परमारोग्यमश्नुते
He who shares and gives, who enjoys and is happy, and who is non-violent, attains supreme health.
मान्यं मानयिता जन्म कुले महति विन्दति। `विन्दते सुखमत्यर्थमिह लोके परत्र च'। व्यसनैर्न तुसंयोगं प्राप्नोति विजितेन्द्रियः
One who honors the honorable is born in a great family; 'he attains great happiness in this world and the next,' and the one who has conquered the senses does not encounter misfortune.
शुभानुशयबुद्धिर्हि संयुक्तः कालधर्मणा। प्रादुर्भवति तद्योगात्कल्याणमतिरेव सः
He whose mind is endowed with auspicious tendencies, united with the law of time, is born through that connection as one whose intellect is truly virtuous.
भगवन्दानधर्माणआं तपसो वा महामुने। किंस्विद्बहुगुणं प्रेत्य किं वा दुष्करमुच्यते
O venerable sage, among the duties of giving and austerity, which is considered most meritorious after death, and which is said to be most difficult?
दानान्न दुष्करं तात पृथिव्यामस्ति किंचन। अर्थे च महती तृष्णा स च दुःखेन लभ्यते
O dear one, there is nothing more difficult on earth than giving; for there is great thirst for wealth, and it is obtained with much hardship.
राजन्प्रत्यक्षमेवैतद्दृश्यते लोकसाक्षिकम्'। परित्यज्य प्रियान्प्राणान्प्रविशन्ति रणाजिरम्। तथैव प्रतिपद्यन्ते समुद्रमटवीं तथा
O King, this is seen directly and witnessed by the world: abandoning dear life itself, people enter the battlefield; likewise, they venture into the ocean and the forest.
कृषिगोरक्ष्यमित्येके प्रतिपद्यन्ति मानवाः। पुरुषाः प्रेष्यतामेके निर्गच्छन्ति धनार्थिनः
Some men engage in agriculture and cattle-rearing, while others, seeking wealth, enter into servitude.
तस्माद्दुःखार्जितस्यैव परित्यागः सुदुष्करः। सुदुष्करतरं दानं तस्माद्दानं मतं मम
Therefore, it is extremely difficult to give up wealth acquired with hardship; and giving is even more difficult—thus, I consider giving to be supreme.
विसेषस्त्वत्र विज्ञेयो न्यायेनोपार्जितं धनम्। पात्रे काले च देशे च प्रयतः प्रतिपादयेत्
But here, one should understand the distinction: wealth acquired justly should be given, with care, to a worthy recipient, at the proper time and place.
अन्यायात्समुपात्तेन दानधर्मौ धनन यः। कुरुते न स कर्तारं त्रायते महतो भयात्
He who performs the duties of giving and charity with wealth obtained unjustly does not save the doer from great fear.
पात्रे दानं स्वल्पमपि काले दत्तं युधिष्ठिर। मनसा हि विशुद्धेन प्रेत्यानन्तफलं स्मृतम्
Even a little gift, given at the right time to a worthy recipient, O Yudhishthira, with a pure mind, is remembered as yielding infinite fruit after death.
श्रद्धा धर्मानुगा देवी पावनी विश्वधारिणी।' सवित्री प्रसवित्री च संसारार्णवतारिणी
Faith, accompanied by righteousness, is divine, purifying, and upholds the universe; it is Savitri, the procreator, and the deliverer across the ocean of worldly existence.
श्रद्धया धार्यते धर्मो महद्भिर्नार्थदर्शिभिः। सधना अपिराजानो निःश्रद्धा नरकं गताः
Dharma is upheld by the great, who perceive not merely material gain, through faith; even kings with abundant means, lacking faith, have gone to hell.
निष्किंचनाश्च मुनयः श्रद्धावन्तो दिवं गताः। देशे काले च पात्रे च मुद्गलः श्रद्धयाऽन्वितः। व्रीहिद्रोणं प्रदायाथ परं पदमवाप्तवान्
Destitute sages, possessing faith, have attained heaven; Mudgala, endowed with faith, gave a measure of rice in the right place, time, and to the proper recipient, and thus reached the supreme state.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीमतिहासं पुरातनम्। व्रीहिद्रोणपरित्यागाद्यत्फलं प्राप मुद्गलः
Here too, they cite an ancient tale: the fruit Mudgala obtained from giving up a measure of rice.
व्रीहिद्रोणः परित्यक्तः कथं तेन महात्मना। कस्मै दत्तश्च भगवन्विधिना केन चात्थ मे
How did that great-souled one relinquish the measure of rice? To whom was it given, O revered one, and by what method? Tell me.
प्रत्यक्षधर्मा भगवान्यस् तुष्टो हि कर्मभिः। सफलं तस्य जन्माहं मन्ये सद्धर्मचारिणः
The revered one, manifest in dharma, was pleased by his deeds; I believe the birth of that follower of true dharma was fruitful.
शिलोञ्छवृत्तिर्धर्मात्मा मुद्गलः संयतेन्द्रियः। आसीद्राजन्कुरुक्षेत्रे सत्यवागनसूयकः
Mudgala, righteous and self-controlled, lived by gleaning grains; he was a king in Kurukshetra, truthful and free from deceit.
अतिथिव्रती क्रियावांश्च कापोतीं वृत्तिमास्थितः। सत्रमिष्टीकृतंनाम समुपास्ते महातपाः
Observing the vow of hospitality and performing rituals, he adopted the lifestyle of a pigeon; the great ascetic worshipped the sacrifice called 'Iṣṭīkṛta.'
सपुत्रदारो हि मुनिः पक्षाहारो बभूव ह। कपोतवृत्त्या पक्षेण व्रीहिद्रोयणमुपार्जयत्
With wife and son, the sage subsisted on food gathered fortnightly, earning a measure of rice by the pigeon’s method.